problems of not shooting enough
- Thread starter mansio
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hipsterdufus
Photographer?
I'm not really sure how this is going to get him shooting more. It will force him to invest more time in building a darkroom and then learning how to use it, but that's time he could be shooting, which seems to be what he wants.
To the OP, this has been one of my worst years for photography, due to personal issues that I'd rather not discuss here. Either way, I'm pretty much chalking this year up as a loss, photographically. You could try getting an older DSLR and a prime for cheap and dip your toe into the digital waters, just to see how you like it.
I've got a D200 and AI'ed Nikkor-O 35mm f2.0 (50mm equivalent on APS-C). It lets me get close to a film SLR experience with a real aperture ring and the results are nice, too. It's helping me shoot when I do have the time.
jsrockit
Moderator
I always make time time to photograph. Digital (high ISO, fast lens) and living in NYC (bright at night in some areas) has made photography possible at all times of day. If it is raining or snowing, bring a cheaper camera or an all manual film camera to use instead.
I know one thing... I get antsy if I don't get to go out at least a few times a week. However, there is also nothing wrong with not doing it when you are not feeling it.
I know one thing... I get antsy if I don't get to go out at least a few times a week. However, there is also nothing wrong with not doing it when you are not feeling it.
zuiko85
Veteran
I don't shoot enough because I am a lazy dull person with no imagination.
My fun is building photo related Rube Goldburg contraptions and cameras.
More fun building than actually taking pictures with them.
Go figure.
My fun is building photo related Rube Goldburg contraptions and cameras.
More fun building than actually taking pictures with them.
Go figure.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
That sounds like hard work that requires imagination.
zuiko85
Veteran
Well Chris, "designing" is a loose term with me. I do love however seeing how one item can serve several functions. At photo shows I'm the guy rummaging around in the big plastic buckets, full of series adapters, old flash brackets, broken pieces of "I dunno, beats me" stuff. All marked for 25 cents to a dollar or so.
This is not a lonely undertaking. Quite a few of our members are very handy and show some pretty good engineering skills but I'm more of a dreamer and backyard inventor.
My latest "thing" is a bellows mounted 90mm f4 Elmar that will focus from infinity to 1:1 on a third party monorail bellows for my Olympus Pen F. It all started when I discovered that the lens head from my 90 Elmar would screw down and seat nicely in a series 5 thread. It's not the exact same thread but as I say it will spin on and seat. And of course it still works fine on the Elmar focusing mount. Years earlier, from one of those plastic bins I had picked up the bellows for $2 because "Hey, I might need this some day" The other parts were; the back end of a 'T' mount for Pen F, a series 6 to series 5 step down ring, a 34mm to series 6 adapter and a bit of aluminum sheet, and a few brass 2-56 flat head screws. All, except the screws, from my photo junk bin. With a series 5, plus 10 close up lens mounted instead of the Elmar, I have a dandy 100mm f3.8 soft focus lens too.
This is not a lonely undertaking. Quite a few of our members are very handy and show some pretty good engineering skills but I'm more of a dreamer and backyard inventor.
My latest "thing" is a bellows mounted 90mm f4 Elmar that will focus from infinity to 1:1 on a third party monorail bellows for my Olympus Pen F. It all started when I discovered that the lens head from my 90 Elmar would screw down and seat nicely in a series 5 thread. It's not the exact same thread but as I say it will spin on and seat. And of course it still works fine on the Elmar focusing mount. Years earlier, from one of those plastic bins I had picked up the bellows for $2 because "Hey, I might need this some day" The other parts were; the back end of a 'T' mount for Pen F, a series 6 to series 5 step down ring, a 34mm to series 6 adapter and a bit of aluminum sheet, and a few brass 2-56 flat head screws. All, except the screws, from my photo junk bin. With a series 5, plus 10 close up lens mounted instead of the Elmar, I have a dandy 100mm f3.8 soft focus lens too.
tunalegs
Pretended Artist
I'm kind of surprised that at least two people on this forum have Gintama avatars.
DNG
Film Friendly
Well, Because I am "Mr Mom", (my wife works from 2:30pm to 1am), I find it diffecult to get out for a few hours.
Much may be laziness, since she is home in the mornings... but, it is her sleep time till about 11am. So, 11am to 1pm is a short time span to go out.
Much may be laziness, since she is home in the mornings... but, it is her sleep time till about 11am. So, 11am to 1pm is a short time span to go out.
Prest_400
Multiformat
Wrong fact
Wrong fact
I do when shooting film. My OM was loaded eons ago, and still got 18 frames to go. Problem is that I even bring it around and end without taking a single frame! (happens too with digital)
What I dislike about it is the sense of having let pass moments, which are gone.
What irks me is that with 36 frames a roll, I end being so meticulous that it takes me months to shoot all of it! And I consider film to be the most quantifiable way of shooting. I can have 1000s of digital photos, but I will feel much better having 36 rather than all of those. Just because I can hold them in my hand.
I seached (ages ago) around for "how to take more photograps" and what I got were useless tutorials.
Haven't almost realised, and for most of July I haven't photographed anything meaningful. But I don't stress it.
However, since December (when I got a m43), I got about 1000 frames shot on the EPL2. My friends go like 😱 when they see it. But as I said before, I would prefer to have shot 36-72 film frames rather than a thousand digital pics.
Wrong fact
I do when shooting film. My OM was loaded eons ago, and still got 18 frames to go. Problem is that I even bring it around and end without taking a single frame! (happens too with digital)
What I dislike about it is the sense of having let pass moments, which are gone.
What irks me is that with 36 frames a roll, I end being so meticulous that it takes me months to shoot all of it! And I consider film to be the most quantifiable way of shooting. I can have 1000s of digital photos, but I will feel much better having 36 rather than all of those. Just because I can hold them in my hand.
I seached (ages ago) around for "how to take more photograps" and what I got were useless tutorials.
Haven't almost realised, and for most of July I haven't photographed anything meaningful. But I don't stress it.
However, since December (when I got a m43), I got about 1000 frames shot on the EPL2. My friends go like 😱 when they see it. But as I said before, I would prefer to have shot 36-72 film frames rather than a thousand digital pics.
shootar401
Unregistred User
I had a job where I worked 2 days a week the rest of the days were either days off or I spent on a plane. I had plenty of time to shoot.
Now that I have a new job that is 9-5 I don't have much time except on weekends.
Now that I have a new job that is 9-5 I don't have much time except on weekends.
noisycheese
Normal(ish) Human
If I may, here is an idea: Expose five frames of film (or digital) each day. That is one subject, about two minutes worth of time. Just make yourself do it, come hell or high water.
All you have to do is make time for this exercise - just two minutes or so each day. It's not much, but it's a start.
It's all about making photography a priority and not letting it get pushed to the bottom of the barrel of life.
As the Nike commercial used to say, "JUST DO IT."
Frontman
Well-known
I simply take a camera with me wherever I go. I just got back from walking my dog along the river, and managed to get a couple of interesting shots along the way. I often commute to work on foot, and there are endless things to take interesting photos of.
If you are part of the car culture in America, you probably have less opportunities to shoot. I find I do far more shooting now that I rarely drive a car.
On my rare days off, I take a train or subway 30 minutes or so away from where I live, and then walk back, shooting along the way. The scenery changes according to the weather or the year, and the city activity changes by the moment. What's better, I occasionally come across an old camera store or recycle shop which has something interesting.
I accumulate film for bad-weather days, it gives me something to do. One good thing about living in Japan is that the television programs here are so awful that there is little to keep me indoors. I tend to watch youtube videos while processing my film.
Time to go get lunch, the food shop is about 5 minutes walk, but I will take my camera with me.
If you are part of the car culture in America, you probably have less opportunities to shoot. I find I do far more shooting now that I rarely drive a car.
On my rare days off, I take a train or subway 30 minutes or so away from where I live, and then walk back, shooting along the way. The scenery changes according to the weather or the year, and the city activity changes by the moment. What's better, I occasionally come across an old camera store or recycle shop which has something interesting.
I accumulate film for bad-weather days, it gives me something to do. One good thing about living in Japan is that the television programs here are so awful that there is little to keep me indoors. I tend to watch youtube videos while processing my film.
Time to go get lunch, the food shop is about 5 minutes walk, but I will take my camera with me.
mansio
Established
oh there's another?
to the topic, i do intend to move the darkroom in the washroom by end of year, i am in transition in between things so things will be slow on other things.
thegman
Veteran
My excuse is that I live in a city, but so much prefer to photograph nature. That will change soon though when I move to Australia in August, I plan to shoot more 4x5 landscapes, and very much looking forward to it.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
That sounds like good advice. Good enough that I'm going to take it, anyway. How hard can it be? Yet by forcing myself to do it, I know it will make me look at old things in new ways. Routine during the week makes me think "I've done that already, why waste the effort". Yet ways of approaching a subject are infinite, so I can hardly have made a dent in that!
Even if the results of this exercise aren't that flash (and they might not be) I imagine that forcing myself to think of new ways to approach old subjects will be a worthwhile exercise in itself. But the exercise won't be complete unless I actually produce those five frames.
...Mike
mansio
Established
i have issue finding just 1 exposure a day, even after a full day of walk i could net nothing 🙂
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
Where in Oz, might I ask? There are plenty of good opportunities to photograph nature, here, but Collins Street, Melbourne probably isn't one of them. (Rumours of kangaroos hopping down the tram tracks notwithstanding.)
The good news is that even if you live in one of our largest cities (and they have their own charms) rural and very natural landscapes are within easy reach.
...Mike
Andrea Taurisano
il cimento
I second the advice given by others: carry a small camera with you all the time, going to work, to do shopping, to the cinema, while jogging.. Take one that fits in a pocket and does not cost too much, so that as little focus as possible is on the camera itself and it becomes just a like a little notebook to record thoughts or impressions on (I carry a Ricoh GR1, you'll find what works for you).
Another thought, it works for me: watch a lot of what inspires you to go out and shoot, like books or videos of your favourite photographers.
Another thought, it works for me: watch a lot of what inspires you to go out and shoot, like books or videos of your favourite photographers.
thegman
Veteran
Mostly looking at Bonbeach sort of area in Victoria, places near the sea. It's not the great outdoors, but it's way closer than I am now in the East End of London. Beaches look quiet in the mornings and evenings, so I can pop along with my tripod etc.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
I know the area very well! I stayed there, with friends, on and off for about 18 months over the last few years (their address was officially Bonbeach but actually closer to Carrum; they've since moved to Texas). I was going to point you to some photos but, unaccountably, I seem to have none I took in the area online.
It is a very good part of the world to be. Quite close to the Mornington Peninsula, which has it's own landscapes and beachscapes (and a very tasty line in wineries as well). A bit of a long haul into Melbourne proper if you're working there (as I was and, again, am) but not too badly inconveniently so. For more "fully" natural environments you are also well served if you're prepared to travel a bit (yet not too far). You could certainly do a lot worse picking a place to live!
...Mike
P.S. Please feel free to PM me (or e-mail mike who-is-at mikefunnell d.o.t com) if you'd like any further info, background or whatever.
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