Frayed edges

Arkady

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Rob
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Feeling a bit tetchy this week due to some personal and financial 'stuff' going on over here - apologies in advance if I bite unexpectedly.
PM me if you think I've been an ass and I'll make amends after a walk round the block...
:)
 
We all get like that from time to time, deep breath, quick drink/smoke and start again...

Always fun when you frequent a forum and noone can see whats going on the other side of the screen!
 
Better ignore young David, then. He'll try poking a stick through the bars just to get your 6x7 ;)
 
If you are carrying that rifle I saw you with in one pic, you can say what you like!! :D
 
is anyone else chuffed that they have the channel between us and him :p

and me poke sticks :O

sounds ****** in seriousness mate, lemme know if I can be helpful even if its just someone to berate on msn ;)
 
Nahh...three weeks without a drink due to the monster-pollen-fest here (anti-hystamine tabs don't work if you drink), GF's up the duff and the baby will arrive just in time for me leaving the Army in December, meaning I may have to sell the bloody Mustang to buy enough nappies...
Plus the Army didn't pay me properly again so I can't afford to waste the 60€ on fuel it costs me every time I take the damn thing out for a spin...lol

Jules is also suffering from the Mother of all Morning-Sickness and everything I say or do makes her barf or cry...hormones...triff...

Added to which I haven't taken a photo in three weeks so the creative juices are getting stale...

All i have to look forward to is getting into fights here...

But I missed the Battle of Britain tonight over the Hawker Hurricane shot over in 'Transport'...lol
 
We all have our moments - and I always think morning sickness rubs off on blokes.

I'm frustrated by a lack of photography just now - compounded by my neat trick today - putting a Stanley Knife through my right index finger.
 
:eek: GF is preggers? Bloody hell, you didn't hang around when you got back then :p :lol:

Ginger biscuits and weetabix were my saviours, although it is possible to get retribution on the man involved by making sure that you are 'hormonal' for the entire 9 months, and then some :naughty: Just thought I would warn you!

...:suspect: you not going to sign up for another couple of years are you?
 
I would just keep my head down if I were you everything you do say wear or give is wrong so keep well away for next couple of weeks/months good luck and congrads by the way:clap::clap::clap:
Bob:thumbs:
 
:eek: GF is preggers? Bloody hell, you didn't hang around when you got back then :p :lol:

Ginger biscuits and weetabix were my saviours, although it is possible to get retribution on the man involved by making sure that you are 'hormonal' for the entire 9 months, and then some :naughty: Just thought I would warn you!

...:suspect: you not going to sign up for another couple of years are you?

lol...what can I say - six months of frustration kinda took it's toll...plus she was on some other medication which wiped out the 'pills' she was taking...

No more Army for me - after this last tour and the **** that went down in the last month there, I'm done with it for good. they can take it and shove it where the sun doesn't shine.
there's an old saying: " You can Love the Army, but it never Loves you back." How true.
 
You know, I was going to PM you and ask if you were ok as I had noticed your posting style had changed!

If you ever need to call someone names and generally vent at feel free to PM me :D

I am sure once you've left the army you will land on your feet, photography + with your experience people would be queing up for training sessions with you. Train all the future media war photographers maybe? :)

Oh, and see if you can find some local honey, take 3 spoonfuls a day, morning, noon and night and it will build a resistance up to it. Means you can stop the medication and drink :D works for me here, as long as I don't travel!
 
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Actually as old-timers here will testify, it's changed back to what it was about 4-5 years ago...lol

I used to be a real [PLEASE DON'T TRY TO BYPASS THE SWEAR FILTER] when posting crit on images - anything that was soft or OOF got both barrels.
Likewise my tolerance for numpties, idiots and trolls is at an all-time low right now...

Contracting to do Weddings and Events with sub-standard equipment (some of which was only purchased the week before the job) and then bleating about the horrible conditions they're having to shoot under qualifies as numpty, I think... remarks like "ooh I hadn't realised there was so much involved..." after taking the job on is frankly beyond incredible BTH...
Don't people do research any more?
After speaking to Mike Weeks recently about Event Photography, I still reckon on my not being fully up-to-speed for a full-on event gig until early next year - and that includes getting all the kit in place this summer and running through a few jobs...
I've got three weddings booked for this Summer at which I'll be trialling workflow and equipment solutions: with a suitable discount to my clients (read: 'friends who are kindly letting me use them as guinea-pigs')...

Only after I'm fully satisfied that I can offer any client any level of product they could concievably ask for will I be in a position to call myself a professional in that field...

I see about a dozen or so incredibly talented people on this Forum whose work constantly amazes me, as does the sheer effort they put into thier craft and it really p's me off when hack wannabee's come along with a handbag of budget kit and think it's an easy ride... in the end it's the client that loses out...


and I just spotted this: it's ME...lol

WTD050910SUN.gif
 
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LOL!

well I've only known your posts for a year :p

To be fair to us people with budget kit, you have to start somewhere. I recently shot as an unofficial second for a friends wedding, i've now got 1 family shoot and 4 weddings that people are pestering me about.

My photography has a long way to go, and my equipment is as basic as it comes. I just lack the cash now to get it, so business plan is needed + finance of some sort. I do feel a little swamped with it all.

I understand what you are saying though about not being prepared and going in with false expectations. I try and research everything before and look at other people's work but sometimes something might pop up thats new and you need a bit of advice!

Congrats on the baby btw, could this be the start of Arkady, the baby photographer? :p
 
Names so far mooted are:
William Henry Fox-Talbot McCullin Burroughs Rankin;
Billy-Bob Abe-Lincoln Town-Car;
Friedrich Hermann Wiessmann;
Ford Crown Victoria (if it's a Girl);
Jethro Yosemite Samuel;
Kurt Panzerkampfwagen SdKfz-251/1 Freiherr Ritter von Specht;
Dave.
 
LOL!

well I've only known your posts for a year :p

To be fair to us people with budget kit, you have to start somewhere. I recently shot as an unofficial second for a friends wedding, i've now got 1 family shoot and 4 weddings that people are pestering me about.!

No arguments from me on that score, but manage expectations accordingly. You seem to be on the right track BTW...if you'd told me you're now going into 'Eventing' - which I'd consider as one of the hardest disciplines to make a go of, then I'd be worried...
 
Simon from here offered me a chance to tag along to an event on the 15th/16th, gutted I couldn't go because of work being a pain (if they make me redundant on Tuesday though I will not be very happy!)

As for events, i'd like to do them but having never been to a real one and seeing a tog in action I wouldn't have a clue where to start. plus, viewing tables, printers etc, something I can't afford right now! All my spare cash will be going into either a d3s/d700 + flash & lenses.

Oh, and I like jethro as a name :p My missus is dreading the names I will come up with when we have kids.
 
One of the reasons Events appealed is that I have 95% of the kit already, just a workstation, printer and backdrops required, maybe £3k max. expenditure, which is sat in the bank now while I work out the small details...
For once I'm going to buy-smart...lol

TBH, I think i'm calling him Max (Maximillian) if it's a boy...not even thinking about Girls - I think they're God's Revenge on Fathers for once having been teenagers...
 
yeah, I have all the kit to buy + the event stuff :(

I don't want girls, I am the eldest of 5 boys, wouldn't know what to do with a daughter! But, both the wife and I have twins at the grandparent level so I am bracing for twin girls. Karma :p

Max, a very manly name!
 
it really p's me off when hack wannabee's come along with a handbag of budget kit and think it's an easy ride... in the end it's the client that loses out...

I'm saying nothing ;)

I've given up critiquing in depth as people don't want it ...
 
I'm saying nothing ;)

I've given up critiquing in depth as people don't want it ...

Some of us do :)

It's always disheartening when a photo you think is good gets ripped to shreds and some people can't handle that. I just hope the if you follow the advice that next time the crit won't be as bad :D
 
I'm saying nothing ;)

I've given up critiquing in depth as people don't want it ...

I used to, but you're right - people don't want that - especially when you look at some of the dross posted in the advanced critique section...
What's a polite way of saying: "This is S*** - go and re-shoot!"?

People (and I'm NO different in this respect) always want to have their own opinions mirrored - it makes us feel good.
If I post an image which has faults that I've already identified and everyone confirms that, yes, it is bad, then I feel OK about that...
But if I post an image I think is OK and everyone chips in about details I'd missed or minor faults that I should have noticed myself - then I get annoyed - at myself, but that manifests itself in hostility towards those that pointed out my mistakes...

Hopefully, I then calm down and grovel a bit...
 
...not even thinking about Girls - I think they're God's Revenge on Fathers for once having been teenagers...

I have two of those, both teens now..... I recall someone asking me about entertaining their teenage nephew who was coming to stay and I declared in a stupidly loud voice "I don't know do I, I don't DO boys!" That raised a few eyebrows I can tell you :nuts: :lol:

hmmm, this thread has got me thinking that I will have to do the next installment of my 2nd shooter diary when I get home, the one about training and practice ;)

Rob, you will be fine I suspect, you seem to have a pretty grounded approach despite your occasional....errr.... intolerance of eejits.... not to mention an eye for a good photo, so its all down to marketing and business sense after that :thumbs:
 
if its any consolation i've had a quick nose over on your flickr & it all looks pretty good to me :thumbs:
 
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Man up, stop whingeing and sort yourself out.


;)
 
I think Rob will know i`m taking the pee............:thinking:
 
Hey Rob, congratulations to you both! Tell Jules that vitamin B6, 50mg per day can really help with pregnancy sickness, along with 250mg ginger capsules per day. Hopefully it will pass by the time she's 12-16 weeks along.

I'm right there with you on the stressed out stuff - major financial issues recently with bills coming in every direction at us all at once, a major tax bill and Dave getting laid off Arrgggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :runaway: Still, it could be worse - or so I'm told :lol:

Hope things get better for you soon :hug:

Oh, and Dave thinks you should call it Dave - he says it's a fantastic name :D
 
Cheers chaps and chap-esses...

Man-Up indeed... I was quite happy being an age-ing teenager, now I really do have to grow up...Bum...

Costs me about £150 in fuel to do the round-trip to Dad's in Devon in my V6 Cougar, so it'll be about £250 in the Mustang - which I may bring over this week if the weather looks like staying dry - possible rain on wednesday and sunny/dry til the week after, so I'm hopeful (and since I'll probably have to sell it next year, I intend to get the most out if it now while I can)...

Cheryl - thanks for that I'll pass that along - at the moment it's bloody hell here at Arkady Towers, so anything that can alleviate things is welcome...
 
Congratulations on the news Rob :clap: I know it is hard but this is an awesomely cool bit of long term news so stay away from the italics!

Sorry financial stuff is getting you down mate; it's an all to alarming fact that too many people in your (soon to be past) profession have problems with renumeration.

Hope you get to shooting again soon - as soon as the 'meeze advice kicks in your will be documenting maternity in a 270 (instead of 365)!

There are lotso people on here who admire you and your work so keep on posting! And yes...if you must....italicise!
 
Looking forward to documenting this to be honest...nothing shows yet, so I haven't even broached the subject as no doubt it'll trigger another bout of puking and sobbing...*sigh*
We're at 8 weeks now already...
How time flies...etc etc

It's not just the finances that are a prob - or rather they will be a prob next year - things are fine at the moment; we have the remainder of this year to sort things out.

The fall-out from the last Tour with 11 Bde. still has to be addressed and as they're all back from POTL next week, I see the writing on the wall for me being in Aldershot more than I'd like to be.
I'm in the UK later this week, but sod's law will dictate that the people I need to see (or rather the people who want to see me) won't be there on the two days I have available...
Unfortunately I'll not be able to spend more time in UK until after my posting-in to 1(UK)Div in Herford on 1st June as I'm busy sorting things over here in Germany. Jules is pretty stressed and my having to commute back and forth all the time won't exactly help...
 
Aldershot. not the nicest place in the world but its less than an hour from London or the south coast & its surrounded by nice countryside so its not all bad :)

i'll meet up for a pint if you're ever bored & don't mind sharing some wisdom to a relative newb? i'm just down the road in North Camp :)
 
Aldershot. not the nicest place in the world but its less than an hour from London or the south coast & its surrounded by nice countryside so its not all bad :)

i'll meet up for a pint if you're ever bored & don't mind sharing some wisdom to a relative newb? i'm just down the road in North Camp :)

Cept I live in Germany...:shake:

It's 5 hours to Calais and another two to the 'Shot (assuming traffic's OK on the M25)...
 
ahh i get you :bonk:

it kinda sounded like you'd be stuck there for a while :bonk:
 
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