LF Checklist (prior to going out)

[miles_feigenbaum___dallas_]

Howdy LF Friends!

 

Hope everyone had a nice holiday...

 

I was wondering if any of y'all have made a 'typed' CHECKLIST to

follow, prior to going out on a shoot, either a fun type shoot or

work related. I realize, the architectural guys are going to have

possibly a greater or extended list than maybe a landscape shooter.

Anyone care to share a tried and proven checklist? If the landscape

shooters include a handheld GPS, or bug spray, weather related items,

etc..., thats great info for the list. I'd really like to see both

sides of the issue, archectechtural and landscape if possible.

 

I had thought about starting to type out some type of checklist as if

one item is forgotten, it can ruin the entire experience. I think my

younger days in the scouts has taught me to 'Be Prepared', and that

was around 35 years ago...

 

Anyone care to share a good story of a forgotten item?

 

Thanks guys!

[armin_seeholzer]

Hi Miles

 

Nobody is perfect: My extended list of forgotten items: Exposer Meters, 9x12cm rollfilm back, I/R Filters, rail extension, short bellows/long bellows,readyload holders, pola holders, B/W films, colour films etc.

I have of course something forgotten on this list.

But from time to time I go out just with one lens and one camera and 6 filmholders only almost nothing it is a good drill.

Its cold reduce it to the max!

[neil_miller2]

Hi Miles,

 

I went to Cyprus recently, taking 35mm and 6x7 bodies and lenses to save the weight of my LF stuff, but I was appalled at how much my kit weighed, even after I had disccarded what I thought to be superfluous items. As I was taking some luggage out with me for relatives who were already over there, I had no choice but to cut back even further on the weight of my own cases.

 

I cut filters to a minimum (2), took only three lenses, took all the electronic gubbins of the 6x7 and refitted the lighter mechanical options, changed a heavy double cable release for a shortened airbulb release, took one meter instead of two and took all of the film out of the cardboard containers and fitted it snugly into a largish bumbag that I could carry on me. Success! Weight down to an acceptable level - just.

 

In all the excitement I left the bumbag at home. B&W rollfilm is hard to find in Cyprus.

 

Neil.

[Troll]

No matter what else one takes, it's the tripod that's a killer.

[bruce_barlow]

I, too, try to keep things simple. If I know I'm going out tomorrow, I get organized tonight, so that all I have to do is pick up the apron, camera bag and tripod and go out to the car, which is possible with the essential cuppa joe in one hand. I keep equipment simple -- no more than 2 lenses, and I even try to choose between the 4x5 and the 8x10 rather than taking both (the worst part is the two tripods).

 

In addition, I try to keep all my stuff together. I have a cloth carpenter's apron on which I string my spot meter, and have a small Lowe belt bag (too small to fit 4x5 holders) into which goes lens tissue and cleaner, viewing filter, reading glasses, pad of Post-Its (for marking holders for +1 development, etc.), Locktite for cable release attachment, bubble level, small notebook and pen, small jeweler's screwdriver, Swiss Army knife, and anything else small that I think I'll need and will fit. Film holders, field camera, and two lenses go in the camera bag (depending on number of film holders I can sometimes get the apron and belt bag in there, too), along with folded dark cloth, and two rain-proof plastic garbage bags. If it's the 8x10, it gets assembled, lens in, and placed in the back of the van wedged against the seat.

 

I keep all this stuff together all the time, and get duplicates of anything useful for everyday use, which means in practice the thing I really need when I get out in the field is the thing I took out of the bag the other day and forgot to put back in. Oh well, nobody's perfect.

 

Hope this helps, but for me, a checklist would be a hopeless nuisance and true reminder of all the things I'd forgotten. And for me, checklists always seem to get LONGER...

 

Bruce

[jim_galli4]

Made a checklist. Forgot where I put it. Can't remember a trip where I didn't get bit with some small item. Last time it was the 40.5-43mm step-up ring. Worst part was it actually was with me but wrapped up with a different lens. Did forget the tripod once but rested the cam on a lunchbox cooler and shot anyway. Almost anything can get worked around except the spot meter. Or film. One trip I didn't have a cable release! Shot everything with the old Fuji 150 6.3 in the Seikosha that has the self timer function. One of these days I'll get my act together.....or not.

[chris_jordan__boston_1]

Yikes, my worst forgotten items have been:

 

-Watch/timer (had to count 10 minutes out with my metronome-ouch!)

-Spot meter (luckily, I had my incident meter as a backup)

-Lens

-Reciprocity chart

-Dark cloth (used my t-shirt and the mosquitoes loved it. Perhaps my jeans would have been darker!)

-Mosquito repellant

-Dust kit (air, "orange" cloth, etc.)

[www.graemehird.com]

Besides the things mentioned above, I take out:

a) A compass for working out what time of the day and year a subject will be best displayed.

b) A GPS so that I can find the subject again in a few years if needed

c) A note pad and pen for taking notes.

d) If I expect to hike some distance, I'll take an EPIRB (emergency satelite beacon), and other surival gear, plus water.

e) A spirit level.

f) A hat

 

Graeme

[colin carron]

Forgot the meter today. Does anyone sell those little cords with the self stick pads like you get for lenscaps except made to attach the meter to the photographer?

[ted_brownle]

Miles,

 

I started using a palm pilot program called Checklist Lite for wedding photography. It's a regular checklist except that as you check items off, they disappear. they can all be unchecked for the next use. I started out using this for large format & medium format, but it got to be too much trouble. If I keep everything in it's assigned cubbyhole in the pack, a quick scan usually turns up missing items. That said, I most frequently forget my light meter because it's in the other bag. With large format shooting, I'm not willing to guess at my exposures at $5.50 per pop (cost + processing), so I'll just enjoy where I happen to be. With medium format, cost per shot is a lot less & I've had a few keepers this way.