What were your 3 biggest rookie mistakes

[massimo_de_cristofaro]

<p>One usual problem-mistake-destructive act:<br>

You set everything: framing, focusing, exposure... than you close the shutter, set the opening, the iris, put the chassis, open the volet and, going to catch the shutter control, you kick tripod leg with your foot: and you see that the position is gone....</p>

[spodzone]

<p>One trick: take a walk 360º around the camera and examine all the bits that make any difference before shooting. Tripod secure? Cable-release in place? Shutter closed and cocked and exposure reasonable? Film-holder in place? All movements locked-down? Then take another walk around to be sure.<br>

The biggest mistake I find is complacency over the little things that make for the sharpest photos - waiting for the wind to die and tripod to stop wobbling or choosing not to use the cable-release or the loupe.</p>

[david_senesac]

<p>One has to realise that setting up a complex view camera to make images and dealing with keeping the film protected from light except when exposed presents a lot of ways to waste the film. So in the begining going about those processes in any way less than methodically with a worked out plan after doing one's technical homework is likely to end up with mostly useless film. And before long one may join the majority who take a shot at large format but become soon become disallusioned with the difficulty only to go back to standard cameras. The former is how I started and my results were mostly useless. I was content to continue using MF but at some point took a good high detailed image by luck and wanted more. Thus brainstormed for a couple months working it all out. Then went through a brief period of screwing up film in several of the ways most of us experience as mentioned. However each time I made a mistake, I made a intent effort to figure out how to not repeat it. I had the whole process of what to do listed in careful detail and made a good spreadsheet record of everything I shot especially regarding the most difficult issue of exposure. In a short time I became very successful. </p>

<p>David Senesac<br>

<a href="http://www.davidsenesac.com">http://www.davidsenesac.com</a></p>

 

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

<p>My biggest mistake was waiting too long to start shooting large format.</p>

[john_layton]

Years ago...I had just photographed a painstakingly assembled group of fortune 500 folks - who were, with one exception, extremely

intent on getting back to their drinking and partying. The one exception walked over to me...just as I withdrew the film holder from my

4X5 Crown Graphic (my first view camera) - without having first re-inserted the darkslide! As I stood there, quietly cursing and

considering my options, the gentleman looked at the slide-less holder with film showing, then looked up at me and asked. "will it still

come out ok?"

 

Another gaff came a few years later...another painstaking photo - on the Somalia/Ethiopia border...lying on the floor of a sultan's

tent...having been laid (very) low by having eaten some bad goat on the previous night...the sultan-in-question having then kicked me

awake - to take me up on my earlier promise to photograph him with his camels. Using a Leica M-6 this time - with my promises to ship

the photos back to him from Vermont. Long story short - I had sixteen rolls loaded in two SS tanks in my darkroom, and for whatever

reason that to this day I simply cannot fathom...I turned on the light with one of the tanks still uncovered. Cursing profusely, and cutting

the light immediately, I only lost one roll - but...you guessed it...it was the roll with the sultan and his camels! My guess is I will not be

invited back into his tent anytime soon. (is there a moral here?)

 

...then there's the time I simply forgot to load film into the camera prior to "photographing" a candle lit wedding ceremony - but don't get

me started!

[john_layton]

....wait a minute....are these supposed to be "rookie" mistakes? oh, but this is embarrassing! Then again, perhaps these

are merely examples of a subconcious desire to return to rookie-dom - because lets face it...rookies have more fun!

[donald_cass]

<p>Wow! I can't wait. I'm heading for the Portland Rose Garden tomorrow and have the film holders loaded with Portra 160VC for those vivid brilliant color shots, hopefully after I remove the cover slide.. Then it's off to the Olympic Coast to get some haystacks rocks in the surf.<br>

No matter what happens, I will have fun. And as you suggest, write everything down.<br>

Thank You All Very Much For Your Responses.<br>

Don</p>

[steve_mareno]

<p>Bring a MF or 35mm camera also. Just in case. It's always enlightening to compare the same shots made w/ different formats too.</p>

[paul_kent2]

<p>1. Listening too much to the "1 shot 1 piece of film" crowd and not shooting enough when the light/subject/composition is superb. Factor the opportunity cost and do not be afraid to rip film.<br>

2. Not listening enough to the "1 shot 1 piece of film" crowd and wasting film on everyday shots. Factor the opportunity cost and do not rip film unnecessarily.<br>

3. Dropping Quickload holders in sand. For the record, this kills them by jamming the mechanism. (You can heal them by vacuuming or taking them apart.)</p>

 

[citysitesphoto]

<p>I'm still a "rookie" with LF, so my list will probably get longer for awhile, before it gets shorter! So far, I've made several double exposures. I think I'm being soooooo careful but apparently not! But, on the positive side, a few of these "mistakes" have actually resulted in some very interesting photos. I need to start the checklist system like Stuart suggested. Thanks for all the great tips!</p>