# Those perfect pictures that escape us...



## HoopyFrood (Nov 21, 2008)

Since starting this photography lark, I now see potential pictures everywhere (I don't see dead people, I see photographs...) and it's most annoying when you're, for example, in a car and unable to take the picture or, even worse, _sans_ camera. 

Then there are those times when you see an absolute perfect picture moment that makes you die a little inside because you haven't got your camera. This happened to me three times over the past day and a half.

Yesterday I went to Dorset. I decided not to take my camera with me; I assumed I'd see a couple of things I'd be itching to take photos of, but I'd be able to stay strong. It was a four hour bus ride to get there and towards the end the sky happened to have the most beautiful, dazzling sunset I've ever seen. Typical.

This morning my friends and I went for a walk. When heading back up a hill, away from the sea, I happened to turn and saw the most perfect set up: two hills sloping inwards, a patch of sea between them, a lone sailing boat on the water and cows grazing on the grass in the foreground. Bloody typical.

For a while now I've been wanting to take good pictures of birds, particularly ones like robins etc. I knew there was one that appeared in our garden and I put seeds out hoping to coax it out, but to no avail. Then today when we were having lunch, a robin appeared in a bush. And then got closer and closer until it was about a _metre away_ and was purposely looking photogenic, perching on branches, flicking its tail and generally just mocking me.  

So, here's a thread to moan about those photos that got away. We may have missed the chance, but we can always console ourselves by having a good rant about it.


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## sloweye (Nov 21, 2008)

I have a small kodak digi cam i keep in my jacket pocket fo such situations, and if i get desperate i have a 3mp key ring cam, it dosent have a flash but it dose mean i can capture the moment
i got used to snaping from a moving van, even from the driver seat once or twice.


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## Tillane (Nov 21, 2008)

Photos that got away?  Your own pic of me from Carlisle.  I've since been asked to provide a pic to a publisher, and the one you took is perfect - but doesn't hit the resolution criteria.

Damn.


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## HoopyFrood (Nov 21, 2008)

How do you mean? Would sending you the original help, or is there something about the photo that just doesn't meet their requirements?


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## Tillane (Nov 21, 2008)

No, I saved it down from where you posted it before the crash, but they're after something with higher res - 300dpi or higher and 5 inches by 5 inches.  Tried resampling it, but the publisher said it was too blurry.  Swines.


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## Wybren (Nov 21, 2008)

You mean that one where your sitting at the table there? That is a great photo, and it didn't look at all blurry!

Well this is more of a moan about my own slackness as far as reading the manual for my camera. Thursday night we had this awesomely wicked storm with really fantastic lightning displays and I couldn't get my camera of auto focus to take the photos quick enough


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## Tillane (Nov 21, 2008)

Wybren said:


> You mean that one where your sitting at the table there? That is a great photo, and it didn't look at all blurry!


That's the one.  It isn't blurry, either - but it's only at 72x72 dpi, and when I've tried to increase it, it does get a tad blurry.  What I need is a photo like that, but at 300dpi.  And I ain't got one...


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## sloweye (Nov 21, 2008)

Tillane said:


> That's the one.  It isn't blurry, either - but it's only at 72x72 dpi, and when I've tried to increase it, it does get a tad blurry.  What I need is a photo like that, but at 300dpi.  And I ain't got one...




If my old man gets a job up your way i'll jump in the van and bring my camera


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## Wybren (Nov 21, 2008)

We need another meet up in Carlisle then!


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## Tillane (Nov 21, 2008)

In order...

Thanks, sloweye!

And...

Yes, we definitely do, Wy.  And soon.  And someone needs to bring their 10MP camera.  Naming no names.  OR.


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## HoopyFrood (Nov 22, 2008)

Ah...the camera I used _is_ 10MP. The original picture is much bigger, I just always downsize them when I put them on the Chrons...


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## Wybren (Nov 22, 2008)

Yeah I use a 10mp camera, as does Leish (as we have the exact same one )


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## Ursa major (Nov 22, 2008)

Wybren said:


> Yeah I use a 10mp camera, as does Leish (as we have the exact same one )


 
Don't you two live a bit far apart for sharing a camera? 


(And shame on you, Hoopy, for not realising that you'd get a beautiful sunset in Dorset. * shakes head *)


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## Wybren (Nov 22, 2008)

Yeah, but we use a special teleportation device to send it across the planet..


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## Pyan (Nov 22, 2008)

Wybren said:


> Yeah, but we use a special teleportation device to send it across the planet..



Across? Surely a teleport would send it _through_...

Do you think these big SLR-type cameras worth the extra cost and weight? 
My little Canon Powershot A470 has 7.1 mps - that's nearly ¾ as many mps for a lot less money and no discernable deterioration in quality at the scales most pictures are viewed at.


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## HoopyFrood (Nov 22, 2008)

Ah, it's not all about the size of the MP, though. When I see a photo taken on a SLR I immediately know that it's been taken with such (although my friends can't seem to...maybe it's just because I want an SLR so much ). There's a quality about those cameras that make them recognisable from other cameras. Particularly in pictures of people, I find. 

And I know there are always beautiful sunsets down here in t'South, Ursa. I've seen and taken many pictures of such. But that sunset the other night was just the most gorgeous sky I'd ever seen. Everyone on the bus was saying so and taking photos on phones and compact cameras and such.


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## Wybren (Nov 22, 2008)

HMM I dunno exactly what route it takes, sometimes it may go through, and other times it may go across, depends on if it feels like taking the scenic way or not  

I think both have their merits certainly, there are some things you cant do with SLR like, mm take it in your pocket for quick and easy shots, but then there are limits to the point and click ones if your into doing that sort of stuff. And good choice with the Canon, for our point and clicks we always use a canon. Our current one is the S2IS which still is takes a really good shot.


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## Pyan (Nov 22, 2008)

HoopyFrood said:


> But that sunset the other night was just the most gorgeous sky I'd ever seen.



Was that last night, Hoops? Red amd orange halfway round the sky, with long crossways bars of high cloud? And I didn't have mine with me, either...



Wybren said:


> .And good choice with the Canon, for our point and clicks we always use a canon.



Yes, it's a nice compromise between quality and handiness. 

Mind you, I could only use it on Auto until recently - it took a real addict to show me the possibilities...


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## Wybren (Nov 22, 2008)

Sometimes that is all it takes Py 

My mother in law just got a Canon powershot something or other, anyway it takes great shots, she uses the auto setting but I had a play around with the scene settings and it is really very good, the colours are amazing.


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## HoopyFrood (Nov 22, 2008)

Always happy to lead people onto the road of photography 

And no, it was Thursday night, although I was on a coach coming back the other way yesterday evening and noticed that the sky was looking nice again. But Thursday night really was truly stunning.


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## Wybren (Nov 22, 2008)

Oh you talking about the sunset reminded me of the one the otherday on my way in to the city for a function, the clouds were really swirly and pastel and pretty and I wished I'd had the camera, but its a bit hard to drive and take photos at the same time. I missed some great ones the other day of the glass house mountains, it was really clear across the bay, I had brought my camera in the hope of getting a good shot, I walk up the break wall, take out the camera and............... I had left the bloody memory card at home in the laptop  talk about feeling stupid!


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## Steffi (Nov 22, 2008)

Had one happen on my Birthday last week....sunset...came over the brow of a hill, looked down the valley, mountains on either side, a lake, beautifull scenery lit up by this golden light....*sigh*

We'd got nowhere to park


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