The best shot you didn't quite get!
Discussion
We've all done it; cracking opportunity but adrenaline etc got in the way. this one sticks in my memory and regularly haunts me. Game drive in Zambia when a pride of lions chased down a limping zebra. Adrenaline got the better of me I just clicked away without checking my (super slow) shutter speed 
My excuse is I had the adrenaline of seeing the holy grail of game drive events unfurl only metres away and my 3 young children screaming in floods of tears at the brutal scene in front of us.
Anyone else got one that could have been amazing and you still kick yourself for messing up?!
My excuse is I had the adrenaline of seeing the holy grail of game drive events unfurl only metres away and my 3 young children screaming in floods of tears at the brutal scene in front of us.Anyone else got one that could have been amazing and you still kick yourself for messing up?!
Nowhere near as impressive as above, but mine was Snetterton BTCC testing mid-90s. I’m spectating at the Chicane, one of the that season’s all conquering Audi A4s goes wide out of Coram, onto the grass, whacks the tyre wall hard and rolls over rather dramatically. I was all set, SLR and 400mm lens.... and was in the process of reloading film 
(... it was pre digital). The archetypal ‘one that got away’.
(... it was pre digital). The archetypal ‘one that got away’.Similar. Sunset, trying to intercept two “big boys” ambling down the valley.
Wrong kit. Moving land cruiser. Wrong settings. No talent. One of them turned across the setting sun and gave us a good look.
This was about the best of the “hold the button down and hope”.
I like the result for the memory, but it could have been much, much better.
Wrong kit. Moving land cruiser. Wrong settings. No talent. One of them turned across the setting sun and gave us a good look.
This was about the best of the “hold the button down and hope”.
I like the result for the memory, but it could have been much, much better.
Driving home from a day out around 20-25 years ago, there developed a really spectacular sunset, the like of which I've not seen before or since - the combination of clouds and setting sun lit up the entire sky. Stopped the car and got out to take a load of shots to find after one shot, the film auto rewinds (end of the roll). To my dismay, I rummaged through the camera bag to rapidly realise there was no spare film, then remembered that I'd recently purchased a couple of 36 exposure rolls but had put them in a larger camera bag which was at home as I'd only taken the small bag for the day out.
When I got the film back from the processors, I'd obviously rushed that one shot (thinking I had more) and due to some (dark) trees in the foreground, the sky was completely washed out.
Never made the same mistake again, so always had spare film, and now spare memory cards and batteries, but also have never seen a similar sunset either!
When I got the film back from the processors, I'd obviously rushed that one shot (thinking I had more) and due to some (dark) trees in the foreground, the sky was completely washed out.
Never made the same mistake again, so always had spare film, and now spare memory cards and batteries, but also have never seen a similar sunset either!
Mr E said:
Similar. Sunset, trying to intercept two “big boys” ambling down the valley.
Wrong kit. Moving land cruiser. Wrong settings. No talent. One of them turned across the setting sun and gave us a good look.
This was about the best of the “hold the button down and hope”.
I like the result for the memory, but it could have been much, much better.
OMG! Not wishing to dwell on the mistakes (much like mine) but my god that could have been amazing! Wrong kit. Moving land cruiser. Wrong settings. No talent. One of them turned across the setting sun and gave us a good look.
This was about the best of the “hold the button down and hope”.
I like the result for the memory, but it could have been much, much better.
Interesting to hear the issues with film - I still get similar issues with digital when I’m shooting weddings. I try to change cards when I’m down to 50 shots as any less and Sod’s law it’ll run out at a crucial point (has happened more than once!).
told myself to get one of those light sensitive triggers but can’t bring myself to spend the money Le Mans 2019. Thanks to some master blagging, me and my son find ourselves in the pitlane at the end of the race. Right at the front by the podium. All rather rushed and one of those moment when you can't quite work out how you ended up where you are. While I'm try to sort my fancy-pants Nikon to grab some podium shots, the winning Toyota comes within touching distance. The best I can do is this pitiful shot:
My son on the other hand, who wouldn't know one end of a camera with the other, using a GoPro on a stick grabs this:
My son on the other hand, who wouldn't know one end of a camera with the other, using a GoPro on a stick grabs this:
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