# Photography...what I think I've learned



## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

Thought it might be a good opportunity to share knowledge, thoughts, philosophies etc as a group on what we think we've learned about the hobby (usually through or own blunders). Please limited your words of wisdom to 3 items per day and try to keep it concise. To begin.

1. Cheap tripods fail - always. Don't skimp here.

2. When shooting ground level, always assume there are chiggers.

3. All gators are faster than you.


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

Ok Ill go next

1. Think outside the box...One I have a hard time doing myself.

2. Photography can Bleed ya dry you if you let it. Or so my credit cards indicate. Went to HCE for a gray card, walked out with 300.00 worth of stuff.

3. The only one a photograph has to please............ is you.


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## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

1. I had no idea it was such a complex entity.

2. I had no idea it was such a powerful vortex.

3. I had no idea that there was such a huge following.

dick


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

1. A novice photog can quickly outgrow a "prosumer" digicam... in my case, an Oly SP570uz...

2. A new in box, 2-year-model old dSLR can be had for a song, and said novice shows no signs of outgrowing it... 

3. everyone but me, my wife, and our parents very quickly get tired of seeing more and more pics of our babys. hwell:


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## Ibeafireman (Jul 24, 2006)

1. If you drop your camera with a nifty fifty on...it will land camera side down.

2. If you drop your camera with a L series lens it will drop lens side down.

3.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

1. It's more about the hunt than the shot.
2. It's going to cost a lot more than you think.
3. OFF insect repellent towelettes are the best accessory there is for your camera bag.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

1. If you forget to check your ISO setting, it will somehow default to 3200 or higher.

2. The first thing to give out during a long shoot is usually your knees.

3. Learning how to retouch a portrait well will get you invited to lots of parties.


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## Dances With Fish (Jul 24, 2006)

1. Theres no substitute for TP. Especially in the woods when you have to sacrifice your shirt and its 10-20 degrees outside.

2. No matter how mechanically sound and harmonious you become with your equipment and getting good images, you still feel inferior to other photographers images.

3. The only difference between a photographer who sells his work and us is......OUR WORK IS STILL ON OUR HARD DRIVE!!!!!

Good thread....


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## sandybottom (Jun 1, 2005)

1. When at ground level at the beach don't forget about a wave creeping up on you!

2. Always bring something to protect your camera in case it rains even if the sun is out.

3. Always check your ISO settings.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

*...I like where this is going...*

1. If you set a camera to bracket, you will forget to change it back at least 30% of the time and wonder why the stupid thing cant get the exposure right. There is a 100% chance this will take place during the "money" part of the shoot.

2. The quandry of whether or not to use a UV filter will never be definitely settled.

3. A Special shot is a function of the moment, the subject, composition and execution. It can never be duplicated...I know - I've tried.


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

*Learning from my blunders*

1. Always remember WHIMS.....I have been so rapped up in the moment, ive forgotten to change the WB back from the night before.

WHIMS

*W:* White Balance
*H:* Hightlight clipping warning
*I:* ISO
*M:* Mode (JPEG or RAW)
*S:* Shooting (Resetting to the right shooting mode for the subject: Aperture Priorty, Shutter Priority, Manual, etc.)
2. Besure and carry extra batteries for eveything. Started down one of the trails at BBSP to find out my flash batteries were near dead.

3. And along them same lines, besure you have all the equiptment your going to need. Was at the beach for an early sunrise, was about to mount my Lee filters, had the mount, but........no filters.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

1. When that perfect owl shot is in front of you, your SD cards is at home in your laptop (Yes, at BBSP). I now carry 2 of them in a little wallet on my camera strap. Saved me several times already.

2. I keep a disposable shower cap in my fanny pack for protecting the camera. Also have one of those $2 disposable "emergency" rain ponchos in there. Both have been used, both have saved a day and possibly a camera.

3. I've learned bean bag in my fanny pack too. Made one for about $0.50 that fits the bottom of my fanny pack perfectly. HERE and HERE.


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## Pocketfisherman (May 30, 2005)

Arlon said:


> 1. When that perfect owl shot is in front of you, your SD cards is at home in your laptop (Yes, at BBSP). I now carry 2 of them in a little wallet on my camera strap. Saved me several times already.
> 
> 2. I keep a disposable shower cap in my fanny pack for protecting the camera. Also have one of those $2 disposable "emergency" rain ponchos in there. Both have been used, both have saved a day and possibly a camera.
> 
> 3. I've learned bean bag in my fanny pack too. Made one for about $0.50 that fits the bottom of my fanny pack perfectly. HERE and HERE.


I've got the memory card wallets on my camera strap, great little gadgets. These other two items are something I'll put to good use.....Thanks !!


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## MT Stringer (May 21, 2004)

Lately, Murphy's Law has been applying itself to some of my endeavors. If it can go wrong, it will! 

If it ain't broke, please do not touch it.

Just because you think your light stand is safe, sturdy and secure, a thousand high school kids walking by it may not! True story.

Check and double check your bag before heading off into the sunset/sunrise. Dang I hate that when it happens. I was ten miles down the road when I remembered I had left the Skyport receivers on the chargers in the garage.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

1. If you learn how to use it, a cheap point and shoot can be a very practical tool. 
2. If you don't know how to do something, google it first. 
3. You can set up a pretty darn effective portrait studio for under $100.


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## Rippin_drag (Sep 2, 2008)

Its not about gear, its about vision


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## Dances With Fish (Jul 24, 2006)

I.....AM....A......Ladies Man!!!! OOOPS wrong forum


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. - - Norman Vincent Peale

Too much depth of field does exist...once you reach full dof in a frame the additional stops will only distort the image (past sweet spot) and encourage motion blur.

Here's a good one - Adobe RGB for prints SRGB for web.


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

*A few Tech things Ive learned*

1. When shooting with a long lens, try and keep the shutter speed equal to or greater than to focal lenght.

2. When using your Histogram, remember "expose to the right". This will help reduce noise in an image.

3. When shooting in RAW, the camera settings (picture style, sharpness, sat, contrast, ect, ) do not apply. These are only usable in JPEG, TIFF, ect.

And one more, When shooting in RAW I always presharpen (125/ 1.0/ .3 ). before converting to JPEG/ TIFF, And post sharpen for the media. (web or printing)


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

1. No matter what you get you always want more.
2. What you get will be obsolete by the time you get home.
3. Don't just read your manual...LEARN IT.


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

*It's been almost a year...*

So I had a few more...


Post processing usually take twice as long as shooting.
Don't get so caught up in the details you miss the big picture. Context is important.
Make sure at events someone takes shots of you.
A 70-200mm f2.8 lens dropped on concrete from 60' cannot be repaired.
For an accomplished photographer the key to getting shots that blow you away is the time you spend shooting. There's no substitution for that.


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## nightgigger (Oct 13, 2008)

Composition, Composition, Composition. Study great art painted or photographic. the common element is how the light flows. ( this is why abstract art works, You mind can see order where no real subject exists). High contrast Black and white shows this best, but it is true everywhere. Also on the presentation, think about the viewing distance ratio. I think 2.5 hands wide(at the end of your arm) works for me.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

Considering I have moved out to West Texas since this thread was last alive and kicking..

1. Wear good shoes (big thorn going clear through a croc left me with that bit of insight).
2. NEVER backup while squatted down for a shot. NEVER.. My wife is still laughing over that one. I swear a prickly pear cactus 3" tall has 2" spines..
3. Ziplock everything, dust will still get in but just not quite as much of it.


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