We have all gone through the disconcerting experience of hearing or reading for the first time the phrase "to chimp". You have heard it, haven't you? No, not the short name for chimpanzee, but the act of chimping by photographers.
If you look up "chimp" in the Wikipedia, you will find only information on the chimpanzee. If you look up "chimping" however, you will find a full description of the term and its history, related to digital photography. Wikipedia claims the term was coined ten years ago by USA Today staff photographer Robert Deutsch, so it's amazing how slowly some news travels even in this very connected period we live in.
For those of you who have reached this paragraph still frustrated to know what to chimp means, I will tell you. The rest of you can go on to the next paragraph. Chimping is the act of looking at your LCD screen right after your shot to see how it came out. Originally chimping was a derogatory term referring to the act of looking down at every single shot right after taking it, something attributed primarily to amateur DSLR user. Today, however, it is an accepted practice even by professionals because it gives them instant information about the quality of the shot, especially regarding exposure, flash performance, and subject cooperation or blinking, among other things. It has become accepted as today's polaroid test print, which was never an amateur's tool.
The real question is, does chimping make you any less of a professional? After all, except for the use of polaroid backs in commercial and fashion photography, for over 100 years photographers, amateur and pro alike, never saw how the images turned out until after a trip to the lab or the darkroom. Although some pros are still embarrassed to be caught chimping, the fact is that it has become a totally acceptable way to confirm your shots. The real challenge is getting photographers to stop grunting and crying like chimpanzees as they react to their little LCD screens.
Film photographers did not have the technology to chimp, so they had to plan their shots precisely - lighting, exposure, framing, depth of field, shutter speed. It had to be correct, sight unseen, whether at a royal wedding or a fashion shoot for Mode. Were they concerned about the film and its results? Probably most experienced photographers were well versed in their craft and knew how their negatives were going to look. You do know what a negative is, right?
There are still many photographers shooting film for image capture, including weddings, portraits and commercial assignments. These photographers have studied and practiced their craft and are confident in their results. They are more afraid of their film rolls getting lost in the mail or their lab ruining their film due to a processing error.
For digital photographers the question becomes, should they stop chimping and concentrate more on their technique? Maybe. How much time can you save by not chimping 1,000 images at a wedding? How many great shots did you miss because you were chimping instead of looking for the next moment or opportunity? Is there a way to break the habit? What can you do if you have become a habitual chimper but your results are always fine? Will your psychologist understand this anomaly? Will you discover that your therapist is also a habitual chimper? How many billions of seconds per year are spent chimping by people around the world? Is there a cost to society?Should there be a study on this?
Chimping can be a bad and unnecessary habit. The first thing you can do is stop showing your subjects the images. Make it a policy to not waste time sticking your camera in everyone's face. While they're looking, you may miss an opportunity, and they are never going to tell you to your face that your image is horrible. Secondly, go dark. Yes, the dark is a scary place, but you can turn off your images from showing after each shot. Need to review your work? By all means - this is a great idea. When you have a lull in the shoot, use your review button to go back and see what you have done. If you're up to your craft, chances are you will not have to reshoot anything.
So, when you're on your next shoot, why not be bold, test your skills and try shooting without looking. Pretend you are shooting film. Review later and face the truth. You will discover whether you are a great photographer or whether your technique needs work. Either way, you win.