Photo How To

This quick tutorial is all about idiot-proofing your camera by changing camera settings that can spoil your photos. The idea is to help you avoid mistakes, whether you just bought a new camera and you’re reviewing the defaults, or you have several cameras in your stable.

In the 10-minute video below, photographer and educator Chelsea Northrup actually recommends changing nine camera settings, but she reserves the term “always” to five she considers particularly important. We’ll leave it up to you to determine which of these changes are “mandatory” and which are simply preferences, depending upon the type of images you shoot.

Northrup is speaking from personal experience, and she says “If I don’t take time to set up a camera properly when I first get my hands on it, I run the risk of ruining my photos or an entire shoot.” So grab your camera (or cameras) and follow along with this tutorial, so everything is properly configured the next time you head out for a day of photography.

One of the first things Northrup does upon firing up a new camera is to disable the default setting that permits tripping the shutter without a memory card installed. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to take photos,” she explains, “only to learn later when reviewing the images that there was no card in the camera.” As you’ll see, she has another important reason for making this change.

Northrup also explains why she always sets a camera with the correct time and date, makes sure to configure the file format to her specific preference, sets her cameras for back-button focus, and changes the default drive mode from Single-Shot to Continuous.

There’s a bunch more to see in this helpful tutorial, so take a look and Chelsea-proof your camera today. Then head over to the Tony & Chelsea Northrup YouTube channel for more great tips.

If landscape photography is your thing, be sure to watch another tutorial we posted with 16 camera settings you should change for better results.