# Photographers are kinda.... weird!



## molested_cow (Jun 22, 2012)

I live about 5min from one of the most photographed sunrise spots here and since I got here more than a month ago, I try to capture the sunset on the weekends. For the past few weeks, the weather had been bad, so no luck. I met two photographers.

Today, the weather cleared up and when i got there, there were already about 30 photographers ready to click away, all crowding at the same spot. First of all, my first reaction seeing such a big bunch of them was "Weirdos!" It was more of a LOL moment. Of course knowing myself being one of them, I decided that I wasn't even going to try their spot. So instead of shooting a shot that had been shot thousands of times, I went onto the bridge instead and shot from there. I was the only one on the bridge.

Not sure about you guys, since I picked up my dad's SLR more than 10 years ago, I've been shooting as a "loner", in the sense that I never had friends who were into photography as well. So I am always the "photo guy" when going out or traveling. This meant I never shot as a group, never had exposure to "what others do" until much much later. Two years ago I joined a meetup group and went on a few outings with them and realized that people tend to be easily influenced by how others do it. They crowd around the same place, shooting at the same angle, often using similar focal length. They also usually stick to one type of lens.( Eg. Telephoto when doing nature, always shoot from far far away even when the subject isn't afraid of human ) I am usually the one away from the group, often shooting the group because it looks amusing.

I do wish I have friends who are just as much into photography as I do. I'd love to go out with a bunch of folks to take photos, then again, it usually ends up that everyone takes the same photos. 

Here's some from the morning:







What a stereotypical composition will be like:





Me shooting on the bridge instead (just quick snap with cellphone, actual photos not ready yet!):






Other occasions:


----------



## sm4him (Jun 22, 2012)

Nice; I like the photos of all the photographers!

I'm fortunate; my sister is just a year older than me (12 months and 17 days, actually), and is my best friend and fellow photographer. So, I have an instant photography buddy just about any time I want one.  We love to take weekend trips or vacations together, because then we don't have to worry about the other one getting bored while we spend hours photographing one particular area.  

Last year, we took our Mom to Charleston with us; at one point, she just ended up taking a nap in the van while we walked around the Battery taking photos.  But she enjoyed looking at our photos too, so she was okay with it.


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 22, 2012)

That's funny, M.C!

In photo club, on outings I see the same thing. I joke around a lot with a good friend, and will put my lens right over her shoulder and ask what she's shooting. LOL

But I watched a guy interact with her, asking what she was shooting and WHY, and then proceeded to take the same shot, right then, right there. I love our outings, because I get to go places I normally couldn't, special permissions etc. but I hate that. It's not so much that people will get the same shot, it's that they will blatantly do it.

I really like wandering around on my own, because I can hyper focus my mind and get lost in the area, whereas shooting with others can be distracting, and becomes more of an unproductive social gathering. That's fun, just not productive.


----------



## imagemaker46 (Jun 22, 2012)

Can't say that I've ever been out on one of the group shoots, but have seen a few bus loads of the asian tourists all swarming around with cameras shooting each other and everything in sight, always got a good laugh out of it. Thanks for posting, great pics.


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 22, 2012)

First one!!!! Yes it's HDR.






I think I need to go back to bed. Been up since 4.15am (10am now), then went to seek out the trail head to a waterfall right after sunrise and breakfast. Gotta get a waterproof boot to do the trail, and really need a buddy since it's in the middle of no where. Snakes and wasps.


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 22, 2012)

Congratulations! You've been nominated for TPF's Photo of the Month contest! 

(the last posted image)


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 22, 2012)

WAIT WAIT, I GOT MOAR!!!!


----------



## Trever1t (Jun 22, 2012)

lol, nice. I never shoot with anyone, not because I don't want to but I really don't know anyone else with similar interests...now that I think about that, it's weird. Nice shots man, love that bridge!


----------



## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 22, 2012)

molested_cow said:


> WAIT WAIT, I GOT MOAR!!!!



:lmao:

My choice stands. But very nice all around. :thumbup:


----------



## cgipson1 (Jun 22, 2012)

Nice shots, Cow!


----------



## unpopular (Jun 22, 2012)

I wish I could 'LOL' at this. It just annoys me so much, because I know that people will be impressed when they come home.

last time I was at yellowstone I barfed.


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 22, 2012)

Oh yeah, at the old faithful!






And it was really really really underwhelming.....


----------



## unpopular (Jun 22, 2012)

I just don't understand why people invest all this money, just to go out and take the same picture everyone else is has taken.

I swear it's just to show off. I'm going to buy one of those ridiculous aerial lenses, the kind you need an engine jack to move, mount it to a truck bed and take it into Yellowstone for no other reason to encourage them to go the eff home!

Honestly, there are nicer places than Yellowstone in the area, but of course there aren't so many people to show off to, either.


----------



## Jaemie (Jun 23, 2012)

Beautiful photos!

Look at all those cameras! I wish I had money to buy lots of fancy equipment, or even just a newer camera. :/


----------



## unpopular (Jun 23, 2012)

what are you shooting with now, Jaemie?


----------



## rexbobcat (Jun 23, 2012)

I like photographing on my own. When a flock of photographers come together things get tense and stupid.

On the same token though there are some compositions and settings that give a good photo regardless of 'who saw it first.'


----------



## Jaemie (Jun 23, 2012)

unpopular said:


> what are you shooting with now, Jaemie?



Canon Digital Rebel 6.3MP with 18-55 EF-S kit lens.


----------



## Steve5D (Jun 23, 2012)

Man, go to the Ferry Landing on Coronado Island any night of the week, and you'll see countless photographers set up to get "that shot". And, yes, I've been among them on more than one occasion.

I've had a couple of friends who were very into photography but, unfortunately, have moved; one to Colorado and the other to Tennessee. I have an old co-worker buddy who's recently gotten into photography, though, and he and I have done one photo outing (Salton Sea). We're planning a trip to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles in the next few weeks. Our styles are _vastly _different. If he's not using my Sigma 17-70mm, he shoots exclusively HDR with a fisheye Lensbaby. I guess if he can do it well and make a name for himself doing, that's cool, but I think anything can be overdone. 

I like going shooting with one person or, maybe, two more people. Any more than that and you start to look like some geeky member of a merit badge club, and I'm just not that into that. I won't say I'll never do it again, but I've done it in the past, and the attraction waned pretty quickly...


----------



## unpopular (Jun 23, 2012)

rexbobcat said:


> On the same token though there are some compositions and settings that give a good photo regardless of 'who saw it first.'



This all depends on what is "good".

Same old - same old, IMO never is.


----------



## IByte (Jun 23, 2012)

molested_cow said:
			
		

> I live about 5min from one of the most photographed sunrise spots here and since I got here more than a month ago, I try to capture the sunset on the weekends. For the past few weeks, the weather had been bad, so no luck. I met two photographers.
> 
> Today, the weather cleared up and when i got there, there were already about 30 photographers ready to click away, all crowding at the same spot. First of all, my first reaction seeing such a big bunch of them was "Weirdos!" It was more of a LOL moment. Of course knowing myself being one of them, I decided that I wasn't even going to try their spot. So instead of shooting a shot that had been shot thousands of times, I went onto the bridge instead and shot from there. I was the only one on the bridge.
> 
> ...



Holy sh$% snacks that looks like a hippy commune of seals Oo.  Funny you should say that, coming from both a jock an a IT world, art people in general are in a whole other world.  Some seems snooty and snotty like why is a jock looking guy here.  It's even worse when I busted out my Nikon, and they're mostly Canon (cough Tyler cough cough).


----------



## bratkinson (Jun 23, 2012)

On the rare times I'm not doing events at church, I typically go out with a friend who is also into photography. We're both into night photography. So we've done late night ice storms, shots from across a frozen river of downtown at 3am, nightime rain, etc. 

The rest of the time, I'm out alone, intentionally avoiding others whenver possible.

The shots of the 'mobs' of other photogs are priceless!


----------



## Joel_W (Jun 23, 2012)

Outstanding set. Bitter Jewler was right on with his nomination.  Since I live thousands of miles from that spot, I don't think you have to worry about me being part of the crowd any time soon.  To be perfectly honest, if I lived there, I wouldn't bring my camera, I'd get a lic. for a coffee truck, and eventually make enough to buy all the equipment I could ever want.


----------



## IByte (Jun 23, 2012)

unpopular said:
			
		

> I just don't understand why people invest all this money, just to go out and take the same picture everyone else is has taken.
> 
> I swear it's just to show off. I'm going to buy one of those ridiculous aerial lenses, the kind you need an engine jack to move, mount it to a truck bed and take it into Yellowstone for no other reason to encourage them to go the eff home!
> 
> Honestly, there are nicer places than Yellowstone in the area, but of course there aren't so many people to show off to, either.



That's right unpopular let it all out.  There, there now don't you feel better?


----------



## Netskimmer (Jun 23, 2012)

While I agree that originality is important, that doesn't mean that taking a shot that has been taken before is automatically garbage. Sometimes there is a reason that everyone takes the same shot. At the very least there will always be one difference between the shot you took and the shot everyone else took, it's YOUR shot.


----------



## sm4him (Jun 23, 2012)

Steve5D said:


> I've had a couple of friends who were very into photography but, unfortunately, have moved; one to Colorado and the other to Tennessee.



There is absolutely NOTHING unfortunate about moving to Tennessee. :lmao:


----------



## IByte (Jun 23, 2012)

sm4him said:
			
		

> There is absolutely NOTHING unfortunate about moving to Tennessee. :lmao:



Yankees ftw!!


----------



## TheBiles (Jun 23, 2012)

sm4him said:


> Steve5D said:
> 
> 
> > I've had a couple of friends who were very into photography but, unfortunately, have moved; one to Colorado and the other to Tennessee.
> ...


 
Except the Tennessee part. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus


----------



## 12sndsgood (Jun 23, 2012)

First off some great shots MC, I have yet to go out with a big group. I don't think i'd enjoy it. I normally shoot alone, I have gone out with a friend before and I did enjoy that, was good just walking around and getting shots and seeing what shots he was finding, and just seeing a diffrent person's perspective on the same thing. I think that is a good thing. I try to take a diffrent shot then other people, but I have also taken a few of the "typical" shots, just to have my own. I usaully like those shots the least though because they have been done before lol.


----------



## unpopular (Jun 23, 2012)

IByte said:


> unpopular said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I know. It's very unusual of me to throw a hissy fit.


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 23, 2012)

When I went out on a meetup group, my main intention was to meet people. I just moved there and wanted to make some friends. However after a few times, I was rather disappointed. Generally speaking, people show up, took photos and leave right after. There was no post-lunch/dinner etc, or even a chat. May be I was just unlucky. Then I went back to shooting mostly alone.

On some occasions I have a friend or two who like outdoors or enjoy going out to places. They may not be photographers, but having their company is more than enough.


----------



## IByte (Jun 23, 2012)

molested_cow said:
			
		

> When I went out on a meetup group, my main intention was to meet people. I just moved there and wanted to make some friends. However after a few times, I was rather disappointed. Generally speaking, people show up, took photos and leave right after. There was no post-lunch/dinner etc, or even a chat. May be I was just unlucky. Then I went back to shooting mostly alone.
> 
> On some occasions I have a friend or two who like outdoors or enjoy going out to places. They may not be photographers, but having their company is more than enough.



MC bring your outdoorsman friend outside an ask them to help you.  Guaranteed that's all the company you will need.


----------



## usayit (Jun 24, 2012)

molested_cow said:


> Not sure about you guys, since I picked up my dad's SLR more than 10 years ago, I've been shooting as a "loner", in the sense that I never had friends who were into photography as well.



I'm exactly the same way.  I can count on 1 hand the groups I've joined in over the past 20 years.   Usually, I enjoy the trip more so than the actual photographing of the sights.  One time, I chose to "miss" the bus home and stayed another day before finding my way home.

Too many people in my way...
Too many people with the notion of who or what is better...
I'm stuck on their schedule.

I guess part of it is that I treat my outings kinda like a mini-vacation of sorts... often relaxing and taking in everything with the camera at my idle at my side.



This recent experience even made me want to be in groups less:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photographic-discussions/181905-rant-photographer-swarm.html


----------



## IByte (Jun 24, 2012)

usayit said:
			
		

> I'm exactly the same way.  I can count on 1 hand the groups I've joined in over the past 20 years.   Usually, I enjoy the trip more so than the actual photographing of the sights.  One time, I chose to "miss" the bus home and stayed another day before finding my way home.
> 
> Too many people in my way...
> Too many people with the notion of who or what is better...
> ...



I read your rant and it's making me think twice about joinng a group. I may join a small unknown group.


----------



## LaFoto (Jun 24, 2012)

You ought to have come to the TPF Germany Meet-Up that we had in 2008, you'd have liked that one, I'm sure. We had a week here at my place and went on outings, and next to taking photos (which in the end all looked surprisingly different, each set expression the individual photographer's way of seeing the world with their cameras), we had nice meals together, nice chats, and generally a VERY good time! 

In general, however, I prefer to be on my own, though I've not been on any specific PHOTOGRAPHY outing in a long, long time, where I'd have all the time I need to really compose a good photo...


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 24, 2012)

Here's a pano of the scene. I am alone on the bridge and everyone is standing on the pebble beach to the left.


----------



## xjoewhitex (Jun 24, 2012)

Pretty damn impressive on the results! You know I kinda liked seeing the photos of the other photographers as well, Ive never seen such a large gathering of sheep with nice glass.


----------



## Jaemie (Jun 25, 2012)

molested_cow said:


> Here's a pano of the scene. I am alone on the bridge and everyone is standing on the pebble beach to the left.



Want. A. Bigger. Image.


----------



## jowensphoto (Jun 25, 2012)

I love the pano! I'm kind of obsessed with them recently 

That would look awesome printed on some metallic paper.


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 25, 2012)

Jaemie said:


> Want. A. Bigger. Image.



10170 x 2759?


----------



## IByte (Jun 25, 2012)

molested_cow said:
			
		

> 10170 x 2759?



A whole seperate thread of nothing but panorama big MC.


----------



## molested_cow (Jun 25, 2012)

Haha yes! But I keep having new photos come in and been trying to keep up with processing them all!


----------



## TCampbell (Jun 25, 2012)

I may be the odd one out, but I actually think shooting shots that everyone else has shot "a thousand times" is a good idea for self-study and improvement goal.  Sure there's no original thought there, but this isn't unlike one-design racing -- where everyone else has pretty much exactly the same equipment on the same course.  The idea isn't to be original, it's to test that you're able to do what lots of other people can do.  If you cannot, you can't blame it on the lighting, etc... clearly you did something wrong.  So, in a way, it forces you to test yourself against others and I think there's learning value in that.

Every artist will, at some point, have to learn to draw or paint a bowl of fruit -- even though the same thing has been drawn or painted thousands of times before.  It's all part of the learning process.


----------



## pgriz (Jun 25, 2012)

Well, I kinda agree with Tim, and kinda disagree.  Yes, when it is done in the spirit of learning, it's a positive thing.  But I have also been in group shoots, and see some of the less capable photograhers keep an eye on the good ones, and whenever the good ones take a shot, they scurry over and try to do a similar shot.  Then at the club presentations, you find yourself looking at bunches of shots that all seem to be focused in the same general area.  Usually the wanna-bees completely miss the framing that the good ones did, but they are in the general vicinity.  Same people buy the gear that the good ones have, and it's a common thing to hear "so that was a really great shot, Bob?  Mind telling me which lens you were using?" .  On the other hand, if you're not one of the moochers, the good guys usually have all the time in the world telling you how they get things seen or done.  I've made a point NOT to shoot what the good ones are shooting, and find my own viewpoint.  But this tendency of people to try to copy others rather than understanding what makes an image work, is somewhat irritating.

@ molested_cow:  those are some pretty stunning shots you took.


----------



## durhamskywriter (Jun 25, 2012)

i agree with TCampbell. as a self-taught photographer, i like to try to get photos that i already have in my mind's eye (which i'm sure are photos that i've seen before). i like baseball &#8230; so if the batter hits a ground ball while a runner is on 1st base, i'll quickly aim for the 2nd baseman or shortstop hoping to get a photo of the runner sliding into 2nd. i've seen lots of photos like that and want to have the experience of getting my own. i think that's a good way to learn. i've tried over and over, but have yet to get a "bare-hand pickup" or diving catch photo. i'm going to keep trying until i get them! it's fun.

on the other hand, i like finding my own way to get shots that other photogs don't. just last week i took photos at a kiddy baseball game. (i'm a journalist, by the way.) following the game, parents and other media photogs were taking team photos of the exhausted and stony-faced kids. (they had lost the game and it was hot out.) when it was my turn, i hollered at them, "WHAT TEAM?" they shouted back, "BOYS & GIRLS CLUB TITANS!!!" then i said, "on the count on three&#8212;"WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!!" i got a wonderful shot&#8212;and was very pleased with the result. sometimes it takes a little extra effort&#8212;and that includes walking around and finding the best angle or unusual viewpoint as in the case being discussed here.

molested_cow, great shots! in what country is that bridge? i haven't been around water much in my life and have never even seen that type of bridge on TV! (i'm also intrigued by the extension-diffraction thingies on the cameras in the second picture of photographers.)


----------



## unpopular (Jun 25, 2012)

the hardest part of photography is what to photograph, not how to do it.


----------



## daarksun (Jun 27, 2012)

I shoot alone or with my wife.  I understand everyone shooting the same thing if they want a similar image. It's not like you can have the guy send you a copy for your own.  I have a friend that bought a 60D and has the NEX5.  He has yet to shoot with the camera and it's learning to use it and I will not teach him. He bought the camera because he likes my photos and wants to be able to take the same kind.  If I go out I want to take photos, not show someone else how to use their camera, so... I shoot alone.


----------



## LShooter (Jun 30, 2012)

I've met some folks through meetup groups. Effort in = effort out.  Some days I love goin it solo; some days it's nice to have someone to chat with.


----------

