What's the best photo you didn't take?

[rwintle]

There are some wonderful stories here. Thanks for starting this thread, CliveC.

Most of the ones that jump to my mind fall in the "didn't have a camera", "not quick enough on the shutter", or "too chicken to take the photo" class. But there have been some where I've stepped back and not taken the photo, intentionally. One that jumps to mind is a large religious convention, where among the on-stage speakers and music, there are also periods of prayer. On several occasions I've intentionally not photographed during these times even though the emotional impact of the photos might have been quite strong, and there was not particular prohibition on doing so - in fact, I was covering the event for the organizers, so it would have been fine. Just the moments in front of me seemed too personal to the subjects, and I chose not to shoot.

 

[williams473]

I didn't lose a paticular image this weekend, but 36 of them! First time in 20 years of shooting I failed to hook the lead edge of the film properly in my SLR and shot 36 frames with the film going nowhere. Other couple rolls were fine, but I know I missed some very good images that live now only in my head.

And since we are on RFF here, I must mention there were no problems a'tall with the film shot on the GW670 🙂

Matt

 

[icebear]

... not sure if it was Winogrand who replied to the question:
Q: "What about the missed shots when you have to change your film?"
A: " When I change the film, there are no pictures".

Not implying that I am Winogrand 😀 but along his lines :
Pictures I didn't take, don't exist.

 

[squareshooter]

It was 1970. I had just driven all the way across the U.S. The next morning I went out to get a newspaper. I parked my car and looked out at the entrance to the shop that sold newspapers and saw a magnificent looking young redhead. I recognized her immediately as a woman who had conspired with her married lover to kill the guy's wife, botched it and they both went to jail. Their story and photos were all over the newspapers and TV news at the time.That morning, she had obviously been recently released from jail. I learned later she had taken a job at a local business. I stared at her as she paused, opened a pack of cigarettes and then went on her way. I had a Nikon F in my trunk, loaded with Tri-X and a 105mm lens mounted on it. But I knew she's be gone before I could get the camera out of the trunk. So I let it go. And I didn't hang around to see if she came back the next few mornings.