So maybe I'am weird but, I carry around a "photospot notebook" wherever I go, to work, shopping, you name it I got it with me and when I see a potential photo say new construction, a line of trees or lit up buildings at night I write down the location and any other info I need and later go back at better times for sunlight and weather. When I lived in San Francisco it was much easier to carry a good backpack with everything you needed: camera, film, couple lenses, mp3 player and your wallet. Here in florida its much different. (The automobile is a blessing to progress and a curse to social interaction, road rage does not count as being social :smile:) Anyway how do you take photos? any interesting habits on the way to everyones masterpiece?

I tend to have a camera or two with me, so if a brief shot is possible (snow on trees, rainbow, etc), I can get it. As an example, two nights ago I came across a guy pumping oil out of the ground using an old one-lung stationary engine and a couple well-heads that I thought were abandoned. Took several shots.

Otherwise, I'll just mentally note a shot that I want to get some other time. We have a lot of cloudy days here, so often I'll see a shot but on a day that it's not quite what I want. So I'll make a mental note, and keep an eye on it each time I pass through, and eventually I'll get it on film.

I also find Fred Parker's Ultimate Exposure Calculator to be incredibly handy, when used intelligently with a meter. A search using Google will find the website.

Thats just what I do but, mental notes are lost quickly with me! Writing it down seems to work. Only problem is I have page after page of "spots" I need to revisit

I'm trying to get into a new habit - printing out a spreadsheet that goes along with each camera / roll.

On it, I have film type, F-stop and shutter speed. EV from the meter, and if I compensated from that, and how much. Date of each shot, and subject.

I've just started doing this. I'm thinking I can put that paper in the envelope when I drop film off at the local lab, and then when I get it back I know what I did.

I used to keep such data in a little notebook when I started playing with cameras 20-25 years ago, and it helped me learn the basics quickly. Now, I'm playing with these old Ciro-Flex cameras, plus a pinhole, and my 35mm standbys, so I'm trying to revive that good habit.