What do you do to help yourself in the field?

[Ken Lee]

Interesting. I use post-its.

I post this commercial parody again, only because it is sure to piss off rdenney (and everyone needs some French accordion music one and a while ):

Brilliant !

[David_Senesac]

All my exposure calculation is manually based on EV levels. So I have EV tables of shutter speed versus aperature for the 100 ASA Provia 100F film I use taped on my Gitzo tripod leg, the back of my Polaris lightmeter, and as spare loose reference sheets in my gear bag.

[mandoman7]

I've enjoyed reading about how others deal with field notes, which seems more relevant with LF than other mediums. Long ago I used to copy the forms out of Ansel's the Negative and fill them out for each shot. At some point the question of work flow arises, and when I'd get into shooting where there was repetition then I'd say screw the notes. But then, without notes you'd get penalized when problems come along and you can't remember what you did.

The thing I really like using now is this little palm sized recorder from Olympus, photo below. For one, I can record a lot more information quickly about a shot than with manual notes. I have my holders notched so I can link a great deal of information to a single sheet with this thing without stopping the work flow. The recorder is something that the press uses for interviews, I guess, but its basically a one button operation, and you can transfer the files to your pc later. In usage, I find that I also will record a lot of ideas and inspirations for later consideration that normally are forgotten before you get home, about things to bring next time or whatever. Its also useful to hear my own comments made during a shot, with waves breaking in the background for instance, when I'm scanning the film to get a sense of what I was thinking at the time.

[mathieu Bauwens]

Have a good pair of shoes

[cosmicexplosion]

I just came back from holidays at mystery bay in NSW Australia...just down the coast, and I took my new stable system comprising of sinar stabiliser to use my sinar P2 108 in the field, its a no head rig and very solid but heavy, so what I brought along is just a regular truck trolley and stapped my box of sinar bits on and carried tripod with said stabelizer over shoulder.

it was actually very good. I went down some basic beach paths and general tracks and sand fine, and made it possible.

I also found that shooting with out head easier than I had thought.

the stabelizer held strong in steady onshore winds, with no visible vibration with out umbrella buffer, though I did use when shooting!

[johnmsanderson]

I rarely take notes, but when I do its on my phone either text or voice recorded. I shoot color so I don't have use for many filters besides the occasional polarizer. When I'm working I like to get the shot and move to the next thing. There are times when I wish I noted f stop though, especially when learning a new format.

[John Kasaian]

I always take along a sense of humor

[Preston]

I always take along a sense of humor

Perfect!

--P

[bobwysiwyg]

I always take along a sense of humor

Yup, right next to my humility.