John7199 Loc: Eastern Mass.

Trying to look through my old Minolta 101 which had a polarizing filter while wearing polarized sunglasses and wondering why everything is so dark.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Yep - done that.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Okay here we go - My most incredibly dumb and potentially disastrous thing I ever did was: After a two hour on location engagement shoot up in our local mountains we were winding up with the last few shots in a cold and windy spot. I was trying to rush through my settings to change something and quickly pushing buttons when I hit...FORMAT CARD!!! and instead of pushing cancel I hit "OK" in my mindless rush. Now that's really dumb - I admit it.

I literally fell on my ass in disbelief. I have to say the couple were very understanding and kind when I told them of my idiocy and told them that I'd make up the session no charge. But all is well that ends well - I found a recovery software online that was able to pull out all the images, even on the formatted card. Good thing too there were lots of really good shots.

Top that.

Horseart Loc: Alabama

I hated yesterday. It wasn't about a camera boo boo unless you want to call standing outside looking at one of the YELLOW Cardinals known to be in my area and your camera is in the house! Yes, he was gone before I could even start in to get it. I guess I need to have a camera ready and glued to me all the times!!! That's the second time I have seen one with no camera in sight!

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Telling a friend to look through the viewfinder of a film camera to see what I am shooting in black and white.

Ozychatie Loc: Melbourne Australia

As an enthusiastic new wedding photographer in the 70s, I managed to wind the Kodak Vericolor Professional film off the take up spool (to be fair it was later discovered that the tape attaching the film to the spool had missed the spool) but of course this disaster only happened because I had forgotten to pack my back up camera!

Saved by the bride's brother loaning me his camera but he was none too pleased!

Such a harsh lesson learnt that even today, in this digital age, I ALWAYS carry a back up or two.

Pitt 2020 Loc: Farmer City, Illinois

Out west trip south rim Grand Canyon sunrise all set, two sec. timer shots went great! On are way back came across some Elk along the road "Rut time" of course we pulled over, we were the first to see them. Got set to shoot, fired at least 10 shots my daughter asked "did you get any good ones" my reply was Yes, he was looking at me the whole time here let me show you. With auto-focus on great shots of the back seat, trees, road, car bumpers. That good 2sec. timer really works! LOL Note to self: "don't forget to turn off the timer"

compilot Loc: ARIZONA

Been there done that many times. I set up a 2 flash with modifiers "studio". Carefully checked all the setting in camera and flash (manual both camera and flash). Take many shots and all way underexposed, most fixable in post. Then I realized that I mhad a polarizer on the lens.

billt1970 Loc: Gambrills, Maryland

Good one, CHG_CANON, likely accomplished by nearly everyone here!!

My favorite mistake was forgetting to consider weather when I went out to shoot. This is almost 20 years ago, but I traveled from Maryland to Colorado Springs on business, but wanted to shoot more of the "Garden of the Gods". This was different in that I left my digital cameras at home and only brought my 4x5 SpeedGraphic and a heavy duty tripod! That was an effort to carry-on the full SpeedGraphic case while checking the tripod with my luggage.

The next morning I ventured out to shoot the sunrise at the Garden of the Gods Park. It was cold out, but I didn't think too much of that as I was dressed appropriately. I got all setup just as the Sun appeared on the horizon. When I released the shutter, nothing happened! I tried again and again with no response at all. Then I suddenly realized that the shutter was FROZEN shut in the cold weather!! Being creative and not wanting to miss the moment, I was able to open the shutter and keep it open. I replaced the lens cap, measured the exposure with my meter, closed the aperture down so that the exposure was to be measured in seconds, removed the dark slide, and finally removed the lens cap while counting one-thousand, two-thousand, three-thousand, etc. before replacing the lens cap. Truly a manual exposure!!!

There was obviously no instant gratification as I was shooting film, though I did take reference shots with Polaroid film, the overall results. a week or so later after I returned home and sent the 4x5 negatives out for processing, weren't all that bad. Nothing for my best photos gallery, but some pretty decent shots of one of my favorite shooting locations, the Garden of the Gods.

Lesson learned: check the weather and ensure that your equipment is ready for it!

Happy New Year to all Hogs here. May 2022 be a healthy and prosperous year for all of us.

BT

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

After reading the ten pages posted since yesterday . . . .
I must say, well done Hoggers, grin.
I find that I'm in pretty good company, plus some of you made me . . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends
~A Collective Sigh~

Jon Hornsby

I had become quite proficient with the "company" 4X5 Graflex and with making 8X10 prints in the darkroom, So one day, my boss told me to cover the baptism of a little girl, whose grandmother was too feeble to attend the baptism.

Well, I made arrangements with the Southern Baptist pastor to take the picture and he graciously consented. So at the appointed hour, I arrived at the church with time to spare (so I thought). But I discovered to my horror that the camera wouldn't open - it just refused to open! I didn't know there was a hidden button that had to be pressed (that accursed button was not visible externally). As it turned out, on every previous use of the camera, my boss had simply handed me the already-opened camera and never thought to tell me the most basic bit of information: how to actually open the camera by means of that invisible button!

Well, of course I missed the shot of the baptism and to this day, I still feel the sharp sting of that unfortunate event. I guess I wasn't fully trained, but I felt that I had robbed a grandmother of a precious memory and I was devastated.

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

Mine's dumber tham most... When I got my first 'good' camera about 55 years back, a Nikkormat, I loaded my first roll of film. I didn't put the film tab in far enough, and it didn't engage. After taking 50 or 60 photos, I was really impressed at how many pictures the camera could take. I decided to wind the film into the canister and it only took a turn. I had a complete 'can' of unexposed film.

tdozier3 Loc: Northern Illinois

Is there such thing as a favorite mistake ?

bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

Not having my camera with me all the time. I have missed some once in a lifetime shots. At least now, if you have a newer cell phone you can at least get the shot.

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

Climbing up a mountain in Wales-Was with a Leica M6 to take a series of photos of the sunrise on the slopes; gaily took a roll of 50 ASA, got back down again, and found that the film hadn't advanced correctly; took a long time to live that one down with Leica !