Dumb and Dumber and Dumberer

[_Bella_]

Sounds like a day in my life. How about a list of stupid photog tricks?
didn't put batteries in camera
didn't put film in (In the old days)
put film in, it didn't load properly
left lens cap on camera
left cap on port (before I poked holes in them)
didn't put batteries in strobes
put batteries in strobe upside down
didn't put card in camera
put card in, can't remember if I downloaded it or not
the list goes on, but I'm starting to cry at all the missed opportunities. :lol2:

 

[Larry C]

Misery loves company! Glad I'm not alone. Did I mention all the previous times I've taken several incredible shots (prize winners every one) before noticing how red the lighting was? Oly uses red lens caps? Hmmm. Another stupid human trick is not tucking the #&*%@$# lens cap behind the camera, then discovering that the fabulous picture of that previously unidentified species has a big red circle in front of most of it. "It was sort of creme colored, with an arrow marking on its....." HeHe.

 

[parabolic]

Here's my most recent screwup. A few weeks ago I did two consecutive days of diving in Morro Bay (you only get one dive a day because of tides). I had an excellent first day, fired off about 100 frames in an hour-long dive, and uploaded them to the computer in the hotel room that evening. I was very happy with the results but most of the subjects were regulars there which I had photographed before. On the second day I started finding great subjects, several nudibranch species which I had not seen before, the fringeheads were attacking the port, several small octopus who stood their ground, all and all a great dive. And I know I got some decent shots because I reviewed damn near every one on the monitor after firing off the shot.

Well I got back to the room this time, hooked up the camera to the computer, and the card comes up empty. EMPTY. Not a single photo on the card. I know I took about 100 photos, where the hell were they? Finally figured it out. The Fuji S2 has several options for viewing the photo in the monitor after the shot. One is POSTVIEW, which briefly shows the image for a few seconds and then records it to the card. One is PREVIEW, which brings up the photo on the monitor immediately after the shot, but requires that you physically confirm that it is to be saved. If you don't do that (select "SAVE"), the photo is GONE the next time you touch the shutter. So I saw virtually all of my photos for a few seconds, but none of them was saved on the card. Somehow I cleverly managed to change the menu item from POSTVIEW to PREVIEW the night before, which lost me all my images on the second day.

I could go on.....and on....and on....with other screwups but I am too depressed now and will save it for another time. Larry you are NOT alone.

 

[Tortuga Roja]

Lens cap, battery, focus ring, CF card... yep, I've done them all. But as someone else mentioned, I now always shoot a pic after assembling everything. One shot will check focus, strobes, battery, lens cap, and just about anything else my old feeble mind might forget. I have saved a bunch of dives doing this. It's a good habit.

 

[Jamdiver]

Ahhh I've been looking for this thread to add to it.
Let's see what 'dumb' stuff have I done... or not done to be more accurate .

First dive with my camera, it suddenly locks up underwater after 5 minutes or so.
At a depth of 90ft, looking at this strange thing in my hand i'm convinced that it's flooded, after all what else could it be?

So I thumb the dive and proceed to actually open the housing at the surface (waves and all) to check it.
Camera is quite dry, turns out that the batteries weren't seated quite right.

I've had other experiences of the camera shutting off at depth, soon after being turned on and as far as I can tell it happens when I load the batteries right after they've been charged and are still quite warm.

Can't think of much else to add, i've got a simple rig, not much to mess up .

 

[AndyT]

My favourites:

Forgetting to take off the UV filter I had on for topside shots - the lens barrel hits the front port , the camera shuts down . Mantas all over the place ........

Forgetting to flip the LCD around and only finding out on the bottom .

 

[LindaBluedolphin]

Misery loves company! Glad I'm not alone. Did I mention all the previous times I've taken several incredible shots (prize winners every one) before noticing how red the lighting was? Oly uses red lens caps? Hmmm. Another stupid human trick is not tucking the #&*%@$# lens cap behind the camera, then discovering that the fabulous picture of that previously unidentified species has a big red circle in front of most of it. "It was sort of creme colored, with an arrow marking on its....." HeHe.

Larry sorry to hear about your troubles, but at least you did not toast your camera.

I am fortunate, I have not had any problems yet, and my red cap is never an issue it does not float in front of the lens. Not sure why, but it hangs down.

I have been taking notes on "what not to do"