The First Rule of Photography is....

[Busted Knuckles]

Have a camera!

Today there just happened to be a search and rescue helicopter from the local Air Force Reserve unit doing training in one of the fields next to the road where I ride my bike. I know the area well and figured that I could get to a spot where the helicopter would be right in front of Mt. St. Helens.

The Air Force guys were very cooperative subjects.

It was great fun for me and reinforced my belief that I should always have a camera.

Does this qualify for "Bird In Flight"

 

[slclick]

Don't listen to the rule makers

 

[Steve Williams]

Be there!

Amen!

 

[troppobash]

Next is to enjoy the experience.

 

[sanj]

First Rule of Photography is..... Buy a camera! (iPhones don't count)

Err. They they do! (Photo not mine)

https://www.apple.com/in/iphone/world-gallery/?cid=wwa-in-kwg-iphone-com

 

[bholliman]

At least one camera in the house should be charged fully, have an empty card, be set to its "routine" setting , and be sitting out (or whole bag sitting out) ready to go. That way you don't lose shots, and can't roll over in bed and whine to oneself- "it's too EARLY.."

+1. I learned this one the hard way by missing too many shots of the kids doing something interesting and the two minutes it took me to get my camera ready: retrieve camera case from closet, open camera case, install right lens, speed light, adjust settings, etc.

Now I always have one body ready to go for shots around home that I can access in seconds, not minutes. I change my cameras back to fairly standard settings before I shut them down. Nothing worse than grabbing a camera for use on the kids and find out you left iit set for 20 second exposures with mirror lock-up on and 2 second delay shutter.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

First Rule of Photography is..... Buy a camera! (iPhones don't count)

Err. They they do! (Photo not mine)

Those are some nice pictures!

 

[DominoDude]

Learn all rules, then break them.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Learn all rules, then break them.

Well, learn the rules so that one is knowledgeable enough to make the decision when and how to use the rules appropriately.

 

[DominoDude]

Learn all rules, then break them.

Well, learn the rules so that one is knowledgeable enough to make the decision when and how to use the rules appropriately.

Yeah, I know what you mean. It was a superquick reply. Perhaps I should have rephrased it to something like "...and then don't be afraid to break them".
A hint at that creating one's own style might require a few broken and circumvented rules.

 

[GP.Masserano]

Learn from the masters,
experiment in freedom,
be patient

 

[sanj]

First Rule of Photography is..... Buy a camera! (iPhones don't count)

Err. They they do! (Photo not mine)

Those are some nice pictures!

My city - Mumabi - is filled with HUGE hoardings of "shot on Iphone" with some fantastic photos. I felt tempted to get rid of my Sony Rx100 and to just use my Iphone. One less camera to deal with. But I won't do that yet, the IQ does not match. And Iphone does not shoot RAW... and never will I feel.

 

[jdramirez]

How about this one...

In six months you will realize that you aren't as good today as you think you are... So show some humility.

 

[KeithBreazeal]

How about this one...

In six months you will realize that you aren't as good today as you think you are... So show some humility.

Spot on! I look back at older pics that I want to revive and, at times, wonder why I didn't think the shot through enough.
My biggest 'take-away' from starting out with a DSLR - shoot raw.
If you edit photos before owning a camera, you'll have the obsession to get the shot right the first time.

 

[sanj]

How about this one...

In six months you will realize that you aren't as good today as you think you are... So show some humility.

Is this directed at me?

 

[jdramirez]

I didn't shoot raw for years because I didn't have a program that would edit or recognize the image, so there's not much I can do with the shots moving forward...

There's one in particular, where I over exposed the whole scene, and it was one of those bursts where only one image is good... And note I thin... I could have easily reduced the exposure in post and it would look... Not great, but much better... :/

How about this one...

In six months you will realize that you aren't as good today as you think you are... So show some humility.

Spot on! I look back at older pics that I want to revive and, at times, wonder why I didn't think the shot through enough.
My biggest 'take-away' from starting out with a DSLR - shoot raw.
If you edit photos before owning a camera, you'll have the obsession to get the shot right the first time.

 

[jdramirez]

No, but I do feel as though I keep learning stuff... I thought about saying 1 year rather than six months, but months is practically a lifetime when it comes to understanding and applying a myriad of techniques...

How about this one...

In six months you will realize that you aren't as good today as you think you are... So show some humility.

Is this directed at me?

 

[NancyP]

Second and third rules for outdoor nature photography:
2. Check weather. It is nice to know if there is risk of tornado/ high winds, lightning storm, hail predicted.
3. Check hunting season. I didn't do the latter a week ago, and was alarmed to see a turkey hunter walking out while I was hiking and NOT wearing hunter-orange vest or other loud-color clothing.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

3. Check hunting season. I didn't do the latter a week ago, and was alarmed to see a turkey hunter walking out while I was hiking and NOT wearing hunter-orange vest or other loud-color clothing.

Depending on how drunk the hunters are in your area, it probably won't make a difference.

 

[martti]

"Don't Panic"...?