OT: Do any of you feel compelled to carry a camera all the time? Why?

[lee hamiel]

Men are from Nikon - women are from Mars

 

Good luck Robert - My condolences to your wife.

 

Virgo? (I am)

[lee hamiel]

As a further note:

 

Just about to leave for CA tomorrow & debating what to bring - my wife will not object to whatever I may bring - I simply don't want to carry it all - probably an F3 with the 105 or 180, Leica M6 & 50 & undecided about the Mamiya 6 & 50(28) - have to fit whatever into my briefcase so we'll see ...

 

Maybe I'll buy a Stylus Epic once out there & keep it simple ...

[vivek iyer]

I just noticed the picture you have attached, Robert. It looks like an X-ray (or a similar technique) of a penis.

 

I am very curious as to how this penis could look not flaccid even after having shot with a BB gun and a pellet still lodged inside! A magic bullet, perhaps?

[SCL]

Robert - You are totally nuts and should be glad for it! You will capture moments others may let go unnoticed, and observation is a critical component of your work. Heed the advice to pay attention to your wife and family...incorporate them into your photographs. Put your camera down occasionally and develop other interests, and then blend them into the photography interest. One day you will look back over your work and find the meaningful photographs and be glad that you took the time to shoot them. Share your interest with others and grow, so that you can more fully appreciate the wonders of photography. Don't let it isolate you. Last, but not least, if it is a true compulsion which interferes with your work or interpersonal relationships, seek professional help...this should be a source of joy, not frustration. Best of luck in your endeavors.

[lee hamiel]

Vivek:

 

maybe it hit the right nerve ending

 

Riding Miss Daisy

[lee hamiel]

Daisy being the BB gun of choice when I was a kid of course ...

[Matthew Currie]

An enjoyable thread. I almost always have some sort of camera with me. My wife and I usually take our whole respective kits whenever we travel more than a few miles by car, because when we don't, it almost gauarantees triple rainbows, soaring eagles or something of the sort, but even when we travel light or when we're walking around, I am likely to have some kind of camera within reach. Having a wife who enjoys photography too helps a lot. Even though she doesn't do things the same way, she understands.

[rosedoodle]

I have the same need to bring a camera with me when I go out the door. It isn't practical to

bring my case with FM3A and lenses, etc. (I might NEED something in there!) to work and

stuff it in my little locker, and it's way too hot and humid out to leave them in my car. So

many times I've been REALLY disappointed I didn't have a camera on the way home as I've

missed some absolutely gorgeous sunsets and cloud formations. My solution: another

thread here has convinced me I NEED the Olympus Epic 35mm f2.8 P & S. It will fit in my

purse, which fits in my locker. Most of the rest of the time I am willing to shlep my FM3A,

etc. because I just feel better when it's at my fingertips. My BF actually reminds me to

bring it with me whenever we take off. He knows that when Mama (aka She who must be

obeyed) is happy, everyone is happy.

Of course, I'm only joking. Well, sort of... ;^)

 

As far as wives and marriage and all that, IMO, everyone has their own agreement, but I

have always encouraged the other half's interests. I think it should be that way. I get into

my hobbies, etc., to the point of being somewhat antisocial at times, but I try not to be all

the time.

[cooper8168]

<i>I got an FM3a + 45/2.8 purely to have a "carry everywhere" camera.</i>

 

<p>Me too!

[beno_t_marchal]

<p>I don't think you have a problem but you obviously have a strong interest in

photography. You're not the only one.

<p>Still living with somebody passionate about anything is hard on the familly. I would

suggest you have more of those discussions with your wife where you both try to

understand each other point of view and come up with terms that are acceptable to both.

<p>If your wife feels neglected, it does not really matter how you feel on the matter: she

needs to be re-assured. Not shooting at certain time may be an appropriate solution but

consider that it's a sacrifice and you may grow recentful. You could find other ways to

show interest in her, e.g. why not discuss with her and see if you cannot help her with

stuffs she's interested into...

<p>On a related note, do you photograph her? You may not be into that kind of

portraiture but it may be important to her to feel you care as much about her as about

your other subjects.

<p>--ben

[jerry_m]

I can relate. I am an assistant state attorney and used to have the opportunity to visit many crime scenes. I do not do that any more due to a change in assignment and a physical disability, but like you I almost always have a camera with me. Right now it's an Olympus digital point and shoot, the Nikon slr's staying at home except for the grandkids sporting events, or vacations, etc. I feel naked without my camera which I carry along with my cell phone and medications in a small waist bag. The little camera has come in vey handy on multiple social occaisions and at the office. My wife is happy that I am not lugging around lots of heavy equipment and the arrangement is satisfactory to both of us.

[tricia]

I have great admiration for those who carry and use a camera all the time. When I don't, I

wish I had. It's not that I'd rather photograph than simply experience life; it's more that I'm

always noticing light and shapes and thinking about how they'd look in black and white.

 

Physical disabilities are keeping me from using my camera much these days, and I miss it

terribly. I chose my camera (F70, usually with either 50 mm or 28 mm lens) as a

reasonably lightweight camera that would do everything I wanted it to; now it's too heavy

for me to use much. I was very interested to see that a couple of people mentioned the

Olympus Stylus Epic (a.k.a. mju) as a compact camera to keep handy. I've just borrowed

one of those and am giving that a try: figuring out if I'm happier to have a camera with me

that I can use, or if the lack of control over exposure is too frustrating.

 

One thing I've noticed is that I'm much more interested in having a camera with me all the

time now that I no longer work as a photographer. I guess when it was my job, I did

enough of it to satisfy that desire.

[tricia]

Ooops, typo in my previous post: that's an F80, not F70!

[bob oldendorf]

"Do any of you feel compelled to carry a camera all the time? Why?"

 

Yes, I do. A Yashica T4 in pocket, and a couple of manual cameras in the

trunk of my car. (Say, a Canon Demi, and/or a Nikon FM. It varies.)

 

Why? Because I find the world to be an interesting and occassionally

beautiful place, and I enjoy sharing the things I see with my family and friends.

 

A better question is, "Why are so many people's lives so dull that they DON'T

want to share it with others?" That is, why doesn't EVERYBODY always carry

a camera? It's no longer a question of cost, after all. So, are their lives that

boring, or do they lack friends to show things to? That's the real mystery.

[Robert_Lai]

Well, I would like to clarify some questions that arose.<p>First, that is an X-ray of the boy's penis. The X-rays are taken between two compression plates, similar to how mammograms are obtained. Thus, the penis may look erect, but in actuality it is flattened somewhat.<p>As for the boy, he's 10 years old. Like any good urban American boy, he and his pals were playing by shooting pellet guns at each other (Cops vs. drug pushers). I guess the thought that one of them could lose an eye didn't bother these red-blooded future NRA members. Of course, one of the boys on the losing side decided to go for some heavy artillery, and brought out his father's target shooter. It was powerful enough to go through this boy's jeans and into the penile tissues. I did manage to get the pellet out.<p>A lot of people have mentioned point and shoot cameras - either digital or 35mm. I have often thought of obtaining the Olympus with the fixed 35mm f/2.8 lens. However, the 1980s vintage Canon Sure Shot Tele is reasonably decent, and I already have it. It has two focal lengths only, not a zoom: 40mm and 70mm. It does have the nicety of having 40.5mm filter threads. I obtained a Hoya HMC orange filter for it, and now it shoots B&W primarily. The beauty of these P&S cameras is that they can still turn out a decent image without backbreaking weight or excessive bulk. Here's a picture I took of my house as I returned home from work. A storm was looming. I just loved the look of the clouds, so I couldn't resist.<div></div>

[Robert_Lai]

My wife isn't opposed to photography. She does enjoy it herself. Here's a picture from her Canon Elph 2, of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy.<div></div>

[Robert_Lai]

Finally, Benoit brought up the subject of whether or not I photograph my wife. Mais bien sur! (How do you get the circumflex accent?)<p>I have plenty of photographs of her. However, she sometimes gets tired of being my model. However, I never tire of looking at her!<div></div>

[mark_warren1]

everytime I don't have a camera with me, I miss incredible opportunities.

 

your passion is an artists passion. and your wife is stunning.

[jim_k.]

i constantly have my shoulder bag with me. it contains my F100, 85mm, 50mm, 24mm, and around ten rolls of film. at least most people settle for something pocketable, i just can bear not having one of my slrs with me. some day i would like to upgrade to a rangefinder for around town.

[skidoo]

Right pocket: Treo 650 mobile phone (crap photo and video).

Left pocket: Canon SD-300 p&s.

Right shoulder: Lowepro bag with Nikon D70, Nikkor 18-70, Nikkor 70-300, SB-600, extra Ultra II cards, extra AA batteries, extra D70 battery pack, ND filters, closeup filter set, shutter release remote, etc., etc.

 

This is typical. I don't freak out if I don't have a camera with me. But I carry the D70 about 75% of the time, the SD-300 about 90% of the time, and the Treo about 99% of the time. I stay pretty much covered. :-)

[ramon_salazar]

I am also passionate about photography, and it bothered my wife a bit at the beginning. With time, she started to take interest into the subject, and learn to like it and enjoy it. Then she even started modelling for me. Woman like attention and they do not like any kind of competition, but you can perfectly give attention to your wife, and then also stop to take that special picture. If you are having dinner with her and stop to go and take a photo that might sound like weird. But if you are talking a walk in a new city, and take a picture, what is the problem?. You could also emphasize (and I did this), that photography is a hobby, and it is a positive thing to do, it makes me happy, it makes some of my friends happy (when I take real great photos of their special events), etc., probably you can flip things and suggest your wife her trying to discover what her passion is and get her own hobby. That way she will understand.

Good luck