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Thread: Shot abandonment

  1. #1
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Shot abandonment

    You've set-up your camera and composed your shot.

    As you set the lens aperture, close and cock the shutter, insert your film holder, remove the dark slide, and hold the cable, you feel proud of having addressed all relevant technical issues with deep knowledge and great proficiency.

    The light is perfect, the wind subsides, the stars have aligned…

    But taking the shot isn't your next step. Abandoning the shot is. You take-down your camera, collapse your tripod, put-on your pack, and move on.

    As you seek a different shot, LFers are curious about your behavior. Some call it strange, even bizarre. Others smile because they think they understand.

    Please settle the mystery for us – can you tell us what was on your mind?

  2. #2

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    Re: Shot abandonment

    Well, whenever I’ve “abandon a shot” it was because despite all hope and prior belief, the light wasn’t perfect, the composition looked great in my mind but not on the GG, and the stars weren’t perfectly aligned.

    Other times it’s because looking at things through the GG was sufficient to satisfy my artistic needs. Call it “performance art”, if you will.

  3. #3
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Shot abandonment

    I remember the lyrics of a 1999 Randy Newman song.

    When will I end this bitter game?
    When will I end this cruel charade?
    Everything I write all sounds the same
    Each record that I'm making
    Is like a record that I've made
    Just not as good


    Of course he still put out albums after this one was produced (Bad Love)

    Actually, I do not think I have ever purposefully have abandoned a 'perfect' shot once I have set up for one (and perfection is questionable). I have taken the camera down due to wishful thinking (wasn't so perfect) or changing conditions (or they did not change as anticipated) between the time I put the holder in and pull out the darkslide.
    Once the darkslide is pulled, the image gets taken...unless I am very short on film.
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

  4. #4
    Resident Heretic Bruce Watson's Avatar
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    Re: Shot abandonment

    Quote Originally Posted by Heroique View Post
    You've set-up your camera and composed your shot.

    As you set the lens aperture, close and cock the shutter, insert your film holder, remove the dark slide, and hold the cable, you feel proud of having addressed all relevant technical issues with deep knowledge and great proficiency.

    The light is perfect, the wind subsides, the stars have aligned…

    But taking the shot isn't your next step. Abandoning the shot is.
    Interesting question. You do have an insightful streak ;-)

    I've abandoned many setups. But I don't think I've abandoned even one where I've inserted a film holder in the camera. If I abandoned a shot, it was always before closing and cocking the shutter.

    And it's always been because what I saw on the ground glass led me to believe that it wasn't worth burning a sheet of film.

    As time went by and I got more experience, I did this less and less. And I evaluated more and more, each step of the process. In the end I got so the farthest I'd go before abandoning a shot was to setup the tripod and rest my chin on the QR plate. If I couldn't visualize my final image from there, I'd take down the tripod and move on. If I could, I'd pull the camera out and work it to completion. Just how it was for me.

    Bruce Watson

  5. #5

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    Re: Shot abandonment

    Vaughn said “ Once the darkslide is pulled, the image gets taken...unless I am very short on film.”

    I treat pulling a dark slide just like pulling the trigger of a gun... its an exceptionally intentional act, or it (pulling either) doesn’t happen at all.

  6. #6
    Zebra
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    Re: Shot abandonment

    Well I say

    Can I get a Amen! It’s good to have Heroique back!! The soul of LFF has been restored!!

  7. #7
    Zebra
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    Re: Shot abandonment

    If it’s perfect it is only so because it resides in the limitless mind and thus I walked away to preserve it.

    Monty

  8. #8

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    Re: Shot abandonment

    An important reason to shoot LF is to get away from the "spray and pray" of other formats, so the slower process of shooting (as well as difficulty and cost) gives us time to decide if all elements are in place...

    We reserve the right to "abort" before carrying out the shot and post-process...

    We can be selective...

    Steve K

  9. #9
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Shot abandonment

    Quote Originally Posted by Vaughn View Post
    …Once the dark slide is pulled, the image gets taken...unless I am very short on film.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Watson View Post
    ...I don't think I've abandoned even one where I've inserted a film holder in the camera.
    Quote Originally Posted by BrianShaw View Post
    I treat pulling a dark slide just like pulling the trigger of a gun...
    The point of no return! (That is, if one has film to spare.)

    This makes me curious if others reach a stage, like Vaughn, Bruce, and Brian, when the photo is going to be taken – hell or high water.

  10. #10
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Shot abandonment

    Quote Originally Posted by Monty McCutchen View Post
    Well I say Can I get a Amen! It’s good to have Heroique back!! The soul of LFF has been restored!!
    Aw, shucks. ;^)

    I've been on the plains of Alberta, Canada, searching up-and-down for our fellow member Jim Kitchen.

    I never got closer than fresh tripod holes and a smoldering campfire, but I still have hope.

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