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PhotoScout
2nd of July 2006 (Sun), 17:13
Have you ever let that one great shot slowly pass you by?

I was at a local small town July 4th rodeo kick off recently and I was packing my Canon S60 point-n-shoot. I had to sneak it in because there were signs everywhere prohibiting photography (this was do to animal rights groups claiming their photos were of rodeo animal abuse).

I was sitting with my family in the front row bleachers along a wide walkway. It was about 6:30pm. A mother was leading her two young daughters slowly near me. Then they all stopped momentarily. The girls were about 4 years old and were identical twins (long blonde hair, blue eyes, they looked like dolls). They were dressed the same with red cowboy boots, blue denim skirts, white sleeveless shirts, and red cowboy hats. Each girl was licking a matching ice-cream cone.

From my seat, I was at their level and quickly saw a perfect opportunity for a great subject and composition. For some reason I hesitated too long. By the time I dug my camera out of my pocket, they had walked away and into the crowd. I sat there in frustration wondering why I didn’t act quicker.

Out of desperation, I spent some time searching the crowded grandstands looking for them. I couldn’t get rid of that picture out of my head.

Before long, the sun had set and the hunt was over.

cjm
3rd of July 2006 (Mon), 01:26
Absolutely! I think most of us have stories like that.

Abdee
3rd of July 2006 (Mon), 03:38
There is ten times more "i missed great shot" stories than great shots.

blue_max
3rd of July 2006 (Mon), 03:59
Also, like fishing stories - the one that got away was always much bigger! How often have you seed a great shot, snapped it and when you got home, were very disappointed in how it looked compared to how you thought you saw it.

Of course, it can work the other way - especially with fast action shots. You don't have time to carefully compose usually, so a sympathetic background showing just enough detail is a real bonus that can lift a shot.

Graham

DocFrankenstein
4th of July 2006 (Tue), 00:24
I have too many stories like this.

If you saw it with your eyes, you've missed the photo.

I am slowly learning to keep the camera stuck to my face ready to expose. Sometimes I wait too long to press the shutter and the moment is gone.

Keep clicking. It works if you fire off 3-4 frames without thinking.

arunchs
4th of July 2006 (Tue), 00:35
I loose a lot of great moments because of camera shake :(

Gipetto
4th of July 2006 (Tue), 00:36
Worse yet. Know you had the photo and then seriously botched the processing?
I had a cop and a fugitive fighting in a river. They had floated at least 2 miles, grappling the entire way, and finally we were ahead of them and I could see them coming downstream to a point where other officers could get to them. One of the officers actually grabbed my monopod to extend to them to help them in. I had the shot. I know it.
I was so excited to get the shot developed I started developing without verifying the temperature of my chemicals. I got a blank roll back because my temp was too low.

Pissed pissed pissed beyond belief.

Lord_Malone
4th of July 2006 (Tue), 00:40
If I had a dollar for every opportunity I've missed, I'd have my 300 f2.8L. :(

DocFrankenstein
4th of July 2006 (Tue), 00:53
I was so excited to get the shot developed I started developing without verifying the temperature of my chemicals. I got a blank roll back because my temp was too low.

Pissed pissed pissed beyond belief.
ouch

I didn't miss any of THOSE moments so far... just the fleeting moments like expressions and some action moments.

forsaken
4th of July 2006 (Tue), 03:06
If I had a dollar for every opportunity I've missed, I'd have my 300 f2.8L. :(
have to agree with you on that one