What could you have shot but wouldn't?

[abraxas]

It sounds weird but I have heard of people wanting the funeral documented. Not so much the dead person, but the people at the funeral.

When my Grandmother passed away all 10 of her children came from all 6 of the states they lived in. It was my pleasure to be the photographer on their group shot- it was the first time they had all been together in 30 years and the last they would be together as an uncle has since passed.

Also, we all missed her and felt bad for her passing, but we had a lot of fun being together and remembering old times too.

 

[patrickt]

I realize there are those whose world begins and ends with, "I want...." I have limits but I don't know what they are until I see a shot and don't want to take it. A dismembered body on a busy street got a pass. We have two crazy people who walk around town naked. I've never taken a picture of either of them and probably won't. Sometimes I'll ask permission and get denied and I smile, thank the person, and go about my business.

 

[Seefutlung]

My mother recently died of cancer ... she's been paralized from the waist down for three years and her hands were paralized for the last year. All due to cancer and cancer treatments.

Near the end her trials and physical condition were extreme. As a former photo journalist I saw tons of very moving and powerful images. If this was an assignment I would have documented Mom's passing to the end ... as a son I couldn't bring a camera into her apartment.

Gary

 

[Big Mike]

Sorry to hear about that Gary. My condolences.

There have been several times, both good and bad, when I knew that I could get some very touching shots, but I told myself that these are moments in life that I should experience as myself, with my own eyes....and not through the eyes/lens of a photographer.

 

[abraxas]

Gary,

My most sincere condolences- my mother went from bone and liver cancer after several years of suffering. Nothing I can say, but I wanted to say something.

 

[jlykins]

I can see where families that haven't seen each other in a long time would want to have photographs done. If not at the actual service, at the get together afterwards. Anyway on the origional topic, if it's allowed by law I'll photograph it. There have been times that I leave the SLR's at home and just take the P&S with me so I can enjoy myself. When I'm out with the kids, I usually don't bother, because I want to enjoy the time I have with them while they're still young.

 

[Seefutlung]

Sorry to hear about that Gary. My condolences.

There have been several times, both good and bad, when I knew that I could get some very touching shots, but I told myself that these are moments in life that I should experience as myself, with my own eyes....and not through the eyes/lens of a photographer.

Thank you Mike.

As a photo journalist I naturally see the world as an unfolding story ... my immediate kneejerk reaction is always one of "covering the story". It is not that I am insensitive, but my training as a photo journalist was in conflict with what my family would think as "not in good taste". While one part of my brain was saying ... wow ... this is powerful ... 28mm ... shoot to capture the backlighting ... another part was saying "Not now ... this is Mom not an assignment ...".

While the choice was easy ... there was still all that going on in my brain.

Gary

 

[Seefutlung]

Gary,

My most sincere condolences- my mother went from bone and liver cancer after several years of suffering. Nothing I can say, but I wanted to say something.

Thank you very much Abraxas ... I appreciate your thoughts and empathy ... and my condolences to you and your family.

Gary

 

[Seefutlung]

Just to add a bit here on the OP - I used to be a photo journalist and often (many times a week) I had to cover assignments which generated images that the general public would not consider to be in good taste. Shooting a scene ... a story, without regards to the sensitivities of the general public, would have made my job a lot easier. (At least for the short time I would have been employeed. It is more important that a news photog be a journalist first and a photographer second.)

While a combatant with a face turned to jello certainly had a lot of impact, that photo would not be published ... so one would have to shot using a Gestalt angle ... shooting a close up of an empty helmet with the remains of the battle in the background would tell the overall story better and be publishable (allowing the viewer to fill in the blanks).

Gary

 

[RMThompson]

I could've shot my grandfather, on his death bed. In fact, I think I intended to.

I didn't, and I am glad I didn't.

It wasn't him...

 

[RMThompson]

Also, it's funny people mention taking or not taking the SLR on family trips. I've been in two minds of it, but this weekend I went to Orlando with the family and brought the SLR.

In order to make sure I wasn't focusing on the photographs more than the family, I threw on the 18-55mm kit lens, the SB-800 and left the thing in AUTO mode. Of course, some situations I changed the lens (At Arabian Nights I used the 55-200mm) or threw it into Aperature Priority mode, but for the most part, it worked well.

Ryan

 

[jlykins]

For me it's really a matter of not wanting to lug it all around and worry about. I would rather take a P&S with me to Disney world and not worry about bumping into anything with it, than take it and use it. If there is something that I want to shoot "artisticly" at a place like that, I will go back by myself (without the 2 year old twins running in every direction) and spend some time composing and getting it "right". I want to enjoy the time with the family.

 

[notelliot]

DJ Jazzy Jeff. Club promoters were planning on having me work the whole set for 50 bucks. Said to hell with that. I guess I could have shot anyway, but events aren't really my thing to do on a personal basis.