Photography Shoot Log

Who this is for

A record of every shoot and what you learned from it. Note where you went, what the light was doing, which body and lens you used, the settings, and how many frames were worth keeping, so the next trip to the same spot starts from experience.

Hobby photographers, film shooters and camera club members who want to see which places, light and kit give them their best frames.

What this helps you track

• Where and what you photographed, and when
• The light and time of day for each shoot
• Which body, lens and settings you used
• Frames shot against keepers for each outing
• Which film roll or memory card holds each shoot, and what to try next time

How to use it

1. Write your name, the camera bodies you use and a page number at the top.
2. Start a row for each shoot with the date, place and subject.
3. Note the time of day and the light as you saw it, and the body and lens you used.
4. Write the settings you mostly used, such as ISO, aperture and shutter speed, or a note like 'mixed'.
5. After editing, fill in frames shot and keepers, the roll or card number, and a line on what you learned.
6. Keep it in the browser version between trips, or print pages for a notebook in the camera bag.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Should I log settings for every frame?

No. This is a log of shoots, not frames; your camera records settings for each file. Write the settings you mostly used or the ones that worked, so you can compare trips at a glance.

What counts as a keeper?

Whatever you decide: frames you would print, share or edit further. Keep the same test across the log so the numbers can be compared from one shoot to the next.

Does it work for film photography?

Yes. Use the roll or card column for the film stock and roll number, and frames shot for exposures on the roll. The notes column can hold developing details.

Where does the light column come from?

From your own eyes: golden hour, overcast, hard midday sun, blue hour, indoor window light. It is there so you can see which conditions gave you the frames you liked.