Topic: Shots we DID NOT make

[calbisu]

I am not sure there is a thread about it, well I have not found it…

This is about shots we did not make.
It happened to my yesterday. I was walking with my wife and daughter (she does not walk yet though) at the Chinese neighborhood here in Manila, dirty, NOISY, P-O-L-L-U-T-E-D, when suddenly in front of me two dogs started to bark wildly at another dog, a small Chihuahua, which was over the roof of a small rickshaw at the sidewalk. The Chihuahua dog replied to the two dogs by frantically jumping and barking on the roof of the rickshaw meanwhile the driver of the Rickshaw was genuinely appreciating his dog’s burst of character by cheering the little animal. Elena, my wife, crossed to the other side of the street (she was with the baby) while I just passed in front and looked at the scene, I kept walking and then decided it was absolutely worth a shot with my Canon A1. So I took out the camera and asked the man if it was Ok. Of course it was more than OK, the Man started to laugh hysterically at his dog and kept telling him to sit down for the shot (which of course the dog did not do). With my 28mm I was like one meter from them when I pressed the button and the camera (at its 36th exposure) decided not to work. Mmhh, had happened me before, batteries, maybe. I started to touch buttons (on-off-on-off) repeatedly while the man kept laughing and the dog barking. I am sure that the 5 of us (the three dogs, the man and myself) where worth a photograph. Finally I quitted as the camera had decided not to work… It would have been a great pic, SURE!! : )

[Late Developer]

I have two, sadly, very truw stories which stretch way back to the early 1980's.....

The first involves me walking as part of a trek across the Lake District. The point in question, I was traversing "Striding Edge" a very sharp arrete which slices its way to the summit of Helvellyn. In those days I was a very intrepid walker and would try anything. When we'd got most of the way across, I decided that I would take a wide view of my fellow walkers climbing up the ridge behind me. I checked my OM2n and saw I had my 50mm on the front. Not wide enough - 28mm required. I'd taken my 50mm off the camera and was trying to attach the 28mm when - due to the cold - I lost control of my fingers, did an impromptu juggling act, lost my footing, slipped and dropped my 28mm lens. Losing one's footing on this rock feature is not advisable as it can result in death by bouncing 300 metres into the gulley below - where, I presume, my 28mm Zuiko lens remains to this day. Shame really as the image of 20 walkers tip-toeing through the mist / cloud across Striding Edge would have made a great shot.

The second involved a Canon A1. I'd not long since bought it (new) as a replacement for my OM system - on recommendation from a friend who was asking me to shoot weddings surplus to what he could take or as a second shooter at weddings where formal and candid shots were required. I'd shot a roll with the main protagonists and re-loaded ready to take photos of the bridesmaids who were a very giddy bunch and who had decided to chase one another (and the bride and groom) around the church yard trying to stuff confetti down tops and were generally larking around. My camera "died". I changed batteries, lenses, settings - everything I could think of. It would not work and it never did. Thankfully, I had my Mamiya C330 in the car so I shot the rest of the wedding on that - but the mood had been lost and it's impossible to re-enact such spontaneous moments....  Canon couldn't bring my A1 to life and replaced it - but I always had a "spare" handy as I never really trusted it again. I still have an A1 in my collection and it performs flawlessly - but I always try to have something with a mechanical back up.

[calbisu]

Yep, I guess better to loose one lens than...

I guess that with cameras that rely on electronics things can fail but on the other hand sometimes you want simplicity and to be quick.. what to do  I must say I am loosing faith on my Canon A1, we'll give her a second.. third chance  I love the camera!

[original_ann]

Oh wow Calbisu - those moments can be so frustrating! 

This happens to me ALL the time.  I'm a very slow shooter and my equipment almost guarantees frustration for the shots I did not make. 

I recall taking picture in a beautiful little bamboo 'forest' when all of a sudden, I saw a gorgeous large red fluffy fox just SO close to me but unaware of my presence.  He was too busy looking like he was sneaking up on some prey.  There was no time to just 'fire off a shot' as I was set up for a macro situation and by the time I changed lenses and manually focused, the moment would be lost.  The light was stunning, low, and highlighting the edges of his fur, his stance was picturesque... but there I stood, only able to just enjoy the moment.

Sometimes I just have to tell myself well, I took a picture in my head and it will always be my wonderful memory.  Sigh...  ;-p

[original_ann]

And Late Developer - how I feel for you and that lens! That's TWO disappointments in one. 

[Suzi Livingstone]

The one shot I did not make and wish I had.. is early one morning I saw a cat toddling past me with a large pigeon in its mouth. It then walked up a path and sat outside a front door, waiting to be let in I think. I had my camera and approached to try and get a shot but it must have thought I was after its feathery dinner because it did a runner behind a bush as soon as I got near..  

[DS]

This happens to me all the time- probably due to my lack of skillz and malfunctioning gear. I find those missed shots stick in my mind for a long time tho.

Sometimes as well I don't take pictures by choce- either I see the picture, go click in my head but decide pulling the camera out would be rude or intrusive, or photographing just seems wrong as I would rather watch and soak in the experience. An example-
Was out walking at a peninsula overlooking the Dorus Mor in Argyll (a tidal race near the Corryvreckan whirlpool) when a pod of c15 porpoises with their young came right near the rocks where I was standing. They were only 30m away from the shore- jumping out of the water and generaly frollicking / gambolling. I had my camera loaded and ready to go but I was too busy watching. Still wish I had taken a few frames as 1) They may have been good shots 2) Nobody believes me

[original_ann]

That would stick in my head too, DS

[moominsean]

i still remember a missed shot from 1989 when i was taking photos for the local paper. it was early march i think and chilly out. maybe in the 30s. i'm sitting in my car in downtown south bend, indiana, loading film, and this homeless guy walks by with like five layers of coats on, totally bundled up, wooly hat and beard. This young woman jogs by wearing tiny shorts and a tanktop, the homeless guy eyeballing her like she was crazy. was just an interesting pair, but i didn't have film in my camera!

more recently, more than once i've shot a polaroid of something interesting, peeled it 20 minutes and 10 miles later to discover i didn't bother to focus.

[astrobeck]

I only wish I had made more photos of my grandparents when they were still around.

I have a scant few of my granny and paw-paw that I dearly cherish, so wish I'd clicked the shutter more times than I did even though it would have made my paw-paw a bit cranky.

[original_ann]

ohhh Astrobeck, I absolutely agree with you 100%!  Grandparents, Great Aunts and Uncles... and I lost my best friend to cancer almost exactly 2 yrs ago: of all things... I have NO pictures of the two of us together, and only one of her alone - in a halloween costume.  Yes, I kick myself.   Kick, kick, kick, kick,,,,,,

[calbisu]

Astrobeck, did not think about it, that´s a sad, somehow beautiful case.. memory is to cherish