RULES
1. Make sure your time and date are set correctly in your camera. If you have a backup camera, make sure it is set correctly also. And your other backup camera. And your computer.
2. The rules for this event prescribe that photos be sized to 2400 pixels on the long edge and be converted to JPG. Know how to do this with your editing software. If you don’t know this would be a great time to look into it. Removal of your personal metadata, such as copyright, is also advised.
LIGHTROOM
Right-click anywhere on image, click export, scroll down to “Image Sizing”, check the box “resize to fit”, then click the dropdown to select “Long Edge” and set it to 2,400 pixels. Resolution can be 300, the last drop-down doesn’t matter.
1. The rules for this event prescribe that photos be named according to a specific convention. Know how to rename your files. Know what your software names it by default and if you need to change what it does. (There is a page here on the naming convention.)
2. WINDOWS: either right-click on image file, if “rename” is not listed, find it in “show more properties”. Or left-click on the file, then hit F2, which will highlight the name – just start typing the new filename.
HARDWARE
1.Charge your camera battery the night before and bring spares, fully charged as well. Also check flash batteries.
2. Make sure your memory cards work; don’t buy and bring to the event without testing – cards are known to be defective.
3. Make sure your laptop battery is charged so you don’t have to plug your computer in – there may not be enough outlets. (Your club will provide extension cords and power bars – but to be safe, bring yours!)
4. MAKE SURE you can read from / write to a standard flash drive with the original, type A male connector. (Some newer laptops only have the smaller type C jacks!) Adapters are cheap, and Amazon sells them.
(Syntech USB C to USB Adapter Pack of 2 USB C Male to USB 3.0 Female Adapter)
5. The event will take place rain or shine – if needed, bring protection for your camera and yourself.
SOFTWARE
If you use Subscription editing services such as Adobe Creative Cloud, (aka LightRoom, PhotoShop):
1. While connected to the Internet, OPEN your subscription-based editing apps THE DAY BEFORE, on the laptop you will be using at the Shootout. (Subscription-based apps periodically “check” to ensure you’re current with payment.) Do this at home because there may not be a web connection at the Shootout.
2. Make sure your computer’s operating system is up-to-date. You don’t want it to start updating whilst editing at the shootout. Here is an example for one version of Windows. You can search for how to do it for your particular version.
3. To force an update on a Windows machine, do this: in the search window of the task bar, start typing “update” and select “check for updates.” If any are listed, go ahead and process them – then check again until it tells you you’re current.
OPERATIONS
1. Make sure you have enough space on your memory cards and hard drive.
2. Suggestion: make a folder on your laptop SPECIFICALLY for the Shootout images, whether you’re just going to copy jpegs from your SD card to the hard drive, or export finished jpegs from LightRoom (or similar) – don’t rely on the application, unless you fully understand how to FIND the images you make, and how to copy them onto the club-provided flash drive.
3. Consider how long it takes you to edit images. If you end up with only 3 each of your assigned topics and, say, 10 more from across the other 4 topics, that’s 16 images to edit. Can you do that on your laptop in 1 ½ hours? If you’re concerned about editing time, consider shooting in .jpg (or RAW Plus) format instead of just RAW.
PHOTO SUBMISSION
From wherever you store your finished images, after ensuring they meet the rules (above), copy them to the USB flash drive your club will provide. Hand that flash drive to your team leader and stick around until he or she has had a chance to review them.
