Posted by Darren Huski on January 31, 2011 at 2:35 PM
How often do you get out in the field and photograph?
After reading Marc's January article about his many week journey across North America, it got me to wondering how often people are out in the field with a camera. Especially those of us with day jobs. I can see how Marc gets to be/has to be out so much. But for us working class types-how often do you get out in the field and photograph in a year?
For me I feel lucky with having 5 weeks of PTO (that's paid time off) in a year. I have some friends with a great deal less. I cannot imagine having less, I want more, and I am counting the time until I get that 6th week (come-on 2017!)
Here is my rough year in photography.
2 one week photography trips every year. Usually one in the fall and one in the spring. Sometimes alone and sometimes with a few other photographers. Last year was Grand Canyon/Monument Valley and then Big Bend. This year is Canyonlands/Arches and then Guadalupe Mountains in the fall.
2 one week vacations with my wife that I bring a camera on but usually only photograph in the mornings so she can sleep in. We usually visit a national park with one of those weeks so it was Zion in 2009 and Acadia in 2010.
4-6 weekend or three-four day long weekend trips. There are a few options for weekends close to me but my favorite spots require at least 4 days to account for the 500+ mile drive each way. So I maybe do one of those a year, the rest of the weekends are within 200 miles.
If I am in town my goal is to be out every Saturday morning-so either around town or day driving trips within 50 or so miles.
It seems that I am in town (and working) way too much and in the field way too little but it sounds a little better now that I actually wrote it down....
So how about you? How often do you get out for photography in a typical year?
And the picture is me out in the Mississippi River bluff country in Wisconsin on a cold winter afternoon-doing what I like to do!
Posted by Mia McPherson on January 31, 2011 at 3:49 PM
I'm out photographing every chance I get but I photograph birds and just need to find them which is a bit different than landscape photography. I'm also self employed so I can wiggle my work hours around.
Posted by Bruce King on January 31, 2011 at 3:53 PM
Great topic Darren I hope it gets a lot of responses.
When at home I try to get one day per weekend, some times I don't but other times I get two so I think that is a fair estimate. I keep those within 100-150 miles from home. I also get some 3-4 day holidays where I might venture farther.
Being a fairly new photog I have only been on one photo vacation so far. One week in Central Oregon last June.
I guess I probably got out 65-70 days last year. Planning on more this year and a 2 week trip, thinking about Glacier/Banff.
Posted by John W. Wall on January 31, 2011 at 5:11 PM
Your wife lets you take two weeklong photo trips every year?! Hey, Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Your wife deserves something really nice!
Posted by Max Waugh on January 31, 2011 at 7:35 PM
I'm awful when it comes to shooting locally and on weekends, yet I've been lucky to travel and shoot in Yellowstone and internationally for 6-7 weeks a year on average the last few years.
Finances may curtail travel in 2011, which could mean a greater Yellowstone emphasis and hopefully more exploration locally this year.
Max
Posted by Sally King on January 31, 2011 at 11:45 PM
I try to spend one of my weekend days (which aren't Saturday and Sunday) each week going somewhere to do photography. Would love to spend both but then the house would never get cleaned, the laundry wouldn't be done, the groceries wouldn't be bought, etc. So one day only. I take one one week photo vacation a year. I do a lot of photography on my drive to and from work, shooting stuff I find along the roadway. Other drivers don't like my slower speed but I get out of their way as soon as I can. My favorite days to photograph on the way to and from work are Saturdays and Sundays as most people don't work and sleep in and I don't run into as much traffic. In summer my work days start later and then I even go somewhere close to do photography before I head to work. Like everyone else I wish I could spend a lot more time doing what I love most.
Shooting close to home is hardest for me. Between weather, home demands, the business and lethargy, I'm lucky if I shoot landscapes twice a month.
But I make up for it on the road! I spend 80-100 days a year in the Southwest, and it's a rare day or destination that doesn't include the camera, even if it doesn't come out of the bag. All other destinations are much the same.
Things are just more interesting when you get away from the daily views!
Posted by dean hebert on February 1, 2011 at 10:04 AM
For 2010 I was out 68 times plus 1 week for family vacation. The 68 times are all either one sunrise or one sunset within driving distance(2 hrs) on sunday or monday. I can't wait to take longer photo trips.
Posted by Jeff Loomis on February 1, 2011 at 11:27 AM
Home life is busy with family, plus a serious religious commitment in addition to my day job, so my shooting time is quite limited. Depending on the season, I like to keep the camera with me and do some shooting at lunch, or even before or after work. I'd say that once a month, I'm able to work out a half-day shoot on the weekend, which is obviously close to home. Two or three times a year, I make it a full 2 or 3 day weekend that is generally within 200 miles.
As a newer photographer, I took my first actual photo trip in October. The family came along for a 5 day trip shooting waterfalls in Northeast Pennsylvania. That was a wonderful trip, but I don't how often I'll be able to repeat it. Most of my measly 3 weeks PTO goes for family vacations, which now include me squeezing in some photography. Money and time are limited, so I live vicariously through the great photography on NPN!
Posted by Mel Ladewig on February 1, 2011 at 3:18 PM
Well, I only get 2 weeks vacation per year in my current job. I miss my previous positions where I had 4-5 weeks of vacation or PTO. But I live in Colorado, so I can make alot of a weekend or extended weekend.
I've been living in Colorado Springs for about 5 years now, 10 years in Denver before that, and there are lots of quick places to shoot around town, Garden of the Gods being the best known here in the Springs. I can stop by enroute to the office on a work day. But I think you can get to a point where you just cant drag yourself out there to shoot the same icons again.
On a good year, I'll get about 3 dozen opportunities to shoot (mix of mornings, weekend daytrips, short backpacking trips and longer photo travel outings). On a bad year like last year with house projects, big work projects and a general lack of free time, I got out fewer than a dozen shoots. What's this year going to be like? I'm not sure yet, but I've got my skis packed and I am headed for UT with my 4X5 camera in tow this weekend. Hopefully it'll be a good year.
Posted by Mark Seaver on February 1, 2011 at 6:45 PM
I try to get out for a half day every weekend. I've got the Mather Gorge and Great Falls on the Potomac for "grand scenics", but they don't really do that well because of limited access. There are pictures in my minds eye that I've tried many time to get, but something's always "not quite right"...water's muddy, or too low, or too high. It keeps me going back because it's so dynamic. The limited access also makes me work on improving my ability to find smaller landscapes as well as textures and patterns.
For year, our vacation routine (usually camping) was that I got up before the crack of dawn and spent a 2 - 3 hours taking pictures. My wife (and daughter) would sleep in and then make coffee. As long as I didn't stay too long, I could get some coffee and we'd start family activities about when other campers were getting going (and the light was gone).
The biggie now is the vacation home 30 miles North of Yellowstone where we spend 3 - 5 weeks a year. Work also sends me to interesting places occasionally and I'll check my luggage just so I can carry my full camera pack.
Posted by Darren Huski on February 2, 2011 at 12:13 PM
Glad to see I am not the only one who feels they do not get enough time in the field.
I knew the Colorado contingent would have more access to weekend trips than those not near the Rockies.
I see some of you get to mix work and photography, luckily I have had opportunities like that too. On occasion we need somebody to got Wisconsin in winter or El Paso anytime and for some reason none of my peers ever want to go. I'll take those trips. The image up top was from a 3 week stint I did in Wisconsin, it was such a pain to fly in and out I had to stay over on the weekend....so I photographed.
Anyway, my goal is to get out more and more often.
Posted by Paul Duval on February 3, 2011 at 8:29 AM
Darren,
I'm not really familiar with where you live, but I live in Southern California where my photo opportunities are numerous and varied. There were sometimes I went out every weekend for 5 weeks in a row. There are some photographers living in this area such as Steve Sieren who seem to have a knack for finding great places to make impressive images very close to home (within a 2 hours drive). So if your lucky enough to have any places that qualify nearby that would be my suggestion for local photography. If I was lucky enough or good enough to be pro of course my opportunities may be more varied and take up more of my time. However another thing with money tight lately I've been going back through old files and finding good images I took on old trips to re-work with everything I've learned here on NPN. The difference between my first processing attempts and what I can do now are sometimes amazing. So I guess you might say I go on a photo trip by revisiting images I made before. I've even scouted out some very close places less than an hour's drive away that when conditions are right like snow in the mountains or a big swell at the beach I can go spend an hour or two there after work. May-be it's a little off the spirit of the original thread but that's how I try and get into the field more often.
On a more serious note, I get out a lot. Just not as much as I'd like to. I deliberately chose a career in teaching so that I could have time to photograph, backpack, and travel. About half of my time "off" I'm out somewhere, so that means I do about 30-60 days in the field each year. Second, I deliberately chose to work and live in an area where subjects that I like to photograph are relatively close by. My annual salary isn't nearly what it could be in another field or another location, but it's a worthwhile tradeoff to me. Most people don't have that luxury.
Posted by Lorna Taylor on February 3, 2011 at 8:43 PM
Hi I don't really have a day job, I am a stay at home mom /painter/Artist so once my two children are tucked away at school I have the opportunity to play with my camera or paints for six hours a day if I wanted to. I generally work on my photography for an hour a day and I go on outings every Sunday for the day with a photography buddy. We have just moved to Alberta so spend most of my time trying to find places I can go with my camera (I live in suburb hell right now, have to drive anywhere if I want to shoot any nature subjects). I am fortunate enough to have a husband who would rather see my doing photography than making dinner. So then at that rate I should be improving in leaps and bounds Right!!!! If only it could be that easy! Cheers
Posted by Ed Williams on February 6, 2011 at 6:01 PM
Great topic Darren:
I am really lucky to travel a bit for my work, mostly driving. I always have my camera, and I make frequent stops. Fortunately, I get to use/donate some/lots of my photos for work publications.
I am also lucky to get a good amount of time off which WE use to visit our sons out of state (my wife also loves to travel, and likes to take photos of bears and such out her side of the van) and drive (we put 19,000 miles in last year on photo trips). Most are weekend (1-2 day short trips) visiting friends and family. We usually spend two to three weeks on one vacation driving to various national parks, mountains, deserts, coast, etc. We may be lucky enough to do a second one or two week vacation in a year, sometimes piggy-backing on work travel.
We also live close enough to wildlife refuges to do some evening short trips after work.
With three furlough days a month over the last year and a half, we have taken up hiking/walking and find that it is a great way to combine exercise and photography.
This year I'm shooting around 100- 150 ish with each year after more. That article was additional inspiration to push myself to grow it even more!
Posted by Patrick Nixon on October 20, 2011 at 9:08 PM
I'm retired (so have lots of time), but even I spend serious photo time only 3-4 weeks per year -- usually by traveling to particular locations for trips of a WEEK OR TWO (during which I might capture 2000 images/week). While I haven'tdone so, I'm convinced that the way to develop real skill is to LOOK for images at nearby, mundane locations -- REGULARLY. Anyone can take good photographs at beautiful scenes provided by nature. The real trick is to SEE the extraordinary image nearby.
Discussion
18 repliesAfter reading Marc's January article about his many week journey across North America, it got me to wondering how often people are out in the field with a camera. Especially those of us with day jobs. I can see how Marc gets to be/has to be out so much. But for us working class types-how often do you get out in the field and photograph in a year?
For me I feel lucky with having 5 weeks of PTO (that's paid time off) in a year. I have some friends with a great deal less. I cannot imagine having less, I want more, and I am counting the time until I get that 6th week (come-on 2017!)
Here is my rough year in photography.
2 one week photography trips every year. Usually one in the fall and one in the spring. Sometimes alone and sometimes with a few other photographers. Last year was Grand Canyon/Monument Valley and then Big Bend. This year is Canyonlands/Arches and then Guadalupe Mountains in the fall.
2 one week vacations with my wife that I bring a camera on but usually only photograph in the mornings so she can sleep in. We usually visit a national park with one of those weeks so it was Zion in 2009 and Acadia in 2010.
4-6 weekend or three-four day long weekend trips. There are a few options for weekends close to me but my favorite spots require at least 4 days to account for the 500+ mile drive each way. So I maybe do one of those a year, the rest of the weekends are within 200 miles.
If I am in town my goal is to be out every Saturday morning-so either around town or day driving trips within 50 or so miles.
It seems that I am in town (and working) way too much and in the field way too little but it sounds a little better now that I actually wrote it down....
So how about you? How often do you get out for photography in a typical year?
And the picture is me out in the Mississippi River bluff country in Wisconsin on a cold winter afternoon-doing what I like to do!
When at home I try to get one day per weekend, some times I don't but other times I get two so I think that is a fair estimate. I keep those within 100-150 miles from home. I also get some 3-4 day holidays where I might venture farther.
Being a fairly new photog I have only been on one photo vacation so far. One week in Central Oregon last June.
I guess I probably got out 65-70 days last year. Planning on more this year and a 2 week trip, thinking about Glacier/Banff.
Finances may curtail travel in 2011, which could mean a greater Yellowstone emphasis and hopefully more exploration locally this year.
Max
But I make up for it on the road! I spend 80-100 days a year in the Southwest, and it's a rare day or destination that doesn't include the camera, even if it doesn't come out of the bag. All other destinations are much the same.
Things are just more interesting when you get away from the daily views!
As a newer photographer, I took my first actual photo trip in October. The family came along for a 5 day trip shooting waterfalls in Northeast Pennsylvania. That was a wonderful trip, but I don't how often I'll be able to repeat it. Most of my measly 3 weeks PTO goes for family vacations, which now include me squeezing in some photography. Money and time are limited, so I live vicariously through the great photography on NPN!
I've been living in Colorado Springs for about 5 years now, 10 years in Denver before that, and there are lots of quick places to shoot around town, Garden of the Gods being the best known here in the Springs. I can stop by enroute to the office on a work day. But I think you can get to a point where you just cant drag yourself out there to shoot the same icons again.
On a good year, I'll get about 3 dozen opportunities to shoot (mix of mornings, weekend daytrips, short backpacking trips and longer photo travel outings). On a bad year like last year with house projects, big work projects and a general lack of free time, I got out fewer than a dozen shoots. What's this year going to be like? I'm not sure yet, but I've got my skis packed and I am headed for UT with my 4X5 camera in tow this weekend. Hopefully it'll be a good year.
For year, our vacation routine (usually camping) was that I got up before the crack of dawn and spent a 2 - 3 hours taking pictures. My wife (and daughter) would sleep in and then make coffee. As long as I didn't stay too long, I could get some coffee and we'd start family activities about when other campers were getting going (and the light was gone).
The biggie now is the vacation home 30 miles North of Yellowstone where we spend 3 - 5 weeks a year. Work also sends me to interesting places occasionally and I'll check my luggage just so I can carry my full camera pack.
I knew the Colorado contingent would have more access to weekend trips than those not near the Rockies.
I see some of you get to mix work and photography, luckily I have had opportunities like that too. On occasion we need somebody to got Wisconsin in winter or El Paso anytime and for some reason none of my peers ever want to go. I'll take those trips. The image up top was from a 3 week stint I did in Wisconsin, it was such a pain to fly in and out I had to stay over on the weekend....so I photographed.
Anyway, my goal is to get out more and more often.
I'm not really familiar with where you live, but I live in Southern California where my photo opportunities are numerous and varied. There were sometimes I went out every weekend for 5 weeks in a row. There are some photographers living in this area such as Steve Sieren who seem to have a knack for finding great places to make impressive images very close to home (within a 2 hours drive). So if your lucky enough to have any places that qualify nearby that would be my suggestion for local photography. If I was lucky enough or good enough to be pro of course my opportunities may be more varied and take up more of my time. However another thing with money tight lately I've been going back through old files and finding good images I took on old trips to re-work with everything I've learned here on NPN. The difference between my first processing attempts and what I can do now are sometimes amazing. So I guess you might say I go on a photo trip by revisiting images I made before. I've even scouted out some very close places less than an hour's drive away that when conditions are right like snow in the mountains or a big swell at the beach I can go spend an hour or two there after work. May-be it's a little off the spirit of the original thread but that's how I try and get into the field more often.
Paul
When I get out, I feel like I need to get out more...
I am really lucky to travel a bit for my work, mostly driving. I always have my camera, and I make frequent stops. Fortunately, I get to use/donate some/lots of my photos for work publications.
I am also lucky to get a good amount of time off which WE use to visit our sons out of state (my wife also loves to travel, and likes to take photos of bears and such out her side of the van) and drive (we put 19,000 miles in last year on photo trips). Most are weekend (1-2 day short trips) visiting friends and family. We usually spend two to three weeks on one vacation driving to various national parks, mountains, deserts, coast, etc. We may be lucky enough to do a second one or two week vacation in a year, sometimes piggy-backing on work travel.
We also live close enough to wildlife refuges to do some evening short trips after work.
With three furlough days a month over the last year and a half, we have taken up hiking/walking and find that it is a great way to combine exercise and photography.