Missed Opportunities - am I obsessing?

[MIke Sherck]

I usually reserve Saturday for my wife; I take her to auctions and she spends most of the day chatting with friends and buying things she doesn't need. My roll is normally to stand around, offer moral support in disputes about the finicky details of this piece of glass or that... whatever the heck it is, and carry stuff back to the car for her (she has pretty severe arthritis and doesn't get out much.)

Anyway, I used to throw my backpack with the 4x5 inside into the trunk, along with a bag of film holders and a tripod, but most of the time I found nothing to photograph and occasionally she bought so much stuff that the space it took up was important, so I stopped bringing it unless ahead of time I felt there to be possibilities, based on the general location of the auction. There's still the 35mm rangefinder underneath the driver's seat and a spare roll of 35mm Tri-X in the glove compartment (and in the summer there's usually a Nikon FE with a macro lens in the trunk,) but, let's face it, it ain't no 4x5.

Today I had reason to regret not bringing the 4x5. I missed at least half a dozen photographs which I at least will regret not having. I think I've learned my lesson: from now on the 4x5 kit goes into the trunk unless there's real reason not to, but I'm curious about your practice. Do you take your large format stuff with you, even when you aren't specifically going to photograph? Or am I, as my wife so delicately puts it, 'weird'? :)

Mike

[Dan Fromm]

Weird. Definitely weird. Wives are always right, even when they aren't.

But if shooting 4x5 pleases you, take the kit with you whenever you can.

[Ash]

I always carry a camera, because I've missed easy shots.

Worse still, I've missed shots even with a camera on me!

[eddie]

good ole murphy's law....

i usually have many cameras in my car at all times. usually a LF too....in the winter i do more as i do not worry about the temp. in the summer i try not to leave my film and lenses in the car cooking (sometimes i use a cooler).

i use a chamonix 4x5 so i can get it in a small expedition 3 tamrac bag. i can get a graflex 6 pack holder and 1-2 small lenses and it takes up a very small amount of room. that helps at times.

[Bill_1856]

Why didn't you just shoot it with the 35mm?

[lenser]

Hi, Mike.

In my drawer system I built for the back of my Explorer there almost always reside three Nikons, one Hasselblad 500CM, and a 4x5 Zone VI along with about 20 lenses for all and mucho, mucho film, filters, tripods, etc. There's also usually a couple of fishing rods and needed gear.

But then, I'm not married and in spite of loving auctions and garage sales myself, if it doesn't fit in the back seat or can't be tied to the roof or put on layaway until I can get it in my station wagon......I figure it belongs to the next buyer. The one exception is when my daughter needs to haul stage props for one of her college plays. Then, all bets are off until I get home and reload the whole mess.

My sympathies and complete understanding. Ya gotta make that compromise for your photographic sanity.

Good luck.

Tim

[Ron Marshall]

That's one of the reasons I picked up the Mamiya 7, for the times when I would want quality but not be able or willing to cart the full 4x5 set-up.

[Hollis]

yeah, who cares what format it is. Unless you plan on doing some table top product type of shots where movements are important, just shoot it with whatever. You can't spend the whole time worrying about missed shots and format and all that, just shoot often and as much as possible.

[MIke Sherck]

I did shoot with the 35mm rangefinder but I was frustrated because of the opportunities were just made for the fine detail and smooth tones provided by those large sheets of film.

Still, lesson learned. Last weekend I took her to another auction and brought the 8x10 along. It was a magnificent Saturday, the area was interesting, and I had a very satisfying afternoon. I shot with both cameras, the 8x10 and the 35mm rangefinder. Then I wished I'd brought the SLR with the macro lens because of the textures available in an 1880's hardware store. Couldn't manage with the 8x10 because of the crowd of auction-goers. :) It seems that being happy is a lot more work and involves carrying a lot more stuff around than it should.

Miie

[Hollis]

Gear is an unavoidable aspect of photography but it can be a very minimal aspect. You can't let your gear dictate your shooting. It can inform your shooting but should not be the overriding factor weather or not you like an image or not.

Shooting is good for the soul.

[kmack]

May I suggest that you find a usable 6x6 folder to carry around. I am partial to the Zeiss 515/16, small package, light weight, simple and quick operation. Medium format in a jacket pocket.

[John Kasaian]

Missed oportunities are best dealt with philosophically. If your bride tolerates you interrupting her antique hunting to set up your 4x5 kit, you're very fortunate!

You could...get a cell phone camera.

If it feels like what you shoot on these outings really needs to be on sheet film it might be time to look into a handheld camera like a Crown Graphic or Linhof. Once you get used to shooting "Jimmy Olson style" it can be brought into action about as quickly as anything else