One of the things that often frustrates me when I go to take photos is that I don’t get the conditions I really want. So what conditions do I look for? Overcast, no sun. I don’t like taking photos in bright sunlight, which is part of the reason I hate taking photos in summer.
I went to Safety Beach here on the same day I went to Heronswood a couple of weeks ago. I had hoped when I got there that I would be able to do some long exposures.
Can you see what the problem was?
It was too sunny for them, and on top of that, it was so windy that I think if I had attempted to do any long exposures, the wind would have blown my tripod over. It just wasn’t the right conditions.
You can’t be mad, not really. Anytime you travel somewhere to take photos, you know that you might not get the conditions you want. It is a gamble, I guess. It is one of the things I love about photographing where I live, there is always the option to go back. One of the reasons I don’t like travelling.
Some people travel to see things, I travel to photograph stuff. I have been lucky and got some shots that I was really proud of, but there are many more that were missed because I couldn’t get the conditions I wanted. It is one of the problems with travelling, and again, I do accept that.
So it was not what I wanted at Safety Beach. I still took photos, but not really photos that I love, but that is the way it goes. I was with a friend and we had a great day, so it wasn’t all bad. I take what I can get, but I will have to try again soon and go back.
Often when I get home and see what I got, I would put them in a folder and often never look at them again. It is what it is.
Your post really hit the nail on the head. That is always our dilemma as photographers – we must work with the light we are given.
Like you I used to get upset, but now I try to just think about the current situation, and then try to come up with a plan. Maybe the plan is to come back later in the day or the next. Or maybe the plan is to just change subjects or even concepts.
I do really like the pier shot with the perspective. It’s great! Just make the best of the situation. Have a great day!!
That is very true, frustrating sometimes, but it is what it is.
I don’t know that I get upset, more just accept it. Like on this day, it wasn’t great, but I had a great time and day with a friend. Definitely the plan is to go back. Probably go back over and over as time goes on.
Thank you so much Tim.
I can understand when you have an image in your mind and the conditions just aren’t suiting that vision! I really like your first image, love the composition of it. It is very challenging, changed that from hard, to photograph white in sun too!
Yeah it isn’t great, still I have some ideas for when I go back, hopefully with better conditions. Thank you.
In the end you never know what will turn up. Surprises are nice, even if we don’t reach 5he outcome we sought
Very true Geoff, you never know. Always be prepared, I think, that way I don’t get too disappointed. Thank you.
These may not be the shots you wanted to get but they are lovely representations of a sunny day at the beach – they really capture the mood well!
Thank you Sarah, though it wasn’t a lovely day at the beach, it was so windy and the wind was chilly.
Oh well, the wind doesn’t show in the photos!
Yeah, it doesn’t, that is probably a good thing, it was so strong.
Dear Leanne; Your comments are insightful. They demonstrate two aspects of photography that I can relate to very well: One is your endeavour of putting into a picture something that you have in mind, maybe that is in your mind’s eye: To strive for an ideal or a perfect picture that matches your (inner) expectations. You are somewhat disappointed despite the fact that you took your journey at a time and/or a day that was not ideal according to your criteria. Why? Consider that your mind’s eye creates pictures that you cannot put on the screen or on paper because your inner picture is more dynamic and dramatic than the one you grab with your camera. The second issue is what you stir up in your spectators. I don’t live by the sea. Hence, it is out of question that I can take the kind of picutres that you easily do. I found your third picture very beautiful because my dream of the sea – my mind’s eye – contains those blues of the sea that merge with the sky that you captures so well – in my mind – in that pidture. I would not have been as disappointed as your writing sounds but to me, the pier is not inspiring because we have them on the lake shores, here in Switzerland, as well. Kindly, Beat Hiltbrunner
I guess is comes down to what we want from our pictures. I try not to go out with the idea of what I want to get, or how I want an image to look when I’m done with it, however, I have things that I want or conditions I need for the images to get what I want. It never stops me from taking photos, but that doesn’t mean I will like them when I get home. I think if I wasn’t doing the post that I did I would never have shown that images. I am glad to hear you liked them Beat, so thank you.
Make the best of every situation. Many a day my camera stays in its bag
Absolutely Brian, you have to don’t you.
The conditions are never what I expect, sometimes the camera stays in it’s bag, other times I try to make the most of what I have got. I quite like these, looks like afternoon light, and the angled shadows of the posts on the pier draw the eye in! Quite often when I go back to photos I didn’t like on first look I find something quite different to what I first saw, probably because a little later I am actually seeing what is in the image, rather than looking for what I thought I might see 🙂
I have to admit I always get my camera out, I will still take photos and then decide if it is worth coming back to. It was morning light, if we had gone there in the afternoon I would have got my clouds, lol. It rained later that day. Good way to look at it Steve, though I’m never a fan of sunlight, or bright sun. Thank you Steve.
You set yourself impossibly high standards Leanne. What you’ve got is great, and represents that particular day. Result!
No, I don’t think I do Margaret, I just like clouds in the sky, and while I’m not a fan of lots of sun, I will still take photos. There are conditions that I love to take photos in, they don’t stop me from taking them when I don’t get them. The same way that if you travel you don’t stop your trip because it is raining. You deal with it.
Exactly. I may have got the wrong end of the stick. I thought you sounded really disappointed.
No not disappointed, I never let an opportunity to take photos let me down. I didn’t get what I wanted, but I did get to experiment with composition. all the better for the next I go and get what I’m hoping for.
👍
You photographed beautiful images that day Leanne. Not your usual, but great anyway. I typically photograph whatever I can find in any type of situation, and like you, throw most shots away. But there’s sometimes a nugget in the batch.
Thank you Anne. I tend to do the same, if it isn’t the conditions I want I can practice compositions so I know what to compose when I get what I want. If that makes any sense.