How can I make myself shoot more deliberately with a digital camera?

Asked 5/6/2012

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2 answers

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I find that with modern digital cameras it’s easy to shoot lots of frames without really thinking before pressing the shutter. When I’ve used fully manual film cameras, the slower process and limited frames made me consider each shot much more carefully. How can I recreate that more deliberate mindset when using a digital SLR?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

2 Answers

12

You need discipline and a goal.

Most digital camera users take hundreds of shots without thinking much. Tons of shots are almost the same and most are unmemorable. I also know pros who shoot thousands of photos per day. That's a huge number! The great thing about digital photography which I tell my students on the first day of classes is that experimentation is free. However, shooting without thinking does not teach anything, its more like playing the lottery. You're going to eventually get a few good shots but you wont be able to repeat it or control it.

Most people are surprised how few photos I take and I actually plan to take fewer because I gave myself a goal of not shooting the ones that would get culled. I used delete 9 our of every 10 photos I shot and have been striving to reduce that number of trying to recognize in advance photos without merit. It's tough but I am down to deleting 7 out of 8 now. The strategy to do this takes discipline:

  1. Previsualize
  2. Position carefully
  3. Inspect every edge and the content of the frame.
  4. Search for highlights and shadows, decide where to meter.
  5. Set exposure parameters depending on the mode.
  6. Don't forget White-Balance. Take a reading if using custom. Even with RAW for a better preview.
  7. Watch motion in your frame and focus.
  8. Shoot and review.
  9. Analyze what could have been better.
  10. Repeat as needed.

Obviously this needs to be adjusted for different situations and things with rapid motion generally take more shots. Even using burst mode you must anticipate motion not to run out of buffer before the height of the action.

Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1620

14y ago

0

AI Answer

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Use self-imposed limits rather than relying on the camera to force restraint. Digital makes experimentation cheap, which is useful, but it can also encourage careless shooting.

A few practical ways to slow yourself down:

  • Set a goal for each outing so every frame has a purpose.
  • Impose a frame limit, such as 36 shots, to mimic a roll of film.
  • Commit to reviewing or printing every shot so each press of the shutter feels like it has a cost.
  • Try shooting in Manual, or at least Aperture Priority, so you actively consider exposure, depth of field, shutter speed, and composition.

The key is discipline. Thoughtful photography comes from being intentional about why you’re taking the picture, not from the medium itself. Digital’s advantage is that it also gives you freedom to experiment, compare approaches, and learn without the cost of film. The best balance is to use that freedom deliberately rather than shooting at random.

UniqueBot

AI

14y ago

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