Do you break away from ...

[raid]

I have been limiting my photography most of the times to taking photos with my children beside me. Today, I did the "unthinkable" and I spent about 3-4 hours on my own taking photos. It was a wonderful experience. While such little ventures may be normal and expected for many of you here, it was a special occasion in my case.

Dean called me a "Photo Father" today, and this is who I am. I wonder how many people here also are pretty much bound to family life and family oriented photography or maybe limited to taking photos with the family close by.

I took photos (all in B&W) of one of the well known fish markets in Pensacola from outside where several fishing boats were docked. Then I took photos in the historical district of Pensacola and then I drove to the beach and I took some graphically oriented photos of sand and water. Lastly, I found some run down buildings with interesting architecture.




I just had to say my piece ...


Raid

 

[FrankS]

Hi, Raid. As my children become older, I get more and more time for solitary photography. Hang in there, it'll get better in this respect. Of course then you'll have 2 teen aged daughters to occupy your worries, and if pictures of them as children are any indication, you'll have a bit to worry about! (This, from a father of a teen aged daughter.) 🙂

 

[Ash]

I'm often finding myself with little left to photograph that inspires me. I really out to take MORE photo's of my family.

 

[raid]

Hi, Raid. As my children become older, I get more and more time for solitary photography. Hang in there, it'll get better in this respect. Of course then you'll have 2 teen aged daughters to occupy your worries, and if pictures of them as children are any indication, you'll have a bit to worry about! (This, from a father of a teen aged daughter.) 🙂

Frank: I try not to worry at this stage since I can't do much about it. I just hope that they will be "reasonable", whateever this may mean here. I once told a good friend that "I used to read books" and he gave me a similar encouragement as you gave me, Frank. he told me that with age, things will change, and more time can be made available for reading.


Raid

 

[vrgard]

Interesting, Raid, in that since I don't have children I'm usually shooting alone (or with my wife if she can tolerate my photo habits!... smile). And what's funny to me is that I envy guys like you who have the benefit of your own children around to help "justify" your picture taking and give you even more photo opportunities. I, personally, always think about how I'm being perceived by parents when I'm out shooting and there are kids who might be in the frame. A lone guy with a camera is unfortunately oftentimes viewed as a suspicious character these days.

-Randy

 

[raid]

I'm often finding myself with little left to photograph that inspires me. I really out to take MORE photo's of my family.

Ash: Take photos of what makes you feel good about it. I also cherish my family photos and memories. Maybe a combination of family and non-family is right now most interesting to me. Who knows how I will feel about taking photos of houses and brickwalls years from now.

Raid

 

[raid]

Randy: I was in your shoes for many years. I am now 51 years old and start a family.

Raid

 

[chris91387]

i don't post many pictures because all i have are pictures of my kids and how boring is that (to all of you) after a while. they are 5 and (they gladly) consume all of my time.

someday i will enjoy my "private time".

hey frank, you mean there's nothing to give them so they just skip the teenage years and jump to their mid 20's with masters degrees in hand?

- chris

 

[FrankS]

hey frank, you mean there's nothing to give them so they just skip the teenage years and jump to their mid 20's with masters degrees in hand?
- chris

I only wish, Chris! But then, that would be wishing away time/years, and that would be wrong.

Ash: take pictures of your girlfriend(s) over the years. When you're an old man, you'll be able to look back. Wish I had done that! 🙂

 

[raid]

hey frank, you mean there's nothing to give them so they just skip the teenage years and jump to their mid 20's with masters degrees in hand?
- chris

I only wish, Chris! But then, that would be wishing away time/years, and that would be wrong.

Ash: take pictures of your girlfriend(s) over the years. When you're an old man, you'll be able to look back. Wish I had done that! 🙂

Frank: I did that, but I threw every photo away when getting married.
[even though the comment from Frank was addressed to Ash]
Raid

 

[vrgard]

Raid, then we aren't so different in age. And congratulations to you on starting a family later in life. While I'm sure they are challenging at times, they are still a blessing in so many ways. I play surrogate parent to various nieces and nephews (a couple of which even lived with me and my wife for a couple of years) and am godfather to a couple of children. Not sure why I'm posting this other than to say congrats to you, Raid. And enjoy taking as many pics of your kids as you can!

-Randy

 

[chris91387]

life just doesn't get much better than this ...

 

[raid]

Raid, then we aren't so different in age. And congratulations to you on starting a family later in life. While I'm sure they are challenging at times, they are still a blessing in so many ways. I play surrogate parent to various nieces and nephews (a couple of which even lived with me and my wife for a couple of years) and am godfather to a couple of children. Not sure why I'm posting this other than to say congrats to you, Raid. And enjoy taking as many pics of your kids as you can!

-Randy

Thanks, Randy. I am from Iraq originally, so I had to wait out all these wars before I could marry an Iraqi girl. I'm sure that each of us finds a suitable way to enjoy life somehow.

Thanks for finding us trustworthy enough to share with us your personal thoughts.


Raid

 

[raid]

life just doesn't get much better than this ...

Chris: No, it doesn't. You don't need a critique of such a photo to feel good about what you see there. Still, this is a great photo.


Raid

 

[Tarzak]

I too, have to make a special effort to find time to take photos without my girls around. Mostly because I think it's boring for them. Try waiting in the bush for a platypus to come back out of its burrow/lair/thingy while your partner and three year old are hanging about. I was later told (by partner) that nature photography and family are mutually exclusive.
But they are lots of fun....

 

[Paul700]

I am in similar position, with a four and a six year old. Advantages are I always have a subject or two, and my children are now real posers! Especially my little girl. The other significant advantage is I have the ultimate excuse for acquiring kit. I simply inform my wife that I am creating the memories. I really feel the more pictures of the children, on every day out, on most trips to the park, and even when they are zoned out in front of the televison, the better. Same with Dogs, we have two and so I default to shots of dogs and kids, kids and dogs.
I am lucky that I do not work the monday to friday 9 x5, but work all manner of shifts. This gives me time when children are at school, and wife at work to amuse myself.
Like a lot of family guys though, chores need to be done and its not always easy to sneak off with a camera for an hour or two.
Note to self, need to organise my time better!

Having said that, I did have an hour and a half the other morning, and shot most of a roll of Tri X through Bessa R. It was only of stuff close to where I live, but its nice to have a change.

I am aware how blessed I am, and count those blessings every day.

 

[Ash]

Frank, Raid; It's one of my plans to take photo's of all my friends and girlfriends, even the not so pretty ones! The only problem is convincing them the camera is their friend too! Many people I know seem to hate cameras, and prefer a point and shoot and photoshop to make them look 'nicer'.

Many people I know have gone off to Uni now, so my time to snap some shots is running out, and yes, I hope I never throw away my photo's!!

 

[icemendicant]

Hi Raid,

Congrats on the family! I have three young sons myself - 5, 3 and 1 at the moment. Like you I find that my photography revolves around them with very little time to do much else, especially as work is always busy. I do manage to get out for an early morning walk sometimes and my wife is very sympathetic (she bought me a ticket for a day-trip to Iceland last year to go and take some pictures) but I think doing a lot of landscape and street photography will have to wait until the boys are older.

Having said that, the time we have now is so precious I would never want to wish it away, and I content myself with trying to take really great pictures of my family. My oldest son already enjoys taking pictures with an old 35mm Olympus mju and my wife loves the family pictures and is chief archivist in our household. This also helps when I need to justify the amount I spend on photography, which is not exactly a cheap hobby ;-)

Luckily we have new neighbours (who are lovely) and his passion is expensive sportscars. After his wife had been telling mine how he always seems to sell his series of 100k Ferraris for less than he paid for them, she seems more tolerant of my modest Leica habit...

I'm always going to be taking pictures - I guess the subject matter just changes as you go through life.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[SCOTFORTHLAD]

I too find myself taking most of my recent photos of the family,in this case my four grand-daughters,all of whom are under the age of 5.I did not have a 'real' camera when my three kids were young,so perhaps I am making up for that now?There is no doubt that to occasinally 'catch the right moment' on film with one of these little ones is truly the highest point of this hobby for me at present.
Unfortunately I feel a little wary of posting any of my better efforts, for fear of someone unscrupulously using any of the images in the wrong way,present company,and I am very sure the total membership of RFF , excepted of course.Isn't that a tragic state of affairs!!😡
This is obviously a purely personal approach, but here in the UK. misuse of the Net is reported so frequently,that I can't ignore it.

Despite that it is great to have this affinity with you fellow family shooters.🙂

Brian.

 

[raid]

Brian: I once posted a thread on this issue, and I asked the question whether it is "safe and OK" to post family photos. I got a mix of different responses. At first, I panicked, and I removed all of my family photos posted online, but then after a while I decided to be OK about it and to post my images to encourage others to post their family photos. There are more immediate threats to my family than photos posted online.


Raid