A Helpful Suggestion

Rubberman Tires, Emporia, Virginia (click to enlarge)

Spring is here.  The weather is much nicer.  We now have more daylight.  Color surrounds us with the renewal of nature.  Chances are that opportunities will arise for you to get out and photograph.  

Due to the lack of daylight or cold, dreary, overcast winter weather, you might not have even picked your camera up for a while.  Days?  Weeks?  Months?  I hope not.  In any case, you might have accumulated a bit of photographic rust in your brain when it comes to remembering everything you need to know about your camera.  After all, today's cameras are full featured, complex computers with lenses attached.  There's lots of 'stuff' that needs remembering when using them.

Here is my suggestion.  One evening, while having nothing in particular planned, grab your camera and sit in your favorite chair.  You know all of those programmable function buttons and dials on the front, top and back of your camera?  Do you clearly remember how you programmed each one?  What each one does?  Time for a quick review.  Time for a little preventive medicine, so to speak. Now…

a)  Bring up the menu item that allows you to program the buttons and, one-by-one, go through and remind yourself which button and which dial is programmed for what function.  If you have more than one camera body or cameras from different manufacturers, remembering what each button does on each camera can be a daunting task even if you use them regularly, especially if you are trying to find or change something in a hurry. Study and remember what each button does.  Turn on and off each function to develop a little muscle memory so you know where the function is when you need it.

b)  While you are reviewing the programming of each function button and dial, ensure that you still want them programmed as they are.  Something about your photography may have changed and your needs are now a bit different.  Reprogram those buttons whose functions you no longer need instant access with functions you do.

c)  If you haven’t already done so, download a digital copy of your camera’s user’s manual to your phone for easy reference.

That's it.  Re-familiarize yourself with your camera so you don't find yourself needing to invoke a feature or change a setting and you just can't remember where to find it or how to do it!  That has happened to me.  Don't let it happen to you.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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