Do you keep a journal of your Shot Settings?

The magazines and books used to say it was a good idea so I tired it. I couldn't make myself do it. It just seemed too much trouble. Besides, I was using the same in-camera meter, and adjusting for dof or speed as required by the photo I wanted. I couldn't see the point. Often I was in too much of a hurry to get shots to stop and write stuff down anyway.
 
jwc57 said:
I remember magazines asking for info before they would publish a photo. They wanted camera, lens, film, shutter, f-stop and any filter. I never kept a record, so I was never published.
Click to expand...

Guess what! It's often made up. Or it's on the basis of probability: "I was using Nikons in those days, and it looks like a wide-angle, so it was probably the 24/2.8." Or "It's 6x7 B+W, so it was probably the Graflex XL."

I knew one much-published photographer who used both Pentax 67 and Mamiya RB. One manufacturer gave him the kit, and the other didn't, so he always attributed all his best shots to the one who gave him the kit.

There never seemed to be much point to me, as I seldom take exactly the same picture twice.

Cheers,

R.
 
I've tried to write down my exposure but my patience and juggling ability ran out quickly. After a while I realized my settings didn't change very often, 1/500 @ f5.6 or 1/60 @ f5.6
 
I have a nice, little leather notebook that is small enough to carry in a pocket or bag. I used this notebook to faithfully track the 40 rolls of film I shot from April 2008 to about June 2009. After that, I felt like I had a good handle on the performance of my two screwmount Leicas. I looked through that little journal just now and it really became a record of my life as much as a technical data source (lens, aperature, settings, etc.) Sad to see my Mother-in-Law and Three beloved pets pass during that one year.

I just wrote I new entry that reminds me and posterity why the journey was kept and why it ended....maybe I will use it again when it feels right. I agree that this can be helpful when testing new equipment or unusual conditions.
I now know what my IIIa and IIIf can and cannot do well! Probably the biggest thing I learned is that I should occasionally carry along and use a tripod for those detailed, low-light photos I'm occasionally drawn to.
 
I will make notes after I'm done shooting for the day, as to the camera, lens, film, location, subjects, etc. I started many years ago using 6x8 file cards, assigning a roll number, and adding film development and printing info, which shots I thought were "keepers". Now this is all on the computer.

I will make location notes at the time of shooting if I'm a tourist, so I can keep track of what I'm shooting, the name of the building, plaza, statue, fountain, boulevard, mountain, whatever.

I don't record exposures unless there's something unusual about it.
 
I use an A6 sized lined notebook to jot down my film notes.

Film used and ASA/ISO shot at and in which camera (many to rotate and can have more than one loaded with film)
Frame number or range with lens (e.g. 1-5 > 50/1.8)
Date of when shot was made and location if I remembered

I never thought of noting the weather and lighting conditions or even describe what I saw and how I should expose it in post.
 
Vintage thread isn't it? :D

I mostly don't, shoot 35mm and 120. The latter isn't that fast but I often do not note the settings, except when I meter with the iphone app and log them. An interesting part is that when I receive film back I often remember the settings for a particular frame.

Even thought to use the iPhone to record audio notes. Heck, it even can be commanded by voice and told "frame three, eff sixteen at hundred twenty five", writing it by itself.
I rarely use Siri, only for buried settings or such, it makes me feel Silly.
 
For you Windows users, when looking at photos using 'Pictures' across the bottom of the screen is all kinds of data like: ISO speed, f stop, Exposure time.
 
When I first got into photography (1978 when I was 30 years old!), I carried a small notebook which had columns for subject, lens, f-stop shutter speed, any filter, which direction I was pointing, the date, and the time of day. Top of the page had film type and film speed. I was shooting mainly Tri-X and Kodachrome and used the data to see what did or didn't worked so I could gain experience and knowledge about my film and gear. These days, the only film I shoot is Tri-X with a Yashica Electro35 GS. It is a camera I have been shooting with since it was passed on to me when my dad passed away in 1997. But I don't carry the notebook when I am shooting with it. I just spend more time trying to get the image.
 
Years ago I used to record all that information as a learning tool, but as my experience increased, I haven't bothered or found the need to for a long time.
I can usually tell reasonably well what gear I used and the approximate exposure settings by looking at the slide, and in the end, if I'm wrong, since I shoot essentially only for myself, it isn't that important.
Robert
 
I Have a photographic memory in details in photography (no pun intended) and i have never had to write anything down, for most images I can remember the exact settings. Not for all of them but a lot of them.

For example when we were introduced to film in college they had everyone keep notes whereas i was able to remember all of my settings for the whole roll
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom