The 5-Minute Pre-Shoot Checklist Every Beginner Needs

There is nothing worse than arriving at a beautiful location, seeing an amazing shot, bringing the camera to your eye, and realizing your battery is dead, your SD card is full, or your ISO is still set to 6400 from the night before.

Professionals don't rely on memory; they rely on checklists.

The Zero-Out Method

Every time you finish using your camera, you should "zero it out" before putting it in the bag. This means formatting the SD card (after backing up photos!), charging the battery, setting the ISO back to 100, and putting the camera back into your standard shooting mode (like Aperture Priority).

The Assignment: Write down a 5-step checklist on a piece of tape and stick it to the inside of your camera bag. Check it every single time you pack your gear. 1. Battery 2. SD Card 3. ISO 100 4. Clean Lens 5. Mode Dial.

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