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Make it a habit to check the five settings below when you pick up your camera after not using it for awhile.

• ISO

• White balance

• Exposure compensation is at 0.0.

A +/- icon will appear on the LCD screen if the exposure compensation is not set to 0.0.

• File format (JPEG and/or a raw file format)

• Location of focus area

On many cameras, the area that is to be used for focusing can be selected.

Often, the area can be changed inadvertently.

If you don't check the five settings, you may find that you've taken many photographs at a wrong setting.

For example, let's say you photographed the lobby of the El Tovar lodge at Yellowstone National Park.

You set the ISO to 1600 and the white balance to tungsten.

Then, the next day, you photograph the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon won't look as good at ISO 1600 and the tungsten white balance setting.

If your camera has buttons dedicated to these settings, all you have to do is press the buttons while looking at the top LCD screen.

By taking a few seconds to check—you won't have to say "oops."