DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

16 things every photographer should be able to do in less than 10 seconds

Apr 24, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic 12 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

As a professional photographer, you really need to know your stuff.  And there are some things you should be able to do fast, without thinking or even without looking. Ed Gregory from Photos in Color has a list of 16 things every photographer should be able to do in less than 10 seconds. If you’re a newbie, you may still need more time to do some of these things, and pros should already be able to do them in no time.  Can you do them all in less than 10 seconds?

1. Change your battery

When you’re on set, you should always have a spare battery in your pocket, so you can change it in a matter of seconds and go on shooting. Keep in mind that the empty battery doesn’t go back to the pocket, but on a charger.

2. Change a lens

Another thing you should be able to do in less than 10 seconds is changing a lens. It sounds like a piece of cake now, but I remember how clumsy I was with it when I bought the first lens after the 18-55mm.

3. Set the White Balance on your DSLR

There are a couple of settings you should be able to do fast, and one of them is white balance. Make it a habit to set the proper white balance as you get to the location, and learn to change it fast.

4. Manual Focus

There are situations when autofocus isn’t going to be of much help, and you need to focus manually. In these cases, you shouldn’t take more than 10 seconds to focus the subject manually. Many photographers even prefer manual focus, and you?

5. Change shooting mode

Considering that there’s a knob for this, it shouldn’t be a problem to turn it to the shooting mode you want to switch to in less than 10 seconds,

6. Change the memory card

Taking the full card (or cards) out and popping in the new ones shouldn’t take long. Don’t forget to switch the camera off and store the full cards in a safe place.

7. Set your camera to Burst Mode

Again, there’s a knob for changing the shooting mode, and you should be able to switch to Burst Mode in no time.

8. Setup a Tripod

Instead of extending the legs one by one when you set up the tripod, just open it, screw the base plate onto the camera and pop it onto the tripod. Make sure to actually bring the base plate, as Ed forgot it for the video.

9. Setup a reflector

The reflector unfolds on itself, so I don’t think it’s a problem to set it up. The folding can be a bit slow in the beginning, but practice and you’ll soon be able to do it in an instant.

10. Review images fast

When a client is around, you don’t want to spend more time chimping than taking photos. Take a quick look at framing and hit the “zoom in” button to check on focus. You can customize your camera to do it with a single click and make it even faster.

11. Read histogram

Make sure to understand histogram and learn how to read it and quickly see what it shows. When it’s too bright outside to check the exposure on the camera display, the histogram will tell you whether the exposure is correct.

12. Turn the lens hood around

When you want to remove the lens hood, you should be able to do it in no time and click it on its place in a matter of seconds.

13. Get the camera ready to shoot

You shouldn’t take more than 10 seconds to have the camera out of the bag and ready to shoot. Keep it in the bag with the lens attached, and placed so that you can quickly get it out and start shooting. Have it set up, and keep an empty memory card inside.

14. Evaluate the ambient light

When you get to a location and have to work with the available light, learn to evaluate it fast and see what you can do with it.

15. Create a connection

They say you only have 7 seconds to make the first impression. So, as a professional, you should be able to connect to your client and make them feel comfortable in about this much time.

16. Pitch yourself as a photographer

Okay, 10 seconds isn’t enough to promote yourself and make the client want to work with you. But again – make sure that they get a good first impression, and you only have 7 seconds for that.

Although I’m not a pro, I can do all of these in less than 10 seconds, except for the last two. Interpersonal skills and self-promotion are not my strongest sides, and I’m a bit timid around unknown people (one of the reasons why I never turned pro).

What about you? Can you do all these in less than 10 seconds? Is there anything you’d add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Editor’s note: The title of the video states “17 things,” but the video skips number 13, so our title is adapted.

[EVERY PHOTOGRAPHER should be able to do these 17 THINGS in under 10 SECONDS | Photos in Color]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Inventor helps young photographer to be able to take photographs again Frequent selfie posters are seen as less likable, less successful and more insecure, new study claims Clients will soon be able to book photo sessions directly through Instagram I hate Google Photos, but I fear I won’t be able to live without it

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Photography, professional photographer

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.net

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« Is photography the best educator? I think so and here’s why
The Falcon has Landed – Working with film from the Apollo 15 Moon mission »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Ace your next portrait shoot with these composition tips
  • This is how to get photography clients on Instagram – even with few followers
  • “I prefer using smaller cameras” – an unorthodox take on size
  • A pigeon scares a meteorologist as it photobombs a live camera
  • Photographer files lawsuit against NFL receiver and teams after shoving incident

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy