Rookie Mistake: I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a...

lensenvy Loc: Boston Mass

I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a couple of pics and forgot to change back. I am so mad at myself.

So my question is "what is your routine" that you go through. I get caught up in the moment and start shooting without the checks and balances.

Thanks

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

Leave on Auto, at least you can fire off some straight away to catch the moment and then take a decision.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

I set the two custom setting on the D7000s I have and use them, we ALL do this and no one can deny they don't, happens to us all occasionally

CurreyPhoto Loc: Reddick, Florida

lensenvy wrote:

I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a couple of pics and forgot to change back. I am so mad at myself.

So my question is "what is your routine" that you go through. I get caught up in the moment and start shooting without the checks and balances.

Thanks

I look at the screen on the back of the camera once in a while to see what I am getting. I have my camera set up so it shows the picture I have just taken right after I take it for 5 or 6 seconds. That way I can tell immediately if I am really missing the mark and I can make changes before the next shot.

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

I pretty much stay in manual. I rarely have to deal with changing lighting situations so I can leave my settings alone for the most part. Only changing them for times I am trying to be a bit more artistic.

My oops moments usually come when I move from indoors to outdoors or back again.

lensenvy Loc: Boston Mass

Thanks for the quick responses! Glad to know I am not the only one.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Shooting at an unnecessarily high ISO because I forgot I set it there previously. To make sure it doesn't happen as often, I make a point of setting the camera to a more moderate ISO (200 or 400) before turning the camera off and puting it away for the day.

I don't know if that is specifically a rookie mistake; forgetting to double-check the ISO setting before taking a picture happens to seasoned photographers too sometimes.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

lensenvy wrote:

I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a couple of pics and forgot to change back. I am so mad at myself.

So my question is "what is your routine" that you go through. I get caught up in the moment and start shooting without the checks and balances.

Thanks

I always switch back to Auto (not program). If I forget to set the camera to AV, TV or manual, I still have a good chance for a good shot.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

lensenvy wrote:

I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a couple of pics and forgot to change back. I am so mad at myself.

So my question is "what is your routine" that you go through. I get caught up in the moment and start shooting without the checks and balances.

Thanks

I learned to shoot manual right from the start....so I don't get caught. (at least not by the camera's decisions) :)

I preset my camera for whatever environment I'm in....indoors, outdoors in bright sun...whatever.

It's just my habit....I don't wait until there is something to shoot to think about what the camera is set on.

And like JR1, if I'm in an environment where there are two or three prevailing conditions...I set the "user modes" to those exposures (i.e. shade, bright sun...etc.) so I can flip back and forth between them with one click)

hughburden Loc: UK

making a mess of this

hughburden Loc: UK

another fine mess trying to sort the first one

hughburden Loc: UK

Hi there lensenvy- as you imply the routine is to have a routine and subject to human failure NEVER deviate from it.
My routine is return all camera and all equipment settings to my designated ones at the end of a shoot. I also check all camera settings and related equipment are at my designated settings at the start of a shoot.

What are my chosen designated camera settings (DSLR in this case)?

I set it so if all else fails I would probably get a shot by just picking up the camera and 'pointing and shooting' without thinking. This is just what I do....Aperture priority, default ISO (200) and f8, any 'one off' settings just used are zeroed and on relevant lenses I have vibration control 'on'
This is my default starting point and is of course my personal preference, you would need to work out yours... maybe just 'auto'... maybe shutter priority whatever... but once decided that is THE Law lol

Underwaterant

lensenvy wrote:

I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a couple of pics and forgot to change back. I am so mad at myself.

So my question is "what is your routine" that you go through. I get caught up in the moment and start shooting without the checks and balances.

Thanks

Just keep experimenting in manual .
It will make you more creative and think more about what does what.
It won't happen overnight, but you will never go back to auto.

Grand Loc: Lebanon, Pa

Underwaterant wrote:

Just keep experimenting in manual .
It will make you more creative and think more about what does what.
It won't happen overnight, but you will never go back to auto.

Use manual, n check ur - and + exposure settins.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

lensenvy wrote:

I was taking pictures of my daughters prom last night. I do not always shoot manual, I am more or a P mode and make adjustments. Last night I changed to manual for a couple of pics and forgot to change back. I am so mad at myself.

So my question is "what is your routine" that you go through. I get caught up in the moment and start shooting without the checks and balances.

Thanks

I normally try to shoot manual but often things change. On Canon you have three custom setting I can set up. I will set them for conditions I expect to run into while I am out shooting.

A quick twist of the dial and I know what I am shooting but I always make sure I go back to manual after taking those shots. I have also gotten into the habbit of looking at my photos often to be sure they are what I want.

I really hate it when I mess up because, shooting nature as I do, so often a lost shot is just that, lost!

Jim D