To Chimp Or Not To Chimp?

Chimping. A buzzword to some, common language to others, annoying to yet others. What is it? More or less it is the act of looking at your LCD right after you take a photograph and oogling over what you see. For a better explanation, check out this video.

Some purists like to argue that it ruins the act of taking photo’s.  Some of them may just be getting nestolgic about the days of yesteryear when a shot wouldnt’ be seen until a few hours later as it slowly faded onto the paper as your hands dripped wet with developer (mmmm, smell those chemicals!).  There is a certain level of magic that takes place in a dark room and until you’ve done it for yourself (ideally with your own work), it’s difficult to explain. And on a certain level, digital photography has taken some of that magic away.  No matter how good a shot i’ve taken, seeing it on the computer–or more related to this topic, on the LCD of my camera– is less satisfying than had i seen it come through on photography paper.

Magic aside, there are some logistical reasons why you should and shouldn’t chimp during a shoot.

Why you should:

1. LCD screens have allowed photographers to instantly and accurately check exposure in a way that meters don’t allow for

2. Knowing if you’ve got your shot enables you to work less if you’re in a hurry

3. Seeing that your framing isn’t working allows you to adjust accordingly. Instant feedback.
Why you shouldn’t chimp:

1. Looking at your camera means you are not looking at the subject(s). I can’t tell you how many shots I’ve missed because i couldn’t resist the urge to chimp.

2. Relying on what you see on your LCD removes you from the actual process of taking photographs. Instant feedback is only good when it doesn’t limit the way you think.  Psychologists know that thinking more critically about something leads to more understanding.

3. The photographs aren’t going anywhere. Looking at it now isn’t going to change what has already been done.

4. Missing shots because you’re looking at your camera is a bad thing!

I stated one of those reasons against chimping twice, and for a reason.  Recently my LCD on my camera broke.  I haven’t been able to fix it yet and i’m in no rush because the camera still takes photographs.  And i’ve seen an increase in the quality of my photographs.  I’ve always been under the belief that constantly looking at your LCD after you take a photo removes you from the actual act of taking photographs.  If you can find a way to prevent this removal, i think your photography will improve.
I’m not advocating that you never look at the LCD. There is a reason it’s there and I’ve listed some reasons why it is useful. But there is a time and place for it.  Figure that out, and you’ll be golden.

Tags: chimping

This entry was posted on Friday, March 27th, 2009 at 8:05 am and is filed under Funny, News, Photography Tips, Random, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.