Prefer to work alone?

Christopher Nisperos said:

Truth be told, I almost wish I could post this anonymously. I feel a bit ashamed to have this attitude. Some might say I'm over-sensitive. But, damn it, creativity is a fragile thing. If a shot is bad, I accept the criticism. However, if it's good, I want full credit! Am I alone in this sentiment?


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Chris,

There are only a very few people that I will go out shooting with. Beleive me they know to keep their mouth shut most of the time. What irks me more are people (strangers) that want to come up and talk to me while I'm working.

I shoot much better without others asking questions or trying to give advice.

I'm with you on this don't feel ashamed, it's a good attitude to have in my opinion.

Christopher Nisperos said:

This will perhaps seem selfish, but as I get older I realize that I'm really beginning to hate being with another photographer when doing street shooting or fine-art landscape work. I can't stand comments or "advice" while I'm trying to create or —worse— when I discover something to photograph and the other photographer says something like, "Why are you going photograph that?. The bubble gets burst and ruins my impulsion to shoot.
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you're not selfish. but you left out the part where you're setting up a shot with your 4x5 and somebody comes up and stands right next to you with their little p&s digital. And they always have their whiny little kids and their yapping little dog with them. The dog is never on a leash either. They could have stood anywhere else, but no, they had to stand two feet next to you. Always on slippery rocks too.

I used to go with my friend, but inevitably she says something about the lighting or you can tell she's bored. From now on - I go solo. My boyfriend (not a photographer) told me I needed some crime scene tape and just tape off the whole park ("my park"). He teases me about how I hate being around people. So now I go when the weather keeps normal people inside. That's when I get the most endorphin highs!

It's so nice to know that I'm not alone in how I feel about it.

I usually photograph alone. In part this is due to my location, but also just personal habits. The kinds of things I get in my head to explore visually and my generally haphazard scheduling make it unlikely another photographer would be able to accompany me on a regular basis anyway.

However, one of my current projects has me taking photographs of huge crowds. Many of the people in the crowds also have cameras, but I'm really photographing alone.

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting our very own roteague in Honolulu. We each showed up with a camera and spent some time walking around discussing photography and...taking photographs. It was great. Totally different photo gear and the primary goal was to chat rather than shoot, so perhaps not the same as the question posed, but certainly a fine evening of photography.

copake_ham said:

I think I understand your situation.

There's a neighbor I've met at our Tucson place who tells me he was once an avid 35mm film shooter. Then, before I met him, he went "digital".

He's a really nice guy, but it's like he has some kind of "religious fervor" for his chosen format. He was not only surprised to find out that I shoot film - he was amazed that you could still buy it!

My wife and I are both newbie, and only part-time, residents of Tucson, so we want to build new friendships. I used to think I'd like to go shooting with the guy, carrying either (or both) 35mm or MF but am very reluctant to do so.

I just get the feeling that he'll be firing away like Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny while I'm trying to compose a single shot. And then I'll have to deal with the conflict the D v. F thing; and how with D you can just "delete" the "images" you don't like etc. etc. - so who cares how many shots you take?

It's too bad. He's a really nice guy otherwise, and our wives get along etc. so we socialize regularly. But I just feel he'd never be a good photo buddy - so I figure I shouldn't try sharing that side of myself with him.

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Hey George, Just go shooting. head for Tanque Verde Wash, The Bario or Sabino Canyon and shoot away. Just explain how you work when out to exclusively take picture.

I used to shoot with a friend who had started with digital. He would take a million pictures, 30 of the same thing. Fiddle with settings, show me the little pictures on the screen. I would silently scoff and be glad that I had shot 8 or 9 rolls of film. Anyhow, one day he asks me what MF outfit would be good. He ended up going for a Mamiya 7 and has since bought the wide lenses (what a jerk, huh?)
I like to think that my prints and negatives helped steer him in a better direction for himself. Only probably that I would think he has is shooting color 120 film and sending it off. I used to work for a store that developed film. Even I couldn't afford to shoot color unless the film were seriously outdated and I printed behind the boss' back.

I'm glad I shot with him. It was fun to watch his batteries die. Then he had to go buy that beautiful real camera and shoot the sharpest negs i've yet to see. Argh.

I usually work alone...not sure why. I only started processing my own film when I took the course up at the local community college last year. I enjoyed every minute off that class except when the darkroom was crowded. It wasn't much fun trying to relax and enjoy the work with students whining about the lack of digital involvement in the class though they weren't all like that. So I purchased my own darkroom supplies and an enlarger and work out of the house.

My wife fully supports me although she prefers "the automated world" with her P/S digital camera. That's fine with me, as she'll always gush over my photos no matter how poor I find them. Plus, she'll give me all the time I need if we're on a trip, hike, etc. to take photos.

I have a good friend who shoots digital; his girlfriend too. We used to take day trips together and shoot. It was fun to compare images of the same subject and see how differently we shot. The last trip we took with them was a bit of a disaster though. They kept fighting with each other, and my friend was upset with me for teasing him about his "chimping". So we no longer take long road trips with them.

The rest of my friends don't comment much on my photography. If they did, they'd probably think it was digital anyways. If people know I am into photography, the first thing they want to know is why I don't shoot digital and photoshop my pictures. I try to explain to them the merits of processing and printing your own work but their eyes usually glaze over. So I've truncated my responses to: "I enjoy film more" , "You know you've really worked hard when you comme out with a great print and you stink like fixer (What's fixer?)" or "I spend enough time at work in front the computer...why would I want to spend more agonizing over a digital image?". I suppose the last one is hypocritical of me; I tend to do my color work digitally...as rare as that is.

I guess it is safe to say I haven't met any other photographers who share the same sort of photographic interests as I do, but that is fine with me. So long as my wife is happy to be alongside me while I'm shooting that's all the acceptance I need!

Knowing from another thread that the vast majority here are introverts, I can understand most wanting to shoot alone. I personally enjoy shooting with a group - duh, I'm one of only a dozen extroverts on this site - but I also understand personal space and I don't think I'm a back seat driver or blab about nothing when in a group shoot (Whitey, Gene, Bethe, Drew, Jim, David, others? Back me up here ...).

Then again, I do like to shoot alone too at times. Particularly when I have a purpose in mind. Interestingly, once I've achieved my purpose I like to talk about it, but not necessarily show any of the images. Which is why I have tens of thousands of undisplayed slides. Strange.

I actually like shooting with folks who have different equipment or styles. I like observing folks from afar. Large format shooters make great companions since in the 20 minutes it takes them to shoot one sheet, I can wonder around with my Hassey and maybe take half a roll on my own! LOL

Regards, Art.

My wife and I go out photographing together, but almost always find different directions to go once we get there. Just a case of seeing differently.

Pinholemaster said:

But it sounds like from the answers here, that you guys shouldn't carry guns. Photo Road Rage, look out. Grin.

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That would reduce the weight a little. I am inclined to think that if someone saw a gun in your kit they would be done asking questions. (Is that a hasselblad?) Just might have to put one in there.

I enjoy meeting and conversing with other photographers. Its always interesting to get different perspectives on things. I don't think I could handle someone hounding every move I did though.

This thread has made me wonder if I'm an annoying photographer? I hope not!

Photographing alone in forest ...

Kilgallb said:

Last week a hunter walking alone in Kananaskis Country was killed by a Grizzly bear. My wife freaked as I was out alone shooting the same weekend. So, I probably have no choice but the find a photo buddy. I have tried non-photo hiking companions, but they are usually to impatient to wait 30 minutes for me while I set up a shot.

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I'm seeing your post for the first time more than four years after you wrote it .. so I hope it's not too late. My twisted sense of humor can't resist: I think the solution, Kilgallb, is —if you're photographing alone in Kananaskis Country— to pack a gun. It'll also keep your impatient hiking companions quiet (don't tell them you're packin' a heater until you arrive at the desolate spot you want to Anselize). As well, when you arrive home with a furry new rug to put down in front of the hearth, you can respond to your wife's surprised look with, "What's wrong? I told you I'd be out shooting in the forest, didn't I ?"

(I realize that this is the "Ethics and Philosophy" category, so I repeat: this is a joke! Sorry ... it's late here and I obviously have time on my hands)

My partner is a photo buddy most of the time. I understand however how important it is to just do your own damn thing though. If I didn't, I'd likely completely miss shots. Remembering the basic photographic principal is that we're capturing a snippet of time and depending on the subject, if you don't go 'click' at it, its gone and you won't get it back.

Working alone has distinct benefits, I completely agree and normally love being alone. However at other times working around another photographer, regardless of their skill level can open you up to another way of thinking (or occasionally reinforce your own ).

Big Boots

Sounds like you all need to buy a good pair of steel-toe-capped boots, a swift kick in the hanging bits usually takes the breath out of free advice givers and scoffing digiographers - Exceptions are the two former silver jelly digiographers whose Leica, Focomat 1c with Multigrade head and 21mm lens I use for everlasting free

On the issue of safety, I now prefer to work in the landscape with someone else around, preferably with a second car - Australia is big and hot

I like working with others, but with some reservations. The first being that it can't be too large of a group. The second is more important: I find that when you're taking photos together, you need to give each other space. Two people taking the same pictures of the same subjects makes no sense, but when you just casually wander about and each find your own composition, it's a lot of fun. And what's more important, if you have a buddy that likes photography as well, you can motivate each other to go out more and just shoot.

It's not that I mind photographing with anyone else, but I've never produced any decent work while doing so except for one time. My daughter had an assignment for her high school photo course, so we went down to the National Cathedral. She used the Hasselblad and I photographed with my 8x10. But we were out of earshot in completely separate parts of the building the entire afternoon. So maybe I was really by myself after all. Anyway, that day was the only time I make a photograph on an excursion with anyone else that I'm putting into my body of work. Who knows why.