Your biggest photographic "regret". . .

. . . be it that bargain camera you passed up or that once-in-a-lifetime shot you passed by.

Here's mine. In 1981, I was living in Wichita, Kansas, and in the classified ads of the Wichita Eagle-Beacon saw an ad that read "Original Ansel Adams print for sale. Appointments only." I minored in photography in college and Adams was my hero. My curiosity piqued, I made arrangements to meet with the owner and view the print. The guy was the owner of a restaurant that was going into bankruptcy (and avid photographer) and needed the cash. The print was beautiful, and all the documentation seemed in order. The price was staggering to me then---$500 for a photograph! And, it was one of my least favorite of Adams works. I thanked him for his time and passed on the print---"Moonrise, Hernandez, NM"---current selling price, either $57,000 or $75,000, depending on which series it was (the 1978 prints sell at a premium over earlier versions, darker blacks). Either way, I messed up big!

Anyone with a similar story?

<Can't Top That .. Subscribing to hear more tales of Woulda / Coulda / Shoulda... >

Starting photography a lot earlier than the late 20s

Not having started photography when I was single. I started after having been in a relationship, so it took a while for the other to get accustomed to and 'allow' me to take my landscape photography trips. Had I started before hand, it would have been normal and not a problem to take a trip when I wanted to!

Oh and buying my 40D a month before the 50D was announced. Could of gotten it so much cheaper. Oh well, I love it to death.

mine isnt nearly as interesting...i started shooting in the 7th grade with an AE1. as i got older my college major was photography. i was in class after class with other young adults just like me. I watched their work become beautiful art and was over critical of my learning curve and gave up. it took me years to pick up an slr again and now I am middle aged and starting over.....
now im depressed ...this thread is one i shouldnt of posted on...oh well... we all come back to our love

I wish I got into video a lot sooner (wish I studied it straight away in university, instead of getting a couple of degrees first).

Then, I wish I had of started photography a lot sooner. I use to look down on photographers a little (being a video dude). Now I realise we're all brothers (and sisters) and there is a place for us all.

Peace man! 8)

I also dig photography so much now it's not funny. Spend all my spare cash on lenses etc. and am addicted to POTN... still, less damaging than some other drugs.

I DON'T regret catching L fever.

I wish I would have gotten into photography before I met my wife (gf at the time) so I could have shot some "models" (not sure how the wife would feel about that). But I was only a teenager back then anyways, and had no money for real camera gear. Oh well... I hope to shoot some weddings next year (perhaps as a second shooter) and do stuff like that while I still can.

I don't really have any regrets in regards to purchases. I've always sought out the best deals. I'm so happy that 40Ds are now in the $600-range... I remember when they first came out I thought it would be forever until I could get one.. now I'll probably get one before spring.

Robbierob wrote in post #6901246
mine isnt nearly as interesting...i started shooting in the 7th grade with an AE1. as i got older my college major was photography. i was in class after class with other young adults just like me. I watched their work become beautiful art and was over critical of my learning curve and gave up. it took me years to pick up an slr again and now I am middle aged and starting over.....
now im depressed ...this thread is one i shouldnt of posted on...oh well... we all come back to our love

I hear you here. I gave it up about 1982 for family and career and started back up again. Different world. I don't, however, miss film. I never had the right film speed in my camera.

My biggest regret is my total lack of artistic ability. I do fine technically, but apparently was born without that bone that lets me create art.

That I didn't have my DSLRs when we went to Vietnam and Cambodia a year ago. Even leaving 5D at home and only bringing 450D and a couple of small primes would have been much, much better than the P&S. I feel it when I look at photos from our other trips too, but not as strongly.

So far I don't have a biggest regret but I hate that since I do a lot of photos at my work for free they are now expecting me to spend my own money on photo CDs and such when they were provided to me before. I do not do prints though. I used to just put them on the computers here at work with a thumb drive but we aren't allowed to use them anymore at work so I stopped. For the last few days people have been asking for photos and I ask for a CD to put them on or I will have to charge. I get a disgusted look from them and they walk away and say nevermind. Ahhh..military photo life..

Not getting in to photogrpahy sooner, not going FF sooner.

So far... not backing up 5 years worth of photos that I lost when my HD crashed in May.

Zillon wrote in post #6907313
So far... not backing up 5 years worth of photos that I lost when my HD crashed in May.

OUCH! I lost a months worth once and was devestated. I'd like to say I learned my lesson . . .:o

Yeah, I was in denial for about a month.

Luckily, I did have a "backup" method, as I uploaded a good deal of the lost photos to Photobucket, but it would be nice to have the RAW files from the last 2 years that I've owned my XT.

I also lost 3 years of P&S pictures.