Comments on: How to Learn the Basics of Good Camera Work

on 8/11/2006 Some DSLRs are notoriously slow between shots, especially in lower light conditions, so I ran a couple of test shots to determine light levels, range etc, then turned off the "view image you just shot" feature. That's at least 1.5 seconds saved every time, which can be significant.

on 8/11/2006 I needed a diffusing backdrop to cover a large patio window which was facing the sun. I couldn't afford the expensive commercial versions, so I bought some translucent plastic shower curtains for a $1 each. These already had built-in holes at the top, so I just strung them up. When the sun got really strong I simply layered more shower curtains over the first one. Just watch the length though if you're shooting a mode, full-length.

on 8/11/2006 When using the movie capability of my new DSLR recently, I found that by shortening the supplied strap I could hold the camera taut and still comfortably see the rear viewing LCD screen while panning to capture the action. Absolutely shake-proof at the price of a slightly sore neck, but at least I got the picture!

on 6/30/2006 Turn off auto-focus. The motor that changes focus is always jittering this way and that, and motors use up a great deal of current. You can use auto-focus to set up initial focus, then turn it off. Only rarely will shooting conditions require a constant refreshing of focus. Auto-focus can also be "fooled" by certain conditions, depending on the technology used. Learn how to manually focus and practice with it; the results are often better than auto-focus. If you have the ability, set the camera to aperture priority and use a high f-stop (smaller aperture). A smaller aperture gives a greater depth of field (area in focus), making adjustments less necessary. For general shots, set focus just inside of infinity to include the greatest depth of focus. Use a wide aperture (low f-stop number) only for low-light or fast-moving subjects (wide aperture here compensates by shortening the exposure time per frame) or figure-ground separation.

Use a tripod or handy steady surface. Some cameras achieve "Steadi-shot" by using a motor to make fine adjustments of a mirror or prism in the optical path. Reducing the need for this motor to work saves battery power. Other cameras do not use a motorized arrangement so will not benefit from this technique, except that it's a good idea to keep your shots as steady as possible anyway as a general rule.
If your camera has a built-in light, use it only when absolutely necessary. Compensate by widening the aperture, using diffusive light reflectors such as a white vehicle, bright wall, white poster board or sheet, or reflective "hoops" made for this application, or re-composing your shot to take advantage of available light.
Keep an eye on battery level and change out before it dies, at a time convenient for you. This doesn't save any battery power, but it could save an important shot. Keep even "dead" batteries handy. They often have a bit more life in them after "resting" for awhile. It's not much, but it could be important to you.
Keep your batteries warm (but not hot). Cold batteries are less efficient and you won't get the power you expect out of them. Body heat from a shirt or pants pocket works well and keeps your batteries handy.

Treat your batteries right. If you fully discharge a sealed lead-acid battery, there's a good chance you've "killed" it. On the other hand, it is necessary to completely discharge nickle-cadmium (Ni-Cad) batteries every so often in order to erase the recharge "memory effect" that prevents full charging. Newer technology batteries such as nickle-metal-hydride (NiMH) and lithium ion (LION) are fine either way. Be sure to recharge or "top off" batteries before going on a shoot -- even fully-charged batteries "bleed off" their charge while unused. Use the proper recharger for your battery type, or risk ruining your battery. Rechargeable batteries can age and can wear out and will need replacing. Buy an extra couple of batteries and rotate them through your equipment.