“Chimping” has a couple of meanings. It can simply mean reviewing a shot on the LCD, or more negatively, repeatedly admiring/showing off images instead of continuing to shoot.

It becomes derogatory when it suggests the photographer is spending too much time looking at the screen, fiddling with gear, or obsessing over results rather than making photographs. In that sense it’s similar to terms like “pixel-peeping” or getting overly caught up in technical details.

But checking the LCD is not inherently bad. A quick review can be very useful to confirm exposure, composition, and especially the histogram. In situations where the subject isn’t going anywhere—architecture, landscapes, still subjects—there’s little downside to reviewing and adjusting.

Where chimping can be a problem is during fast-moving or candid situations, where staring at the screen may cause you to miss the next moment. In portraits or events, it can also affect your subject if your reaction to the image is visibly negative.

So the term is only insulting when it implies excessive or distracting behavior. Brief, purposeful review is just part of shooting digitally.