I spent year formulating these ...

[teepee12]

The 3 most important things I've learned from more than ‎40 years of shooting: Really Important Rules for Photographers:

1) Keep the strap around your neck. Cameras don't bounce or float.
2) It helps if you take the lens cap off before you shoot.
3) 500 shots of anything is too many no matter how cool the subject is.

I can take great pictures and use PhotoShop, but I still forget to take the lens cap off. On the other hand, after dropping one camera on the cement floor of a parking garage in New Orleans, and once dropping one overboard my own sailboat, I always use the strap. Some lessons are too expensive to keep repeating. And the biggest problem with digital cameras is the temptation to take way too many shots. The Grand Canyon resulted in more than 500 pictures. It took me months to sort them all because so many looked exactly the same.

Some lessons are never fully learned.

[zona5101]

Very good rules indeed - especially #3 (although if you don't follow #1 & #2 you won't get to #3)

[flytyer57]

I recently took the strap off my camera cuz I'm tired of it getting in the way when I mount the camera on the tripod. Most of my work is landscape photography, so I really don't need a strap getting in my way. I rarely shoot hand held. When I do start shooting hand held, the strap will go back on.

I just wish they made straps that are easier to put on and take off.

[isaiah40_31ph]

there are straps with snap on clips.

I use them on my camera,

I also have same type of clips for my guitar

[WPCatfish]

Had lesson one drilled into my head when taking up photography in school. Quite surprised when I'm out and see others with handheld DSLRs who don't.

[mosgood]

I hate camera straps. They aren't comfortable, get in the way (too long-somehow always end up either obscuring the lens or the viewfinder), & are a general nuisance (for me). That doesn't mean I don't use it at all...I tend to wind it around my wrist where it won't be a problem.

I'd rather have a sturdy wrist strap than one that hangs around my neck. Just haven't found one yet I like.

EDIT: Forgot to add that 2 & 3 are great rules.

I have one more...don't forget the memory card. You can click away until your heart's content, but if there's no card, you got nuthin!'

[Krusty79]

Originally Posted by mosgood

I hate camera straps. They aren't comfortable, get in the way (too long-somehow always end up either obscuring the lens or the viewfinder), & are a general nuisance (for me). That doesn't mean I don't use it at all...I tend to wind it around my wrist where it won't be a problem.

I'd rather have a sturdy wrist strap than one that hangs around my neck. Just haven't found one yet I like.

+1. I took my camera strap off when I saw how much it was flapping in the wind when I am taking pictures with my tripod.

I am close to mastering step #2.

[icewater]

Originally Posted by zona5101

Very good rules indeed - especially #3 (although if you don't follow #1 & #2 you won't get to #3)

i agree

[nickbedford]

There's camera straps, then there's Blackrapid camera straps.

[sk66]

LOL! made me smile...That's all you learned in 40 yrs?

I often don't use straps, but I have insurance.
I seldom use lens caps unless a lens is in "storage".
And 500pics is WAY too many!