PPPPPP! Are you ready?

[PhotosGuy]

For those to whom English isn't a first language, it stands for "Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance". Showing up is NOT the first requirement for getting the job done. Showing up early & READY is! ;)

IndyJeff made some excellent points in another thread that I think everyone should think about, so i'm stealing them & reposting what he said here:

"1. Know where you are going. If your supposed to be there at 8am, plan on being sitting in the parking lot by 7:15am, no later. ALWAYS ARRIVE EARLY, NEVER EVER ON TIME. My first tournament I was there when the guy showed up to prep the fields, one hour and 30 minutes before game time.
You look over the area to see where you will be working, fields of view, backgrounds, lighting or angle of the sun on the field. Where the restrooms are, anything and everything that might possibly happen or could go wrong. Have a plan before hand.

2. Pack your gear and accessories the night before. Load everything but valuable equipment in the car. Go over your gear before you leave, twice.

If you can't be out in the sun for a day without having been coated with a sun screen first, forget doing sports photography. You will still get burned. Plus the fact that if hire you and you bring me a card all slippery with sunscreen I am not putting it in my card reader. You lose, sorry."

I'll add to "Go over your gear before you leave, twice." , if you haven't got a list of equipment to check off, client phone numbers, back-up phone numbers, & hopefully an extra body just in case, or at least know where you can get one fast, then you're failing to take the most basic preparation steps.

I could go on about other "planning" factors that can affect a shoot, but think that just the above is important enough to stand on it's own.

You're making a 1st impression EVERY time you go out on a job. Make sure that it isn't a last impression, too!
(End of sermon)
;)

[KevC]

Awesome advice :) I've heard it as "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance" though, same thing really... :)

[jfrancho]

This is a very good sermon, Frank. I'd like to add an important step, for after the event: document lessons learned. Once you have a few events under your belt, you can begin establishing a list of best practices. I am working on a collaborative mixed media exhibit (video, photo, paint). The shoots are located during daylight hours, but shot at night. All locations are at the roadside. Some things come to mind immediately: Is it well lit, will I need a flashlight? Where can we park, and where can the gear station be located (this is important - easy to lose a bag in the dark)? Some are only realized after experience: Bring the darn flashlight, and extra batteries, and maybe an extra flashlight. Wear reflective clothing. Bug spray. Bring Vicks Vapo-Rub to kill the odor (I'll let you figure that one out...). Bring orange traffic cones, to warn cars that there is roadside activity ahead.

The main thing is that your preparation process remain evergreen, and with constant improveent.

[Curtis N]

Maybe this is micromanagement, but I would think "charge and test all batteries and empty all CF cards" should be in there somewhere, along with maybe "check for dust on sensor" ?

[jfrancho]

Maybe this is micromanagement, but I would think "charge and test all batteries and empty all CF cards" should be in there somewhere, along with maybe "check for dust on sensor" ?I wouldn't say that it is micromanagement, since that is one of my "best practices" for anytime I intend to remove the camera from the bag....great advice.

[formula4speed]

3) Remove CF card from card reader, insert back into camera. Not that I've ever left my memory sitting at my computer desk or anything...

[Jon, The Elder]

Well Frank - ya' got another one started.

I use a backpack for a couple of reasons.
In case you have to walk any distance to a venue, it is less tiring and you have both hands free. Also you can attach all kinds of stuff to the outside. I use LowePro cause it gets the job done and wears very well.

Inside, I arrange the partitions to fit each piece of gear. This way, a quick glance tells you if anything is out of place or missing. Inside cover has transparent pockets so you can see if you have enough business cards, lens tissues, coins for model release compensation, spare this or that.
Speaking of spares - more than enough CF cards - my lens choices give me a nice overlap in range/speed (accidents happen) - backup batts for flash units- extra lens covers - etc. Outside pockets for microfibre cloths - plastic trash bags for emergency raincoat/camera cover - pens/paper pads - eyeglass repair kit - all-in-one tool (leatherman) and a ton of other stuff including a spare pair of shoe laces (had a horses hoof slice a lace right in two).
detachable mesh bags that I can slip thru my belt and pack a water bottle/small lens/flash unit - whatever.

I get EVERYTHING ready the night before and set it by the door. Mentally walk thru my 'get-ready-to-shoot' drill and check off what I will need. I am generally 90-100 miles from home with no photo resources close at hand.

Theres a lot more - just wanted to see if I can right as long a reply as PhotosGuy - speaking of which how bout' coffee tomorrow frank?

[PhotosGuy]

Theres a lot more - just wanted to see if I can right as long a reply as PhotosGuy - speaking of which how bout' coffee tomorrow frank? 9:30 OK? email me if not. ("right as long a reply" LOL! Spellcheck screwed up again!) Maybe this is micromanagement, but I would think "charge and test all batteries and empty all CF cards" should be in there somewhere, along with maybe "check for dust on sensor" ? It IS! It's on my list.:D
Thanks for the input, guys. I'd only intended to address the "Prior Planning" thing, but let's see where this goes. ;)

[IndyJeff]

but let's see where this goes.


Well since I register all my posts with the copyright office.......

I can't begin to emphasize how important it is to plan ahead. Also I too make notes after an event, that night not the next day or next week either. I got notes out last night for a softball tournament I did last year and will be doing again this year in about 3 weeks. I am already planning for that. PKHDRY




Procarastination Kills, Hurts, Destroys and Ruins You.

[Jon, The Elder]

HaHa - Indy Jeffs spelcheck dint wurk ether- "procrastination"

Yer acronym sent chills.....thought you were discribing my ex.

(I gotta get out and shoot...this place is driving me nuts)

[Radtech1]

Kind of sort of off topic, but bear with me...

When I was a kid and we would go on family vacations, we would always get X number of miles out when my mom would gasp and exclaim, "Turn Around! I left the iron on!" (Before self turning off irons). My dad would say, "No, I turned it off." but my mom would insist that she used it after that and that it was still on and that we better turn around before the house burns down.

This went on year after year, sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes a couple hours on the road. Every time the result was the same as the last time, the iron was stone cold cold.

One year, we were just past Victorville on the way to Idaho, when my mom panicked, "Turn Around! I left the iron on!"

Without saying a word, my dad pulled the car over, got out, went to the trunk, came back and handed the iron to my mom.

Not exactly how that fits, but the thread reminded me of that childhood memeory.

Rad

[tim]

lol@Radtech's story :)


If you can't be out in the sun for a day without having been coated with a sun screen first, forget doing sports photography. You will still get burned. Plus the fact that if hire you and you bring me a card all slippery with sunscreen I am not putting it in my card reader. You lose, sorry."

This doesn't apply here in New Zealand - we have a massive ozone hole, anyone gets burned, even in winter. I saw an interesting picture the other day, take a look here (http://www.kiwirant.co.nz/ftopic3393.html).

This is a very good sermon, Frank. I'd like to add an important step, for after the event: document lessons learned.

After every significant shoot I do, I write down lessons learned, and I also post them up on POTN for others to learn from. If more people did this it could be interesting.

Maybe this is micromanagement, but I would think "charge and test all batteries and empty all CF cards" should be in there somewhere, along with maybe "check for dust on sensor" ?

I have a written list that I go through before every significant shoot, including charging all bats (even if I charged them only last week I top them up), formatting CF, and testing/cleaning the sensor. It's common sense to do this - or perhaps uncommon sense.

[DwightMcCann]

I shoot at the casino one to three times a week. I try to arrive 30 to 60 minutes early every time! I'd rather have time to stand around and drink a bottle of water (no alcohol in the Samala Room) after I've touched base with my boss and security than to find out that the talent wants to go on ten minutes early or they'll let me shoot some stage shots before they come out or heaven knows what other opportunity that I wouldn't have if I arrived just as they started. Also gives me time to run over gear one last time before I start shooting. The stuff in this thread is the difference between the professional and the guy who can't figure out why he can't seem to get more jobs! If you are available there is always a chance that there will be an extra opportunity to make a few bucks you would have missed otherwise.

I am hoping that my 20D backup for my 1D Mark II arrives tomorrow and my 100-400mm L IS USM arrives tomorrow as a backup to my "broken and at Canon for repairs" 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM. Nothing sounds so stupid as, "My camera/lens broke so I can't shoot after all!" BACKUP isn't just for harddrives anymore!

[jopfin]

I like the "know where you are going" part, when I first started packing into the hills for my shots I once spent the better part of a day trying to find this small turnoff to get where I needed to go, once I found it and got to my destination, it was overrun with visitors. It was a lesson learned, so now when I head out somewhere new, I always search 2 or 3 different maps in case one has a detail the other may not, it has helpled me tremendously in being prepared to get somewhere on time to get the light I want.
All other tips are great and duly noted. Thanks ..........Joe

[Kent2]

You want early?
I camp out at the track the night before, ride the crf50 around the track to look things over. Sleep good!

Sunscreen! I need the stuff. I use a spray on/dries non greasy. I do this first thing in the morning and it lasts all day. I wash, I wash, and I wash my hands after putting it on.

Great tips!

Kent

[Curtis N]

I like the "know where you are going" part, Hehe. Reminds me of Bloo Dog's most recent wedding story. A classic!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=79434&highlight=valentines