You seem to have the time, money and health to be doing this now. Why not a three to four day trip twice a month, and a week or so somewhere further away every other month?
YES..photo walks by yourself AND more social ones with clubs or even just a couple of friends. Both are good depending on your mood! #ymmv I love both. And I even get decent photos once or twice a year :-) if I am lucky!
I can only ever get in the groove when I am alone. I enjoy going out with one or two camera buddies but nothing of consequence ever comes from it beyond just enjoying each others company. I started a large format group over 20 years ago and we are still going. Most participants will shoot everything that makes an image. From pinhole to digital. (It's not a club! I hate photo clubs!)
When we go out as a group to some distant location I call it a "herd shoot". Great hanging with friends but I never expect any worthwhile images to come from it.
When it comes to photography I am the proverbial "lone wolf".
I can't remember reading this original post (in my defence I had a lot of personal stuff going on at that time), but it resonates with me. I have tried a few photo clubs over the years but have never stuck with any of them for more than a few weeks; they were usually "camera clubs" run by people with huge egos and little talent. Your recent post where you just went out and "let rip" shows some of your best street photography for a long time. I know that urban landscapes can be challenging; IMHO street scenes with people action or "urban grunge" get the juices flowing and hold the attention longer than new build soulless office blocks. Mannequins are always welcome!
"herd shoot", "soulless office blocks", "camera clubs", "urban grunge", "lone wolves", i love you all and love all these things :-) but especially i love this blog! and the comments! thanks for taking the time to post and to moderate comments! peace and love from Vancouver, Canada ...Roland p.. if any of you commentators here, use IG feel free to DM me (ig: @roland) and we can do a "herd shoot"/"hangout" for 30 minutes over coffee/tea/bevy and then i'll leave you to "lone wolf" :-) to your heart's content
In 2016, I spent 3 days wandering around Boston, alone except for a Samsung NX500. It was a fantastic trip, great food, photos and Red Sox games at night. Last November, I flew solo into MN and drove a loop through ND, the edge of MT and back through SD to MN. Still have hundreds of photos that I haven't yet made it through. https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMG5aE9
A truer expression of the benefits of being solo haven’t been written. I try to get out alone at lease once a week.
Though, today I think our online social experience makes a personal gathering to walk and experience together important to ourselves and possibly to save photography as a worthy avocation. Most of us of a certain generation started our photo endeavors in a classroom of some kind and later moved out into the world. Today, photo classrooms are mostly gone, being replaced by the internet. So a photo walk can provide a method making personal connections and encouraging venturing further afield.
Two weeks ago, I spent time at my local camera dealer for their annual “Photo-Fest” where they arrange seminars about equipment or types of photography, and arranged photowalks. The two surprise observations I had this weekend came from the level of participation in the photowalks.
The first surprise came when I left a seminar, which was well attended, to participate in the photowalk sponsored by my favorite manufacturer. When I arrived back at the store for the walk there were 40+ other photographers waiting for the walk to start. Unfortunately for me, this meant that I was not going to borrow the magic new piece of gear I was interested from the Manufacturer’s rep for the walk. But I would still have the reps to talk with concerning how my chosen camera operates.
The second surprise was the following day. Again I was returning to the store from a seminar, and there was a group of 50+ photographers waiting for the film photowalk to begin. Included with this surprise were the cameras being carried; not only 35mm SLRs, but several medium format cameras, and even one Linhof 4x5 technical press camera decked out with an finder, grip, and a roll film back.
I doubt many memorable images were made, but some valuable connections may have been. PaulB
You would have to handcuff me and drag me along to make me walk with 40+ other photographers. You might have to medicate me as well. But....everyone is so different. Some people love crowds and some don't. No judgement. I used to be judgmental but then I watched Ted Lasso..... "the dart game." Now I just can't be judgmental. Curious, but not judgmental.
A most enjoyable aspect of overstuffed corporate event schedules is that I often get 3-4 hrs or more at some point, sometimes multiple points, during the week of the event where I can slip away alone to explore and photograph alone (and nearly lost) with a body and a couple lenses.
That early morning in NOLA was magical for a few hours. Then bookending the same event was ending up later in the week in the middle of the Barkus dog parade a couple weeks before Mardi Gras. Alone in a sea of humanity and pets with no client nor deadline.
And another evening wandering the Pacific Coast Highway for a bit, with some beach/cliff walks.
It would be incredible to be able to break away and say I'm going to X for a few days, just to make photos.
Alone.
Being married to a self sufficient only child who understands what I "do", this may be something to explore in retirement.
14 comments:
One of the best photo posts I've ever read.
Thank you. It was heartfelt.
You seem to have the time, money and health to be doing this now. Why not a three to four day trip twice a month, and a week or so somewhere further away every other month?
YES..photo walks by yourself AND more social ones with clubs or even just a couple of friends. Both are good depending on your mood! #ymmv I love both. And I even get decent photos once or twice a year :-) if I am lucky!
I can only ever get in the groove when I am alone. I enjoy going out with one or two camera buddies but nothing of consequence ever comes from it beyond just enjoying each others company. I started a large format group over 20 years ago and we are still going. Most participants will shoot everything that makes an image. From pinhole to digital. (It's not a club! I hate photo clubs!)
When we go out as a group to some distant location I call it a "herd shoot". Great hanging with friends but I never expect any worthwhile images to come from it.
When it comes to photography I am the proverbial "lone wolf".
I can't remember reading this original post (in my defence I had a lot of personal stuff going on at that time), but it resonates with me. I have tried a few photo clubs over the years but have never stuck with any of them for more than a few weeks; they were usually "camera clubs" run by people with huge egos and little talent. Your recent post where you just went out and "let rip" shows some of your best street photography for a long time. I know that urban landscapes can be challenging; IMHO street scenes with people action or "urban grunge" get the juices flowing and hold the attention longer than new build soulless office blocks. Mannequins are always welcome!
"herd shoot", "soulless office blocks", "camera clubs", "urban grunge", "lone wolves", i love you all and love all these things :-) but especially i love this blog! and the comments! thanks for taking the time to post and to moderate comments! peace and love from Vancouver, Canada ...Roland
p.. if any of you commentators here, use IG feel free to DM me (ig: @roland) and we can do a "herd shoot"/"hangout" for 30 minutes over coffee/tea/bevy and then i'll leave you to "lone wolf" :-) to your heart's content
Willy Ronis le musicien et le dalmatien : l’histoire est là, pas de photos
https://www.liberation.fr/societe/1997/12/24/declics-et-coups-de-coeur-pour-un-musicien-aveugle-et-son-chien-depuis-dix-ans-willy-ronis-le-photog_223091/
In 2016, I spent 3 days wandering around Boston, alone except for a Samsung NX500. It was a fantastic trip, great food, photos and Red Sox games at night. Last November, I flew solo into MN and drove a loop through ND, the edge of MT and back through SD to MN. Still have hundreds of photos that I haven't yet made it through.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMG5aE9
"I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member. ... " -- Groucho Marx
Lucky you...you had lunch with your friend at Bouillon Chartier. It's located in the Montmartre area of Paris, the famous 9e arrondissement.
Kirk
A truer expression of the benefits of being solo haven’t been written. I try to get out alone at lease once a week.
Though, today I think our online social experience makes a personal gathering to walk and experience together important to ourselves and possibly to save photography as a worthy avocation. Most of us of a certain generation started our photo endeavors in a classroom of some kind and later moved out into the world. Today, photo classrooms are mostly gone, being replaced by the internet. So a photo walk can provide a method making personal connections and encouraging venturing further afield.
Two weeks ago, I spent time at my local camera dealer for their annual “Photo-Fest” where they arrange seminars about equipment or types of photography, and arranged photowalks. The two surprise observations I had this weekend came from the level of participation in the photowalks.
The first surprise came when I left a seminar, which was well attended, to participate in the photowalk sponsored by my favorite manufacturer. When I arrived back at the store for the walk there were 40+ other photographers waiting for the walk to start. Unfortunately for me, this meant that I was not going to borrow the magic new piece of gear I was interested from the Manufacturer’s rep for the walk. But I would still have the reps to talk with concerning how my chosen camera operates.
The second surprise was the following day. Again I was returning to the store from a seminar, and there was a group of 50+ photographers waiting for the film photowalk to begin. Included with this surprise were the cameras being carried; not only 35mm SLRs, but several medium format cameras, and even one Linhof 4x5 technical press camera decked out with an finder, grip, and a roll film back.
I doubt many memorable images were made, but some valuable connections may have been.
PaulB
You would have to handcuff me and drag me along to make me walk with 40+ other photographers. You might have to medicate me as well. But....everyone is so different. Some people love crowds and some don't. No judgement. I used to be judgmental but then I watched Ted Lasso..... "the dart game." Now I just can't be judgmental. Curious, but not judgmental.
It's a work in progress...
I work alone.
A most enjoyable aspect of overstuffed corporate event schedules is that I often get 3-4 hrs or more at some point, sometimes multiple points, during the week of the event where I can slip away alone to explore and photograph alone (and nearly lost) with a body and a couple lenses.
That early morning in NOLA was magical for a few hours. Then bookending the same event was ending up later in the week in the middle of the Barkus dog parade a couple weeks before Mardi Gras. Alone in a sea of humanity and pets with no client nor deadline.
And another evening wandering the Pacific Coast Highway for a bit, with some beach/cliff walks.
It would be incredible to be able to break away and say I'm going to X for a few days, just to make photos.
Alone.
Being married to a self sufficient only child who understands what I "do", this may be something to explore in retirement.
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