Unsuccessful Photography Trips

Thumpermawer

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Normally when I go out to shoot, I have one or a few ideas of what I'm trying to capture. A specific viewpoint, subject, mood, event etc. Not always, but I'm more likely to get "snapshot" photo's if there's not a goal image in mind. A lot of the time something will happen to spoil those plans, like the weather or something else outwith my control but that's part of the fun, right?

So today I thought to make the most of the bank holiday and take a trip to get a shot of a subject I've wanted for a while now. Rob Mulholland's "Still" (aka Mirror Man), in Loch Earn. This is a ten foot tall sculpture of a man, made from hundreds of small mirrors that catch the natural light and colours, standing a short distance out in the loch. The image in the link below shows it well, but is not mine, for reasons that will become very apparent soon.

The Mirror Man

So I packed up the camera, tripod and 10 stop filter ready to create my moody long exposure shot, aiming for a B&W conversion. The drive up was glorious, but I was set on this particular image so we skipped a few potential locations en route. When we got there, this was the scene that greeted us;

untitled (2 of 2).jpg by Thumpermawer, on Flickr

Notice anything wrong? Yep, not only is the pier in a poor state, but the sculpture is missing! It apparently went missing when the hotel that commissioned it changed hands, as it wasn't part of the sale (i.e. the Hotels previous owners took it with them).

‘Mirror Man’ statue disappears from Loch Earn

So although we had a good day out in the end (scouted another few possible locations and took in the beautiful loch Katrine), it ranks up there alongside the time we turned up a week early for a gig as an unsuccessful trip!

Who can top driving 3 hrs round trip to photograph something that isn't there anymore? :facepalm:
 
Oh I had plenty of unsuccessful trips back in the time I was still shooting.

Get up at 5AM, check the forecast, all good for a lovely sunrise. Drive 2 hours to a location only to be greeted by torrential rain and low clouds. Spend 2 hours sitting in a car waiting for the weather to clear. Go back home.

BUT

I also had some trips that I though would be a disaster, but turned out to be great. For example one of them, 3 hour drive, was all done in rain. It looked like a waste of time. All the time driving I thought about turning back and going back to bed (IIRC I got up at 4AM to be there at 7AM sunrise). I kept on going though. Was still raining and low clouds when I got there, but as I sat down drinking coffee and eating a sandwich, it started clearing. Within half an hour I had a spectacular view. Dark clouds, together with some clear patches. Light going through clouds. Dramatic sunrise colours. Stormy sea and a deserted beach.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, you never know until you get there ;)

As for loch Katrine, even though I am a retired photographer these days, I have a shoot in that area coming soon. Love that place
 
A couple years ago I got up at 4am to catch the sunrise from Mam Tor whilst in the Peak District. Weather forecast was good, lovely clear skies as we made our way up.
Just as I set the camera up, dark clouds came quickly over just before the sunrise started. They stayed for the duration of the sunrise, barely a glint of orange as a result, but cleared not long after and we had a lovely clear day.

Recent trip to Wembley for the comp this month was another. Completely ruined by all the building work now blocking the view of the stadium.
 
I think we've all been there tbh. I can't tell you how many times I've been out in the peaks to get a sunset only to be foiled by the weather. In my 4 and a bit years of photography I think I've only had a successful sunset 2-3 times :facepalm:
 
I hear you, much like others have said, I have lost count of the number of times I have made an early start, just to be foiled by the weather.
 
Done a couple hour trip to snap a church type building up on a hill only to find it surrounded by scaffolding and tarpaulin
 

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