Why do I get these feelings? - and do you?

Dave Wilkinson

Dave Wilkinson

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Yesterday was a fine, bright and breezy autumn day, and a big one in the town's calendar, as we were hosting the start of the international round the world clipper race. The city centre and adjoining marina, and entire waterfront were absolutely teeming with visitors from near and far, enjoying the carnival atmosphere before the start.
Everywhere I looked there were literally hundreds of photogs, male and female, with big new- looking bags around them, and each with a big, black DSLR and zoom, jostling for positions with the folks with compact digi-cams, gleefully snapping (with flash) the backs of the crowd, with arms above the head - trying to frame the yachts, two hundred meters away in the estuary!.
I just had my usual Nikon compact in the pocket, as my main task was shepherding young grand children, that we had for the day. Later as we headed back to the car, my wife remarked in a surprised way "Dave -you have'nt taken any pictures today!", somehow I just did'nt want to join in with what seemed like pointless and often silly attempts at picture taking - with identical looking cameras. I find I'm feeling this way more and more at similar events, I don't really know why - I suppose I should relish the opportunity!, am I just getting cynical in old age, loosing enthusiasm?...or what?
Cheers, Dave.
 
I often get the "why bother" feeling of discouragement. I was in Whistler for a conference in April, and it coincided with a snowboarding competition. I was toting around an SLR with a long lens, and found myself in a small square area at the foot of Blackcomb. There must have been two dozen people taking exactly the same photograph, from the same perspective. I took a couple of photographs, realized that I couldn't produce any image that was markedly different than anybody else's, and so I simply lost interest.

I think that I take personal photographs either because the subject has special meaning for me (pictures of my family) or because I think that the particular perspective I have on the subject is unique to me and hasn't been captured before. That sense disappears if there are scores of people making the identical capture ...
 
Perhaps crowds can be off-putting at times, but you did say there was a "carnival atmpsphere" so perhaps you could have just relaxed and enjoyed that.

The last time I went along to such a thing was last year, here in Sydney, when the QE2 was retiring and the Queen Victoria was "replacing" her in the Cunard fleet (a cruise ship can't really replace an ocean liner, but that's the role of the QM2). My father came to visit, and we went along to see the ships.

Sure, there were crowds:


And lots of photographers, even ones using DSLRs:

(that one is my father, and I was using a DSLR myself)

But I found the occasional slightly different perspective:


And also knew my way around town to know a good spot to get the "ships meet" shot well enough:



Maybe lots of other people got that shot. I know Dad did:



But who cares?

I have my shot printed at 16"x10" framed and on the wall and others in an album. Reminders of a good day out, with my father, that we and lots of others enjoyed. I don't care that others might have enjoyed it except for being glad they did. I don't care that I used a camera similar to lots of others or even that others may have similar shots.

Why should I?

...Mike
 
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Mike

I get your point from the photo, one looks like a sleek ocean liner and the other a hotel sitting on a barge.

Bob
 
All cameras do the same thing, and if there are many photographers around their results are apt to be similar. I take pictures, or do not take them, depending on whether or not they will be used or, in a larger sense, useful. If two other people have cameras at a child's birthday party or a political meeting, I may not use my camera(s). But if I have specifically been asked to take pictures -- or if I intend to send the pictures out in any form -- I shoot.
 
I used to get this feeling often as well. I figured out (I speak for myself!) that event snapshots or taking pictures just to remember the event/vacation/whatever is not my cup of tea. For a quasi-serious photographer, I'm just not sentimental about things like that. I shoot very few photos on vacations or out at festivals, etc. I'd rather spend that time enjoying myself. I go out to shoot photos OR I go out to enjoy my time. They don't overlap much.
 
Dave, I think you were just in the moment, aware of how you were reacting to the events and atmosphere, and simply did what felt appropriate. Just being and enjoying is enough. Making photos is not a requirement just because you know how.
 
know the FEELING....
In NYC its as if your Surrounded...cameras EVERYWHERE :eek:

& then I have to remember that shot hanging on my Wall
or that photo I saw in a Book or Gallery...
 
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Generally I avoid crowds and crowded events. When I am in the situation the OP described I feel the same. I think it more though that crowded touristy type areas anywhere dont inspire me much. Not trying to denigrate those who do enjoy shooing in those environs. On the contrary I appreciate like crazy and am in awe of those who can do it well. I guess it's just that I really don't do much photographing of people, classic street photography type of stuff.
 
I no longer "do weddings". Too boring and all the same. What I will do is come to the wedding bring a rangefinder with B&W film and just do what I want. Sometime I get some good results.

3879451149_08981c9638.jpg

A man waits to be married while his Grandfather looks on.

3879449693_8b5f6531d8.jpg

Others shot but I don't care

3880246866_688b8a412a.jpg


Brother and mother of the bride wait pensively.
 
I'm not particularly sentimental, blackwave: just that those people are to whom I give prints, and it's a good feeling to have been useful.
 
I was at a wonderful anniversary celebration for my brother and his wife this summer in Norway. I had along my CLE with an M-Rokkor 40mm, and I promised my sister-in-law -- as had many others -- to take some pictures.

My approach was this: If I saw a bunch of people raising their DSLRs and compacts at the same time, I put my RF down. But if I heard two or more people laughing together nearby, I quickly picked it up.

Out of three rolls I shot that day, I ended up with a dozen frames I feel really good about.
 
I think my'problem' is just that I have never been a follower of fashion, or current trends, or a 'joiner', and the nearest I ever got to joining a photographic society or camera club, was the annual open-day - or finding RFF! LOL. I suppose on Sunday, the sight of all those 'faceless', 'nameless' black DSLR's just turned me off, and secretly-I wished that I had taken along one of my Nikkormats, or an M2!. So I reckon I must just be one of these 'inverted snobs', because when I arrived home I fondly loaded a roll of HP5+ into the FT2 ready for my next jaunt!....and that big 300mm f4 Nikkor - in it's leather case....now that would have had a few stares - down at the riverside as I struggled to hold it steady! :D
Dave.
 
I understand the feeling, I used to photograph at a seaside airshow quite alot until recently. Most had DSLR cameras with long lenses to get the aircraft but I used my RF camera to get the people enjoying the day. My biggest problem both there and at similar events is getting the 'backs of heads' shots. Sometimes you can make them quite funky whilst othertimes they simply fail. In the end I decided to just shoot details such as hand gestures, expressions, contact etc.

I think you either look for a different way of shooting the event or pack up and simply enjoy it. Neithers wrong if you're not getting paid and the decision is yours to make.
 
@Akiva: Ilove the first one, the gromm looks like a little boy on his first schoolday. The power our elders have over us that btransforms us inti kids in an instant! (Mothers have a much greater power to do so than grandfathers)
@Mike: Great photo of your Dad taking that photo!
I understand what you mean. For I get a call from my boss in my spare time to do some work: Because everyone is wielding his camera and I have mine with me I have to use it also.....wait a minute I don't want it! You spent your day with your grandkids and I bet it was more rewarding than a soso photo
 
It's hard, especially at my age, to avoid the "been there, done that" syndrome. Two things usually work for me:

I take a vacation from photography until the urge strikes, at which time I can return, refreshed, with new ideas.

It seems counter-intuitive, but I restrict my parameters, usually by limiting the lens choice to just one and trying to work within the limitations by being creative.

Or, I just grind out cookie cutter similars to what has gone before and relax, enjoying the act of shooting for its own sake.
 
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Hey Dave, not getting old, you're just using your brain :) Why bother shooting pictures of boats that you can't even see yourself through the crowds?
I such cases I would just take out the camera and try to shoot little things around me, kids dropping their icecream or people yawning while they're standing next to some amazing boat.. I don't know.. I usually also don't care for shooting stuff that everybody else is already taking pictures of. I prefer just to look with my own eyes at those things and use my camera for other stuff :)
 
Dear Dave,

I know what you mean -- sort of. 'Feeding frenzies' just suggest to me that I don't have the freedom to move around and shoot what I want, so I prefer to be somewhere less crowded. I went to Venice once (and once was enough). I got far better pictures in the back-streets and around the back-canals than St. Mark's Square -- where frankly, all I shot was tourists shootong the pigeons, and the like. Likewise in Athens I was happier away from the Akropolis.

There are some places that are so magical you can just wait until the crowds are out of the way -- Ggatija and Hagar Qim in Malta spring to mind -- but the crowds aren't usually that big anyway. And at our big local music festival, in June, there are crowds, but very few other photographers: certainly no 'feeding frenzies'.

Cheers,

Roger
 
Never go out without some gear ( Cameras that is !). Drives the missus nuts but there are an awfull lot of my pics on the walls of her family and friends and others and rarely the stuff I shoot professionaly.
Never go out to look for a picture.
Often go out for a look and see a picture.
 
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