The fine line between envy and admiration

[Sherlock77]

I'm falling into this pit again regarding my photography.

I just discovered a photographer today who some incredible car photography, I don't just mean car shows, and clearly has access to some incredible custom cars, this must mean he is friends with the people who own them... Most of his automotive work is based in New York state and area, and he has been to some incredible car events!

In the meantime I'm just stuck in hinterland, what feels like the middle of nowhere sometimes and what seems like a rather boring life, plus cars like the ones he gets to photograph don't even exist here in hinterland

I'm mostly feeling envy at present, but I need to find a way to flip that over to admiration (in a good way) and simply enjoying his work... And developing my craft in whatever way I can with whatever I have at my disposal, even if it feels like hinterland

The problem is that it's a trap for me, I need to get better at this

 

[tlc]

I can see where you’re coming from. As I too live in my own version of hinterland. My thing is 80s or “malaise era” cars. I would love to be somewhere to participate in such events often, but that only really seems to happen 2000 miles away where the salt didn’t destroy those cars decades ago. And usually in bigger cities, because getting enough enthusiasts together to build such an event is always a population density thing.

But would I really want to actually live there? Probably not. So I stay in my peaceful hinterland, free of most natural disasters, and travel 10 hours one way to Minnesota once a year for the only event I know up north that’s big enough to make it worth it. After that I’m tapped out.

Also, as you said, he must have a considerable circle of friends and connections, to have access to all that. To maintain that would completely drain me and then some. I also wouldn’t have the social skills to even know where to start.

So if you appreciate the peace and solitude of hinterland, be thankful you are there. And that someone else is doing the hard work to get those beautiful photographs. Who knows, he might appreciate some of your work too. Maybe there are events with these cars, and you could travel to some. Maybe meet him and get a chance to take some photos of your own.

 

[Judge]

If anything I'd think such an experience and perspective indicates that photographic skill comes first and foremost. With any thoughts of where the cars or events are being a distant second.

You can continue to hone those skills in Calgary. This is good!

 

[AuAL]

As @Judge said, the measure of a photographer is not the perceived quality of their subject, but the quality of the image they produce from it. A poor photographer might make even a great car look boring; a great photographer might make a rusty wreck look interesting.

 

[velociraptor]

the measure of a photographer is not the perceived quality of their subject, but the quality of the image they produce from it.

It's hard to take a good or a bad photo of a subject if the subject is not present at all. I like photographing flowers. Challenging in the winter unless I drop a fortune at the florist. The fact is that both @Sherlock77 and I live in an area that is not very exciting over the winter months.

 

[AuAL]

It's hard to take a good or a bad photo of a subject if the subject is not present at all. I like photographing flowers. Challenging in the winter unless I drop a fortune at the florist. The fact is that both @Sherlock77 and I live in an area that is not very exciting over the winter months.

Winter months here mean daytime temperatures might dip below 70F. To my eyes, your areas might seem exotic. When I’m travelling I often take 100 photos a day. Are you a photographer or just a <insert subject here> photographer? You may have preferred subjects but, to my mind, good/great photographers are made by how they see the world, however it presents itself. (Yes, I don’t take 100 photos a day when home, but maybe I could challenge myself if I wanted to develop my art.) Please, don’t take any of this as criticism - I’m just trying to present a viewpoint.

 

[velociraptor]

good/great photographers are made by how they see the world

I see it as not worth going out in when it's -20C or worse and I find myself unable to hold a camera because my hands no longer work properly. I'm an award winning fine-art and landscape photographer.

 

[Sherlock77]

If anything I'd think such an experience and perspective indicates that photographic skill comes first and foremost. With any thoughts of where the cars or events are being a distant second.

You can continue to hone those skills in Calgary. This is good!

As @Judge said, the measure of a photographer is not the perceived quality of their subject, but the quality of the image they produce from it. A poor photographer might make even a great car look boring; a great photographer might make a rusty wreck look interesting.

Just a moment of weakness on my part, but my mind keeps doing it every so often... Quite simply there is a very low population density in western Canada... On that alone, truly interesting cars aren't super common... Enough said

As per some other comments here, I do photograph year round, but classic cars tend to hide in the winter months

 

[Judge]

Just a moment of weakness on my part, but my mind keeps doing it every so often... Quite simply there is a very low population density in western Canada... On that alone, truly interesting cars aren't super common... Enough said

As per some other comments here, I do photograph year round, but classic cars tend to hide in the winter months

I get that too. While Reno is wild about classic cars, I used to live in a city where we had exotic car dealers. I miss seeing Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Lotuses on the street on a regular basis.

 

[Sherlock77]

I get that too. While Reno is wild about classic cars, I used to live in a city where we had exotic car dealers. I miss seeing Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Lotuses on the street on a regular basis.

This... Just check out that rather custom Jaguar XK120 among many other cars, I'm just lusting over it... Meantime nothing even like that here

 

[Judge]

This... Just check out that rather custom Jaguar XK120 among many other cars, I'm just lusting over it... Meantime nothing even like that here

I've seen a lot of 120s and 140s over the years...but NEVER anything like that. Especially with canopy that covers the entire driving compartment. Though that said, I have seen a few "D" type Jags. The kind that Steve McQueen once owned.

Those were some of my favorite Matchbox cars as a kid. Had a vanilla 120, a red 140 and a green "D" type, with a fin that went from the driving compartment to the rear. And it too had only room for a single driver. But no canopy, of course!

 

[Sherlock77]

I've seen a lot of 120s and 140s over the years...but NEVER anything like that. Especially with canopy that covers the entire driving compartment. Though that said, I have seen a few "D" type Jags. The kind that Steve McQueen once owned.

Those were some of my favorite Matchbox cars as a kid. Had a vanilla 120, a red 140 and a green "D" type, with a fin that went from the driving compartment to the rear. And it too had only room for a single driver. But no canopy, of course!

And all I know is that I'll never get to see this, 99% guaranteed... And I want to so bad

 

[velociraptor]

Meantime nothing even like that here

But the Rat Rods!