I sit here at my work computer reviewing the weekend past with frustration and delirium.
I don't often get odd feelings about things but I'm not normally wrong when I do. I had my two teenage girls this weekend, and I'm usually taxi driver for them most of the weekend. No different this time. Sometimes I'll pop into Glasgow with the camera and wander about with my youngest daughter but on Saturday she wanted to go somewhere else. I leave my oldest to her thing in town and pick her up later.
Sat night now with the sun setting earlier is just a no go. Far too much to do. Sunday they wake up late, and it takes about two hours for them to get ready so by about 2pm we're ready to go somewhere. They need to be back at their mums for 6pm so not a lot of time you see. If anything happens that requires the photojournalist in me to strike, these weekends can be some of thee most frustrating.
Saturday morning, tension builds on Twitter between the Yes and No campaigners for the upcoming referendum. I said to my GF, that I thought something was going to happen. The usual 'sigh' and "I thought we were going to do this today" follows. This time it was "Remember Robyn want's to go to Braehead" (Big indoor shopping centre)
*RATS!!*
Turns out that day a no campaigner kicked a member of the public and all hell broke loose. - Missed story there.
On Sunday, thee biggest plume of black smoke I've ever seen suddenly belts out of a field near my home. We were all in the car and I just race towards it. Couldn't get anywhere near it and I wanted to cut across the fields to get a closer look and I was put off the idea by the three women in the car looking to do something less boring.
I got a grab shot of the fire from far away with the 70-200 but it wasn't what I wanted.
Sunday night while taking the kids home it was thee most beautiful sky, flat clouds and symmetry like I've never seen and it was that "I'm getting a sunset shot tonight" My GF said, cool I like those drives. I head back about 30 mins later and it's pouring down with rain. I look at the weather report and it's to rain all night and low and behold to be sunny just in time for me going to work.
I sat for the rest of last night fuming at various lost opportunities for a story or a good landscape shot and wondered if it was all worth bothering about. It seems to happen at some point everyday now. If it's not work, it's something getting in the way.
When you're taking it as serious as I do and others will be in the same boat I guess certain disciplines require time and planning to get right. However, it's when time just gets taken away from you that the cracks start appearing in your work.
A while ago I wondered why most of the seasoned pros seemed to be very solitary folk. They either had extremely understanding families or were just on their own.
How many other folk have got to a point where it's getting to become a problem shooting what they love? You find yourself rushing about trying to fit it all in and your shots are just suffering, and you laugh cause there's no point in owning nice gear if you can't get the most out of it.
Anyway rant over and don't worry I'm not losing the plot or need a break. Quite the opposite, I'm not getting the time to shoot. Opportunities seem to land at my lap and I have to turn them away cause life just gets in the way.
Paul
I don't often get odd feelings about things but I'm not normally wrong when I do. I had my two teenage girls this weekend, and I'm usually taxi driver for them most of the weekend. No different this time. Sometimes I'll pop into Glasgow with the camera and wander about with my youngest daughter but on Saturday she wanted to go somewhere else. I leave my oldest to her thing in town and pick her up later.
Sat night now with the sun setting earlier is just a no go. Far too much to do. Sunday they wake up late, and it takes about two hours for them to get ready so by about 2pm we're ready to go somewhere. They need to be back at their mums for 6pm so not a lot of time you see. If anything happens that requires the photojournalist in me to strike, these weekends can be some of thee most frustrating.
Saturday morning, tension builds on Twitter between the Yes and No campaigners for the upcoming referendum. I said to my GF, that I thought something was going to happen. The usual 'sigh' and "I thought we were going to do this today" follows. This time it was "Remember Robyn want's to go to Braehead" (Big indoor shopping centre)
*RATS!!*
Turns out that day a no campaigner kicked a member of the public and all hell broke loose. - Missed story there.
On Sunday, thee biggest plume of black smoke I've ever seen suddenly belts out of a field near my home. We were all in the car and I just race towards it. Couldn't get anywhere near it and I wanted to cut across the fields to get a closer look and I was put off the idea by the three women in the car looking to do something less boring.
I got a grab shot of the fire from far away with the 70-200 but it wasn't what I wanted.
Sunday night while taking the kids home it was thee most beautiful sky, flat clouds and symmetry like I've never seen and it was that "I'm getting a sunset shot tonight" My GF said, cool I like those drives. I head back about 30 mins later and it's pouring down with rain. I look at the weather report and it's to rain all night and low and behold to be sunny just in time for me going to work.
I sat for the rest of last night fuming at various lost opportunities for a story or a good landscape shot and wondered if it was all worth bothering about. It seems to happen at some point everyday now. If it's not work, it's something getting in the way.
When you're taking it as serious as I do and others will be in the same boat I guess certain disciplines require time and planning to get right. However, it's when time just gets taken away from you that the cracks start appearing in your work.
- Landscape - You really need all day to plan a shot, sometimes even need to camp overnight.
- News - Planning for events, access and if it's a one off, being able to get there on time without job restrictions.
- Weddings - Being available when they ask you. (Got my kids that day) doesn't cut it with clients.
A while ago I wondered why most of the seasoned pros seemed to be very solitary folk. They either had extremely understanding families or were just on their own.
How many other folk have got to a point where it's getting to become a problem shooting what they love? You find yourself rushing about trying to fit it all in and your shots are just suffering, and you laugh cause there's no point in owning nice gear if you can't get the most out of it.
Anyway rant over and don't worry I'm not losing the plot or need a break. Quite the opposite, I'm not getting the time to shoot. Opportunities seem to land at my lap and I have to turn them away cause life just gets in the way.
Paul
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