Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

My Canon 5D Mark IV is in for repairs (the joystick). But I feel naked as a Jay bird with out my camera over my shoulder. I have been alternating between my EOS Rebel 2000, my AE-1 and my 1v-HS. It seems there is plenty to photograph here in NYC.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I grew up in a small town in an agricultural area. Like lots of other kids, I learned to shoot a 22 caliber rifle. My first rifle was a single shot model, and I eventually earned a reputation as a "deadeye" shot with it. That was mostly as a matter of necessity, since if you missed your target, there was a multi-step process required to reload and shoot again. It was highly likely that the complete opportunity for a second shot would be lost during the time required.

I eventually progressed on to a rifle with a multi-cartridge magazine and a slide action reload mechanism. A quick second shot was no problem if I missed with the first one. You can guess that my level of care dropped, and took my first shot success rate with it. Even with the convenient reload mechanism, there was no assurance that a second shot would be available. An adjustment to my mental attitude, focusing on making the first shot successful even though a second one was available, corrected the problem and allowed me to regain my proficiency.

In other words, I had to regain authority over my equipment, to control it and, not allow it to control me. I strongly believe and consistently advocate here that the same is true in photography, which is much more a mental game than many will admit.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Civil War photographer Mathew B. Brady and his assistants shot 10,000+ photographs during the war. He worked with heavy glass plates coated with the flammable liquid collodion, which then had to be put into into a bath of silver nitrate. That created a photosensitive silver iodide on the plate. Exposure - and processing! - had to take place before the plate dried, in minutes. Most of the work was done in the field, in all kinds of weather and sometimes with shells and bullets whizzing past. Brady and his helpers photographed anything and everything related to the war, the idea being that it was impossible to know what would be seen as significant and valuable to people in the future. He felt compelled to document as much as he possibly could.

He took lots of "snapshots" of relatively mundane scenes, but just about all of them are valuable today.

It is estimated that Brady spent the modern equivalent of well over a million dollars on the project, going deeply into debt. He thought that surely the investment would pay off. But after the war people wanted to forget the horrific scenes and Brady's business collapsed and he died in a poor house, penniless and still deeply in debt.

Mathew Brady Civil War Photographs

Camp scene by The U.S. National Archives, on Flickr

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

In truth, I could not take photos with that kind of subject. As a photographer, you would need a stomach of steel. I have been in operating rooms and seen some stuff that would make a person loose their lunch. I don’t think I could stand around with bullets flying by trying to take a photo and not having an accident in my shorts. I would rather schlep Mr. Ansel Adams gear up one side of the mountain and down the other side. I certainly don’t need to be a world renowned War photographer with a couple of bullet holes in my butt.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

In a college course in Photography we were each give a 4X5 NEG. with the professors special marking on it to make sure we could not use additional 4X5 negs.
We were given an assignment and we had one shot to get it. Yes, pre planning was important, I still carry these lessons with me when ever I take a shot.
Like the one below, I positioned myself where I knew the Roseate Spoonbill would be taking off, I was in a semi-back lite position so I pre exposed for the shot before he lifted off.
The result was pleasing.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

Planning can be a pain in the ..... It is however necessary for many things. Why plan when you don't have to?

agillot

On the other hand , digital make you better , because of trial and error .You see the mistakes on the spot and can correct .You cant do that with film .Also, a modern camera take the picture for you , except if you shoot in 100 % manual mode .

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The best thing about film is your memories get better even if the pictures didn't.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Old boy scout saying, "Failing to plan is planning to fail".

ddgm Loc: Hamilton, Ontario & Fort Myers, FL

I'm interested in what the cost of your joystick repair will cost. The joystick "knob" fell off on my 5DIII. When I called my camera store for repair advice, I was told I would have to send it to Canon Canada. I decided to try to fix it myself and miraculously I manage to get it back on. If it falls off again, I will have to make the decision to fix or upgrade. Thanks in advance.

Jerrin1 Loc: Wolverhampton, England

Did you feel the same way when you moved from your plate camera to your fancy film camera? It's not the format. It's not the camera. It's the person behind the camera.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Film is what occurs on your teeth when you don't brush.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I approach shooting digitally the same as I did with film. The only photographs are those which I want to frame. For example, one trip to The Grand Canyon resulted in 5 photographs. Another resulted in no photographs within the canyon but a lovely storm forming over the San Francisco Peaks.
--Bob

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

This is likely true for many picture takers or photographers, but not me. I still shoot digital like I did film, slowly and carefully with thought. I usually will spend say 4 hours shooting using a tripod, and not shoot more than 200 captures. I mainly do Close-ups / Macro, and Landscapes. That would not work for sports or wildlife, those photographers have to shoot a load of images to get one good one.

radiojohn

Just load the camera with a old 16 MB [not GB] card to get that old feeling back again! LOL