What setting environment do you photograph with?

[rayonline_nz]

Not necessarily what you do most but with your ideal type of photography interest where and how do you photograph? I mean do you just do the walk about and photograph people you encounter with, do you plan it and out and set off on a sunrise or plan that trip to the zoo or safari somewhere or some national park. Are you mainly indoors and take photo's of people or products.

I ask this question because when I am with others like the family I find it difficult to photograph outdoors because I do the planning for a sunrise and sunset. It conflicts with normal people's priority. Sunrise they are in bed still so that's ok, sunset that's dinner time. If I were to go to a photogenic place like the rural place or a national park they won't be that interested because they are more into busy cities with restaurants and coffee shops and traditional shops (they're from Asia).

For me whether here or thru travel I do the sunrise and sunsets and if I could I base myself at a national park with lakes etc. I set it by myself with my camera and tripod at dawn and dusk. Mostly, dawn.


Cheers.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

Outdoors. Generally sans humans with the exception of motorsports.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Outdoor without people.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Most of my photography is travel-based (I'm just too busy during the rest of the year when I'm teaching) so most of it is outdoors. I don't mind people in my photos, and sometimes intentionally include them, but probably 80-90% of my photos are without people. Since I'm single and travel by myself I have no problem getting up early for sunrise (although not so important in cities) or waiting for sunset/dusk (dinner time), especially the latter, as I very rarely go out to eat at restaurants alone, and can snack while I wait for the right light. I live in Kyoto, which has some pretty photogenic areas, but I hate having to deal with tourists all the time so rarely go out with a camera (plus, how many temples and shrines and cherry blossoms can you photograph? It gets repetitious after a while). That said, I've discovered that I enjoy photographing some of these places at night, because they are virtually deserted and it presents a different perspective that what we are used to seeing. In the past, when there were interesting conditions (beautiful light, light rain, fog, etc) I always thought "oh, I should go somewhere to photograph" but I really wouldn't have any idea where to start (Kyoto can be overwhelming that way). But since I've been exploring these neighbourhoods at night as alternatives to my nightly neighbourhood walk, I now have a shortlist of places I could go at a moment's (and subway ride's) notice. I hope to do a lot more of that in the upcoming year.

When I am with people I find it frustrating to photograph anything because they get bored or frustrated quickly, so I often end up not taking any photos.

 

[Two23]

My favorite conditions are to photo at night, during a blizzard, when it's well below zero (F). I like to photo trains at night using flash, and the harsher the conditions the more dramatic the photos tend to be. Plus, I love the challenge. Generally speaking I like to photo at night, and I love the deepest cold of winter.


Kent in SD

 

[Helios 1984]

I do very little inside photography, most of the time I will go outside with a camera and take a stroll. Most of my subject are buildings, vehicles (Locomotives in particular), signboards etc etc From time to time I will include humans in the picture but I am a bit shy about it.

 

[Vaughn]

I generally just sit and enjoy sunrises and sunsets, and save my photography for the times inbetween. I tend just to wander and find the light as I go. Little or no scouting, nor planned images to find. I'll head to a place (like Death Valley or Tongariro National Park) and figure out where to go once I get there.

 

[papagene]

Outdoors... I like to photograph things that don't move (on their own) or don't talk back!

 

[MrBrowning]

Most of my photography is outdoors. Landscapes, farm animals, barns, stream, trees all that good stuff. The rest of it is inside and it's flowers. I don't like to photograph people though I'm trying my damnedest to start doing it.

 

[Vaughn]

This is about as close as I like getting. This fellow was heading towards me, but turned side hill. (Rolleiflex, 80mm). I was ready for a closer image, but I am glad he turned -- but gave no indication that he saw me.

 

[removed account4]

i do a mix of a few things ... sometimes outdoors, random stuff, old buildings random walkabouts, local places i visit often places
close by, like my side or front yard, things overlooked .. also strangers ... sometimes i phone first sometimes i wander in " hey do you mind
if i take your portrait" then i go to the car and get the camera .. sometimes a small one ( 35mm ) sometimes bigger ( 4x5 or 5x7 ) .. sometimes the Dthing for a commission
and sometimes inside if the weather is lousy or i can't get out for whatever reason. plenty of stuff within 300 feet of where i stand at any given moment
to photograph .. as ferris said: life moves pretty fast. if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

 

[markbarendt]

Weddings. Similar events that people get dressed up for.

Edit;
I want to give examples of 'get dressed up for' because it's a really loose definition.

When one goes mountain camping with ones buddies, the participants put on costumes of sorts to do that. Rodeos, Rotary projects, club activities...

The common thread is that people are focussed and interacting in a shared social situation.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I always liked to watch people. And their stories. More you watch, more stories you'll be able to read.
And more you practice in photography of people, more stories you'll be able to tell.
This is one of my first attempt to catch the story and sunset in one frame. Taken in eighties.

And this is same camera, same lens in 2013.

But by the 2013 I ditched tripod, sunrises and sunsets on the mobile phone. It does it well in HDR mode.
Where are many obvious stories, but I'm trying to tell something less creaming as colorful sunsets.

And to be honest, I'm even more worse with taking of colorful sunsets on film, than taking bw pictures of people .

 

[Alan Klein]

When I travel with my wife, I realize that good light only happens if I'm lucky. Like you said, sunrise we're sleeping (Usually) although when we cruised the Caribean, I made it my business to get up a sunrise as we were getting into a new island so I can get pictures. But must of the time otherwise we're sleeping and sunrise we're getting ready for dinner.

So I have started to only take my P&S camera that I can keep in my pocket. I can make travel "slides" when I get home as they're good enough. But artsy type stuff I leave for when I'm home and can go myself on my schedule. That's life.

 

[Arklatexian]

i do a mix of a few things ... sometimes outdoors, random stuff, old buildings random walkabouts, local places i visit often places
close by, like my side or front yard, things overlooked .. also strangers ... sometimes i phone first sometimes i wander in " hey do you mind
if i take your portrait" then i go to the car and get the camera .. sometimes a small one ( 35mm ) sometimes bigger ( 4x5 or 5x7 ) .. sometimes the Dthing for a commission
and sometimes inside if the weather is lousy or i can't get out for whatever reason. plenty of stuff within 300 feet of where i stand at any given moment
to photograph .. as ferris said: life moves pretty fast. if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

I have always said that I would stroll about outside (when I was physically able) until I saw something that caused a small voice inside me say:"take my picture"! In other words a "found picture" as some of the old photographers used to say. These have been my best work, even the ones I found in my back yard which, at this stage of life, is probably where I will find my future pictures. Understand please that I'm not knocking what is out there waiting for me. In the past, one of my favorite subjects would be an old abandoned house or building where I could almost "feel" the optimism of the builders when they built the structure. If I can drive to such an opportunity with tripod and cameras, even now, I would be as happy as a turtle on a log in the sunshine.....Regards!...,I do have studio lights and a place to use them but I reserve those for family pictures.

 

[MattKing]

I've a few friends who joke that if it isn't a tree, I don't photograph it.
And I really do like to photograph trees.
But I take lots of other types of photos, both colour and black and white, and at least some of them are of people.
I used to do weddings and portraits, so I'm not as excited by them as I used to.
Here is one with all sorts of environments - how would you classify it :?

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Outdoors with or without people.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

I do people on occasion. Then again both of these are from the '80s.

​

 

[rayonline_nz]

Thanks all. So I take it most of you are in urban environments? That can be easier when they go and do their own things right like coffee and shopping. Not saying that they all do that but you get the drift ...

Like Alan says, for me I really have to do my own trips by myself or with other like-minded individuals. After taking them to a smaller town which was pretty much just about national parks they didn't like it too much and there was nothing for them to do.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have a few special places I like to go to photograph. Kamloops area, up around Williams Lake, for BC. That's mainly landscape work and old First Nation churches. Every few years, I drive out to Saskatchewan for landscape and Ukrainian churchs. Most of my photography is outdoors, but I also shoot indoors (churches). These trips I usually go alone. I can't have distractions. My wife usually comes with me if it's a long trip, like out to Saskatchewan (I grew up there and have family and friends there). She's great company, very patient, and fully understands why I have to do this. She's a trooper!

 

[MattKing]

So I take it most of you are in urban environments?

Urban forests are my favourite: