Can you take photos?

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NickM

Veteran
I generally prefer the camera in my head.

But it is sometimes pleasant to have a reminder of a good day out, as long as acquiring it does not impinge heavily upon the here and now.
 
OP
OP
yello

yello

back and brave
Location
France
Spot on NickM! Yep, that's what I mean and I reckon that's just about where I'm at too, though maybe not quite so consciously.

Further, and to be honest, looking at photos (holiday snaps etc) tends to bore me! Collected images of people standing in front of.... Sure, they act as reminders of a good holiday (or whatever) for the people concerned (not that I need that myself) but to all others I reckon it's a bit tedious.

I've often found that pictures do no justice, they can be flat and lifeless, actually devaluing the memory. Yep, I reckon I prefer to experience the fullness of the now and not disturb or cheapen it by getting the camera out.

I'm not referring to arty shots here btw. Those are in a different category altogether. I can appreciate good photography and image manipulation even though I'm not into it myself.
 

johnnyh

Veteran
Location
Somerset
oddly would agree to a point.

I very rarely take any photgraph with a human in frame... in fact I am more likely to be muttering under my breath at the bloody people in the way of a nice picture.

That said, some of my most valued possessions are photographs of people now departed.
 

Sh4rkyBloke

Jaffa Cake monster
Location
Manchester, UK
johnnyh said:
oddly would agree to a point.

I very rarely take any photgraph with a human in frame... in fact I am more likely to be muttering under my breath at the bloody people in the way of a nice picture.

That said, some of my most valued possessions are photographs of people now departed.
Spot on. Most of my photos before I had kids were of scenery/architecture etc. and I didn't want people in the frame (unless they were providing some form of frame-of-reference to be able to see how big something was (the Einstein statue in Washington DC is a classic example - it looks just "likesize" on a photo... until you get someone in the frame who can sit on one of his legs and look rather small!).

I still tend to want to exclude people as they just mainly put on a cheesy grin and ruin a perfectly good picture, but now most of my stuff is purely of people (mainly the kids) as I don't get chance to go out with the camera much without them.

As Johnnyh said though, piccies of those departed are treasured memories indeed. :o)
 

Pottsy

...
Location
SW London
yello, I understand and I'm completely the same.

I just never get around to taking pictures, perhaps I feel a bit self conscious doing so, particularly in quiet and remote places in different cultures. I feel the action of taking the shot, or even just getting the camera out, can ruin a moment of interaction with people. Also a brief and flitting moment, e.g. wildlife appearance, can be completely missed scrabbling for a camera.

So I tend to think about things at the time and appreciate the moment and try and remember it in my head afterwards.

I do have a very good digital compact camera but barely touch it. I've been away for 6 months before and come back with about 100 shots in total!!

Strangely I really like photography though, exhibitions and quality pictures, so I'm not against photography or photographers, it's just not my bag really.
 

rh100

Well-Known Member
johnnyh said:
oddly would agree to a point.

I very rarely take any photgraph with a human in frame... in fact I am more likely to be muttering under my breath at the bloody people in the way of a nice picture.

That said, some of my most valued possessions are photographs of people now departed.

That, and people you've never met, like Gt Grandparents. It seems that photo's that look like junk shots take on a new value after so many years. The other day I was sorting through a pile of naff photos that got left in a box, but I took out several to keep as whilst at the time they weren't that interesting, it was showing a different time - nostalgia I guess.
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
Pottsy said:
yello, I understand and I'm completely the same.

I just never get around to taking pictures, perhaps I feel a bit self conscious doing so, particularly in quiet and remote places in different cultures. I feel the action of taking the shot, or even just getting the camera out, can ruin a moment of interaction with people. Also a brief and flitting moment, e.g. wildlife appearance, can be completely missed scrabbling for a camera.

So I tend to think about things at the time and appreciate the moment and try and remember it in my head afterwards.

I do have a very good digital compact camera but barely touch it. I've been away for 6 months before and come back with about 100 shots in total!!

Strangely I really like photography though, exhibitions and quality pictures, so I'm not against photography or photographers, it's just not my bag really.

That many ................ I thought you were going to say 3 pics. Easy, you're in paparazzi territory taking that many.
 

Pottsy

...
Location
SW London
Crankarm said:
That many ................ I thought you were going to say 3 pics. Easy, you're in paparazzi territory taking that many.

:becool: Well maybe. I have to say about 95 of them seemed to be of random new friends in various bars though.
 

BigSteev

Senior Member
I take photos - lots, but I know what you mean. Generally if I'm taking photos, it's because that's what I've gone out to do specifically. I find that I rarely take a proper camera with me if I'm just going say for a ride and even if I do I often don't use it.
 

Sh4rkyBloke

Jaffa Cake monster
Location
Manchester, UK
Crankarm said:
That many ................ I thought you were going to say 3 pics. Easy, you're in paparazzi territory taking that many.
100 shots in 6 months... Paparazzi territory??? Errrrm, I must be clinically insane then as I managed just shy of 400 when I first got my camera for our 2 week Honeymoon... and no, there weren't any of *those* types of shots in there either. :becool:;)
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
I have a point and shoot digital and when I go and visit my nephew I reel off a 100 or so in a week. I keep both grannies supplied with prints. I love having lots of pics of him to look at in between visits, and even better, video.

I usually take it out on rides, but don't always take pics - although I try and get a group photo for every CC ride...
 

simonali

Legendary Member
yello said:
It's not the camera. I'd be quite capable of using it, I'm sure, IF I had any interest. I simply have never liked taking photos. Not that I dislike it, I just never think of doing it. I'm sure there are plenty of folk like me.... aren't there?

Yep, me. I often take my camera to shows/on holiday etc and don't use it. I got given a Canon EOS20D last week and all I've done with it so far is update the firmware!
 

paddy01

Senior Member
Location
Exmouth (Devon)
I've a Canon 400D with a couple of decent lenses that I sometimes take out just for the past time of taking some pics. Mainly though it gets used for specific events like weddings etc.

Other wise if it's just snap then it's the little compact jobbie.

Paddy

P.S - Never trust a device where the manual is bigger than the device itself :smile:
 
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