If You Could Photograph Just One Thing...

[Mike]

I have a tendency to enjoy the same kinds of photography the most, so it led me to wonder, do photographers tend to enjoy photographing some things more than others? I assume yes, just based on the photos that I see from certain photographers. Most of they have a certain "niche", even if they may venture outside that from time to time.

So I thought it would be a neat question...if you could only photograph one thing, forever, what would it be?

This would be a tough one for me, and I'm not even a photographer (yet?). I'd imagine landscapes and wildlife would be atop my list but if I had to pick one, I'd like to be able to just take photos of wildlife. If I had to get even more precise, I'd say pictures of deer (elk, moose, caribou, etc). I once had a deer hunting lease on a large piece of property. In my last year on the lease I found myself not actually "hunting", but rather just finding a spot to sit down against a tree, surrounded by foliage, just watching the deer, and other wildlife. I had a coyote walk to within 30 feet of me, and countless white-tailed deer walk right by me and never even know I was there. Hundreds of birds and all kinds of other little critters (rabbits, armadillos, raccoons, turkey, etc). This was years ago, and I think back now and wonder what kind of amazing photos I could have gotten if I'd had a camera with me during that time.

 

[Levina]

Easy question for me: birds. Any bird. All birds.

Even though I do enjoy shooting other things at times, the birds are my true passion when it comes to photography.

 

[Mike]

Easy question for me: birds. Any bird. All birds.

Even though I do enjoy shooting other things at times, the birds are my true passion when it comes to photography.

Somehow I feel like I could've guessed this one.

 

[Bryn]

Easy question for me: birds.

I can relate to that... but they keep flying off, same with anything else with a pair of wings

And another thing I'd like to photograph are lightning bolts, or even the Northern Lights.

 

[Mike]

I can relate to that... but they keep flying off, same with anything else with a pair of wings

And another thing I'd like to photograph are lightning bolts, or even the Northern Lights.

Yes! I almost mentioned the aurora borealis! I actually had it typed into the box and deleted it. That would probably be 3rd on my list, for sure. Although I've never seen it in person, I do love photographs of it! One of nature's most beautiful "mysteries".

 

[Levina]

I can relate to that... but they keep flying off, same with anything else with a pair of wings

LOL Yes, that's such an annoying habit of them!

And another thing I'd like to photograph are lightning bolts, or even the Northern Lights.

I've shot lightning bolts, but I would love to even see the northern lights, let alone shooting it.

 

[Ltdave]

seems what i do the most of is Sports but id rather shoot street or pj work. there would be enough variety in it for me. sports is always looking for the same thing. amazing catch, ball coming off the bat, flexed hockey stick, and the ball/puck/whatever in the goal.

id like to do more beauty and fashion but i really havent got a clue how to pose anyone or get them to look like they do in the glossy ads (or in Ecomm images). maybe i need to work with a professional for a year or 10.

no, pretty sure id like to do street photography

 

[Levina]

no, pretty sure id like to do street photography

Yeah? I thought you were much more into portraits. But posing people, that is also a skill I think. Unless you have an experienced model maybe?

 

[Ltdave]

Yeah? I thought you were much more into portraits. But posing people, that is also a skill I think. Unless you have an experienced model maybe?

ive shot many models but mostly in workshops of some sort. RARELY do i ever have a model to work with just on my own. a couple of times, yes but not nearly as much as i would like. i dont have a studio so being OLD, i feel a bit awkward asking anyone to come shoot in my living room (which would make a GREAT studio)....

 

[Archibald]

Shooting a model in a living room is good. I have a studio in the basement, but for a change will shoot in my living room. The results are good! Models don't care how old you are. It's their job and they usually work hard at it regardless of who the photographer is or the venue.

 

[JohnPD]

ive shot many models but mostly in workshops of some sort. RARELY do i ever have a model to work with just on my own. a couple of times, yes but not nearly as much as i would like. i dont have a studio so being OLD, i feel a bit awkward asking anyone to come shoot in my living room (which would make a GREAT studio)....

I would listen to Archibald here. It makes sense what he says.

 

[Jack Dawe]

I shoot birds more than anything - as you can probably tell! I'm really just a birder who wanted to keep mementos of some of the birds I've seen. I don't pretend to be a 'real' photographer.

 

[RichardB]

I don't pretend to be a 'real' photographer.

What? Your images are great!

 

[Jack Dawe]

What? Your images are great!

That's very kind of you to say so, but when it comes to composing an artistic shot I have a lot to learn. I'm in awe of a lot of what I see on these photography forums.

 

[Mike]

I shoot birds more than anything - as you can probably tell! I'm really just a birder who wanted to keep mementos of some of the birds I've seen. I don't pretend to be a 'real' photographer.

I agree with @RichardB! Your photos are great!

 

[K9Kirk]

This brings to mind an old fantasy of mine that I really wish were possible. If I could go back in time, I would go waaaaay back and photograph dinosaurs, especially velociraptors since birds evolved from their family. I know that will never happen so I would get a thrill out of photographing deep sea creatures that no one has ever seen before.

 

[Levina]

This brings to mind an old fantasy of mine that I really wish were possible. If I could go back in time, I would go waaaaay back and photograph dinosaurs, especially velociraptors since birds evolved from their family.

That would be awesome. I’d join you!

I know that will never happen so I would get a thrill out of photographing deep sea creatures that no one has ever seen before.

Nope, can’t join you on that trip, Kirk. I’m terrified of deep water. Seriously.

 

[Jan1977]

For me it would be sports, rugby especially, since it also makes up a large part of my social life

Luckily it is a hypothetical question, as alternating between several subjects is fun and helping one's development in photography

 

[JohnPD]

For me it would be sports, rugby especially, since it also makes up a large part of my social life

Luckily it is a hypothetical question, as alternating between several subjects is fun and helping one's development in photography

Interesting. Does this "alternating between several subjects" as you say makes you a more all-round photographer? Say you were asked to shoot a wedding. Would you do that?

 

[Jan1977]

Interesting. Does this "alternating between several subjects" as you say makes you a more all-round photographer? Say you were asked to shoot a wedding. Would you do that?

Well a wedding is something special, although I did shoot a small one in the past (but I knew there would be parents with cameras as well and it was really small, and somebody I know well asked me on behalf of her sister). The thing with a wedding is that it is a 'once in a lifetime' thing and I would feel so much responsibility for delivering good photos that it would take away the pleasure I get from photography. For example a rugby match, if I miss some shots it is fine, There will be other matches and it is impossible to get all the action during a match. With weddings, that is different, like exchanging the rings.
But broader than weddings, I have done some portrait work, or as session with the cat of a nephew when it appeared he had to euthanize her quite suddenly. By doing it every now and then, I learn from it and know "I could do it if I had to". When we were redoing the website at the company I work for, some portraits of the employees were needed and I decided to do the greenscreen photos myself. Partially to reduce on costs, partially because I knew I would be able to do it and knowing that in the future new employees might be needed to photograph as well and being flexible when doing the photos ourselves was a plus for that. And of course a bit trial and error during the photo sessions was OK and it was possible to redo if necessary.

Also like with sports, you do some cropping for composition in post, but are bound by what happens at the pitch relative to were you are at the moment. When doing a bit of landscape, you might need to look more into compostion upfront.