Some observations from a weeekend shoot at a local park

<p>This weekend I had a couple of senior photo sessions at a very popular local park and made the following observations:</p>

<p>1) If all the photographers shooting there had permits - the city's budget problem would to solved! (the city technically requires a permit for shooting at this particular park $300.00 for a year, $45.00 for a day).<br>

2) Wide variety of equipment - A lot of kit lenses and a few "Pro" lenses<br>

3) A lot of people not stabilizing their cameras or themselves properly (ie too narrow of a stance, not bracing the lens...)<br>

4) About 50% were shooting in bright sun with no fill flash (which was countered by the one using multiple remote flashes and softboxes which took 20 minutes to set up, tear down and get ready to move).<br>

5) about 75% were not using lens hoods<br>

6) a few using a self held reflector instead of fill flash<br>

and last but not least<br>

7) the photographer with a D3100, kit lens and a tripod - trying to set up on the busiest bridge in the park and wondering why people were staring at her...</p>

<p>Amazing what you observe in 30 minutes of free time - waiting for a client to show up - but that's another story...</p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

<p>And I wonder how many paid state sales tax on all that (I assume-bought off the web) equipment! </p>

<p>just to add on - I wonder how many are claiming their income from the shoots and paying income and / or sales tax to the state on that money!</p>

<p>And how many times have I had someone come up behind me and ask "whatcha shooting, Mister?" A long time ago, I realized it doesn't matter what others do or don't do, only what you are doing...</p>

<p>The other night we went to a free, open-air, after-sunset concert on the waterfront. We were seated way back. Some guy with a couple of big Nikon pro bodies and LONG lenses, with sunshades, was standing beside me shooting occasional pics of the band, holding a rig by the body, with the lens flopping out there in the dim light. I have no idea what he intended to get that way. It would have been much easier/better/cheaper for him to mount up a much shorter, faster lens, and walk up to the front. It was a very informal venue. Nobody would have minded. (I've done it.) Even then, and even at a high ISO, the dim lighting would be a real challenge without flash. </p>

<p>I chuckled to myself, realizing this guy was simply enjoying his new play toys. Actual photography was incidental to his enjoying playing photographer. And then I reflected on other photogs I've watched on the waterfront. Some of them started that very same way. Then they started taking on clients, posing them in some very weird ways in awful lighting, doing absolutely stupid things photographically. Then they started learning a few things and getting a bit better. Before I knew it, one girl seemed to be setting up her photos fairly intelligently.</p>

<p>So I think photography is experiencing a rebirth as a pastime, and some of these aimless characters with fancy gear that I can only dream about may actually learn to do moderately good photographic work.</p>

<p>One camera - people ask about the camera or say "nice camera"</p>

<p>Two cameras - "Do you work for the newspaper?"</p>

<p>Three or more cameras - People avoid eye contact.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Amazing what you observe in 30 minutes of free time.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Indeed. I cringe every time I see someone walking down the sidewalk, camera in hand, with the strap dangling as if gravity was optional. I cringe just as much when I see folks who bought lenses which included hoods who have obviously never taken the reverse-mounted hood off and reattached it in using position.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

<p>Henry, you shouldn't cringe. More breakage = more sales. ;-)</p>

<p>I remember being a newbie at a star party with my telescope among all these seasoned amateur astronomers with their serious gear and never felt so intimidated. </p>

<p>The nice thing was, everyone of them was gracious and helpful even with the most rudimentary techniques. It made me felt at home and I have been hooked ever since. </p>

<p>I brought my scope to the local lakeshore a while back and attracted the attention of curious onlookers even though it was quite late at night. Every one of them said the heavens fascinated them but never knew where or how to start. I shared a view of moon and couple of interesting objects in the sky with them. It was a pleasant and cordial exchange, but I knew it left an impression just as it had when I was at the star party.</p>

<p>Maybe some of them are now retelling the story to others with their telescopes. I hope so. </p>

1. $45 a day for snapping family and friends with a smart phone? Or for commercial photography?

 

2. Sone kit lenses are pretty good. And they tell me that equipment isn't supposed to matter...etc. ;-)

 

3. A lot of lenses and cameras stabilize themselves. Does John Q. Snapshooter need to maximize stability when he's probably not

even focused on the subject? Does anyone need to maximize stability when shooting at 1/500s or faster in bright sunlight?

 

4. Fill flash becomes pointless when the subject is far from the camera. It's also not required when you want a high contrast look. I

took a workshop with Cliff Mautner, and we shot in the same conditions. He didn't use any fill flash OR reflectors. His pics looked

okay, and so did mine.

 

5. I don't use lens hoods when using filters.

 

7. Well, I suppose that if Miss D3100 paid her 300 bucks she can set up wherever she likes.

<p>I was out in public the other day, and I noticed some guy that was incorrectly judging others. He had a sanctimonious look about him, but I think he'd have been far more successful with a holier-than-thou attitude. He had a stern look as he was silently looking around and feeling smug about how much better he was than everybody else, but he didn't see me noticing his errant ways. He would have been far more successful with a few finger waggles and "tut tuts" muttered under his breath.</p>

<p>I bet he cheated on his income taxes last year, too! And if he didn't, then he obviously didn't give enough money to charitable causes I find worthy. He was wearing a pair of boots that I'm pretty sure he bought off Amazon. Not only did he skimp on paying sales taxes, but he's screwing over the local businesses with brick and mortar stores, too!</p>

<p>In any event, I'm glad that I don't have his foibles.</p>

<p>Dan - $45 for a reservation - to shoot as a paid professional - I'm guessing that if the park ranger had asked most would not have had the permit nor known that you need one. They do exempt parents shooting snapshots - although with all the DSLR's around - don't know how they would know if it is a family member or not. </p>

<p>Eric - I'm stating what I observed. I am not saying that it is right, wrong or indifferent - I'm sure that there were photographers looking at me and watching - going "what the heck is he doing with that big lens and hood and a flash in broad daylight?!?" And fyi - I don't wear boots, and in MN we don't pay sales tax on clothing or shoes... plus I do report my income and pay sales tax - plus use tax on anything I buy from out of state. Far easier to obey the rules than to explain yourself later. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>One of the nice things about photography is that one can enjoy it on many levels. We are serius photographers or we wouldn't be on a photo forum. Others are more casual about their photography. Others like the toys. To each his own.</p>

<p>I saw this guy wandering around San Francisco the other day snapping away with his iPhone. I thought, "Gee, those can't be worth looking at." <a href="http://goo.gl/jtkBG">Look at them here</a>, they're terrible, aren't they? All with an iPhone, so I know they're terrible.</p>

<p>I really want to mess with peoples minds. You know.<br /> Get yourself a old Kodak box camera.<br /> Dress up your model in a colorful outfit and take a picture at a popular venue with a regular camera.<br /> Paste the color print on the back of the box camera.<br /> Return to said venue, set up your model in the same pose then pretend to shoot with your box camera.<br /> Chimp the results by pretending to look carefully at the print pasted on the back.<br /> Explain to the curious that you would 'really like one of them fancy digital cameras, but right now this is all you can afford'.</p>

<p>Or, you could tell them, with a straight face, that you are testing Kodak's new B&W only digital camera that they hope will save them bankruptcy. This will require a B&W photo pasted on the back.</p>

<p>David said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>the photographer with a D3100, kit lens and a tripod - trying to set up on the busiest bridge in the park and wondering why people were staring at her...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sounds like she may have benefited from some friendly advice. I'm <em>always</em> willing to help a woman in need of assistance! While picking up some sync cords, I helped a couple of female photographers pick out some softboxes at a photo store a few months ago, and got big thank you, and a nice invitation to a cool party!</p>

<p>Sarah said:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I chuckled to myself, realizing this guy was simply enjoying his new play toys.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Exactly. It's kinda like seeing someone drive a Lamborghini at the speed limit. I mean, it's his money, he can drive it how he likes. But I always feel a pang in my stomach when I see such performance held captive by a conservative driver.</p>

<p>But, I'm kinda like that with musical equipment. I have a lot of gear, but I still play like crap. </p>

<p>I went to the park the other day, had my camera with me, so did a lot of other people. I minded my own business and they minded theirs. We all had a good time and got the pictures we wanted.</p>

<p>Yep, the iPhone or other phone/camera is the new street shooter. I was going to wait for one with higher mp's but those look nice.</p>

<p>Ralph wrote:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>It's kinda like seeing someone drive a Lamborghini at the speed limit. I mean, it's his money, he can drive it how he likes. But I always feel a pang in my stomach when I see such performance held captive by a conservative driver.<br>

But, I'm kinda like that with musical equipment. I have a lot of gear, but I still play like crap.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ha! Me too, on all counts. I have a nice concert grand piano I'm restoring, but my fingers aren't so nimble anymore (arthritis). I also drive a nice sports car (a '78 280Z), but I don't drive so fast anymore (the wisdom of years). I used to look at old people in nice sports cars and roll my eyes. Now I've become one. These things are a part of me, and I could never part with them. Yet on the other hand, I do sometimes suffer from equipment envy, seeing some of these affluent clueless newbie photogs with equipment I can only dream about owning. Double standard? Definitely. I have to get over it somehow.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>This weekend I had a couple of senior photo sessions at a very popular local park and made the following observations:</p>

</blockquote>

<p><strong>Observation proves the answer to be: Coaching.</strong><br /> SO MANY people would benefit instantly from a personal coach -- even a simple one-hour session. It's the same thing with road cycling -- 99.85% of the people I see on bikes would benefit quickly from a little 1:1 coaching... same mistakes being made over and over again, year after year, and even and often by the same people who have been on a bike for years.<br /> <br />Coaching! Could be a millionaire if I knew how to parlay that....</p>

<p>Obsessed! I never been such a keen observer ever since. Your epitome, serves you right. You got the skills to be able to see things that way. And I somehow envy that.</p>