Taking photos for the sake of it?

Ajf350d

Ajf350d

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Does anyone else feel like that sometimes?
Got a couple of airshows booked to go to, including this weekend.
I like planes (and the Vulcan is there), but seen most before, and just feel I am going to get 'some photos in the bag'.

I am sure they might be 'better' than the previous sets but......


Maybe I just take too many photos!
 
Some pictures you won't resist taking, because you like the plane, but it might not be an arty type picture. Shoot it anyway. You have to be there and ready to get that elusive stunning picture. Or a crash. Which happened to me once. Autogyro . No one hurt. But I got the shot.
 
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ianp5a said:
Some pictures you won't resist taking, because you like the plane, but it might not be an arty type picture. Shoot it anyway. You have to be there and ready to get that elusive stunning picture. Or a crash.
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Completely agree... I'll 'do the rounds' at the airshows again this year, I'm very likely to get a load of 'samey' shots as last season, but you never know, some might be better or something unusual may happen.

And not on an airshow front, but every night I go out to get Barn Owl shots - I know they're going to be very noisy crap blurry pics, but, one day it'll come and land 10ft in front of me.
 
I've actually got a lot more selective about what I take pictures of nowadays (far too many in the backlog that still need looking at).

I tend to only take a picture if the mood suits me, and enjoy myself more as a result. What I have noticed is, if I'm with friends and family out an about, they expect me to be taking photos of everything. They even go so far as to tell me what compositions will look good or complain if I wasn't prepared, ready to shoot, if something interesting suddenly happens.

I tell them to get their own bl***y camera now...
 
To be honest with you, I think if you are taking photos just for the sake of taking photos, it might benefit you to take a break from it for a while.

I went through this a couple of years ago. I would go out at the weekends with the camera, but felt sometimes like I was only taking the camera in order to justify actually owning it in the first place, and a very small percentage of what I was taking I considered as 'keepers'. I guess I fell out of love with the hobby for a while. A new project and/or direction in your photography may give you a boost, and inspire you to actually WANT to go out and take photos again.
 
Thanks for the comments and encouragement :)
Guess it's the Friday blues :p

Must admit there are plenty of other subjects I like taking photos of and take my time over so I still enjoy the hobby.
We'll see what happens at the weekend.
 
Why not go along to one of the shows without your camera and actually watch the show instead. I often think we miss a fair bit as we are looking through a viewfinder at one aspect at a time!
You will soon know if you are fed up taking photos of aircraft or not!
 
if your taking photo's to sell ( or try and sell ) then you never know when your going to get that "keeper" shot thats going to net you some pretty pennies. If its just for Personal pleasure / momentos of the day/ memories, then sometimes i'll just tae my phone ( sony xperia z1 has a pretty decent 20mp camera ). Did my first airshow last year, not doing it this year ( dont really have a good enough lens for getting uber sharp shots that may be sellers ) so i can quite happily watch the airshow from my back garden and see most of it ( to far for pics but close enough to enjoy watching the display ) .
same with holidays, i'll take personal photos as keepsake and normally dedicate 1-2 days on hols to go out in photograher mode ). think sometimes you do have to step back and separate the business side from the pleasure side though its not always easy.
 
Ajf350d said:
Does anyone else feel like that sometimes?
Got a couple of airshows booked to go to, including this weekend.
I like planes (and the Vulcan is there), but seen most before, and just feel I am going to get 'some photos in the bag'.

I am sure they might be 'better' than the previous sets but......


Maybe I just take too many photos!
Click to expand...


Many years ago, I realised the futility of just shooting for the sake of it. While it can turn up the odd good image, in the main, you'll just be making more of the same old crap. Set yourself a project, and not a pointless 52 or whatever. Embark on a project ABOUT something that interests you, or would be of interest to others.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Many years ago, I realised the futility of just shooting for the sake of it. While it can turn up the odd good image, in the main, you'll just be making more of the same old crap. Set yourself a project, and not a pointless 52 or whatever. Embark on a project ABOUT something that interests you, or would be of interest to others.
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A documentary project that could be posted in the documentary section of TP. If there was one....:D
 
Ed Sutton said:
A documentary project that could be posted in the documentary section of TP. If there was one....:D
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I know... WTF is taking so long?
 
I dunno. :thinking:

Back on topic.

Sometimes photography can become a bit like stamp collecting. Always trying to get a better version of the same photo. I do that a lot. I see it as much as practice as anything. having a break can work, or it can see you losing interest altogether. Alternatively there is a case for simply putting your head down and carrying on until something fresh starts to happen. Different strategies for getting out of ruts suit different people.

My one guiding principle in everything has been to stop doing it when it stops being satisfying. Unless it's work that pays the bills. :(
 
I agree with the project side of things. It always helps me and i have several on the go at any one time. I know I probably won't finish any of them but it keeps me interested.

Why not go along with the aim of shooting something different at the shows? Take offs, landings, the viewing public, the 'story' of a show with all the trimmings, shoot everything BUT planes, anything. There are a million things you could set a project around concerning the shows themselves. Why do you like to go? What inspires you about aircraft? Photograph that rather than the aircraft themselves, try to capture your emotional connection with it.

Be brave, I've come back sometimes with a card full of crap and laughed at myself for my pathetic attempts but I still enjoyed it and had a different day and it kept me going when i was getting 'photographers block'!
 
Pookeyhead said:
Many years ago, I realised the futility of just shooting for the sake of it. While it can turn up the odd good image, in the main, you'll just be making more of the same old crap. Set yourself a project, and not a pointless 52 or whatever. Embark on a project ABOUT something that interests you, or would be of interest to others.
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52s are absolutely not pointless.

Your comment smacks of elitism.

Regards.
 
I actually really enjoy the process of taking pics at air shows as it's quite a challenge for someone who shoots things that don't move, dare say I really enjoy it! But I haven't even processed my pics of last years RIAT as there the same as the two years before and the same as all the other millions of crappy plane pics that get posted online;)
 
Brazo said:
I actually really enjoy the process of taking pics at air shows as it's quite a challenge for someone who shoots things that don't move, dare say I really enjoy it! But I haven't even processed my pics of last years RIAT as there the same as the two years before and the same as all the other millions of crappy plane pics that get posted online;)
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ahh i dunno. im tempted to add some gaussian blur then paint in some go faster stripes, add some fluffly dice and a big spoiler to the shots of props ive got and have something completey original and unique. 80's essex planes!
 
Every photo is different, you might end up with something you didnt expect!

Keep on snapping.
 
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