TP Meets

68lbs

68lbs

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April 2008
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Please excuse my ignorance, but what happens at a TP meet?

Is it like car clubs... we all open our camera bags, admire each others lenses, and listen to each others USM as it auto-focuses? Do we all take along photo albums... "and this is aunt elsie at her 80th last month"? Do we all jostle for position to get the best shot of the lighthouse? Do we not bother taking our cameras and just head for the nearest pub?

Also, despite being a 40 year old 6 foot plus male, I'm slightly nervous. I'm not super shy or anything... just super shyte! :lol: My photographic technique is 'if I can hold the camera without shaking, that's a good start', and I'm not sure I could mix it with people who know what they're doing. I'm reminded of someone's sig block - "All the gear, but no idea". I might even be standing wrong and all you b*****ds will just point and take pics of ME instead!

To date, I am a lone 'togger... and this suits me. But I think I could possibly learn more quickly with people to offer advice.

Ok... that's it. I'm not really having a crisis of confidence, just think that there's probably quite a few people in the same boat.
 
Generally (or at least for the ones I have been to) everyone meets up, has a chat waiting for any stragglers then it turns into a general walk around wherever you have gone, chatting and taking photos of whatever, bit of chimping at each others shots, bit of "damn that looks so much better than mine" a bit of "here try this lens" a bit of "oooo you are a Nikon user, stand over there out of the way" etc :p

I guess it completely depends on who is there and where you are though, with Chester zoo people generally split into smaller groups (or at the last one at least as there were lots of people) some people covered the whole thing, some not so much, some *cough* Marcel and DF *cough* just sat around eating and drinking and having a good gossip.

I really wouldn't be nervous though, I have been to plenty (which is a little odd for me as I am quite shy and do normally prefer to 'tog' (just for pete) on my own) and have never come across anyone objectionable or too much to handle. In fact people who appear a bit erm.....'odd' on the forums are normally the most interesting person to talk to at a meet.
 
Depends what the meet is really, have been to a couple of zoo meets, where we all meet up have a chat, then generally split up into smaller groups have a wander round, take some shots, have a chat, then meet up for lunch for more chatting then go round again taking pics. Isnt as bad as car clubs where you stand with your camera bag open and wait for people to approach you ;)

Sometimes meets are only small groups, ie 1 or 2 sometimes 20 or 30
 
:lol:

After the 'odd handshakes' and 'skipping in fancy dress while sipping cow's blood'...

In my experience the point of the Meet is to take a stroll photographing things as you go

See 8 people taking the same thing from different angles, lenses, etc. is really interesting and everyone is happy to share ideas, technique, even gear if necessary

It's a good laugh, most people will learn something useful from it - oh, and there's usually beer at the end too

:thumbs:

DD
 
68lbs said:
Please excuse my ignorance, but what happens at a TP meet?

Is it like car clubs... we all open our camera bags, admire each others lenses,

Definitely

and listen to each others USM as it auto-focuses?

Not noticed that

Do we all take along photo albums... "and this is aunt elsie at her 80th last month"?

Haven't seen anyone bringing along albums.

Do we all jostle for position to get the best shot of the lighthouse?

Yes, the art is to make sure you aren't the one pushed into the water!!

Do we not bother taking our cameras and just head for the nearest pub?

Probably the best idea of the lot



Also, despite being a 40 year old 6 foot plus male, I'm slightly nervous. I'm not super shy or anything... just super shyte! :lol: My photographic technique is 'if I can hold the camera without shaking, that's a good start', and I'm not sure I could mix it with people who know what they're doing. I'm reminded of someone's sig block - "All the gear, but no idea". I might even be standing wrong and all you b*****ds will just point and take pics of ME instead!

To date, I am a lone 'togger... and this suits me. But I think I could possibly learn more quickly with people to offer advice.

Ok... that's it. I'm not really having a crisis of confidence, just think that there's probably quite a few people in the same boat.
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After being on a few meets now I'd definitely say it was worth it. I've not met anyone I didn't like yet, everyone is friendly and its good to get out and about with people who know more than you. There will be odd people who may try and take a photo of you just out of badness, and as I have found it will normally be a very unflattering shot.

I have to say I do have to force myself to go sometimes but so far have always finished up at the end of the day having enjoyed myself.
 
staffitaxi said:
There will be odd people who may try and take a photo of you just out of badness, and as I have found it will normally be a very unflattering shot.
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Or unflattering shots of people fighting for that shot of the lighthouse :p
2008-10-10_133920.jpg
 
So complete noobs who really don't have much of a clue (like me!) are welcome then?...

I have thought about going to some, but I know so little compared to most on here, its quite a daunting thought.
 
Theres nothing mini about me :p I'd hardly say I'm the outgoing type but I've arranged a Liverpool meet once and been to a few others. York, Chester Zoo, Chester Zoo, Blackpool. I'm not a huge fan of wildlife photography but I still have fun at Chester Zoo. Its a laugh. I even contemplated leaving my camera at home simply because I was going more for the social aspect, well and the marmots.
 
Rob.7wood said:
So complete noobs who really don't have much of a clue (like me!) are welcome then?...

I have thought about going to some, but I know so little compared to most on here, its quite a daunting thought.
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I felt like that before the Portsmouth meet back in August. Luckily, everyone was really friendly, patient and happy to answer questions or offer advice. Even watching the more experienced togs go about there work was a learning experience in itself. I was glad I went in the end and would recommend any noob to dip their toe in on such an occasion.
 
Thanks Chonga, I'll try and make one soon perhaps then. I know there is the london one coming up but I'm not sure if I can make that.

Any sussex ones though I'll also be up for...
 
Im new here, but already the group seems pretty cool, so if there is a local one to me soon, i might have to jump on board. Especially if its one for a zoo.

I do know a really nice little zoo just outside of Peterborough if anyone is interested...lol
 
Indeed it would, love it there :)
 
I actually proposed to my misses there, in the lemur enclosure

I really like the "small" feel to it, and that you can spend ages with each animal as you dont have to worry about getting around it all and rushing through things :)
 
I've only been to one meet and that was at banham zoo, really can't remember much of what we did :loL: I didn't take hardly any photos because i had the finepixs then :lol: IanC and Jo both helped me decide what camera make i should go for (don't think anyone would come out with "Nikon" when they all had Canon :lol:) so loads of good thing became of it :)

Normally end up going to one, coming back wanting a Canon. then spending loads of money basically :lol: :lol:

Tony
 
MJ Stebbings said:
I actually proposed to my misses there, in the lemur enclosure

I really like the "small" feel to it, and that you can spend ages with each animal as you dont have to worry about getting around it all and rushing through things :)
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Is that the Zoo, the enclosure, or your Mrs ? :lol:

Steve
 
Meets are a doddle, done plenty of them now but was nervous first time too. The less formal meets, eg, 'lets all meet at the pub and go for walk through london and finish back at the pub' are just as much fun as, for example, zoo meets too. Don't worry about 'technique' as long as you are happy to chat to complete strangers [who believe me, will seem a damn site stranger by the end of the day :lol: ] then you will be fine. You can ask as many questions as you want about your kit and taking pictures, no one bites and generally, or certainly our southern ones [ :whistling: ] end up being as much about the social side, having a giggle, as the photography. :thumbs:
 
no-ones posted that shot of DF's pants for the kitty meet yet then? chickens...
 
The meets are great! everyones out to help eachother! who DOESN'T like to help out the new guy?? its about experimenting and trying out new ideas or techniques, so even the more experienced can be new at something!!

Come along to a meet.. you wont be disapointed! i hope!! lol..
 
68lbs has asked exactly what i have been wondering for some time:D
are there ever any meets in the south west? ever considered Monkey World in Dorset?
 
I think I would scare everyone off with 1 million questions lol.
 
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