Why didn't you take the shot?

[Heroique]

As many of us know, the “inconvenience” of LF photography is one of its greatest attractions.

For example, the lumbering set-up process, the time-consuming camera movements, the sensitive care for the film – and maybe the most important of all: the effort to pre-visualize. It's enough to slow anyone down. Sometimes, it can get downright frustrating :( .

But the difficulties, of course, encourage me to give my favorite compositions the attention they need & deserve. Yes, all the hassles teach me (and keep teaching me) how to get the best possible results. And I keep getting better at it :p .

But sometimes – isn’t this the nature of our game? – yes, sometimes, all the inconveniences keep me from taking the shot, too!

And that’s a subject I’d enjoy hearing more about from you. Especially if there’s some learning behind it.

Please tell us, Why didn’t you take the shot?

What helpful insights can you share about the experience?

[bvstaples]

There have been numerous times I have lugged equipment to a site, set it up, adjusted movements, swapped lenses, metered light, moved the camera, done everything I possibly could to compose the shot, and walked away. What I previsualized just never quite appeared on the ground glass. Sometimes it's because the light changed, sometimes the thing itself changed, sometimes the framing isn't quite right, but whatever it was, I didn't feel the final shot would be right. So rather than waste the shot, I moved on.

So I don't think it's the inconveniences that keep me from taking the shot, but the difference between my previsualized concept and the reality before me on the GG.

Brian

[Mike Anderson]

Forgot my loupe and my glasses. All my small cameras have eypiece diopters attached, so I'm not used to bringing my reading glasses with me to shoot. Simply cannot focus a view camera without some kind of aid.

...Mike

[Bruce Watson]

There have been numerous times I have lugged equipment to a site, set it up, adjusted movements, swapped lenses, metered light, moved the camera, done everything I possibly could to compose the shot, and walked away. What I previsualized just never quite appeared on the ground glass. Sometimes it's because the light changed, sometimes the thing itself changed, sometimes the framing isn't quite right, but whatever it was, I didn't feel the final shot would be right. So rather than waste the shot, I moved on.

So I don't think it's the inconveniences that keep me from taking the shot, but the difference between my previsualized concept and the reality before me on the GG.

Brian

+1. I've set up on more than a few scenes with potential and walked away without burning any film. Sometimes I can come back and try again. Sometimes not.

But even with the discipline to walk away from scenes that won't quite work as photographs, I still sometimes look at a piece of film on the light table and wonder: "What was I thinking?" :rolleyes:

[Robert Hughes]

Forgot my loupe and my glasses.

Which reminds me - have you ever noticed that a lot of photographers have poor eyesight? Like musicians that have bad hearing (I'm speaking from experience here).

Why do we have a fascination with activities that compensate for our sensory shortcomings?

[Jay DeFehr]

I waste a lot of film, and I don't plan to change that; it's part of my process. I work with people, so there's a psychological aspect to my workflow absent from those of folks who shoot trees, buildings, etc. If I take too long to set up a shot, my subject can get nervous, impatient, lose interest, etc., and if I set up a shot, and don't click the shutter, a subject can become confused, self conscious, frustrated, or lose confidence in me as a photographer. Any of the above can spell doom for a session, so for me, conservation of film is very low on my agenda. On the other hand, Julia and I were recently shooting 8x10 at a favorite location, and I set up a shot to take advantage of the crisp, hard sunlight, but it was simply too bright for Julia to keep her eyes open. I knew I couldn't get the shot we wanted, but rather than abandon the shot, I made one exposure with Julia's eyes closed. It's not the shot I set up for, but it's lovely, and that one exposure might have made the difference in our enthusiasm for shooting in that location. So, I almost always take the shot.

[Heroique]

...if I set up a shot, and don't click the shutter, a subject can become confused, self conscious, frustrated, or lose confidence in me as a photographer...

I like this insight about LF portraiture!

A case when another is in share of your control, and any click is needed.

(Sometimes, I think my rocks & trees feel the same way. ;) )

[rdenney]

+1. I've set up on more than a few scenes with potential and walked away without burning any film. Sometimes I can come back and try again. Sometimes not.

But even with the discipline to walk away from scenes that won't quite work as photographs, I still sometimes look at a piece of film on the light table and wonder: "What was I thinking?" :rolleyes:

This says it all for me, too.

And then other times, others look at the film on the light table, and then wonder, "What was Rick thinking?"

Rick "who has walked away from lots of scenes" Denney

[Preston]

You neglected to put the the following choice in your poll...

I forgot to bring my (fill in the blank)__________ !!!!

The ones that get me most often are the weather or lighting changed for the worst.

--P

[Mike Anderson]

Which reminds me - have you ever noticed that a lot of photographers have poor eyesight? Like musicians that have bad hearing (I'm speaking from experience here).

Why do we have a fascination with activities that compensate for our sensory shortcomings?

I have a Nikon F2, which has a pretty good view finder, I think. That, with a +1 diopter, and decent lens, in some sense let's me see "better". I can focus on near things and far things with the same equipment, whereas without it I need to put glasses on to see near things, remove them to see far things. That camera is an escape from my sensory shortcomings.

I don't know yet how a view camera is going to work out in this regard.

...Mike

[Jim Michael]

The UFO disappeared before I had the camera set up.

[lenser]

"Big bear chase me!!!" Not really, although the quote is too good not to use; but I was looking a a great scene in Yellowstone one trip that I would have loved to have stopped and set up the 4x5 for except that there was a bear jamb at that site when I wanted to shoot. I'll never be that brave.

[Renato Tonelli]

Couldn't compose the image image the way I wanted to.

[Heroique]

...there was a bear jamb at that site when I wanted to shoot...

I was in SW Montana, and a wolverine sighting kept me away from one pretty area. He didn't display his teeth when I glimpsed him, but he was big enough to worry about.

Wish I could add another poll option: "An animal scared me away!"

[Vaughn]

"Other" -- brain misfunction.

[John Jarosz]

Other: Just looking at the GG I knew the image would not make the photograph I wanted. So why take it?

[Greg Blank]

Sometimes a disconnect between WYSIWYG or more accurately what you can get once stepping into the picture taking area.

[theBDT]

So I don't think it's the inconveniences that keep me from taking the shot, but the difference between my previsualized concept and the reality before me on the GG.

Brian

For me, previsualization has always just been a suggestion; something to get me "in the ballpark." Especially with large format (especially!), I am always amazed at what I finally see on the ground glass. Usually, if what I see on the glass isn't at least as amazing as what I was previsualizing, I skip the shot. Of course, I do most of my work in my home studio, so it's a question of repositioning the person or flower, instead of trudging along to a different locale.

[Brian Ellis]

Other:

There was no place to pull off the road and park. By far the most common reason why I see something I'd like to photograph but don't.

[J Ney]

Other:

There was no place to pull off the road and park. By far the most common reason why I see something I'd like to photograph but don't.

I'll second that...

[Greg Blank]

Not an excuse. I have a small 4x4 and also have made lots of spot decisions on parking, sometimes admittedly bad. Like the time I parked in a nearby flowing stream and had to be towed out by a farm tractor. Sometimes I drive back and forth on the same busy road mutiple times looking for a spot to pull aside.

I have walked several miles from parking lots to get scenes not available otherwise. If your too lazy to carry the camera you best stay on the porch and take up kniting instead. Anyone can get easy pictures.


I'll second that...

[dsphotog]

Sometimes after REALLY looking..... It's just not "filmworthy"!
At that point I turn & look behind me, frequently there is something better.
Other times, after waiting for a cloud or the perfect light, it just doesn't happen.


Yes, it does seem that the greatest scenes are always along high traffic roads posted "no stopping anytime", then after hiking back, with the 8x10 outfit, either the light has gone or it wasn't that great a scene afterall.

[sultanofcognac]

I live for the journey - many times I don't actually shoot because it seems to be a bit anti-climactic to viewing the image on the ground glass. I feel I have accomplished something after I'm ready to slip in the film holder, but often just sit and take in the moment (sometimes even read a book - which is easier now with my Kindle).

If I don't take the shot I stay until that feeling leaves me. . .

[sultanofcognac]

Not an excuse. I have a small 4x4 and also have made lots of spot decisions on parking, sometimes admittedly bad. Like the time I parked in a nearby flowing stream and had to be towed out by a farm tractor. Sometimes I drive back and forth on the same busy road mutiple times looking for a spot to pull aside.

I have walked several miles from parking lots to get scenes not available otherwise. If your too lazy to carry the camera you best stay on the porch and take up kniting instead. Anyone can get easy pictures.

I also have a 4 x 4. . . but with a "Press Parking" pass ;-) works better than doctor plates over here in Europe! :p

[Brian Ellis]

Not an excuse. I have a small 4x4 and also have made lots of spot decisions on parking, sometimes admittedly bad. Like the time I parked in a nearby flowing stream and had to be towed out by a farm tractor. Sometimes I drive back and forth on the same busy road mutiple (sic) times looking for a spot to pull aside.

I have walked several miles from parking lots to get scenes not available otherwise. If your (sic) too lazy to carry the camera you best stay on the porch and take up kniting (sic) instead. Anyone can get easy pictures.

Fortunately I haven't been so stupid as to park in a flowing stream and if I did I wouldn't tell anybody about it. When I said no place to park I meant roads that have little or no shoulder on either side and that go on for miles with cliffs or some other barrier to parking on either side. A fairly common situation where I live.

[kev curry]

Or you've been out all day shooting, your tired and hungry and see something that looks interesting as you drive by, then your thoughts turn to grabbing the gear, walking to the scene, setting up for the 10th time, composing, blah, blah, blah, then think, nah...I can taste that pint!

[Doremus Scudder]

I use a viewing frame to aid in visualizing, and reject many, many things before setting up for reasons of form, merging tonalities and the like. Once I've decided to set up, I usually end up with an exposure.

For the relatively few times when I've set up and not taken a shot the reasons included:

Not being fast enough to get an evanescent scene. (by far number 1)

Not having enough time to wait for subject movement to stop (read wind).

Not being able to twist the camera into a pretzel (i.e., running out of movements).
This could be not having a lens with greater coverage or a camera with limited
movements, but often it is in the last category...

Wishful thinking about the end result; i.e., trying to do something outside the
realm of possibility (impossible focus spread, etc.).

My approach is to at least try things that are technically challenging. That way I refine my technique even if the shot is a failure.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[David de Gruyl]

Only once have I actually made it out the door with a large format camera, and did not take any pictures. And that time I was exhausted when I left home. Mostly, I am with Jay on this: if you don't take a picture, the person on the other end of the camera thinks something is wrong.

And now we see the real difference between landscape and portrait photography. Mountains don't complain when you don't take their picture.

[Robert Hughes]

I took a 6x6 shot of a foggy downtown from my car window on the highway this morning. Nice radio aerial! Probably a curb or pothole, and of course an angry motorist blocking my shot...

[Greg Blank]

Little hard to see the stream when it does not actually flow but sort of is covered by grass and mud. The ditch was apparently solid from the place I sat. I will add that the vehicle stuck was not a 4x4 at all but a passenger car that I
owned at the time.



Fortunately I haven't been so stupid as to park in a flowing stream and if I did I wouldn't tell anybody about it. When I said no place to park I meant roads that have little or no shoulder on either side and that go on for miles with cliffs or some other barrier to parking on either side. A fairly common situation where I live.

[Heroique]

I use a viewing frame to … reject many, many things before setting up …

There’s a lot here. The viewing frame is, indeed, an interesting reason for “not taking the shot.”

Or I should say, for avoiding shots that wouldn’t have been satisfactory.

I think the viewing frame is the most useful field tool that receives the least discussion in this forum. (AA calls it a cut-out card in The Camera; see “Basic Image Management.”) I smile whenever someone mentions it. Or says they've used it. I've taken fewer & better shots because of it.

Yet … I may be in the minority here … some of my best shots happened because I didn’t bring it, or I put it aside. (Never would this cause me to abandon its use.) I’ll just say that the frame, on one hand, is supremely useful in isolating elements in a scene by imposing borders roughly corresponding to a particular lens’ field of view; on the other hand, its usefulness potentially blinds me to additional means of pre-visualizing. If I’m not careful, it monopolizes too much of my attention – w/o my awareness that it’s doing so. As I improve as a photographer, I’ll continue to use the frame – always trying to better integrate it with a way of “seeing” that wants to widen, broaden, grow.

The frame, I should add, is also among the least expensive & easiest to carry of useful tools.

I made mine w/ a mat cutter and leftover piece of mat board.

;)

[Jfnphotography]

Mosquitoes nothing like trying to compose a shoot as you are eaten alive. Was thinking of designing a dark cloth with a built in mosquito net, and maybe a small fan for the really hot days.

[ic-racer]

The subject/composition was there, but the light wasn’t

For me it is all about light. My subject is always light. All we see is the [some of the] light reflecting off the subject anyway, and I work with that concept.

[Michael Clark]

Not an excuse. I have a small 4x4 and also have made lots of spot decisions on parking, sometimes admittedly bad. Like the time I parked in a nearby flowing stream and had to be towed out by a farm tractor. Sometimes I drive back and forth on the same busy road mutiple times looking for a spot to pull aside.

I have walked several miles from parking lots to get scenes not available otherwise. If your too lazy to carry the camera you best stay on the porch and take up kniting instead. Anyone can get easy pictures.

Thats my biggest problem,just getting off my tush.Once I get going I do ok.
Mike