I'm spending too much time on msg boards!

David_Manning

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I wish I had the self-discipline to stop focusing so much on camera equipment, and just go out and shoot!

I find myself always saying, "If I only had ___ I could do ___."

I need to shoot more, and winter tends to put me in this funk, maybe because it's harder to just head out the door and stay comfortable.

So please take this as my own public declaration that I'm going to start shooting more and not worry about technical limitation.

----David.
 
I was curious what the weather was like in your town after you mentioned not staying comfortable when going outside, so I plugged it in on weather.com. The lowest temp in the next 10 days is 68 degrees F. Buck up!! Put some shorts and a tshirt on, put some film (or one of those newfangled digi card things) in your camera and enjoy yourself.
 
How about a short term plan of shooting a bit (one roll or the digital equivalent) and producing a finished, keeper print, matted and framed?

edit: I've seen some of your work in other threads, and it is superb.
 
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Just go for a walk with your camera... you'll find something to photograph. Perhaps look at a photo book for inspiration?
 
Just go for a walk with your camera... you'll find something to photograph. Perhaps look at a photo book for inspiration?

I second the idea for a walk - it never fails to get me shooting. Just bring a fixed lens camera, or a camera with a single lens, and see how you get on :)
 
A walk with a camera is a wonderful thing, better if you have a dog for company and some intelligent conversation but not essential.
 
Weather is my curse this winter. It's either too wet, too cold, or both.

Here is a thought for you. Last Saturday morning I was able to get out and start a project I've had in mind for the past few months. I spent a couple hours taking photo's for it. A roll of TMAX 400 and one of Portra 400 in total. I've developed, scanned and reviewed the TMAX. I'll pick up the Portra from the lab on Saturday and scan it. On Sunday the weather was even worse than it had been Saturday morning, so I ran so errands and scouted a couple locations, plus got a tip on a location to check out. Last night I had some free time, so I started working up a "plan of action" for the project. Mapping out what I want to accomplish, what I want to photograph, and what I want to find to photograph. I now have a list of 9 places to go and take photo's for the project!

Now I just need to find some nice weather and the time to work on it... Oh, and a wider lens for my Hasselblad... :D
 
A walk with a camera is a wonderful thing, better if you have a dog for company and some intelligent conversation but not essential.

I've ended up with way too many puppy pictures that no one is really interested in seeing.

Having lived in Florida these last 20 years I forget what the cold weather is like, but it seems to me that if you always have your camera with you -- ALWAYS -- then you'll stumble over a roll or two of pictures a week.

I echo the idea of a project. Cemeteries are great for that. The subject is a little trite, but there's always new ways of seeing things.
 
I too suffer from winter blues. In my neck of the woods we've had dark and cold weather since last October and no end in sight before April/May. I've tried to find something interesting to shoot but failed miserably. I just ended a roll shooting my latest camera gear, yeah I know.. how low can one go.
 
It may be that you just need to open up to more subjects? Just go out there with the attitude that anything is photographable. It's up to you to make the photograph worth looking at though. Winter is no excuse, unless you physically cannot get out of the house. Winter is a wonderful time to photograph... even if you have to use a tripod at night, there are photos to be made.
 
I too suffer from winter blues. In my neck of the woods we've had dark and cold weather since last October and no end in sight before April/May. I've tried to find something interesting to shoot but failed miserably. I just ended a roll shooting my latest camera gear, yeah I know.. how low can one go.

Do even go outside in the winter in Helsinki? Makes me cold just to think about it.

I love your photographs. You have a good eye. Cute dog too.
 
Yep...all great points and justifications.

Maybe I just need to start a project called "Neighbors" and take neighborhood portraits. It seems as good an excuse as any to stroll with a camera.

Now that I think about it, that might really make a good project! Hooray for RFF!
 
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