When you go out shooting............

[Misled]

..........how do you like to go? I saw the pic Doug took and thought, everytime someone took a pic I'd be checking to see if I hit the shutter release by mistake.

Personally, I like to go alone. My wife comes along but she leaves me alone and we are apart as much as together. I like the feeling of being by myself with nature and also don't like it when someone scares something I'm trying to capture.

 

[BlueCorn]

Jesse, like you I usually go alone although my wife comes along an awful lot. She's pretty good about hiking around the area and keeping herself entertained while I shoot.

The picture that I posted was taken during a fall workshop in the Eastern Sierra. I was there to teach so it wasn't a big deal having folks around.

 

[xtm]

I prefer to shoot by myself also. This way I don't have to worry about other people and I can focus on composition and truly have fun.

I once went to a photography meetup group and there were about 20 people. It felt awkward walking in the park and everyone kept asking us "are you some sort of a club?" Not to mention you have to deal with showoffs, chimpers, and other photographers talking loudly that you can't even enjoy nature.

 

[Recty]

I usually shoot by myself, but not because I want to, normally because my wife gets bored sitting there as I take 50 pictures of a bug

She is really good about not disturbing whatever I'm trying to shoot, I've never said to myself "Man, why did I bring her along?!?" so that's a good thing

I've never gone out shooting with anyone other than her though, I dont think I'd like to try the 20 photographer thing that you did, xtm

 

[Misled]

I figured that's what that was Doug. Just seeing all the people and equipment made me wonder.

Recty, my wife will take 20 pics of a bug after I take 50 pics.

 

[IPT]

Often solo. My last g/f was really good about being patient though. Never complained....well there was that once when it was -20F we were camping for Aurora pics and she had to pee at like 3AM. I was ROFLMAO as she cused trying to get out of her warm sleeping bag when the cold hit. Then when she came back she had a few choice words nad a whole lot of teeth chattering that were quite entertaining too. Though after that, once she was zipped up a few mins with an empty bladder she was good to go. A lot of the time I liked to have her with me. She was a good bear lookout, and a good model too.

One time we were watching some moose rut. She started getting all paniky...."he's looking right at me....he looks really mad!!...I'm scared......".....then I started laughing and pointed out that she was looking thru the binoculars and that the moose was like 1/2 a mile away! Priceless I tell you, priceless.

I find that if I am going out with friends I rarely take the good gear. Unless I am expecting to shoot and they know about it. They know my work and are usually willing to wait because they like to see the final products. Though honestly, it rushes me anyway because I feel bad making them stand around. Often just count on IS and go sans the tripod.

 

[Reef Bass]

Y'all are good people to be concerned with what your friends and companions are feeling while you're getting busy with the shutter release.

That's a terrific shot of your gf standing on the rocks with the mountains behind her. Good balance of sizing her large enough to recognize while still letting the scale of the place come through.

 

[MBZ]

I'm not a serious photographer as some of you, but I encourage my wife and kids to come along with me most of the time. I bought my wife a P&S camera and even my girls, 8 & 10, have a little cheap camera to play with when we go somewhere. At least my wife enjoys one of my hobbies; she will not step foot in a LFS anymore.

Mark

 

[IPT]

cool deal MBZ getting the little ones started early! Could get expensive though in afew years when they want some "real" gear .

TS - yeah, I have a few pulled back even more that Ilke because you can really see the enomity of the place...but yeah, you'd have no idea what she looked like or probably even if it was a girl or not! That place is stupendous, but it was straight up for about an hour and half (not to mention the hour or so to get to the base).