Chimping
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Chimping is a term used in digital photography (especially when using a digital single-lens reflex camera) to describe the habit of checking every photo on the on-camera display (LCD) immediately after capture.
Experienced photographers often use the term in a derogatory sense to describe the actions of wannabe photographers (often called newbies).[1]
Usage behaviour varies depending on context and the person using it, but common uses include:
- When a photographer’s sounds and actions of reviewing frames on-scene appear similar to the actions of an excited primate (Oooh! Oooh! Aaah!)
- When the photographer is completely absorbed in the act of analysing, admiring or proudly showing a photo off to others
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[edit] Origin of the term
The term 'chimping' is attributed to Robert Deutsch, a USA Today staff photographer, in September of 1999 when writing a story for the SportsShooter email newsletter.[2]
[edit] Views on chimping
Chimping is not seen to be completely wrong. Stephen Johnson, in his book on digital photography, says:
| “ | The implied pejorative [in the term 'chimping'] is shocking to me. If there's any one thing that is revolutionary in the advance of photography represented by this digital age, it is the ability to inspect your work. Ignore such ridicule, and use the tools to their fullest. | ” |
He further points out that using the LCD panel effectively means that a light meter can be left at home and if the shot isn't right, it can be tried again. Therefore, the idea that only "wannabe" photographers need to look at the LCD and check the exposure, image, or both may be unreasonable.[citation needed]
On the majority of digital SLRs, one can view the histogram of the picture as well as the picture itself on the LCD. This is the most effective way to determine whether or not an exposure is correct. Thus, it is quite possible that some photographers using a digital SLR are checking the exposure rather than looking at the image.
However, this activity can lead to missed photo opportunities, especially in fast-paced action scenarios. This is because the photographer will be occupied looking at the previous shot rather than actively photographing the scene unfolding in front of them. This activity may also be a symptom of the photographer not understanding what they are doing and relying on instant feedback to see if they guessed well enough or not.
