Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11949 posts, RR: 50 Posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2130 times:
I don't normally take photos at airports that often. On average, perhaps just once a month. But anyway, this week I've visited two airports and have come home with about 120 pictures... After looking through them, I felt that I got more or less what I wanted, but I just couldn't feel "happy" about any of the photos I took.
A couple of years back when I started taking pictures of aircraft, I had poor equipment, but everytime I got an ok photo, I'd absolutely love it. Even if it got rejected on this site...
Now I have far better equipment, and the quality has gone up a lot. My photos are now what I dreamed of having 3-4 years ago. But the passion of taking these photos are virtually non-existent. It's almost as if I subconsciously don't really enjoy taking these photos.
Has this ever happened to any of you?
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
Fergulmcc From Ireland, joined Oct 2004, 1916 posts, RR: 54 Reply 1, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2102 times:
Quoting Thom@s (reply 0): Now I have far better equipment, and the quality has gone up a lot. My photos are now what I dreamed of having 3-4 years ago. But the passion of taking these photos are virtually non-existent. It's almost as if I subconsciously don't really enjoy taking these photos.
I've just invested in a couple of grands worth of L Lenses and do think if I told the wife that I have just lost interest in taking photos, what she would do with those lenses. I shudder to think.
Hell NO! I'm even more enthusiastic to take photos now. Give these babies a real going over. The quality of my photos has improved a huge amount and couldn't be happier with them. I'm Loving it!!
i'm still waiting for my first uploads to be screened and hopefully they will pass. Have a look at this German Wings
Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11949 posts, RR: 50 Reply 2, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2090 times:
Actually, I recently got a brand new camera. The photos come out brilliant. But it feels like it is too easy to take these high quality photos. I almost expect a perfect result every time I press the button. Maybe my standards are too high?
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
Dendrobatid From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2004, 1605 posts, RR: 64 Reply 3, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2079 times:
Thomas
I know how you feel.
When I look back on my old photographs the quality is really poor compared to what I can do today, but often it was as good as you could get at the time, almost 30 years ago.
What is not really there today is the variety in the aircraft and most of us are taking very similar shots of landings or approach that would have been difficult years ago.
Strings of 737s and Airbusses will get tedious eventually and I am already wondering what to do differently.
Something that is difficult to do presents more of a challenge and will remain stimulating for longer.
Too easy ?
Maybe that came at the point autofocus became reliable and auto-exposure more accurate.
It is funny but I felt more satisfaction with a pretty sharp panned photo taken on my manual focus, manual exposure with Kodachrome 25, (the shot I am thinking of being a Tornado landing at Farnborough if anyone is interested)
Mick Bajcar
BigPhilNYC From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 4073 posts, RR: 56 Reply 4, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2078 times:
Quoting Thom@s (reply 2): The photos come out brilliant. But it feels like it is too easy to take these high quality photos. I almost expect a perfect result every time I press the button. Maybe my standards are too high?
I think I can relate. I am often expecting perfect results but don't always get them. Why not? Because the conditions (weather runway usage, etc.) are not always perfect and no matter how good my camera is, I'm not in control of that.
I also worry that any day now my camera will break or jsut stop taking good photos. Weird, but it's a constant worry of mine. But every now and again, like last week when I went shooting, I saw that it still does pretty damn good, just needs a sensor cleaning. lol
i've had mine for less than a year, and the interst fades sometimes, but something happens to kick it back up. I'm sure you'll experience the same.
INNflight From Austria, joined Apr 2004, 3765 posts, RR: 62 Reply 5, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2070 times:
Sorry, I've NEVER had this feeling. Acutally it's the other way round.
I usually go shooting ( aviation, to say! ) once a week, every Saturday if weather is good and every morning i get up motivated as hell, grab my things and head out.
So far, everytime I grab my camera I'm excited and love it, like on the first day of shooting. This won't change anyday, I think.
LHRSIMON From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2002, 1342 posts, RR: 25 Reply 6, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2053 times:
Yeah i have just had my worst week for photography/computers.
First of all my DVD in my computer decided to die.
Then my built in media reader and decided to die and not read any cards.
Then last night my kids magaged to lose my 512 gb CF card !!!
I did go through a little phase a few months ago asking myself WHY am i doing this. BA A320 after A320 were landing and to be honest i was pretty board with it...... It was then i decided to myself that i was concentrating to much on one subject (aircraft). So it was decided that i would split my photography a bit more and get involved with sporting photograhy (ice hockey) as well as aviation.
It was a very good choice as not only has it improved my photographic knowledge. But i also find i enjoy the aviation much more. Im also now far more selective in my approach. Ie i will not take photo after photo of standard aircraft. I will go to new airfields more. Or wait for a certain aircraft to be comming to LHR before i make a visit. I will still visit LHR for the day but will be trying to find differnet places to shoot etc etc...
I believe that photography can be as dull or exciting as the PHOTOGRAPHER wants to make it. After all its you holding the camera ....
Simon C
Canon 1D Mk III,Canon 20D+17-40 L f4.0,70-200 L IS USM f2.8,400 L USM f5.6,135 mm L f2.0, 50 mm f1.8,1.4 x II extender
Jamotcx From United Kingdom, joined May 2004, 1037 posts, RR: 28 Reply 7, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2053 times:
Quoting Thom@s (reply 0): But the passion of taking these photos are virtually non-existent. It's almost as if I subconsciously don't really enjoy taking these photos
Thats one of the major reasons I sold all my gear. I love being at the airport and taking the photos.
But i now have sooo many that havent been edited I just thought whats the point in taking so many pics if I never do anything with them.
I only have a small number of photos in the database because of this.
Fergulmcc From Ireland, joined Oct 2004, 1916 posts, RR: 54 Reply 9, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2028 times:
Quoting LHRSIMON (reply 6): I believe that photography can be as dull or exciting as the PHOTOGRAPHER wants to make it. After all its you holding the camera ....
Couldn't have said it better Simon
Photography is not just about aviation, its about life and what you find interesting. I do firmly believe that you should diversify, be it people, night skys etc. I do a lot of wildlife when I get the chance, when I'm on Holiday.
I will never sell my gear, other than to upgrade. I love photography and I too look for better and different ways to capture a subject, like avaition.
There will always be a lul period of when you get fed up a bit, but I always come back to it, always will.
IAH777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 0 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2013 times:
Stepping up in equipment added fuel to my fire last month. Prior to that, I can't really say my enthusiasm waned. There was always something of interest -- even if it was one of 'the usual suspects.'
I suppose my point is that after hours of shooting with nothing out of the ordinary, I still go home with Christmas morning-like anticipation to see the results of my efforts. I love this hobby and I believe it becomes more entertaining as my skills become more refined.
Elcableguy77 From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 523 posts, RR: 5 Reply 11, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2007 times:
Thomas:
I suppose that after doing a lot of photography in a short stretch, one might get a little burned out, kinda like when I was a kid, eating an entire box of ice cream in one sitting. After that, I didn't want to see any ice cream for a while. But I eventually had ice cream again.
I think the same goes for photography. Like others have said, try shooting a different subject, try a different angle, or set up a shot for a particular time of day (i.e. dusk or sunrise). That way, you have a bit of variety in your pictures.
Goodness knows, I'm just getting started in my photography hobby, and I don't see my enthusiasm waning any time soon. I'll just be wary of the local cops next time (right, Fergul?).
-Gavin
Former ZW F/A | "Wisconsin 72A, contact departure, see ya."
Thom@s From Norway, joined Oct 2000, 11949 posts, RR: 50 Reply 12, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2001 times:
Thanks a lot for the replies guys.
Simon, I guess you're right. The pictures i admired a few years ago are too common now. I suppose going for something more "artistic" would benefit my interest, and get me motivated for aviation photography again... However, going artistic means not getting photos accepted on a.net. (Nothing new in that really..)
GKirk, Like I said, I've visited two airports this week, one of which I've never visited before, and gotten photos of aircrafts and airlines I've not photographed before. Just yesterday I got my first pics of a Ryanair plane, and an A321. How sad that it's my first time, but still that cheered me up a bit. Anyway, the financial issue ensures that I won't be able to visit any new airports for a while...
Thanks again.
Thom@s
"If guns don't kill people, people kill people - does that mean toasters don't toast toast, toast toast toast?"
FlyFloats From Canada, joined Jan 2005, 43 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1969 times:
Hi Thom@s
Yes, I can relate. I've been primarily a scenic photographer for many years, but noticed over time that my enthusiasm was starting to fade. I would still love it when I was out shooting, but I was getting up less and less before sunrise to be set up at the perfect spot. Like many others have said, that changed when I started shooting different subjects (ie airplanes). Shooting a different subject, which moved (quickly!), gave me a whole new challenge to master, one which I am still working on.
So that is my advice to you - find something else you are interested in, and concentrate on mastering that. Whether or not you still shoot the planes, and I sure hope you do, changing your subject will feed your photographic appetite.
NIKV69 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1933 times:
I hope that never happens to me! I will admit in the winter I go to LAS and IFP way too much and then I just put the camera away for a few days and take a week off but then I am itching again to go back but to be bored of taking quality pics and getting them accepted at any aviation site more so this one will never get old for me!
Lindy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1917 times:
Worst are weekends with bad weather. If I don't go and take pictures at least once each weekend I'm getting "trigger release syndrome" in my right index finger.
This is really bad disease.
Mygind66 From Spain, joined May 2004, 1058 posts, RR: 13 Reply 19, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 1883 times:
..
Sometimes this problem is related to have a lot of free time. I've noticed you're quite young...Try to get married, have a pair of kids and then you'll see how your personal time is GONE!
My problem is that I have no even 2 hours for photography nowadays and when I'm 'free' is something like Florian said before..
Gary2880 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1877 times:
Actually, I recently got a brand new camera. The photos come out brilliant. But it feels like it is too easy to take these high quality photos
painfuly agree, ive been moaning to my mate about that very thing lately, sometimes feel that i should buy a normal 35mm camera and learn how to take real photos then go back to my digital, i feel my photos are too fake, if i take a photo and look at it on the LCD i usualy think, bit wide i can edit it, bit dark i can edit it, battering off the shutter button heaps of times to get the right photo when in ye oldy days you should choose a couple of angles you want and take that. i want to teach myself how to take good photos first time not think ah nevermind ill edit it
does'nt help having incredibly boring planes at dyce either
Staffan From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1857 times:
Don't forget that there are loads of ways to "edit" a photo in the darkroom too so just because it's digital and it takes less time to edit doesn't mean it's fake. Slides on the other hand you can't do as much with.
Christian From Sweden, joined Oct 1999, 348 posts, RR: 2 Reply 22, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1856 times:
I used to think that when I photgraphed on paper, every time I went to Fuji and get my rolls out. Why, and what the hell am I doing??? So boring to put 'em in to album, write the regestrations and so on.
But the fire came back, the same day I bought my 10D. Never regret that I bought a camera and other stuff for, what I think right now 6000 USD.
/Christian
If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough
GPHOTO From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2004, 818 posts, RR: 27 Reply 23, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1853 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW DATABASE EDITOR
Thom@s:
I recently spent a few days in Venice (my third trip), a strange and beautiful city. Anyway, I had a shot of the flight there and some of the airport on the way home accepted here, but I digress!
It was Carnevale time so there were lots of people walking around in costume, and one afternoon, just as the sun was sinking create a nice low angle, rich in yellows, I was outsde the Doge's Palace when we saw all these masked characters walking round in fantastic costumes. I've got some pleasing shots, but above all, a couple of close ups of the face of this one character (a lady, with a unicorn horn and a red rose) has left me deeply moved. The beauty of the shot, for me, was incredible. The light, the pose, the eyes visible through the mask and the red rose against the white costume just clicked something in my mind. Without a doubt these were the most satisfying shots I have ever taken in my life and the first time I have ever felt this way about a photograph of a human, or anything. In fact I am worried I will never take a shot as satisfying as this again (but I'll keep trying!). I never thought photography would ever effect me this way - its like the visual equivalent of a piece of music that really gets into your soul and makes your the hairs on your arm stand on end. I wasn't looking for inspiration or to increase my passion for photography when I went to Venice, but I got it given to me anyway. So, who knows when life will send you a moment like this - just keep your camera handy, just in case!
Liskatze From Germany, joined Jun 2004, 44 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (8 years 3 months 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1797 times:
Thom@s, wait for your first spotting trip with wrong camera settings - I bet you'll be happy in the future, if everything works like you want, although it might be easy!!
Two weeks ago I've been in BKK for a few days, on Saturday I wanted to take pics a few hours, especially my husband's take off with the Lufthansa 747-400 to Manila.
Thanks to Kok Chwee Sim, I found a fantastic location for spotting take offs in the afternoon - but hell, my camera didn't focus like it should do it! I've cleaned the sensor still in Germany, took a test photo with aperture f27 - and forgot to set the camera back to time preference! I didn't realize that for almost three hours. Just in the moment my husband's 744 took off I realized the wrong camera settings, didn't notice it before because of tons of light in Bangkok...
Tons of light, but not enough for really sharp pictures, so the result of three hours on a bridge in hot sun are largely litter... My husband stopped me getting crazy when he came back from Manila in the night, he decided that we go back to the bridge in Pha Hon Yo Thin Road the next again - instead of traveling to the River Kwai Bridge!!
The second day everything works well and I got many amazing BKK shots. I couldn't imagine that things like wrong camera setting will happen to me - but shit happens!! Like LHRSimon said, after all its you holding the camera ...
Wish you many happy spotting trips, without wrong camera setting, wrecked CF-cards, bad light or whatever might happen
Anne
25 Staffan: I have standard settings for tv, av, m, ev comp etc. that I always reset after a shoot and check before a shoot. Kind of a habit now. No messups so fa
26 JumboJim747: Thom@s I wish i had your problem of having a good shot every time i pressed the button.
27 Wietse: I have had this feeling for a long time, and I have only been to AMS once in the last 2 months. But I am enjoying other forms of photography very much
29 Staffan: I think it's good to become bored with one subject. It makes me go shooting other things, learning new things. Then when going back with the newly col
30 Maiznblu_757: Exactly. My wife would be my ex-wife if I just said, "Hey, it was just a phase, gonna quit now" There is a new sickness, recently recognized by top r
31 BO__einG: I understand the feeling of the whole bored with avation photography scheme. One of the biggest reasons why it seems that the fulfillment of taking av
32 Thom@s: Well, I suppose I'd rather be a bit "fed up" with av_photography than consumed by it. Any therapy lessons you can take to get over this Rafal? Hehe,
33 Lindy: Thom@s, The only cure for this known disease is trip to JFK, MIA or FLL. I've heard rumors that trip to LAX or LAS would help too, but thats playing w
35 QANTAS077: traded my old DSLR in septmeber for a new one and have used it for a total of about 20 days altogether, the enthusiasm starts to waiver after a while
36 Sulman: This simply isn't true. You still need some sound basic knowledge to make shots work, even with the most intelligent DSLR. Leave it on auto and chanc
37 Wanderer: I have experienced mild burn out in aspects of my interests, but never to the degree where I would give up altogether. The secret is to diversify and
39 Jran225: Hey Thomas, I too went through this phase quite recently and it was miserable, to say the least! It all happened during a two week period, when the we
40 Tappan: As far as aviation photography is concerned...I feel as if one can always keep "fresh" and enthusiastic if one maybe tries a different lens one day or
41 Fergulmcc: Thomas I have recently joined and camera club and I have found it to be one of the best things I have ever done. They hold monthly competitions that a
42 Thom@s: Thanks again for the advice. Tappan, I really like the sound of that suset/sunrise idea. Would be nice to get this kind of photo again... View Large V
43 Thom@s: Well, I took the advice to try some late evening / Sunset photos. And I must say I'm feeling quite happy with the result. I'm finally back to the stag
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