Do you prefer to shoot alone or in company?

Twizzel

Twizzel

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Rach
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Just wondering really, as with 3 photographers in my house I often get asked by dad and brother if I want to go out shooting with them. Normally I decline, as to be honest I don't see the point of 3 of us all taking a photograph of the same thing. Yes results may be different but my dad is teaching my brother the basics at the moment so their photos will always be very similar until he picks up his own style.

I much prefer to be the only person with a camera, although mum does often come along (but she doesn't take a camera) for a walk :).

Thoughts? What do you prefer?
 
I prefer to be the only one with the camera, but I don't like going out on my own. If I have a mate to chat to while I'm setting up the shot, people don't look at me funny as much.

I am constantly (literally, 75% of the time I go out) being asked by various people of authority - security guards, policemen, CSPO, shop owners, what I am taking pictures of and why.

I would feel extremely uncomfortable without a mate there as a wing-man, so to speak.

Same applies for people out for a fight.
Sure, my tripod might be an awesome bludgeoning tool, but I'd prefer a mate there to watch my back :p

If you have a big camera, you're either a paedophile, a stalker, a terrorist or a robber.
You always have to have a purpose, it can never be 'because I enjoy it'.
I was out taking photos on a saturday night before, and one remedial security guard remarked to the other "Takin' fatos on a sataday night? Pfft, should be aat on the p**s! Loser!"
He told me I couldn't take photos of their building, I said I could because I was on public property, so there is nothing they can do to stop me taking photos of private property from a public place.
He looked baffled and called back to HQ, where I heard the radio blurt "Oh... oh, okay."
 
On the odd occasions I've gotten out for a photographic wander I'm normally on my own. Other times I take the camera on family outings (although that's often met with groans from the rest of the family). I've not yet been on a group outing.
 
I don't really have any mates into photography, so most of mine is done alone. I think i prefer it like that anyway. If i go out with the wife and the camera she gets in a right huff when i stop every 2 mins.

I've heard that togging in groups helps you, but again, that way you get multiple photos of the same thing.
 
I like a little of both.
When you're alone you can think in peace without getting disturbed, on the other hand shooting with others is good for inspiration and learning. Unfortunately I don't know many people interested in photography to shoot with in Prague.
 
I prefer to shoot alone, as I'm free to wander back and forth as much as I like then and find it easier to 'lose' myself in my surroundings when I'm looking for a shot.

I've found the times I've gone out with my wife I pass up opportunities for a shot as I know they'd take a while to set up/get right and the wife would most likely soon get bored (despite her being perfectly happy for me to do it) and can't immerse myself in what I'm doing fully. My photography is generally my 'me' time, so I try and protect that as much as is possible.

I've been on a couple of group outings which were certainly fun and educational (you never know too much to learn something new or different), but the preferred method is definitely on me todd.
 
I'm a bit of a loner by inclination I suppose, I love wandering around with he camera and no distractions. I'm not opposed to meeting a load of other togs in a situation where lots of people have cameras - zoos for instance, but in a street shooting scenario as an obvious example, I think a load of togs wandering around together just draws attention and you can end up looking like a load of anoraks, as well as defeating the object you went for.
 
I prefer going out with someone wether they take pics or not but parodoxically all my best pictures have been taken when I've been alone.
 
Almost always alone. To do it justice you need to be anti-social. Its not fair on any companions you may have if all you want to do is wait around unpredictably and then suddenly rush off for no apparent (to them!) reason.

My mrs can't bear it. I learned very quickly it just doesn't work with her:(
 
I tend to go alone, three females in the house i'm glad of the peace .... :lol:

We usually go away with two other families so if they want to go shopping or
such i wander off to see if there's anything interesting to shoot, then i get a
text asking me where the hell i am !! ...
 
Bit of both, but if I'm honest, I definitely prefer to shoot in company :)
 
i usually go shooting with 1 or 2 other toggy mates, usually JoeT or Ken, we are into the same kinds of things photography wise (ie Wildlife) so waiting around for something to happen, can get hugely boring if on your own, and its rare we end up with the same pics, as we dont stand in each others pockets or look in the same way or at the same subjects all the time. Plus usually got a couple of quids worth of gear with me, so for security its always good to be more than one.
 
im normally taking photos of people or for people so for the most part i am with someone. i do like going on long walks by myself just shooting, i find it quite theraputic.

i dont really have a problem with shooting with other photographer friends as i have a very different style and approach to just about all of them. even though we might be a few feet apart our photos are on the most part very different.
 
i mostly go to the skatepark with a friend that togs but apart from that i like to be the only one with the camera
 
I take my daughter with me she loves the outdoors and is to young to moan at me for taking so long.lol

Killing 2 birds with the one stone so to speak.
 
I go it alone.

Darren will wait for me while I compose, fiddle with settings etc, but I feel like I am rushing it just to get going again :(
 
Alone is fine by me, although on the odd pairing I have done with folk from TPF its also been fine :) Larger groups can be a bit daunting as we tend to trip over one another and attract stares :D

Solo or as a pair or maybe 3, is just dandy :)

And I'm talking photography!!! :D
 
It depends on what I'm photographing really.

For landscape / flora shoots, I prefer being on my own, as I don't have many friends interested in botany and so if I'm in company I either end up missing things, or people get bored if for example I want to spend half an hour lying in the grass photographing orchids :)

There are other times I like to be in a group, eg if I'm at a motorsport event as I quite like the social aspect and also it's a good way to improve :)
 
Truth be known, I'd say alone. Though I'd always take my daughter if she wanted to come out, and I always enjoy the meets I have attended. I guess when I want to go out, it'd be alone.
 
Alone! Can't stand people! I'm an antisocial git! :p
 
Mr Hellogoodbye comes with me, I call him my camera roadie :D I'm not friends with any other photographers..
 
Not really a fan of being out on my own, not because i'm scared of the dark, or because I get bored on my own etc, but purely just because I like chatting away and having a natter whilst messing. I've got a mate who I mostly go out with, he's into photography too, we have a good laugh and enjoy the time out snapping, which is a bonus. I find that I concentrate more on my own, but enjoy it less. I also like the fact of showing each other the different shots etc and comparing whilst out.

I prefer to be alone though if the other person/people i'm out with don't have cameras, or no interest in photography, because then I get the feeling they're going to be bored due to not being interested in it all etc, which in turn kills the moment.
 
both for me - *** anywhere remotely scary has to be with someone as i'm a wimp of a girl!!

:)
 
either or, often out alone when doing landscapes camera wise (the OH tags along though as company)

when at motorsport events there is normally a couple of us which is OK as we have different styles, not to fussed either way to be honest
 
Just me and my 4 legged friend.
Can't be bothered with people hanging about / wanting to move on / getting in the way blabbering in my ear.
I don't take pics of people either.

"Do you know where hell is?
Hell is in hello.
Heaven is goodbye forever, I've really got to go"
(Paint your Wagon"
 
With/without.. it's all fine with me. I've a few mates I go out shooting with regularly which I love but I quite enjoy those occasions of sticking my headphones on, going out with the camera and basically shutting the world out entirely. I totally ignore anyone around me and so if I am taking a photo of something odd, people can comment, point or whatever and I'm none0 the wiser!
 
It depends on my mood. Sometimes i will call a tog mate to join me and other times i will go it alone.
 
My fiancee and I are photographers... she is new to it... but I have wholeheartedly encouraged it... its great to have a hobby we can both share and talk about... we dont so much go out together taking photos... but go places and take our cameras... there is a subtle difference...

The thing that is great with us is that we dont walk about together if we go to a photographic location or site... we will do our one pics/ thing... we take quite different photography... look at different things...

I guess its a bit of a competition each day of who can take the better picture... she is new to it... but really has a raw tallent and is taking great pics for someone who up to a year ago never knew any more than point and shoot party pics...

So if i'd answered this a year ago... then I would have always said alone... and if im being honest i'd still say alone! You get the time to do your own thing when you are on your own... have your own thoughts and see your own things... I don't think you can mix serious photography with anything else... like if you are out with friends for a hike for example... you get nothing more than snaps and thats why I always just tend to take a compact for memory shots on those days... otherwise you **** others off taking too long to take a pic... and you never have a great day yourself.
 
I like being alone,in most things, not just photography.

I can be miserable without affecting others then..........:D
 
foodpoison said:
I prefer to be the only one with the camera, but I don't like going out on my own. If I have a mate to chat to while I'm setting up the shot, people don't look at me funny as much.

I am constantly (literally, 75% of the time I go out) being asked by various people of authority - security guards, policemen, CSPO, shop owners, what I am taking pictures of and why.

I would feel extremely uncomfortable without a mate there as a wing-man, so to speak.

Same applies for people out for a fight.
Sure, my tripod might be an awesome bludgeoning tool, but I'd prefer a mate there to watch my back :p

If you have a big camera, you're either a paedophile, a stalker, a terrorist or a robber.
You always have to have a purpose, it can never be 'because I enjoy it'.
I was out taking photos on a saturday night before, and one remedial security guard remarked to the other "Takin' fatos on a sataday night? Pfft, should be aat on the p**s! Loser!"
He told me I couldn't take photos of their building, I said I could because I was on public property, so there is nothing they can do to stop me taking photos of private property from a public place.
He looked baffled and called back to HQ, where I heard the radio blurt "Oh... oh, okay."
Click to expand...
:clap: Superb post. Exactly how I feel.

A few Saturdays ago I took a picture of a nightclub and got surrounded by bouncers asking which club I worked for. :shrug: I explained that I don't work for a club and I'm just out taking pictures. He snatched my camera and demanded I deleted everything (and I could hardly refuse -- literally 6 bouncers surrounded me in a very quiet car park opposite the club). I got called a loser for not being out on a Saturday night, and some sort of freak for taking pictures of a random club. :shrug:

Utter moron but absolutely ****-all I could (can) do.

I'd love to tell him to **** off and continue, but whilst holding over a grands worth of uninsured gear in your hands it's quite difficult...
 
Take most of my shots with my partner and the kids when we're all out for a walk. Don't get much of a chance to be alone.

If I'm honest I think I prefer shooting in company anyway
 
This is interesting.
Usually I always go out alone; since I live alone, being on my own taking pictures doesn’t bother me. (Billy no-mates :lol: ) it means I can come and go when I want, no one else to worry about. However, today, myself and Cathus met up at my local lake, and had an enjoyable few hours walking around together. (At least, I hope he enjoyed it too, and I didn’t bore him to death prattling on about the birds all morning).
Been out with StuartH last year, and a couple of zoo meets on here too.
I guess it depends who you are with at the time.
 
Kryptix said:
:clap: Superb post. Exactly how I feel.

A few Saturdays ago I took a picture of a nightclub and got surrounded by bouncers asking which club I worked for. :shrug: I explained that I don't work for a club and I'm just out taking pictures. He snatched my camera and demanded I deleted everything (and I could hardly refuse -- literally 6 bouncers surrounded me in a very quiet car park opposite the club). I got called a loser for not being out on a Saturday night, and some sort of freak for taking pictures of a random club. :shrug:

Utter moron but absolutely ****-all I could (can) do.

I'd love to tell him to **** off and continue, but whilst holding over a grands worth of uninsured gear in your hands it's quite difficult...
Click to expand...


When the images are deleted you then go home and use image rescue or similar recovery program and hey presto you still have your shots. :D
 
I normally shot by myself, although I do always take my camera when I go out with the kids and wife, although they tend to get the hump if I stop for to long to take a picture.
 
welly said:
With/without.. it's all fine with me. I've a few mates I go out shooting with regularly which I love but I quite enjoy those occasions of sticking my headphones on, going out with the camera and basically shutting the world out entirely. I totally ignore anyone around me and so if I am taking a photo of something odd, people can comment, point or whatever and I'm none0 the wiser!
Click to expand...

That's exactly me.... :thumbs:
 
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