Already, a chaotic avalanche of tips! ☺
That’s okay, the more disorderly, the more random, the better...
That way, people can pick from the pool, personalize, and prioritize.
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* Remember to consider adjusting exposure for your b/w filter.
Already, a chaotic avalanche of tips! ☺
That’s okay, the more disorderly, the more random, the better...
That way, people can pick from the pool, personalize, and prioritize.
-----
* Remember to consider adjusting exposure for your b/w filter.
If shooting a wide angle lens on a press camera, check that the bed is dropped. Been there, done that. It isn't always fatal, but is fatal often enough.
If shooting a Speed Graphic and using the focal plane shutter, make sure the lens' shutter is closed before winding the focal plane shutter; with a barrel lens, make sure the lens cap is on before winding the focal plane shutter. Then make sure the lens' shutter is open or the cap is off again.
Check shutter settings before and after focusing and composing. I've failed to stop down more than once, also, when the shutter needed "T" to stay open haven't always set the right speed.
One of my personal failings: always check your corners. I don't know how many shots I've ruined by using too much rise or shift and ending up with 2 dark corners.
If I can play devil's advocate... do not put together a long laundry list of rules that you have to remember. Develop good habits and work in an orderly way in the field. Do not short-circuit your own process.
1. Extend tripod legs - I find it helpful to extend front leg an in or two more.
2. Place camera on tripod - hoist onto shoulder.
3. Place front leg of tripod down first. With other hand, open the two back legs onto a level stance.
4. Open camera.
5. Select and mount lens.
6. Open shutter.
7. Get under darkcloth, commune with your navel, compose, check corners.
8. Meter and decide on exposure.
9. Set aperture - recheck focus and corners etc.
10. Close shutter.
11. Insert filmholder.
12. Remove darkslide.
13. Make exposure. Keep darkslide in hand as reminder to reinsert before doing anything else.
14. Re-insert darkslide.
15. Remove filmholder.
16. Open shutter and recheck composition to make sure nothing drastic shifted - focus, framing etc.
17. Pray and sacrifice a chicken on the spot. Keep entrails to read in the night to decide where to go photographing the next day.
18. Make notes in notebook - exposure, subject, developing notes etc.
That routine needs to become habit and instinct. It is usually when one works without habits that errors arise. Sometimes, you may want to deviate from the habit but it should be the exception rather than the norm.
Cheers, DJ
I'm reporting post #14 as a violation of the site's "religion ban"... devil's and chicken sacrifices. Shame on you.
... and you'll regret not having TP with you too!
...
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
DJ, that looks like a checklist.
Is that one chicken per shot? If so, how do you herd your chickens? And, do you need to gut more than one per day?
During set-up, if you have no chicken entrails to help you predict the immediate future, scan the cloud-broken skies to anticipate beneficial (or upsetting) changes in light.
To anticipate the breeze, listen to distant trees and their shivering foliage. Is the noise approaching? Receding? Steady?
When you get better at this, try to coordinate the two.
In a phrase, make use of your Indian senses!
Doh! I can hardly admit to having done that more than once.Originally Posted by Gem Singer
Make certain your shirt is tucked in the back and your belt is tightened before bending over for one last look under the darkcloth.***
*** applies mostly to "Norge Men".
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