Tips for getting out of lazy snapper mode?

Dick,
Had you mentioned your impairment in the OP, it's probable that you would have gotten a more sympathetic reaction, and perhps some attempts to help you overcome your issues. My wife is a kindergarten teacher, and she deals with kids with various types of learning impairments, or clinical issues like ADHD and Aspergers. Not the kid's fault, but something that can be dealt with, via tutoring or meds. Unfortunately, it's inappropriate to give you any 'diagnosis' in the absence of professional credentials or personal evaluation, but recognition and acknowledgement of a problem is the first step to a remedy!

Telling you to 'pay attention to the settings' is simple, getting someone with issues to do so requires a remedy to the fundamental issues, not pedantic comments from folks like me!

Dick, here's the largest online support board for tinnitus.

I know you mentioned that your budget is tight, but you might think about moving to a full-frame camera. Not for the reasons everyone touts, but because the viewfinder is larger and easier to use for someone with glasses/reduced vision.
Most of all, though, remember that unless photography is your profession and you rely on it to put food on the table (which it sounds is not the case here), this is a hobby and therefore you're always in control of it. A hobby should never control the person.

Good luck!!

I was a bit like that but changed to Manual all the time now, I never use anything else. But I do often go out setup for low light/birding/etc and stumble upon something else (like a good landscape) and shoot without remembering to stop down or something appropriately.

Having said that, I have a mate who shoots wildlife in "Sports Mode" all the time and he gets great results.

Another thing about Auto-modes, they do not produce Raw files.

briser_fae_the_broch wrote in post #16280919
Another thing about Auto-modes, they do not produce Raw files.

P does. So does Av and Tv.

My brother got a D3100 today based on my recommendations (He wanted good shots in low light conditions but he also wanted bokeh which I told him would be harder to get with smaller cameras for the price he was looking at. £300 for the D3100 - inc SD card - was a stretch for him so anything else would be pushing it). So I was teaching my brother a few things yesterday. Because he got his camera late in the day he could not think of anywhere to try out his new toy so he went to a large shopping mall. I was timing how long it would take for a security guard to come and 'jobsworth' on us. Took a bit longer than I thought (about 40 minutes).

But I digress. When I get the itch I will grab the camera and try manual shooting for a day to see how I get on. I don't want to buy an older 5D. If I am going to buy anything I want the 70D for it's interesting video features on top of the normal camera stuff. I'm pondering if a little change of pace with some video instead of stills photography might help me in certain ways. I've always fancied a go at moving imagery. Besides my EF-S lenses would be no good on full frame.

Anyhow. Thanks for the responses guys (btw I am already a member of that tinnitus board and have been since 2006. I sometimes go there to see if there is any news on a cure).

I think the depression and anxiety is probably more of an issue right now so will book another appointment with the doc. I need to get some 'fun' back into my life. Oh yeah and I am going to go on a 6 week exercise class which may help some. I've been struggling with muscle weakness and cramps for several months now. Hopefully changing my lifestyle a bit and getting a regular exercise programme going will put me back on track.

Photography should be about fun unless you are doing it for a living (even then it should feel like it's worth it) and right now I feel a bit washed out.

I'm not giving up yet though!

Dick Emery wrote in post #16283504
P does. So does Av and Tv.

Ah yes but P, Av and Tv are not Auto modes.

onona wrote in post #16275878
Why don't you just shoot in auto? Contrary to the elitism commonly found on photography boards, there's nothing wrong with it.

-If you're talking full auto-
Other than it not being able to take a decent picture to save its' life...unless blurry pictures with bad color and wrongly selected AF areas are your idea of good, in which case go ahead.

Some things which might help. I too suffer with depression and anhedonia. This can cause me concentration issues when I go to shoot. I made about 12 shots the other day before chimping and realizing I was in Tv and shooting rugby @ 1/60 sec !

One thing I did was to make a checklist, laminate said checklist and keep it in my camera bag. It lists things like, batteries, Cf cards, format CF cards in camera, check exposure, check settings (I'm usually in Av), choose location for shooting, etc. Then there are some general reminders at the bottom of the list, "lower, lower, lower" (for sports), shoot tight, shutter speed 1/500 MINIMUM, etc. If I am feeling distracted or unmotivated it allows me to complete all these things and not rely on my fallible memory.

They do make magnifying eyepieces for cameras. It might help with the viewfinder issue.

Cheers.

Nukehed wrote in post #16284451
Some things which might help. I too suffer with depression and anhedonia. This can cause me concentration issues when I go to shoot. I made about 12 shots the other day before chimping and realizing I was in Tv and shooting rugby @ 1/60 sec !

One thing I did was to make a checklist, laminate said checklist and keep it in my camera bag. It lists things like, batteries, Cf cards, format CF cards in camera, check exposure, check settings (I'm usually in Av), choose location for shooting, etc. Then there are some general reminders at the bottom of the list, "lower, lower, lower" (for sports), shoot tight, shutter speed 1/500 MINIMUM, etc. If I am feeling distracted or unmotivated it allows me to complete all these things and not rely on my fallible memory.

They do make magnifying eyepieces for cameras. It might help with the viewfinder issue.

Cheers.

Fantastic advice! I have ordered the Canon EP EX15 II eyepeice as I have realized after all of this time that I cannot see everything in the viewfinder properly which makes me squint and not pay attention to the settings. I need the image shrunk slightly to accommodate for my glasses.

Even if you take it on phone camera - always check the picture after taking it if light has been changed.
I do same mistake once in awhile. Like taking pictures with 50 at 1.4 with ISO 1600 in the evening and in the morning taking few overblown pictures to realize I forgot to set it for the bright light.
Nobody is perfect, I don't check my VF always, because I prefer to look at result, not something camera is measuring.
Took the picture, check the picture.