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Copyright © 2009
Tom Jackson
This is part 1 of a two part article. Part two will contain steps 4-6.
Take time to prepare your camera for an important event, such as a wedding, or you may end up without any photos of the occasion. I have seen it happen all too often, even with professional photographers, who fail to take some important basic precautions to ensure a successful shoot. I know many professional photographers who began their careers photographing weddings. It is probably the easiest of all photography areas to get into.
A most important thing to do, does not even involve equipment. Time. If you are going to photograph an important event, you need to be sure that you allocate enough time to make sure that you have everything planned ahead. And that often means starting the process a day or two beforehand. Doing this, will make for a much more relaxed process as you take photos on the day, and a more relaxed attitude will usually mean more creativity and better photos.
Are you used to taking photos with a traditional camera and film? Then you may be surprised at how easy it can be to lose a whole memory card full of pictures, because of seemingly simple errors. With a film camera, it does not matter if the battery gives out right at the time you take a photo. The only problem that might occur, is that you lose that one shot. You just rewind the film, and you are good to go. As great as digital is, there are pitfalls that can really bite you if you are not ready for them.
Do I really need to plan? Yes! Lets take a deeper look to see how easy it really is to lose all your photos. Each of the points I cover here carry the same weight as the other. In other words, do all of the following to make sure that you have a successful day, taking wonderful photos for you and the subjects.
1. Be sure all your batteries are fully charged. If your camera uses a proprietary battery, then you need to make sure that it is fully charged before you start the days event. If you think you may be taking a lot of photos on the day, (see, more planning), you may need to buy an extra battery and have it fully charged as well. A lot of the smaller compact cameras, and even the larger DSLRs, often take special built batteries. They can be quite expensive, but if you think you might be taking a large number of photos, then it will be to your benefit to purchase an extra battery. It will always come in handy in the future, so it will never be a waste of your money.
2. Be sure you have enough memory cards to hold all of the photos you will be taking on the day. Many smaller compact digital cameras can only take smaller capacity memory cards. So, if you are planning on taking photos for a special days event, then it would be wise to make sure that you have at least one or two spare memory cards. Also, be aware, that if your camera can take the larger capacity memory cards, and you think you can take all the photos on just one large card, you also need to consider that if you have problems with that card, you will lose all the images from the day. That’s why I often suggest having two or three cards available, and shoot some images on each card, so that if anything were to happen to one of your cards, you would still have images on the other cards. Some of the larger capacity cards available these days, can store hundreds and even thousands of images before you need to change to a new card. I can only imagine the pain of losing a card with hundreds of irreplaceable images.
3. Before starting the days event, make sure that you format the memory cards and get them prepared before you use them. Be sure to format the card in the camera you will be using for the days event. Industry experts all agree that the best way to format and prepare a memory card, is to do it in the camera you will be using. Do not format the card using your computer. By using the camera, it ensures that you have maximum compatibility. And if there is going to be a problem with the card, this is most often the time where the problem will show up. If the card does not format properly in the camera, then do not use that card during the event, but try and rectify the problem when you return home. Never try and use a card that shows any sign of a problem. It is just not worth the effort. You can try all kinds of things once you get home and have the time to spend and diagnose the problem.
Like many professionals, Tom Jackson began his career by shooting weddings. Tom has been a consultant to the graphic design, advertising and publishing industries, teaching digital technology. You can get more info on photography and see examples of his work here; For free tips visit Toms blog.
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