Going out to take pictures or opportunist?

[Disastrous]

Which are you?

My iPhone camera roll will testify to the amount of times I happen to be somewhere nice (usually doing something not especially conducive to photography like Paddleboarding or sailing) when the clouds part and the light appears in the most superb way and I end up saying "fk sake, why do I not have the camera??"

And yet I find if I try and make a point of having a camera with me as part of every day life (for a week say), I rarely seem to see things I consider worth photographing.

So occasionally, I'll head into the town and take a camera with the express intention of taking some pictures. And usually don't.

So, in conclusion, it's a hard thing to 'force' but relying on the random chance of halving your camera handy when something appears means few opportunities.

So how do you do it? Assuming you don't live in Torridon

[GetCarter]

Damn. I'm barred!

[bristolracer]

In the days of film, I sometimes used to take the camera out and do a film in say 2 hours, go back to the darkroom and often find 2 or 3 keepers.
Bit more difficult in the digi age when memory cards are huge you could be out for a couple of days shooting one.
Maybe set yourself a time limit, say an hour and see what you can find?

Also dont be hard on the phone pics, there was some years ago a tv series on bbc 4 i think, where they gave 3 pro photographers cameras.
One was an slr one a compact and one was a phone, They all turned in some amazing pics by looking for the picture and making the best of equipment they had.

[RobDickinson]

A mix really.

I'll have y camera with me most times if I think I can be somewhere that light/comp might work.

But I make significant efforts to be in good places at good times. So much so I am taking groups to do this also.

I'm a guide/instructor for a small team ( One of a Kind photography adventures) , 2 weeks ago I was on the north island NZ 1300kms driving several hours hiking with a group of 7 people, this weekend had a 5 day trip with 6 people ( + myself and Tim Poulton as guides/instructors) , 1700kms around the north and west coast of south island.

[droopsnoot]

I don't carry the SLR with me much, but I do have a compact in the car all the time. I'm trying to do a few more specific photo outings, but quite local ones, not multi-day treks into the unknown.

[markmullen]

I moved from Scarborough to York, working in Malton, between the two.

When I lived in Scarborough I always used to carry an outfit with me as there was some useful scenery, from which I had some good results from opportunist shots.

Now living in York my commute home takes in just the flat vale of York so I don't bother.

My main photography now is planned photography trips and days out.

I'm hoping to move back to the coast in the new year and I'll begin carrying a camera again.

[jimmy156]

I decided a while ago that i was either going to "do photography" or not "do photography."

I found that always having my camera around my neck could spoil a nice walk with friends/family, and i wouldn't end up with any good photo's anyway. So if i am going to be talking photo's, than that is all i plan to do and i tend to go on my own! I have found that the wife doesn't take too kindly to waiting for half an hour "In case that stoat pops its head up again"

YMMV!

[Revol]

I don't go on specific photography walks much but if I know I'll be in a nice area doing other stuff I'll take the camera and a couple of lenses.
I do sometimes go for an evening walk on my own round the harbour or seafront (in Scarborough) and I take the camera then but its more a walk to relax rather than specifically photograph things.

[opieoilman]

If the surf is good and I'm not going in (too cold, not enough time, need to walk the dogs), I'll take my DSLR to the beach, other than that, I don't use it much, just take it on holiday or if there is something going on. My phone has a decent camera that will do for most things, but I really should put my compact in the car for opportunistic shots.

[Craikeybaby]

I used to do a lot of specific photography trips out, but very rarely do these days, mainly due to time.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Disastrous said:

Which are you?

My iPhone camera roll will testify to the amount of times I happen to be somewhere nice (usually doing something not especially conducive to photography like Paddleboarding or sailing) when the clouds part and the light appears in the most superb way and I end up saying "fk sake, why do I not have the camera??"

And yet I find if I try and make a point of having a camera with me as part of every day life (for a week say), I rarely seem to see things I consider worth photographing.

So occasionally, I'll head into the town and take a camera with the express intention of taking some pictures. And usually don't.

So, in conclusion, it's a hard thing to 'force' but relying on the random chance of halving your camera handy when something appears means few opportunities.

So how do you do it? Assuming you don't live in Torridon

Same as you, except when I reach for my phone as its the only camera I have on me, I remember its a HTC One M8 and that the camera is crap! (well unless you're going for a water-colour painting).

9 times out of 10, when I have my actual camera on me, I either never see anything that really catches my eye or the sky is horribly overcast. So so so many photos where the sky is flat, featureless gray casting shadow-less light on everything.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Monday 19th October 13:19

[andy-xr]

Crap skies are one thing, but Gods Giant Softbox can be useful, if you stand someone in a doorway facing out, the 'everwhere' light from a flat sky is pretty good at softening out skin tones. For everything else there's flash

I dont tend to take photography trips, I found the same as what people are saying, you end up taking photos of a gate as that's the only interesting thing in the field, most of the time the trips out turned into photography things are a waste of time. I take snaps, ie we went to York over the weekend and I got a few headshots of the Mrs but I like taking photos of her and it was quite cool turning a heap of leaves into a gold reflector. Anything other than that though, I'd rather set it up and plan it so there's real intent and a better chance of capturing what I want rather than just going somewhere and thinking up something to shoot.

People are more my thing than hills and stuff though

[Simpo Two]

andy-xr said:

People are more my thing than hills and stuff though

Good name for a book: "Hills And Stuff - Travels of a jaded landscape tog"

[fido]

For people photos I specifically go to events, because most of my friends are shy, or their boyfriends (if female) get jealous of me taking piccies of them.