Most common photo regret...

[Madrigal]

My biggest regret is being about 20 years late to pick up film photography.

This would be mine, too. Only make that about 30 years late. Wish the bug had stuck when I took that class in 7th grade...

[Don Day]

Want to make a 2009 resolution?

Mine is to get a print on public display somewhere, first step of a journey. (hearing myself almost saying, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!")

[LarryD]

Don

If I could do it you can too I had some last year in a local display at a downtown bank.

[Mike Kovacs]

x2 I have a friend opening a restaurant in the Toronto area who wants my work on the walls.

[r-brian]

Want to make a 2009 resolution?

Mine is to get a print on public display somewhere, first step of a journey. (hearing myself almost saying, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!")

I'm continuing my 'Forgotten Souls' series.  I'm just now scanning 2 more rolls from a different cemetery.  Something about this series is just clicking with me.  I have at least one other cemetery to shoot in.  Then it's into the darkroom and print, hopefully, high quality fiber prints and start visiting galleries here in Albuquerque or Santa Fe.  It may be late summer or early fall.  Time is as scarce as money.

But no more wishing it could do something in photography.  Damn it, I'm good at what I do.

[jake]

x2 I have a friend opening a restaurant in the Toronto area who wants my work on the walls.

Mike - make sure he was talking about photography and not a roller and bucket of latex paint.

I think we should all here resolve to carry a camera with us at all times, unless of course you are working for a nuclear plant or something. Digital or film, either one. The old adage applies - the best camera is the one you have in your hand. No photo too meaningless - kids, dogs, trees, garbage, dogs in the garbage, kids in the trees, your shoes, your morning coffee, etc.

Concentrate on the quotidian for one year. At the end of 2009, maybe we can submit our best and then head out into 2010.

[Andre Reinders]

After reading these posts - many ring true with me - I am only 37 and have been shooting seriously for about 8 years, but here are mine:

1. Being focused on the technical aspects and not enough on the image - and flowing from that - paring down my equipment - too often I take too much gear with me and can't decide what to use. I want to get down to 1 DSLR (for working type shots), 1 digital PS (to travel light and take quick snaps) , 1-2 MF (for serious fun), 1 Auto 35mm SLR (for easy film shooting), 1 Manual 35mm SLR (for compact easy fun), and one film PS (not sure why). I know this is too much already, but that means getting rid of 4-6 cameras now.

2. A) Not having a camera with me all the time, and B) not having the time to stop for a shot - I leave only enough time to get where I am going (like work) and not enough time to stop on the way if I want to shoot.

3. Shooting too much - pressing the button when there is nothing good in the frame, only to have to deal with sorting through the results later.

4. Not shooting enough - see #2 - taking more memories (snaps).

[Tom Hildreth]

1. I've done some unsmart/unsafe things while taking pictures. I think I learned from these incidents that you can think of the shot too much, and ignore dangers to yoursefl and others in the process.
 
2. Not taking any shots of the hometown "back when." This is a common fault, I see it in the work of others all the time. I was out taking photos of aircraft in my early teen years, and I still have those negatives, just don't ask me what my hometown looked like then. I may have had a little contempt for my local area at the time, as it was a bit rundown and ageing industrial.
 
3. ..."not protecting my early bw negs better." Oh yeah-I thought I knew what I was doing, but naw. Late in learning that every negative or strip of negatives needs its own sleeve. Can't tell you how many negatives I damaged through abrasion with other negatives. This applied to my 35mm strips-my MF stuff fared better, as there was less sliding motion involved in handling-including in the enlarger while printing.
 
4. I carried a camera in my car for 30 years. I stopped to shoot an industrial fire once at sun up. I had Kodachrome 25 in the camera. I seldom was in the mind-set for photography while commuting, which for much of the year was in darkness coming and going anyway. I saw so few subjects over the years I really don't think having a camera with you at all times is that important. But, that may be my inability to "see", others may fare better.
 
5. A local market has a little alcove in which they have placed old photos of the building in for public viewing. I recently gave them a framed photo I took of a steam tourist train passing by their building 25 years ago. They were delighted to add it to their little collection. I was offered a couple of steaks in return, but I refused, citing the good things these people have done for our community in recent years.

[sebastian toombs]

leaving the lens cap on...    opening the back to see whether theres film inside-- oops!   sadly, these are common occurrence type regrets

[Glenn Thoreson]

I keep trying to ignore this thread. That's not workng so I might as well confess. Much of my photographic efforts have been regretable. There, now you know. I'm so ashamed. Pass the worms, please........

[LarryD]

Genn

 Oh that is old news so don't worry.