Mixing photography with other interests?

Zen · Aug 7, 2006

OK, wasn't sure where to put this but here goes!

How many people mix photography with another hobby or interest, and if so, what is it? By this I mean actually photographing the subject of your other interest, whether it be birdwatching, gardening, steam trains etc?

For me it's travel. I just couldn't imagine not going on a day out or on holiday without at least one camera.

Stan160 · Aug 7, 2006

I work at quite a few gigs, mostly as a hobby rather than a paying job. Often have my camera behind the monitors desk at side of stage.

jimgalli · Aug 7, 2006

Very much. Steam Locy's and Dead Link Removed come to mind. Just to name a couple of "other" bad habits.

DBP · Aug 7, 2006

I'd like to, but haven't been able to hold on to the right other interest.

Travis Nunn · Aug 7, 2006

I do a lot of hiking and I always carry my camera on the trail.

Papa Tango · Aug 7, 2006

Well, the other interests benefit the photography. I have a full technical service bench set up for all manner of electronic and precision mechanical tasks. One ancillary "hobby" then might be considered rehabbing and modifying photo equipment for my own use and resale on fleabay. Then there is the woodshop, and that blends in and out. Likely this winter, I will begin crafting an 8x10 view camera.

rjs003 · Aug 7, 2006

Wood working and Train watching. Along with photographing old barns and the Amish of upstate New York.
My wife photographs covered bridges and light houses: thus we travel a bit.

Konical · Aug 7, 2006

Good Evening, Ben,

When I was teaching, I spent some time as our yearbook advisor. Sometimes, by default, I ended up shooting some of the photos we needed.

Since I'm also a semi-serious philatelist (photo gear and supplies don't take enough of my disposable income), I sometimes use various stamps as subject matter.

Konical

removed account4 · Aug 7, 2006

hi ben

my hobbies include "industrial archaeology" and "commercial archaeology".
( learning about mills, factories ( olde abandonned stuff ) and the roadside and commerical architecture ( and neon! ) of the years between ww1 and ww2. i tend to take photographs of that sort of stuff too ...

Jeremy · Aug 7, 2006

hrm, i greatly enjoy music and photograph a number of bands, i enjoy drinking beer and i photograph my friends and i enjoying that bit of fun, too. the same with the theatre.

about to take up screen printing, which should be a hoot.

copake_ham · Aug 7, 2006

Trying to combine my two primary interests has always been a dilemma for me.

Besides photography, I am an avid bicyclist. The former requires carrying tons of gear to do it the way I want to do. The latter requires travelling as "light" as possible.

When I am "shooting" I'm wishing I was on my bicycle. When I'm on my bike I see a million photos I would like to take but cannot because I don't want to stop riding!

This dilemma is the square I cannot fit in the circle of my life and it's bugged me for years!

Gay Larson · Aug 7, 2006

I am absolutely terrified of allowing myself any other interest besides photography. I have spent so much of my retirement on photography that I don't dare find something else that requires equipment or something expensive to buy. I tend to overdo everything. Now, I'm not saying I'm obsessive compulsive but I'm definitely an addictive and pefectionist personality as any of my family and friends will tell you. So I have to rein it in. (wow, I sound awful as I read this, I may need therapy).

colrehogan · Aug 7, 2006

Gay Larson said:
I am absolutely terrified of allowing myself any other interest besides photography. I have spent so much of my retirement on photography that I don't dare find something else that requires equipment or something expensive to buy. I tend to overdo everything. Now, I'm not saying I'm obsessive compulsive but I'm definitely an addictive and pefectionist personality as any of my family and friends will tell you. So I have to rein it in. (wow, I sound awful as I read this, I may need therapy).

No Gay, you're just like so many of us out here.

glbeas · Aug 7, 2006

I used to do a lot of caving and carried a 35mm camera in an ammo box into most every cave I've visited. I also carried a 35mm with me on my dirt bike when I was puttering all over the woods back home. This one got on the cover of a national caving newsletter so I'm rightly proud of it.

naturephoto1 · Aug 7, 2006

glbeas said:
I used to do a lot of caving and carried a 35mm camera in an ammo box into most every cave I've visited. I also carried a 35mm with me on my dirt bike when I was puttering all over the woods back home. This one got on the cover of a national caving newsletter so I'm rightly proud of it.

Gary,

Congrats on the publication. As a caver and cave photographer, perhaps you might know, or know of my friend Peter Jones. Peter did the latest shoot of Carlsbad Caverns for the NP service. He shot this a few years ago, it was the first shoot of the Caverns in I believe Peter said something like 50 years. I gave Peter assistance on using a large format camera (in this case a Crown Graphic) for part of the shoot. Peter is actually doing 2 cave photography workshops at the Caverns this summer.

Rich

roteague · Aug 7, 2006

ZenzanonBen said:
For me it's travel. I just couldn't imagine not going on a day out or on holiday without at least one camera.

That is a passion of mine as well. I also like to write about my experiences (although I'm not very good at it).

naturephoto1 · Aug 8, 2006

With me at this point they are one and the same, especially since I have supplied Stock images and now attempt to make a living selling my images primarily through Art Shows. My interests have been in Landscape as well as Nature and Wildlife. From this and out of necessity I have gained an interest in observing birds and wildlife (which is also part of my education) as well as hiking and short distance backpacking. But though these trips and day adventures may appear from the outside as fun or vacation, they are in fact for the purpose of taking photographs.

Rich

Steve Smith · Aug 8, 2006

I generally do not like taking pictures with people in but I have done some shots for websites and promotional literature for my musician friends and have enjoyed getting the scene right and setting up lighting etc. I don't think I would want to do it to a greater extent than this though - certainly not professionally.

Steve.

ricksplace · Aug 8, 2006

I'm an avid shooter. While I don't often combine the two types of shooting, the skills I have learned from building long range rifles (machining skills) are really useful for camera repairs. The tools I have for gunsmithing (11"X4' lathe with milling attachment, needle files, drill press, etc. etc.) are often used for camera repairs.

glbeas · Aug 8, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
Gary,

Congrats on the publication. As a caver and cave photographer, perhaps you might know, or know of my friend Peter Jones. Peter did the latest shoot of Carlsbad Caverns for the NP service. He shot this a few years ago, it was the first shoot of the Caverns in I believe Peter said something like 50 years. I gave Peter assistance on using a large format camera (in this case a Crown Graphic) for part of the shoot. Peter is actually doing 2 cave photography workshops at the Caverns this summer.

Rich

Thanks! This has been years ago and I'm out of the caving scene for health and safety reasons though I'd love to be on another expedition. I don't know Peter but the caving community is quite large so it's not surprising. I'd love to see some LF cave shots, that has to be the epitome of difficult! I've been wanting to try it myself one day. Are any of these shots online?

davetravis · Aug 8, 2006

This is an easy one!
The reason there's so much water in my nature stuff, is because when I'm not shooting, I'm fishing!

naturephoto1 · Aug 8, 2006

glbeas said:
Thanks! This has been years ago and I'm out of the caving scene for health and safety reasons though I'd love to be on another expedition. I don't know Peter but the caving community is quite large so it's not surprising. I'd love to see some LF cave shots, that has to be the epitome of difficult! I've been wanting to try it myself one day. Are any of these shots online?

Hi Gary,

I know that Peter had real problems using the Crown Graphic, he had the original screen and he had problems focusing. He also shot in 35mm and digital. Paul C. Buff loaned the lighting equipment for the shoot. It was quite a task to light such a large area. Peter published an article in I believe Photo Techniques as well some other articles. Both he and Carlsbad Caverns have images and the rights to them.

Peter is a long time caver, cave photographer and potter. In fact I met Peter some years ago at an Art Show in Marco Island, FL. I gave Peter as much guidance as I could at the show before he went to do the photos. He did make an acknowledgement in the article (s). We have now been friends for some years. Unfortunately we only get to see each other occasionally particularly at Art Shows. But he put me up for part of a week this past June.

Below is Peter's website info; obviously you are interested in the caving and not the potting. I am not sure how much is large format, 35mm, or digital:

www.pjcaver.com

Rich

Schlapp · Aug 8, 2006

I used to race bicycles. Now I work coaching people to ride on the Velodrome here in Manc. UK. I wish I could ride but CFS has curtailed that. However, I do get to snap a few Olympic champions and the like - but usually off the bike.

glbeas · Aug 8, 2006

naturephoto1 said:
Hi Gary,

Below is Peter's website info; obviously you are interested in the caving and not the potting. I am not sure how much is large format, 35mm, or digital:

www.pjcaver.com

Rich

Cool site. Reminds me of the publication I have a copy of, Lechuguilla Jewel of the Underground. Similar high quality pictures in an extremely alien environment.

DBP · Aug 8, 2006

copake_ham said:
Trying to combine my two primary interests has always been a dilemma for me.

Besides photography, I am an avid bicyclist. The former requires carrying tons of gear to do it the way I want to do. The latter requires travelling as "light" as possible.

When I am "shooting" I'm wishing I was on my bicycle. When I'm on my bike I see a million photos I would like to take but cannot because I don't want to stop riding!

This dilemma is the square I cannot fit in the circle of my life and it's bugged me for years!

Have you tried carrying an old 6x9 folder?

Mixing photography with other interests?

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