A Year in the Making: The Longest Wait?

RayPA

RayPA

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I think I read once that Imogene Cunningham waited a year to make a photograph (the light on the glass door knob image). I just waited about a month to make a shot, and I've got another in the works, that'll go about the same length. I don't know if it was worth the wait, but getting the shot was very satisfying. What's the longest you've waited, plotted, schemed to get a shot?

my shot:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/10040

:D
 
Hi Ray

I'm working on a shot of the full moon over the 401(highway) east of Toronto in August. I've been working on it for way over 5 years (actually 9 years). Weather, traffic, obstructions and anything else imaginable have conspired against this shot. One day I will get it.

Jan
 
Well, a couple months before the event, I read somewhere that on July 12 2003, moonrise at sunset would be exactly the same astronomically as for one of Van Gogh's paintings. A good excuse to spend some time scouting out locations from which to shoot, to dig out the tripod, etc... and burn some film! Here's a result...
 
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There is one place here where the sun sets at 21:15 - 21:30 between August 24 and 27 next to an industrial building which one can see through a wall. Problem is I have to shoot over a four lane bridge with heavy traffic and last year it was mostly overcast and the years before I had too much traffic from busses and trucks to get the picture.
 
I have a shot of a mural on a wall that I want to take. The problem is that there are always cars parked in front of it, trash cans lying around, etc. I have to get up really early in the morning to get it and I've been "waiting" (I'm not a morning person ;) ) for over two months now since I first saw it. But I'm thinking that tomorrow morning will be perfect maybe, its going to be lashing with rain here and that should really add to the ambience of the pic.
 
Wow! And I thought I was being patientnt by waiting a month! Now that you mentioned it one of the biggest detriments for me for getting certain shots is automobiles.
 
Doug said:
... Here's a result...
Click to expand...

Doug,
Beautiful, and very nice, indeed—and worth the wait! I have found that I'm always a little less satisfied with the ones I wait on. I think the image builds in my head to something much grander than reality, but you seem to have made the wait and planning pay off.
 
RayPA said:
Wow! And I thought I was being patientnt by waiting a month! Now that you mentioned it one of the biggest detriments for me for getting certain shots is automobiles.
Click to expand...
The other issue that I didn't mention is that its about four miles from where I live in the city and its not easy to get to. :( I have not been back since I saw it first a couple of months ago.
 
I like to try and catch the cherry blossoms in the Nitobe Japanese Garden in the spring. It's a bit cliche, I guess, but they are stunning. I may have missed them this year - spring came very early. Here's a shot from last year (Rolleiflex 3.5, Ilford XP2)
 
taffer said:
Probably the most time I've been preparing, around two weeks between this one
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/6868/sort/1/cat/500/page/2

And exactly what I was looking for
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/7813/sort/1/cat/500/page/1...
Click to expand...

aah. I've only seen the couple one, not the first one. Kudos to you for keeping it feeling fresh and spontaneousness, despite the wait. They're both great images, but you've made the second image (the couple one) superior.
 
I am still waiting to use my two rolls of techpan in the rolleicord (which turned into a rolleiflex in the meantime), since approx. a year. I want to use it on me and my friends - when we'll be ALL together again, including the french Emmanuel. He is the missing factor lately.

I'm confident i will be able to take those pics this year.
 
Sockeyed - not cliche at all, i'd say. Or, more correct, any cliche subject can be presented in a fresh manner.
 
3 Years ago I read "Great Places to Photograph in Yellowstone" and wanted to capture Yellowstone Falls with the rainbow. A month later we got up at 6am, hiked to the overlook, set up the tripod before the crowds blocked the view. At 9:45am the sun hit the proper angle and for the next 30 minute shot a roll and half of rainbow/falls pics. I got to chat with a German pro-photog who had come to shoot the falls, but didn't know about "rainbow time", and stayed when I told him about it.
I am reminded of our Yellowstone trip everyday as the best photo of the bunch is on the living room wall.
 
sockeyed said:
I like to try and catch the cherry blossoms in the Nitobe Japanese Garden in the spring. It's a bit cliche, I guess, but they are stunning. I may have missed them this year - spring came very early. Here's a shot from last year (Rolleiflex 3.5, Ilford XP2)
Click to expand...

Beautiful image. I'm considerably south of you, and the cherry and ornamental plum trees in my neighborhood blossomed about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I remember because about that time, while walking my dogs, I stopped to photograph some ornamental trees in my neighborhood and the woman whose property the trees were on came busting out of her house demanding to know what I was doing. I complimented her on her trees and kept moving. Anyway, you may still have a chance!
 
RayPa,

If I may, what was it about this particular image that required the wait? I assume it is the shot of the dry cleaners?

Thanks.
 
RayPA said:
Doug,
Beautiful, and very nice, indeed—and worth the wait! I have found that I'm always a little less satisfied with the ones I wait on. I think the image builds in my head to something much grander than reality, but you seem to have made the wait and planning pay off.
Click to expand...

RayPA, that comment about the image building in the mind is one that I have experienced before. The image in my head and the one that is achieveable is often very different and I'm hoping that they will match the shot I'm trying to get. We'll see...

Jan
 
Doug said:
Well, a couple months before the event, I read somewhere that on July 12 2003, moonrise at sunset would be exactly the same astronomically as for one of Van Gogh's paintings. A good excuse to spend some time scouting out locations from which to shoot, to dig out the tripod, etc... and burn some film! Here's a result...
Click to expand...


Hi Doug, exceptional photo!

where did you find the source for the "coordination of sunrises and sunsets'. I would like to check this out for my single shot as an alternate take.

regards, Jan
 
RayPA said:
IWhat's the longest you've waited, plotted, schemed to get a shot?
Click to expand...

Well, I'm really looking forward to photographing my daughter when she graduates from college. But since I'm not even married yet, it's going to be a while before I can get that shot...
 
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