Missed photo opportunities.

I am sure every member of this forum has at sometime had something happen in front of them where they thought "Damn, if I had only got a photo of that. What a missed opportunity".

It happened to me this morning so I thought I would start this thread and we could share our missed opportunities as I bet some people on here will have some great incidents to tell us all about.

I was at the beach with my dog this morning and I took my camera along with me to get some photos of him running around and playing in the water. Not too far from where we were was a group of three Rhodesian Ridgebacks (breed of dog) running around and engaging in rough-house play together.

The three Ridgies then started chasing each other at full pelt heading straight towards us. My dog Sam then also decided to run full steam ahead towards them to join in the fun.

Before I even had time to lift my camera to take a pic, the lead Ridgeback running at full speed tried to jump over Sam, but he mistimed it and his legs clipped Sam's back as he was jumping.

The Ridgeback was travelling so fast that he ended up doing a full 360 degree summersault about 4 feet in the air just a few feet in front of me.

Luckily he didn't hurt himself in doing so, he just got up and kept running with the rest of the pack.

I really regret not being able to get pics of it all as it happened. It would have made a great high speed burst sequence. I doubt I will ever see another dog do the same thing.

As it was my birthday we had lunch at the waterfront in Nelson Bay and - on the spur of the moment decided to board one of the whale watching cruise boats for a couple of hours whale watching outside the heads. We had the most wonderful whale watching experience: breaching whales, jumping, coming close, diving .... everything you could wish for, The only thing is - I did not bring my camera as we had no idea we were going....
Next time we went whale watching - with camera - we only saw two tails....

Wow yeah missed opportunity indeed!

I have a lot. Usually involving some kind of aircraft taking off out of the semi nearby air craft fabrication plants. When I have my camera and have time to dedicate any time to plane spotting, I almost never see anything. When I don't have my camera on me at all, B52s take off and keep real low, B2s circle low over head, fighter jets fly by, sure is cool to see that stuff, but no pictures. I'm one of those people who just has next to no luck lol.

Subscribing though, it will be entertaining to read others' stories.

I was waiting at a red light when a rabbit (critter, not the car) goes the other way. s/he must have known it had the light

Ive had a few but i have seen someone else missing one and going crazy about it, i couldn't help but laugh. Mainly because it was a family member, and the way their brain melted when trying to hurry up and set up the camera, it was a shame.

Bigfoot. If I'd had center pinch caps on my lens, we'd have the definitive proof.

I've long since lost count of the missed 'perfect shots' when I didn't have a camera with me. Sometimes, in retrospect, I think about all the shots I should have taken before someone was no longer with us, as well. Parents, siblings, pets...

Perhaps I should invest in getting a 'throw it in the glovebox' P & S camera, so at least I could get a decent shot, vs carrying my DSLR and appropriate glass. One of those golden opportunities was just a couple of weeks ago when, about 8:15 AM, there was a fog being burned off the Connecticut River and only the first 30 feet or so above the water level was in a golden sunrise fog, above was a clear sky. 10 minutes later, it was all gone...

bratkinson wrote in post #15256050
Sometimes, in retrospect, I think about all the shots I should have taken before someone was no longer with us, as well. Parents, siblings, pets...

One of those golden opportunities was just a couple of weeks ago when, about 8:15 AM, there was a fog being burned off the Connecticut River and only the first 30 feet or so above the water level was in a golden sunrise fog, above was a clear sky. 10 minutes later, it was all gone...

Very valid point bratkinson. My daughter has been complaining to me for ages that I take so many photos of everyone else, but she wouldn't have more than half a dozen photos of me. (I always prefer to be behind the lens rather than in front of it, but maybe I will have to change that thought now.)

My wife and I travel overseas every year, and after having been caught out a few times on holidays where I didnt have my camera gear with me whilst venturing out on simple little outings, I now resort to taking the full kit with me every time I leave the hotel room. My wife thinks I am crazy for doing so, but you just never know when opportunity is going to present itself.

Good thread. Too many opportunities lost to count.

Unregistered.Coward wrote in post #15256044
Bigfoot. If I'd had center pinch caps on my lens, we'd have the definitive proof.

LMAO! You should have had a Tamron!

Seriously, I've missed too many to count. I don't worry about it. Just last month, I walked outside early in the morning with my dog, and standing just 10 feet away was a beautiful buck. He just stared at me, and my dog didn't even see him. No camera with me. What can you do?

This is probably the exact reason I will buy a slingshot bag by Lowepro. Easy to carry, small and quick to slide around for quick camera access.
I too will probably get the look from my wife, like I'm nuts..lol or a tourist

A kestrel flew right by me about 5m away. The camera didn't want to focus on it, but preferred the background. I decided on that day that my next camera will have better AF.

I was out taking landscapes, and came across a group of birders along a ridge. I stayed awhile talking with them, they had been there all day. One of them had to leave, he said it was a sparse day and as soon as he left all the birds would come.
Well, he was wrong. Because just as he closed his trunk, they started to arrive. He got a good laugh and drove home.

Subscribed...Don't have a story, but want to read everyone else's.

Several years ago, I was driving at night on a rural road in northern Michigan to visit my parents. I had been driving for several hours, and was just a couple of miles from their home when I came upon a scene of a farm house with the moon in a perfect position and lighting the scene beautifully. I had my camera and tripod packed away in the car and did not feel like unpacking everything and setting up when I was so close to arriving at my destination.

I still regret not stopping and taking the time to capture that moment.