What Do You Do With The Shorter Days/Longer Nights?

[Dale.]

It's that time of year, when I begin to struggle, mainly with boredom. My main interest (photography of course) takes a bit of a back seat in my life for now. I need light mornings and light evenings to pursue my main interests there. It's landscape time now but even that's not a case of just turning up, the potential conditions have to be worth a trip.

I'm not a huge fan of TV, I do watch the odd thing, a film on a Saturday family night for example, or maybe Top Gear. I watch every F1 race live but even that is away now until March.

I love reading but not so much nowadays since I've had to start wearing glasses, it's just not the same.

I love cooking....but not all evening.

I'm not one for the pub and I only have a few beers over the weekend, at home.

I enjoy driving but that's not cheap at the moment.

I love spending time with my family, my wife and daughter but I do like my space, my 'me time' but that's on hold until the nights/mornings draw back out. I've always believed that at least sometime away from people is good for anybody though and it's difficult to fill that time now. My related family and besties live just about 400 miles away, so I can't pop round to see them.

I had intended to do a light restoration on my motorbike this winter, but that is on hold for now for financial reasons, a new PC has priority at the moment.

I go to my camera club once a week and that is a highlight for me at the moment, it breaks the week up but is one night, for just about 2 1/2 hours.

Our dog doesn't mind all this though, she gets good walks almost every night, unless the weather is horrible.

I'm guessing most, if not all that read this will be photographers, some wildlife, some landscape, the ones which are mostly affected by outdoor light and with the light only available for shorter periods each day for a while, a big chunk of my interests has gone away, as I'm not in a position to photograph during the light time of day, particularly weekdays. Weekends can be different, I have more day time then but again, it needs conditions to be right.

This isn't a thread about photography as such though, I've mentioned it to illustrate my point.

I think most people kind of hunker down for the winter months, feet up in front of the fire with the TV on. No disrespect but that's just not my thing. Most of my mates here do this and I hardly see them during the winter.

Is anyone else finding this and how do you fill the temporary gap? The shorter days affect many things and our ability to carry out certain tasks, not just outdoor photography, so what things do the shorter days affect for you?

I could always buy those studio lights I've been promising myself for the last 5 years.

 

[simon ess]

Learning a new skill and practicing it worked for me. I now spend most of my evenings drawing.

I've thought about trying keyboards too.

 

[tarric]

Up until the last couple of years we would travel for the winter normally for about 3 months, mainly southern Europe but if funds allowed sometimes further afield one way of missing the worst of winter and the advantage of lots of new places and things to photograph.

 

[Ghost]

I usually try to learn something about an area of photography I'm weak in - currently doing an evening class at college around studio lighting, so in-between classes I mess around lighting still life stuff etc. I only have my GCSEs and on a low income so course was reduced in price. I'm also doing an online course which I can study to my own schedule.

I also have tonnes of old photos I need to tag in my catalogue software.

I do live alone though, bar my very elderly dog, so I guess it's easier for me to find time for such things then those with partners and children.

 

[ancient_mariner]

We are presently trying to learn French, which takes an hour or so every night. I occasionally process pictures, watch movies, gig sometimes (December is looking really busy) do circuit training once a week, read a bit and take part in different forums.

I'm not usually bored.

 

[woof woof]

I bought some jigsaws during lockdown but no one else but me seems interested in doing them. Oh well.

Oh, I like a picture about a lady who is very good at jigsaws... It's called "Puzzle" and it is IMO worth a watch if anyone wants some dark rainy evening viewing

I'm happy enough watching old movies and reading but I bought a small tripod on here recently and would like to take some long exposure sunrise / sunset pictures and at this time of year both events are at reasonable times of the day

 

[LCPete]

I still do photography at this time of year, definitely need to get out especially now I’m retired
at this time of year I do zoo photography, the light isn’t always brilliant but it gets me out
Am also going through photos from a few years ago and re editing them, still finding shots that I’ve overlooked and also with newer raw conversion software it can make a real difference to images taken with older cameras
apart from photography am into Xbox gaming and have found a real community of people and play together twice a week, I’ve been running a 12 person team of players for 3 years now

 

[Mr Bump]

my current contract is i either work or am based at home, still paid but my day is my own so i will be honest and i have an afternoon nap and put my headphones on for a few hours,.

 

[Sky]

I could always buy those studio lights I've been promising myself for the last 5 years.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest and then I got to the last line.

Anyway, it's worth it IMO. Far too many photographers steer away from studio/flash work and only use 'natural light'. There's even one local pro here on the Isle of Wight that advertises himself as 'natural light' photographer only.

With Godox leading the way, it is now so much cheaper than it has ever been to get a decent studio set-up. IMO togs who don't (or know how to) use studio kit are missing a HUGE part of the hobby.

Learning how to use artificial light will give you a much greater understanding of natural light and how it works, that it will improve your daylight photography too.

You'll be able to get a full set up of four lights(start with one or two), stands, trigger and a couple of modifiers for less than the price of a reasonable second-hand camera.

Go for it, you really won't regret it . . .

 

[lindsay]

I totally understand your predicament @Dale. but am fortunate to have other interests that are ideally suyited to the winter months, amateur radio operating and also electronics construction (although I'm rubbish at the latter, but enjoy it nonetheless). I also have things like books I want to read and like Toni I need to brush up my French somewhat - I'm apparently at level A2 and want to get comfortably to B1 over the next year or so if I can. I'm thinking of buying a good printer too, which is something to have a go at in winter months although obviously costs a bit. Maybe a couple of ideas there?

 

[Dave Canon]

I am tied up with my Camera Club, I have duties which take about 15 hours a week all year round. I also join in everything, and we have various additional evenings and daytime photoshoots. I have other hobbies such as playing tennis and meeting with some non-photographic friends, so the net result is that I have many RAW images to process so I hope to catch up a little over the next few weeks.

Why not consider volunteering for something or start a new hobby. Sadly, I am aware that I did most of the things now which fill my time before I retired but just did everything more quickly. Also consider Open University Courses (try FutureLearn) they cover a wide variety of subjects and modules are usually for 3 to 6 weeks in your own time. I have probably completed about 20 of such courses covering history, science, politics, religion, finance and art.

Dave

 

[Dale.]

There is hope, there is a dusting of snow in Glencoe.......and my car passed it's MOT this morning, so she's good to go.

It's interesting to hear how people tackle the dark nights.

I've only just realised the odd jobs that need doing around the house and garden, the ones that added up over the summer months. I will be occupying myself with what I can there, I'm not a DIYer but I can operate a screwdriver, sweeping brush, pressure washer etc. Our monoblock got done this week, I didn't realise how bad it was, it's now like new.

So for the forseeable, odd jobs it is.

 

[Brazo]

I’m rarely bored. I’d still class photography as my main hobby but love computing and flight sims and two evenings a week you’ll find me in a virtual Sopwith Camel over the western front battling the ‘hun’ with my squadron of four mates which is a lot of fun!