Photography Blues

[allie5]

We just got back from 22 nights at Disney and Im feeling really down. Being back in miserable, grey old England after 3 weeks of sun doesnt help but I had a not so great time with my photography whilst I was there.

I had planned to purchase a new camera whilst there (either a 40 or a 50D) but the exchange rate for us Brits is so bad right now, it was actually cheaper for me to get it back home! So my trip was confined to my trusty old 30D.

I had big plans for my photography this trip - Id planned several nights where my mom would babysit and Id go off with my camera. Of course plans never quite work out do they, and due to a nasty bout of tummy bugs (that got to us all on different days so nearly a week went by with one of us sick) time ran out and I never got my photo nights.

I was sternly told off by my kids last trip for "lagging" when taking pictures so I made an effort not to do that but it killed me some days to keep walking when there was a picture I wanted to take!

After going though my shots Im bitterly disappointed with the results - most are rushed so are OOF or wrongly exposed and I just feel gutted.

I know you guys can sympathise with trying to combine family and photography and will feel my pain...! 22 days sounds like a age to get some great pictures but when you have 3 kids 8 and under, a 70 year old mom and a husband to keep happy its amazing I managed to even take a picture some days!

I feel like selling my whole kit and starting again when the kids are 18...

 

[Quicklabs]

I do sympathize! That's why I'm happy to send my hubby off to the golf courses 3 or 4 times during the course of the week! (I have to say, though, he did help me with about a half dozen shots, though).
Don't sell your kit (or your family!!) You have the advantage of living in a beautiful, photographically rich country! I'd love to get another chance to take pictures in England (especially the Lake District).

 

[fitzperry]

I feel your pain. We spent a month in Park City, Utah this past summer, and I expected to come home with hundreds of beautiful mountain images and loads of fun shots of my family enjoying themselves. Reality didn't quite live up to those expectations, and as you say, it had much to do with traveling with a couple of small kids in tow. I have a few nice images, but not much more than I get during a typical week long vacation. In fact, I was updating my website the other day and uploading images from a five-day trip that dh and I took to Paris a couple of years ago. I had several times as many keepers from that trip than I did from the month in Utah. I suspect not having to worry about the kiddos who were safe at home with their grandparents had something to do with that ratio.

I'll probably be blasted for saying this, but have you noticed that men seem to be better able to make photography a priority when traveling with their families? I'm not suggesting that the dads around here aren't attentive to their children (actually, I've no idea whether they are or not ), and my own husband is great. It's just difficult for me to venture off by myself, even though I know my husband wouldn't begrudge me the opportunity, and it's hard to focus (pardon the pun) on something other than the kids when they're around (especially when they're running along the edge of a cliff).

Anyway, don't sell your kit. More opportunities will come!

 

[Groucho]

22 days! Now that's a trip.

Sorry that you are disappointed with your results. Perhaps a little trip to Disneyland Paris might help. Certainly traveling with a big family can make things pretty difficult. A few years ago, we did a trip with my 9-month-old, wife, her two sisters, and both her parents. Some serious planning and the Disney Dining Plan paying for tips (so there was nothing to do after eating but sign the check!) made things go pretty well overall, but it's certainly tough corralling that many people and keeping everyone happy.

It's a shame you didn't get your photo nights though! IMHO your hubby should have realized that this was an issue for you and made sure that you got at least a couple nights off. Worst case, it may have been worth hiring a babysitter (Disney or otherwise) for a night. Sick or not, that trip should have been plenty long enough to never need to rush anywhere... Speaking of that, I've been sick a few days the past couple trips. I think I've decided that touching all the same stuff that hundreds/thousands of other people have touched that day is surely helping the germs get spread around... I'll be doing more hand-washing before eating on my next trip, and carrying some hand sanitizer for emergencies.

Hopefully you had some good non-photography fun at least! I would make sure that next time you make a trip like this, the fam understands that you need some time for your photography.

 

[Steve's Girl]

I'm right there with you! I was so disappointed with the photos from our last trip. They were just blah. There was one evening where I was able to spend an hour or so in Studios by myself. I did get a few tripod shots that I like, but the rest just pretty much sucked. I'm dealing with a focus issue right now that I can't determine if it is user error (likely), a lens issue (seems to happen with my Tamron 28-75 lens) or camera error. But, I keep getting photos that are out of focus when I know I focused correctly. I'll try to find a few photos to post later - I'm off to work now.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That is a bummer. The photos from your last trip were spectacular if I recall.

FWIW, I've said before that if my kids were still small, I wouldn't have the time to devote to this hobby that I do now that they're a bit older (nor have time for it as much on a trip). And even with time, I still get the blues - a lot!

Hopefully you learned a bit, had fun with your family, and will have many more trips to take pictures at WDW. I bet you got more keepers than you think you did.

 

[allie5]

Thanks all. I might be able to save some with some help from Photoshop!

I had some serious focusing issues mainly as I was using my new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and on Av mode and often I just didnt have the time to focus the shot as carefully as I needed to with such a large aperture. Plus one of reasons I think its time to put my 30D out to rest is the noise issues - it doesnt handle high ISO well at all. Im actually thinking of a Nikon D700 as my next camera but thats a very big step and I have a whole kit bag of Canon so its a decision I need to take some time over!!

Ah well - I cant change anything now so whats done is done - its unlikely we'll be back to Disney anytime soon so I'll have a long time to plan my next shoot there.

 

[seashoreCM]

Go out and take pictures on the days when someone else was sick?

During those days have the family members in the room all day use more room service (meals, etc.) if desired?

Back in my film camera days, I got quite good at estimating distances and exposures and got off a lot of good shots quickly. I would have continued to do things manually except the new (also non-SLR) camera I bought (the old one broke) does not let me.

And on a recent (non-Disney) trip I was agile enough to race and catch up to the group after lagging behind to take a picture.

Now I would not hold up my family or group while I wait for a gap in traffic on a crowded day so I could get a clear view of something across a walkway.

 

[DVC Jen]

Awww I am so sorry. I do understand and having kids that young makes it that much harder.

You did get 22 days at the world however - and that is awesome.

I guess this just means you have to start planning that next trip - right?

 

[WillCAD]

Wait - England is dreary and gray? When the heck did this happen, and why didn't anybody tell me?!

But back to the subject at hand - have you ever tried to recruit your kids into the photography cult, er, club? They'd complain less if they were trying to take pics themselves. Lots of kids take to photography readily if you buy them their own cameras - just cheapos to start with, in case they don't like it - and if one or more of them take to it you'll not only have less whining about the time you take with your shots, but you'll have more vacation shots with you in them.

 

[allie5]

Go out and take pictures on the days when someone else was sick?

During those days have the family members in the room all day use more room service (meals, etc.) if desired?

Back in my film camera days, I got quite good at estimating distances and exposures and got off a lot of good shots quickly. I would have continued to do things manually except the new (also non-SLR) camera I bought (the old one broke) does not let me.

And on a recent (non-Disney) trip I was agile enough to race and catch up to the group after lagging behind to take a picture.

Now I would not hold up my family or group while I wait for a gap in traffic on a crowded day so I could get a clear view of something across a walkway.

Unfortunately we werent onsite, but in a house and DH was the only one insured to drive the car so I was confined to barracks when he was sick, then I got sick, then the kids got sick (and Im not so heartless that Id leave them whilst they were ill and go off and take pics ).

Still, I dont begrudge my family really - Im just a little miffed I didnt get the pictures I wanted I guess.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

We took a one week trip a few years ago during which the kids were sick from Saturday until Wednesday. We got all of two days at the park before we had to go home. To make matters worse, it was a big multi-family trip, so the kid's cousins would stop by every morning to say "Hi" before they left for WDW. It was easily our worst trip ever.

I feel like selling my whole kit and starting again when the kids are 18...

Don't do that! Taking pictures of the kids is the best part of going to WDW for me. The last time I was there was as part of a conference. I had no wife or kids with me. It was fun for about an hour and then I was pining for them. I much prefer to look at my pictures from our last family trip rather than my solo trip.

Practice your technique so that you can set up and shoot on the run. Anticipate what's going to happen so that you'll be ready. Concentrate on commando style shooting rather than big production shots. It limits what you can do, but it also opens up opportunities that you won't have when you're kids are grown and gone.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think it's tempting to think that getting a newer or different camera will "cure all that ails us". But (at least in many cases), it's probably just trading one set of problems for another. I agree with Mark, just concentrate on improving your technique, and eventually it'll all come together better. I'm sure if you had more time to yourself, things would have been different.

 

[jann1033]

We just got back from 22 nights at Disney and Im feeling really down. Being back in miserable, grey old England after 3 weeks of sun doesnt help but I had a not so great time with my photography whilst I was there.

I had planned to purchase a new camera whilst there (either a 40 or a 50D) but the exchange rate for us Brits is so bad right now, it was actually cheaper for me to get it back home! So my trip was confined to my trusty old 30D.

I had big plans for my photography this trip - Id planned several nights where my mom would babysit and Id go off with my camera. Of course plans never quite work out do they, and due to a nasty bout of tummy bugs (that got to us all on different days so nearly a week went by with one of us sick) time ran out and I never got my photo nights.

I was sternly told off by my kids last trip for "lagging" when taking pictures so I made an effort not to do that but it killed me some days to keep walking when there was a picture I wanted to take!

After going though my shots Im bitterly disappointed with the results - most are rushed so are OOF or wrongly exposed and I just feel gutted.

I know you guys can sympathise with trying to combine family and photography and will feel my pain...! 22 days sounds like a age to get some great pictures but when you have 3 kids 8 and under, a 70 year old mom and a husband to keep happy its amazing I managed to even take a picture some days!

I feel like selling my whole kit and starting again when the kids are 18...

i can totally relate
this same basic think happened to me last Sept but at the Toledo zoo ( not nearly as expensive as a trip to wdw but has a beautiful garden area i really wanted to shoot and it's a good 1 1/2 from home so not like i get the opportunity a lot) when granddaughter and hub wouldn't stop for even a few moments so i could take some shots( and gripped if i said i'd catch up)...everything i got stunk since it was a fast snap, 1/2 the time without even really stopping and i literally put my camera away and didn't take it out again till a few weeks ago( rather than throw it into the nearest wall which is what i really felt like doing lol)..i was already bummed due to financial constraints= no body upgrade for a while and i thought "oh snikeys just forget it".
don't give up though. next time will be better ( which is what i told daughter who is at wdw right now with a 4 yr old who "hates this place" ( magic kingdom) and refuses to go on anything without a total melt down)
i don't think non photo buffs really get how important it is to get that shot you really want...which is why i threatened husband with if he keeps it up i'm going by myself , which he hates due to his inherent paranoia that some boogie man is going to get me, gotta fight dirty sometimes lol