Questions that you ask prior to hitting the shutter button

This sounds like such a loser question!! I am unable to re-word it to express what I am asking. I guess: IF I WAS A FLY IN YOUR HEAD_WHAT WOULD I HEAR?

I am realizing that the DOF effects the focus (duh!)- so when faced with a scene what questions go through your head if basing your image on AV? Obviously I know this will change based on what you are shooting (potrait of someone outside vs. landscape for example)

Do you ask yourself how much of the image do I want in focus- how much DOF do I want? How would you determine this? Just practice?

Do you refer to a DOF chart? Has this increased your image quality?

What other exposure questions go through your mind? (just exposure not composition)

I am sure these questions are 2nd nature to most of you- I just would like to pick your brain.

"Will this work"

hee hee.

I am finally getting back into the photography thing and found a couple of other people at my work who are wishing to get back into it as well. We take pics at lunch, but instead of just hitting hte shutter speed and praying to the Mega pixel gods- I would like to really practice with what in the heck I am doing. I know the basics of exposure and all that good stuff. I know I might have written the question incorrectly of what I am trying to say. I know the effects on the Av, I am just picking brains of what ap. people go with - what goes through their heads.

Here's a DOF tool:
http://www.photozone.d​e/3Technology/demos/de​pth.htm

I'd suggest just going out and taking plenty of pictures at different apertures to get a feel for how the DOF changes and what that does to your shot. I bet you'll get the hang of it in no-time.

When composing a still shot, I try to consider the placement of the subject in relation to the rest of the shot, the aperture necessary for the IQ and DOF I want, and (as a result) the adjustments I need to make to get the proper exposure.

Thanks!! I can't wait until this is 2nd nature

Interesting!! So if I am focusing on something 10 feet away, the DOF are close between these two setups :

18mm at f/2.8 or a 55mm at f/22

I completly forgot that the DOF is also relying on the Lens lengh and closeness of the subject! Damn!! I wish I had my camera with me...

Im always thinking about what the colors will look like and what the DOF is and wether this image will grab anyone.

You will learn in the years, that prior to even taking the picture. That image is already in your mind. So when you look through that view finder. It is already there. the only thing you have to think about is, when is the perfect time to trigger.

man...I like that....don

What I sometimes think to myself before pushing the shutter is... I haven't taken a good picture all day, so what makes me think I'm going to do any better now?

is the lens cap still on?

I think about good breathing technique and gently squeezing the shutter button as to not induce motion blur.

I'm thinking:
- what kind of DOF do I want, and have I set an appropriate ap?
- what shutter speed do I need for stopping motion or appropriate blur?
- I my current ISO giving me these?

Much of my current shooting is along the street, so I set myself up when I start walking, then I can just lift the camera and shoot. Of course, if I shoot into shadows or bright light, I'm going to have to adjust my settings.

That's the exposure side. Then there's all the composition, direction of light...

It's fun. Really.

Greg

Some of these questions are related, I'll just list what I have in mind, I hope it'll be understandable. I'm most of the time too impatient to really think all of this through, so this is more of a question wishlist :P :
- What do I want to communicate with the photo I'm going to take (or make)? This is by far the most important question I should be able to answer.
- What do I want to emphasize/deemphasize?
- What mood do I want to portray?
- What compromises do I have to make, given the conditions?
- Will the elements in the photo be balanced? Should I recompose? Should i shift my position?
- Background control, is it ok?
- Anything distracting in the view finder?
- Are my camera settings in line with the above decisions I made?
- Is it legal/ethical to take this shot?

If you were a fly in my head you would just hear the echo of your own wing beats.

My thoughts are mostly on composition. What do I want the image to look like to make it a worthwhile picture. Once I have decided that, aspects such as aperture, shutterspeed, exposure, use of tripod, use of remote release and use of mirror lock-up just follow based on prior experience. Obviously all these thing are thought of, but you don't spend much time dwelling on them.

When I shot film I found myself spending more time thinking because each shot cost more money and I would not know the results until the film was developed. With digital you go through the same process, but if in doubt you just take a test shot and look at the results.

Boy, you guys seriously need to start visualizing prior to a shot. Save so much time.