Love your philosophy on photography-thoughtful of incidental. Be spontaneous, experience what's going on at the moment and don't obsess over gear. It's not at all that you don't care; it's a different kind of experience. Love it.
James: “If you’re following this, congratulations. Because I’m not.” Me: Spits out dinner with hysterical laughter . Gorgeous landscapes and crazy humor, thanks Popsys!😃
In our Slovenian mountains an average of 400 to 500 accidents occur yearly, with 30 to 50 dead each year. Thank goodness we have one of the best mountain rescue services in the world, otherwise that number would be even bigger. Your video is an accurate account of what we are not doing in the mountains. James, please don't underestimate them, do what you advise others to do, planning only takes a bit of your day, it take just a second to lost your whole life. Be safe to stay with us and your loved ones. Don't be a statistic.
Agree! Thanks for taking the pressure off us planners and schedulers. You've helped me to relax and soak up what is around me, rather than having my head stuck in a schedule.
I really do enjoy your o so self aware created chaos which turns out to be more interesting then if all went right. It's funny listening to your probably quite thought through rambling about how and why. 🎶😊👍🏼 Be yourself!
Good that you made this statement, as a hobby photographer I like to involve the family in photo hikes and as long as we have fun everybody is happy. And as all photo courses will tell you: “you can shoot everywhere”.
Haha it's weird isn't it. English here too and we do base our judgment of how reasonable a journey is by the size of the land. It seems crazy to us on TV shows in America etc where they say 'it's only four hours away' and just hop in the car. Most Brits are like 'What!, that's a weekend trip and requires accommodation. Ha
@@Dan-kb2oz Haha, just yesterday I drove four hours to pick up my Dad from St. John's airport, then four hours back, all in a days work, lol. ..on a side note, I live in Newfoundland and everything is hours away from me, a lot of cons but the best pro is I never run into the problem of other photographers / people being around where I'm shooting, even in St. John's where it's most populated.
If you live in a major metropolitan area like I do, often the first hour is just getting the eff out of the suburban sprawl, then it's at LEAST an hour on top of that just to get someplace interesting. One day I dream of living in a place where there's Interesting Stuff within an hour's drive.
Completely agree with you on this point JP. It's like when we go out for a meal, my whole family have checked out the menu online and have already decided what they're going to order before we get there, whereas I wait until I get to the restaurant and as I open the menu I can enjoy the moment of decision on the day in the place I'm going to eat. Great vlog as usual. Thanks
Since your last video, I just wanted to state that I really like you attitude! I left lots of photography groups, because as a beginner you so often read or hear "YOU MUST"... Which is a bit strange if you're fairly new to a hobby. Your videos are always really refreshing, taking the "musts" out and focusing on joy and creativity (while still showing that knowing your stuff is really helpful). Carry on and I hope you get well soon!
Haha, good one! I totally agree that a bit of run and gun photography is a great way to stay creative. However I do love the moment when everything comes together and I capture that planned image perfectly as well.
I need to plan.....to get out of the house more. The rest of it will sort itself out from the front step! Love the videos, it seems like you enjoy keeping your photography simple, to the point and mostly economical which can be a nice change!
I just love the humour you bring to your vlogs keep them coming. As for planning it depends I always carry my camera with me in the car when I’m driving around for work never know what you will come across. Other times I will try to plan if I’m out for a week in my campervan
I'm older, have arthritis in my knees, good for a couple hours at most, with meds, mostly flat ground, and really no money for travel, so.... I have to plan, which involves, a short scouting mission, return visits and not all that far from home. There is some half decent sh*t to shoot out there if you really look.
Same here in Utah. In university had a photo professor who had us throw darts at a map of a relatively small area of Provo/Orem - the idea was, you had to shoot a portfolio assignment within 100 yds of where the dart landed as best you could determine. It was awesome making something good of just where you found yourself :)
@@lylestavast7652 A challenge I have in mind is to stand still, make five decent shots. I wouldn't do it just anywhere. I have seen a challenge, Canon Australia's channel I think. Photographers were given a studio complete with lighting and a backdrop and challenged to make photographs.
While I never plan, especially when going to an unknown place, I do have a vision in mind that somewhat matches the terrain and time of day. A sense of discovery and adventure ensues and usually the vision is realized even beyond expectations... very satisfying way to experience photography at its most free and creative level. Thanks for the great videos, I am a fan! Carry on ...
Wish I had the chance to plan a trip. Usually wake up, decide I want to take some photo's, hope in car, drive around in ever decreasing circles, park up somewhere and then run around like a headless chicken. Great vlog.
I can't agree more.... great stuff! I feel if you are researching and find loads of images of your destination, what's the point.... the interesting (in my opinion) cant be found or researched.... its all up to you to find and make it....
A 2 hour car journey for me would be 400 laps around my Island. That hike though, bt steep, bit dodgy in places and sheep hallucinations. What's not to like? Lovely photo of your Brother and the rippling lake. Looks like a fantastic location.
I've spent countless hours sitting in traffic covering next to no distance. Very happy to say I don't have those jobs or live in big cities anymore. After spending a couple years in small quiet towns, the several minute delay through 2 traffic lights is a nightmare🤣 Perspective is everything. Great video!
I used to have to drive two hours each way in traffic( 42 miles) just to get to work in So Cal so on the return trip I started hiking Grffith Park twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday fro 7 - 9 PM it was then a thirty minute drive home . It started my love of hiking which I do at least three times per work as well as my love of landscape photography
I usually plan my shots when I go somewhere. Really liked your idea of adventure when you don't plan your shots. I'm going to Slovenia in a week or two and I might try that. Great video, as always!
That lake was gorgeous. Great discovery! Planning primarily for the purpose of safety. I find it hard to pre plan photos exactly. My best effort is usually sun direction + rise and or setting. The details are discovered on real time once I get there
It all boils down to the adventure you get. Some travel planning comes in handy. I only plan the travel. For my liking the hike has to be adventures. It will definitely train your creativity on making good photographs you like yourselve. This will more certainly be the case when you pass trough unknown terrain.
you're a good story teller - you know you're good when thousands of people will watch your failures, gladly :) btw I think the quality of video you're getting is excellent so the G90 if that's what you're using is doing you well. Cheers.
I never plan, but I photograph for me, not a client. I love the days when I hop in the truck and head off in some random direction. Window down in the summer, music blasting, me singing horribly off-key just looking for something to take a picture of. It's a recipe for a perfect day.
I agree with you, I love to discover places by myself without much planning and I also love to go around and take photos from every possible angle. But sometimes, when I'm going back to a place for a nice sunset or sunrise, I check the direction of sunset and stuff. But these data often doesn't match with reality, to be honest.
8:09 I am a lite planner, but often get great grab shots. That said, my wife and I did just drive 2-1/2 hours or so each way, hike 11 miles to a waterfall we never got to see. We learned later that we needed to find the hidden ropes to scale down the ravine and if you slipped it was 150ft slide to the bottom. Oh, and I tried on my own a week ago which is why I was back. I found that I didn't go far enough.... so this was my second time.
Sometimes I plan, sometimes I don't. There really is something to what you said for the sense of adventure in a new place. In the balance, I think I'm 50/50 on the planning. Occasionally I'll deep dive a location to try and sort everything ahead of time, and sometimes the planning begins and ends with looking at the snapshots of a location people post to the AllTrails app, looking to see if there is a good composition hiding in their memories somewhere... Still other times I'll go to a place fully expecting to get nothing, with the belief that it'll be a good scouting expedition and nothing more, only to find a few pretty nice shots when I get there.
Totally agree, gotta love the sense of the adventure and zero planning makes everything more interesting, you will never what you’ll find out ( you might have exc photos or zero photos), but I prefer the experience and and adventure
Hi David, you have a cold? Could have fooled me I can't tell :). But hope you feel better. Glad to see Tom again, hi Tom! Tom looks great as always. There better be some great photos of Tom ;). And now to the serious commentary, what the heck are you doing on climbing on the metal pins and holding onto a cable wait until Emily watches this video. I'm very afraid of heights and I could never do what you do, I love the sense of adventure that you guys have it is very inspiring and you and and your brother Tom must have had a blast doing this trip and the great memories. Thanks for sharing and hi to Tom.
I went to a mountain town (NC) new to me yesterday & planned how to drive there but beyond that not much more. I think it depends. Some places require more planning than others. At least for my comfort level. But it's usually from a safety perspective.
Yup best to avoid dying. I actually was yelling at this video & telling you to turn around. That looked pretty scary to attempt in the dark. Even with a head lamp. Glad you didn't have to try it.
I plan... a lot. I'll use weather and maps to plan what location to explore and when. Then after exploration, with many GPS tagged photos on my phone, I'll plan for specific shots using calendar, weather, tide tables, sun/moon position, etc. Usually these two things happen simultaneously, where semi-blind "exploration" happens before and/or after a specifically planned shot. Sometimes the "planned" shot never happens and I'll end up with something really nice during my "exploration". I love to plan AND I love to explore, and I find it best to feed both those monsters that live in my head.
I've just recently gotten back from a trip to Cambodia and intentionally didn't plan too much in terms of where and what I wanted to photograph. I'm much happier when I get a feeling of; "Oh wow, look at that!" than "Yup. There's that thing", even when that thing might be spectacular in its own right. For example; Angkor Wat was one of the main things I wanted to see, but I intentionally didn't do a whole load of research into it and actually only decided at the hostel the day before whether to do a sunrise or sunset tour (I went with sunset after a girl showed me photos on her phone of the hundreds of people all along the bank of a lake trying to get the same photo that morning. It looked like a crowd at a music festival) which meant I spent the entire time walking around wide eyed in amazement at some of the architecture and things I was seeing. Also, I'm sure I took plenty of photos that day and on the rest of the trip that other people may have seen a million times before, but they meant more to me at the time and still do because I was discovering them for myself. That feeling of adventure you mention in the video is always the most important thing for me.
It happened to me just few days ago. I decided to go to a beautiful location just discovering that was full of people cause of a party, it was the wrong hour of the day and finally no autumn colors… I felt a bit disappointed… a bit more than a bit, but hey: it's like that!
I have found that the times I actually have planned in advance, are the times I end up disappointed the most with the photos, or rather, lack of great photos. I also feel that when I discover I new place or the weather suddenly changes unexpectedly, I get so excited about my new discovery or about the crazy storm that has just rolled in without warning, that my head is then in the right place for my artistic juices to really flow. Not sure if I made sense here, but in my head it's totally clear lol
Likewise, much prefer an adventure with spontaneous photo taking than a planned out mission ticking the boxes of planned shots. Also I feel a better connection with photos taken in the excitement of just coming across a scene over knowing what it looks like before hand and almost having a composition in my head waiting. Cheers James
Must say Slovenia looks FAB, more so then those really cold places you go to like Greenland, Faroes and Iceland, I have to turn up the central heating to watch them . That climb you did is a killer but , what views show more please James.
I usually prefer to not strictly plan my photographic adventures for the same reasons. A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to go see some waterfalls, but had to stop 2/3 of the way because of flooding. I still had a lot of fun taking photos where we had to stop.
I'm half way, like for shots nearby where I live in Ireland, I tend to plan a bit, or at least to scout the place first, and then go there when I see decent weather forecasts, at the right time of the day, etc... But when I travel, I just mark places that could be interesting, and then hope for the best... But as I travel with my girlfriend, is always a compromise...
Driving around in Norway was like 3 hours per drive. Not because the distances are long but because the roads are so winding and have slower speed limits. I drove even slower than that because I couldn't just drive past those amazing views.
Have the same feeling about not planing. Despite missing shots, i love the adventure. Also 1: Come to Switzerland. You can drive trough the hole country in 3 to 5 hours. Now thats short. Also 2: nice pictures and vlog and hanging sheep and oldschool whatch. Also 3: come to Switzerland, please. Would nice to meet you 😁🇨🇭
Chance encounters - some of my best photos have resulted from these, not deliberately setting out to take specific shots. The planning should be more about getting your gear ready, plus provisions and looking at the weather forecast. Nice one James.
I've tried to plan for certain types of shots, but the keepers are never what I planned for. Its best to just go for a wander and keep your eyes open :) Like really open. I think getting transfixed on looking for certain subjects like foreground, or background, I sometimes miss other things... So eyes open, and take time looking at everything! Sometimes amazing abstract art right under our noses.
Nope. Never plan anything. Winds my other half up all the time. I like to learn from the day and feel the element of surprise. Q: when filming the talking head. What lighting setup do you use? I seem to either feel like I’ve a torch shining in my face or it’s too high an iso and grainy as anything.
I've lived in Delhi for over three years and travelling in India really redefines my British idea of a long drive. Some weekends away involve a 2 hour flight followed by a 3.5 hour car journey, or day trips which involve 11 hours of driving. Couple of hours on the M25 seems like a breeze in comparison :)
I would plan, but I don’t have time!!! 😂😂😂 honestly though, I have almost never done any planned shots but I still find things to photograph so it is all good. Thank you for the cool video! 👊😉📸
My issue with making plans is I always miss a minor detail and something is never quite what I expect it to be. I prefer spontaneity and seeing what comes out in the moment, and often find when sitting back on Lightroom the random bonus shots from a walk or trip are more poignant than the headline shot I was after. I do like the level of inception to this video in that I had to plan to watch it, so picked a tone when the wife wasn’t chewing my ear off about nail varnish or nappies or cabbage or something, and the kids were distracted by some nonsense on tv so I could follow what you were on about... genius!
I prefer to plan. I was just in Bar Harbor, Maine (an 8.5 hour drive from NYC. Just saying) for a week. I planned most of my Acadia National Park shoots to the T. Got great shots a couple of times, mediocre ones a couple other times. The Milky Way shot I planned the most and spent the most time onsite for didn't work out because of weather. But one of my best images happened when I stumbled across a composition with just 10 minutes of decent light left. So, my motto is: plan within reason, but be ready for serendipity.
Adventure 1....Photography 2. Still run that thought through my head when traveling. Good to have some kit with you to get those great times. No-one can manufacture a great time. :)
I usually see photos of somewhere and add them to a go to list of Google pins, then when I get there I wing it. I often turn up at the wrong time of day for the location, or the wrong weather conditions... but it's all about just getting out there for me. If I come home with some half decent images I'm happy, and if I see the potential of better shot I'll return another time and wing it again 😃
@@JamesPopsysPhoto If you turn up with great expectations of what you've planned, and it doesn't happen, you've only set yourself up for a fall... go and get the best you can with the conditions you're given... win win
I love traveling without much of a plan, just a map. My wife loves telling me how I we are always doing it wrong because we did not plan. Perfect match.
A wise man once said "Fail to plan, Plan to fail" I don't know who said it, but they probably weren't a photographer, because nothing ever goes to plan for us ;-p lol Plus, I don't plan very well :D. I like being spontaneous and not having (high) expectations. Cheers,
There is an abundance of proverbs for planning and as an ex soldier there is merit in it, except adventure; adventure begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Hahaha, silly me ... Thanks to your video I realised that I've been trying to plan but all wrong ... I've tried to plan more but it wasn't really working somehow. Turns out I forgot to plan how to get to places. 🤣 So, less weather/daytime ... more car parks!!!
I plan locations but only just. Also parking. Then whatever happens becomes the vlog and I shoot what speaks to me. Although I've had no experience with hanging goats. 🐼👍🏽
I like to plan my adventures but I rarely stick with it, it's always been about the journey along the way and where else it might take you. This morning I had planned some bird photographs but ended up in the woods photographing mushrooms... glad it's not just me!
Absolutely the same, part of me wishes I could be that organised photographer who with planning maximises their time and chances to get the specific shots they want (time, tide, placement of the sun/moon, etc.) but I'm not. I tell myself that my strengths are being adaptable and quick to see and anticipate opportunities...but maybe that is masking laziness. All my school reports said (no exaggeration, all) along the lines of 'would achieve so much more if he put his mind to the task' or 'must try harder'...so I guess I'm consistent too? Is this more a jazz vs classical situation?
I do like to plan a bit but I do like to have a sense of adventure too. It's a tricky balance-especially if you're planning a group outing. I live in the Los Angeles area, so planning is a must, mainly because of traffic and wildfires. Something is always happening around here that can get in the way of where you want to go. However, I do find it useful to know where the alternative places to take photos of iconic landmarks are located. I want something different than the same image of the Golden Gate Bridge or Yosemite's El Capitan that's plastered all over the internet.
Only 2 hours? Heck, I can't get out of Wisconsin unless I travel 3 hours plus. I agree, excitement is the result of not thoroughly planning ... and finding some great eateries.
Very nice, very nice. Do people actually walk casually on those steel cleats hammered into a sheer rock face without even contemplating the odds of death or life in a vegetative state with one slip of a foot?
If I were to convince my wife to make that acsend I'd get divorce papers :D As for planning or not: I only research places I'd like to go and nothing else. Exploring the place is half the fun of the trip I feel.
Definitely thought it was a sheep before you even mentioned it haha. Spontaneity is great when you haven't been somewhere before, you probably do end up getting more unique photos.
At least you have a car to return to, not like me, who got lost in time, missed the last train back home and had to walk additional 36 km back spending the whole night in agony. I couldn't move for 2 days after this. That was definitely one experience... Since then I am kind of anxious to miss trains... At least planing a rough route and times should be done. Having a map should be essential, because I too like to take paths least travelled.
I can tell you from having to do this drive more than once on a limited time schedule - if 2 people drive in shifts, only stopping for food or potty breaks - it takes 33 hours to drive from Denver Colorado to New York City. Probably your idea of hell, and at this stage in my life mine too. I don't like to overthink a trip either as you lose all spontaneity. Nice video.
This was Karma's Revenge for sending me 'Look Where I am!' images on WhatsApp while I'm climbing over unheated caravans in the NEC... ;@) PS - I saw the sheep too.
A smidgeon of planning is a good idea, if you plan every shot down to last detail you will be disappointed in the end, because don’t forget: the best laid plans and all that
Hey, next time you come around here, stop by in Hungary. I'd really like to say this is not a boring place, but we do have some photograph-able-ish stuff here, and I'd really like to shoot with you. At most, for the fun, but also maybe I'd learn a thing or two :)
Planning can be necessary, but don't let it get in the way of spontaneity. You never know what you're going to come across and take advantage of that because, that moment may never come again. I suppose the best planning will allow you to reschedule locations later in the day or the next day, if you can be somewhat assured, baring weather complains that you can get the shot(s) you've missed because of those spontaneous opportunities.
I've taken enough random photo walks where I live in the last year to have a good idea of what looks good in what season at what time of day in what type of weather. I've got a few of the routes I've taken so well memorized that I just have to think of how far I'm willing to walk, whether I want clouds or not, and how masochistic I'm feeling if it's the dead middle of summer. That sets me up with a few guaranteed static shots, and then I just take whatever else I feel like that comes up by chance. So I suppose I've started to loosely plan by not planning at all, just thinking about how much I want to hate myself that day.
“We live on a very small island...” you should come to Oahu, HI and drive in morning and afternoon traffic on a Friday or when it rains lol great video as always. But for me, I go as a hiker first, photographer second. I need to prepare for that trail especially if it’s a trail I’ve never been on. I would prefer to know how much supplies I would need and know the lay of the land.
Two hours is a long time as well when you live in Holland, you'd be halfway through Holland in 2 hours 😂 I prefer to not plan too much.. Of course I'd like to know where I'm going before I drive off, and kind of know if it could be nice there or not.. But when it looks nice, I prefer just going there and just enjoy the adventure!
There is a saying that "Time spent in recce is seldom wasted". There is another one known "affectionately" as the "7Ps": "Proper prior planning prevents pi$$ poor performance." I don't have the money to waste by going someplace without knowing how to find it or if it works better as a sunrise or sunset shot. It would be nice to be able to go someplace and not care if I stood at least a reasonable chance of getting some sort of a shot, but I don't think most people have that luxury.
Love your philosophy on photography-thoughtful of incidental. Be spontaneous, experience what's going on at the moment and don't obsess over gear. It's not at all that you don't care; it's a different kind of experience. Love it.
Ha ha, I didn’t even plan having my kids, no chance of planning my photo trips 🤣🤣
Comment of the day! Haha!
@Aden Eden what are you on about
@Aden Eden go away
James: “If you’re following this, congratulations. Because I’m not.”
Me: Spits out dinner with hysterical laughter .
Gorgeous landscapes and crazy humor, thanks Popsys!😃
Haha! Thanks for watching :)
In our Slovenian mountains an average of 400 to 500 accidents occur yearly, with 30 to 50 dead each year. Thank goodness we have one of the best mountain rescue services in the world, otherwise that number would be even bigger. Your video is an accurate account of what we are not doing in the mountains. James, please don't underestimate them, do what you advise others to do, planning only takes a bit of your day, it take just a second to lost your whole life. Be safe to stay with us and your loved ones. Don't be a statistic.
Well said my friend - and yours is a beautiful country :)
I think they made it right when they chose a goal closer than the first one. In the wilderness, nature (mountain/light/weather) rules.
Agree! Thanks for taking the pressure off us planners and schedulers. You've helped me to relax and soak up what is around me, rather than having my head stuck in a schedule.
Totally agree! It’s exciting to explore and see what you can see. Minimal planning. Well said!
I really do enjoy your o so self aware created chaos which turns out to be more interesting then if all went right. It's funny listening to your probably quite thought through rambling about how and why. 🎶😊👍🏼 Be yourself!
Good that you made this statement, as a hobby photographer I like to involve the family in photo hikes and as long as we have fun everybody is happy. And as all photo courses will tell you: “you can shoot everywhere”.
100% :)
🇨🇦 fan here and yep two hours for us isn’t even a conversation starter😁 Keep up the great work!
Haha it's weird isn't it. English here too and we do base our judgment of how reasonable a journey is by the size of the land. It seems crazy to us on TV shows in America etc where they say 'it's only four hours away' and just hop in the car. Most Brits are like 'What!, that's a weekend trip and requires accommodation. Ha
@@Dan-kb2oz Haha, just yesterday I drove four hours to pick up my Dad from St. John's airport, then four hours back, all in a days work, lol.
..on a side note, I live in Newfoundland and everything is hours away from me, a lot of cons but the best pro is I never run into the problem of other photographers / people being around where I'm shooting, even in St. John's where it's most populated.
haha! So funny :)
If you live in a major metropolitan area like I do, often the first hour is just getting the eff out of the suburban sprawl, then it's at LEAST an hour on top of that just to get someplace interesting. One day I dream of living in a place where there's Interesting Stuff within an hour's drive.
🇧🇷here. 1:30 commute to work everyday :)
I enjoyed your un-planned photo walk; I may plan to see your next video if one is planned! A truly spontaneous thanks!
I live in Bohinj and when you've shown the Google Maps screenshot I knew exactly how the next couple minutes of the video will unfold 😅
Haha, torture!
Completely agree with you on this point JP. It's like when we go out for a meal, my whole family have checked out the menu online and have already decided what they're going to order before we get there, whereas I wait until I get to the restaurant and as I open the menu I can enjoy the moment of decision on the day in the place I'm going to eat. Great vlog as usual. Thanks
Haha, that sounds familiar :)
Since your last video, I just wanted to state that I really like you attitude!
I left lots of photography groups, because as a beginner you so often read or hear "YOU MUST"... Which is a bit strange if you're fairly new to a hobby.
Your videos are always really refreshing, taking the "musts" out and focusing on joy and creativity (while still showing that knowing your stuff is really helpful).
Carry on and I hope you get well soon!
Thanks so much, great to hear :)
You had a great time, and saw a sheep 😂😉 OMG, I'm dying here
Eye test for me!
Haha, good one! I totally agree that a bit of run and gun photography is a great way to stay creative. However I do love the moment when everything comes together and I capture that planned image perfectly as well.
I need to plan.....to get out of the house more. The rest of it will sort itself out from the front step! Love the videos, it seems like you enjoy keeping your photography simple, to the point and mostly economical which can be a nice change!
Once again a wonderful video ! Love your humour 😄
good to see someone who’s not planning to much and think more of the adventurous way of photography.
Thanks so much :)
James, if you ever tire of photography you could have a career as a stand up comedian! Your sense of humour has me in stitches....thank you!
Haha, thanks Andy!
I just love the humour you bring to your vlogs keep them coming. As for planning it depends I always carry my camera with me in the car when I’m driving around for work never know what you will come across. Other times I will try to plan if I’m out for a week in my campervan
Thanks so much :)
No plan is always the best plan, mate. If you micromanage every detail, then where's the fun in that? ;)
That's what I think :)
I'm older, have arthritis in my knees, good for a couple hours at most, with meds, mostly flat ground, and really no money for travel, so.... I have to plan, which involves, a short scouting mission, return visits and not all that far from home. There is some half decent sh*t to shoot out there if you really look.
Same here in Utah. In university had a photo professor who had us throw darts at a map of a relatively small area of Provo/Orem - the idea was, you had to shoot a portfolio assignment within 100 yds of where the dart landed as best you could determine. It was awesome making something good of just where you found yourself :)
@@lylestavast7652 A challenge I have in mind is to stand still, make five decent shots.
I wouldn't do it just anywhere.
I have seen a challenge, Canon Australia's channel I think. Photographers were given a studio complete with lighting and a backdrop and challenged to make photographs.
While I never plan, especially when going to an unknown place, I do have a vision in mind that somewhat matches the terrain and time of day. A sense of discovery and adventure ensues and usually the vision is realized even beyond expectations... very satisfying way to experience photography at its most free and creative level. Thanks for the great videos, I am a fan! Carry on ...
Wish I had the chance to plan a trip. Usually wake up, decide I want to take some photo's, hope in car, drive around in ever decreasing circles, park up somewhere and then run around like a headless chicken. Great vlog.
😂
I can't agree more.... great stuff! I feel if you are researching and find loads of images of your destination, what's the point.... the interesting (in my opinion) cant be found or researched.... its all up to you to find and make it....
Slovenia is beautiful, isn´t it. I drove trough it last summer and the landscape was soo nice!
A 2 hour car journey for me would be 400 laps around my Island.
That hike though, bt steep, bit dodgy in places and sheep hallucinations. What's not to like? Lovely photo of your Brother and the rippling lake. Looks like a fantastic location.
Haha, cheers mate - it was a cracking spot!
I've spent countless hours sitting in traffic covering next to no distance. Very happy to say I don't have those jobs or live in big cities anymore. After spending a couple years in small quiet towns, the several minute delay through 2 traffic lights is a nightmare🤣 Perspective is everything. Great video!
Me too Mark :)
I used to have to drive two hours each way in traffic( 42 miles) just to get to work in So Cal so on the return trip I started hiking Grffith Park twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday fro 7 - 9 PM it was then a thirty minute drive home . It started my love of hiking which I do at least three times per work as well as my love of landscape photography
I usually plan my shots when I go somewhere. Really liked your idea of adventure when you don't plan your shots. I'm going to Slovenia in a week or two and I might try that. Great video, as always!
Thanks mate - have fun, such an incredible spot :)
That lake was gorgeous. Great discovery! Planning primarily for the purpose of safety. I find it hard to pre plan photos exactly. My best effort is usually sun direction + rise and or setting. The details are discovered on real time once I get there
Heres to many more "mild successes".
BTW. Loved the sheep!
It all boils down to the adventure you get. Some travel planning comes in handy. I only plan the travel. For my liking the hike has to be adventures. It will definitely train your creativity on making good photographs you like yourselve. This will more certainly be the case when you pass trough unknown terrain.
Definitely :)
Im from Slovenija!! Hope you had great time.
We did! I love Slovenia! 😀
Great vlog, Slovenia is a beautiful country. What's your favourite podcast? And do you & your brother have similar taste in podcasts/music?
you're a good story teller - you know you're good when thousands of people will watch your failures, gladly :) btw I think the quality of video you're getting is excellent so the G90 if that's what you're using is doing you well. Cheers.
Thank you - lovely to hear :)
I very rarely plan. I find it more fun to find out what's there when I get there. Having said that I do check paths etc before I go!!
I never plan, but I photograph for me, not a client. I love the days when I hop in the truck and head off in some random direction. Window down in the summer, music blasting, me singing horribly off-key just looking for something to take a picture of. It's a recipe for a perfect day.
Ha ha love it. Apart from setting my alarm clock for the morning, I don’t plan much else. Which probably explains my videos.
I agree with you, I love to discover places by myself without much planning and I also love to go around and take photos from every possible angle. But sometimes, when I'm going back to a place for a nice sunset or sunrise, I check the direction of sunset and stuff. But these data often doesn't match with reality, to be honest.
Agreed :)
Thanks for the video, interesting about the ear plugs for flying; which ones do you use?
8:09 I am a lite planner, but often get great grab shots. That said, my wife and I did just drive 2-1/2 hours or so each way, hike 11 miles to a waterfall we never got to see. We learned later that we needed to find the hidden ropes to scale down the ravine and if you slipped it was 150ft slide to the bottom. Oh, and I tried on my own a week ago which is why I was back. I found that I didn't go far enough.... so this was my second time.
Sometimes I plan, sometimes I don't. There really is something to what you said for the sense of adventure in a new place. In the balance, I think I'm 50/50 on the planning. Occasionally I'll deep dive a location to try and sort everything ahead of time, and sometimes the planning begins and ends with looking at the snapshots of a location people post to the AllTrails app, looking to see if there is a good composition hiding in their memories somewhere...
Still other times I'll go to a place fully expecting to get nothing, with the belief that it'll be a good scouting expedition and nothing more, only to find a few pretty nice shots when I get there.
Totally agree, gotta love the sense of the adventure and zero planning makes everything more interesting, you will never what you’ll find out ( you might have exc photos or zero photos), but I prefer the experience and and adventure
Awesome! Me too mate :)
Hi David, you have a cold? Could have fooled me I can't tell :). But hope you feel better. Glad to see Tom again, hi Tom! Tom looks great as always. There better be some great photos of Tom ;). And now to the serious commentary, what the heck are you doing on climbing on the metal pins and holding onto a cable wait until Emily watches this video. I'm very afraid of heights and I could never do what you do, I love the sense of adventure that you guys have it is very inspiring and you and and your brother Tom must have had a blast doing this trip and the great memories. Thanks for sharing and hi to Tom.
haha! I won't tell her about this one...
I went to a mountain town (NC) new to me yesterday & planned how to drive there but beyond that not much more. I think it depends. Some places require more planning than others. At least for my comfort level. But it's usually from a safety perspective.
That makes sense! Great to not die on a day out :)
Yup best to avoid dying. I actually was yelling at this video & telling you to turn around. That looked pretty scary to attempt in the dark. Even with a head lamp. Glad you didn't have to try it.
Story of my life! Wouldn’t have it any other way!
I plan... a lot. I'll use weather and maps to plan what location to explore and when. Then after exploration, with many GPS tagged photos on my phone, I'll plan for specific shots using calendar, weather, tide tables, sun/moon position, etc. Usually these two things happen simultaneously, where semi-blind "exploration" happens before and/or after a specifically planned shot. Sometimes the "planned" shot never happens and I'll end up with something really nice during my "exploration". I love to plan AND I love to explore, and I find it best to feed both those monsters that live in my head.
I've just recently gotten back from a trip to Cambodia and intentionally didn't plan too much in terms of where and what I wanted to photograph. I'm much happier when I get a feeling of; "Oh wow, look at that!" than "Yup. There's that thing", even when that thing might be spectacular in its own right. For example; Angkor Wat was one of the main things I wanted to see, but I intentionally didn't do a whole load of research into it and actually only decided at the hostel the day before whether to do a sunrise or sunset tour (I went with sunset after a girl showed me photos on her phone of the hundreds of people all along the bank of a lake trying to get the same photo that morning. It looked like a crowd at a music festival) which meant I spent the entire time walking around wide eyed in amazement at some of the architecture and things I was seeing. Also, I'm sure I took plenty of photos that day and on the rest of the trip that other people may have seen a million times before, but they meant more to me at the time and still do because I was discovering them for myself. That feeling of adventure you mention in the video is always the most important thing for me.
It happened to me just few days ago. I decided to go to a beautiful location just discovering that was full of people cause of a party, it was the wrong hour of the day and finally no autumn colors… I felt a bit disappointed… a bit more than a bit, but hey: it's like that!
I have found that the times I actually have planned in advance, are the times I end up disappointed the most with the photos, or rather, lack of great photos. I also feel that when I discover I new place or the weather suddenly changes unexpectedly, I get so excited about my new discovery or about the crazy storm that has just rolled in without warning, that my head is then in the right place for my artistic juices to really flow. Not sure if I made sense here, but in my head it's totally clear lol
Likewise, much prefer an adventure with spontaneous photo taking than a planned out mission ticking the boxes of planned shots. Also I feel a better connection with photos taken in the excitement of just coming across a scene over knowing what it looks like before hand and almost having a composition in my head waiting.
Cheers James
Well said mate :)
Great video as always. By the way still waiting for that editing video 🙂
It's coming soon :)
I plan my trips. I look for what things are there to do and how much i will need for the trip.
Must say Slovenia looks FAB, more so then those really cold places you go to like Greenland, Faroes and Iceland, I have to turn up the central heating to watch them . That climb you did is a killer but , what views show more please James.
It's nice not to be surrounded by ice all the time :)
I usually prefer to not strictly plan my photographic adventures for the same reasons. A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to go see some waterfalls, but had to stop 2/3 of the way because of flooding. I still had a lot of fun taking photos where we had to stop.
I'm half way, like for shots nearby where I live in Ireland, I tend to plan a bit, or at least to scout the place first, and then go there when I see decent weather forecasts, at the right time of the day, etc...
But when I travel, I just mark places that could be interesting, and then hope for the best... But as I travel with my girlfriend, is always a compromise...
Driving around in Norway was like 3 hours per drive. Not because the distances are long but because the roads are so winding and have slower speed limits. I drove even slower than that because I couldn't just drive past those amazing views.
Have the same feeling about not planing. Despite missing shots, i love the adventure.
Also 1: Come to Switzerland. You can drive trough the hole country in 3 to 5 hours. Now thats short.
Also 2: nice pictures and vlog and hanging sheep and oldschool whatch.
Also 3: come to Switzerland, please. Would nice to meet you 😁🇨🇭
Chance encounters - some of my best photos have resulted from these, not deliberately setting out to take specific shots. The planning should be more about getting your gear ready, plus provisions and looking at the weather forecast. Nice one James.
Definitely! :)
I've tried to plan for certain types of shots, but the keepers are never what I planned for. Its best to just go for a wander and keep your eyes open :) Like really open. I think getting transfixed on looking for certain subjects like foreground, or background, I sometimes miss other things... So eyes open, and take time looking at everything! Sometimes amazing abstract art right under our noses.
Nope. Never plan anything. Winds my other half up all the time. I like to learn from the day and feel the element of surprise.
Q: when filming the talking head. What lighting setup do you use? I seem to either feel like I’ve a torch shining in my face or it’s too high an iso and grainy as anything.
you just can't beat spontaneity,
This was fun😄✌
I've lived in Delhi for over three years and travelling in India really redefines my British idea of a long drive. Some weekends away involve a 2 hour flight followed by a 3.5 hour car journey, or day trips which involve 11 hours of driving. Couple of hours on the M25 seems like a breeze in comparison :)
That does put it in perspective :)
I would plan, but I don’t have time!!! 😂😂😂 honestly though, I have almost never done any planned shots but I still find things to photograph so it is all good. Thank you for the cool video! 👊😉📸
My issue with making plans is I always miss a minor detail and something is never quite what I expect it to be. I prefer spontaneity and seeing what comes out in the moment, and often find when sitting back on Lightroom the random bonus shots from a walk or trip are more poignant than the headline shot I was after.
I do like the level of inception to this video in that I had to plan to watch it, so picked a tone when the wife wasn’t chewing my ear off about nail varnish or nappies or cabbage or something, and the kids were distracted by some nonsense on tv so I could follow what you were on about... genius!
😂😂😂
I prefer to plan. I was just in Bar Harbor, Maine (an 8.5 hour drive from NYC. Just saying) for a week. I planned most of my Acadia National Park shoots to the T. Got great shots a couple of times, mediocre ones a couple other times. The Milky Way shot I planned the most and spent the most time onsite for didn't work out because of weather. But one of my best images happened when I stumbled across a composition with just 10 minutes of decent light left. So, my motto is: plan within reason, but be ready for serendipity.
Well said John :)
Adventure 1....Photography 2. Still run that thought through my head when traveling. Good to have some kit with you to get those great times. No-one can manufacture a great time. :)
Awesome to hear :)
Love the idea of just winging it for certain Photography trips
It's good fun! :)
2 hours, in The Netherlands people allready complain if it takes more than 10 minutes to get to a supermarket🙃🙃
I usually see photos of somewhere and add them to a go to list of Google pins, then when I get there I wing it. I often turn up at the wrong time of day for the location, or the wrong weather conditions... but it's all about just getting out there for me.
If I come home with some half decent images I'm happy, and if I see the potential of better shot I'll return another time and wing it again 😃
The best way I think mate! :)
@@JamesPopsysPhoto If you turn up with great expectations of what you've planned, and it doesn't happen, you've only set yourself up for a fall... go and get the best you can with the conditions you're given... win win
I love traveling without much of a plan, just a map. My wife loves telling me how I we are always doing it wrong because we did not plan. Perfect match.
Sounds familiar Steve :)
I don’t plan, just wander, and then wonder why I don’t get incredible photos like those photographers whom I admire.🤦🏾♀️
A wise man once said "Fail to plan, Plan to fail"
I don't know who said it, but they probably weren't a photographer, because nothing ever goes to plan for us ;-p lol
Plus, I don't plan very well :D. I like being spontaneous and not having (high) expectations.
Cheers,
Very well said mate :)
Plan need not be elaborate. "Go there, shoot what I see," works well for many things.
There is an abundance of proverbs for planning and as an ex soldier there is merit in it, except adventure; adventure begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Hahaha, silly me ... Thanks to your video I realised that I've been trying to plan but all wrong ... I've tried to plan more but it wasn't really working somehow. Turns out I forgot to plan how to get to places. 🤣 So, less weather/daytime ... more car parks!!!
I plan locations but only just. Also parking. Then whatever happens becomes the vlog and I shoot what speaks to me. Although I've had no experience with hanging goats. 🐼👍🏽
I like to plan my adventures but I rarely stick with it, it's always been about the journey along the way and where else it might take you. This morning I had planned some bird photographs but ended up in the woods photographing mushrooms... glad it's not just me!
That sounds awesome - although I'd end up eating a deadly one...
Absolutely the same, part of me wishes I could be that organised photographer who with planning maximises their time and chances to get the specific shots they want (time, tide, placement of the sun/moon, etc.) but I'm not. I tell myself that my strengths are being adaptable and quick to see and anticipate opportunities...but maybe that is masking laziness. All my school reports said (no exaggeration, all) along the lines of 'would achieve so much more if he put his mind to the task' or 'must try harder'...so I guess I'm consistent too? Is this more a jazz vs classical situation?
I do like to plan a bit but I do like to have a sense of adventure too. It's a tricky balance-especially if you're planning a group outing.
I live in the Los Angeles area, so planning is a must, mainly because of traffic and wildfires. Something is always happening around here that can get in the way of where you want to go.
However, I do find it useful to know where the alternative places to take photos of iconic landmarks are located. I want something different than the same image of the Golden Gate Bridge or Yosemite's El Capitan that's plastered all over the internet.
Definitely :)
Haha loved the British waffle story. 😀 hilarious. Love your real style "vlog" Don't change! It's unique to you
Thanks so much :)
It's a temperature inversion... the cloud is the right way up ;)
Only 2 hours? Heck, I can't get out of Wisconsin unless I travel 3 hours plus. I agree, excitement is the result of not thoroughly planning ... and finding some great eateries.
Yes sir!
Very nice, very nice. Do people actually walk casually on those steel cleats hammered into a sheer rock face without even contemplating the odds of death or life in a vegetative state with one slip of a foot?
Not something I'd film on a wet day my friend... :)
If I were to convince my wife to make that acsend I'd get divorce papers :D
As for planning or not:
I only research places I'd like to go and nothing else. Exploring the place is half the fun of the trip I feel.
I couldn't have said it better myself :)
Definitely thought it was a sheep before you even mentioned it haha. Spontaneity is great when you haven't been somewhere before, you probably do end up getting more unique photos.
I'm pleased it's not just me then... :)
At least you have a car to return to, not like me, who got lost in time, missed the last train back home and had to walk additional 36 km back spending the whole night in agony. I couldn't move for 2 days after this. That was definitely one experience... Since then I am kind of anxious to miss trains...
At least planing a rough route and times should be done. Having a map should be essential, because I too like to take paths least travelled.
Oh my! Still, the experience might make for a good book? :)
I can tell you from having to do this drive more than once on a limited time schedule - if 2 people drive in shifts, only stopping for food or potty breaks - it takes 33 hours to drive from Denver Colorado to New York City. Probably your idea of hell, and at this stage in my life mine too. I don't like to overthink a trip either as you lose all spontaneity. Nice video.
That's a mission - I've dabbled with the idea of cycling coast to coast, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for it... :)
This was Karma's Revenge for sending me 'Look Where I am!' images on WhatsApp while I'm climbing over unheated caravans in the NEC... ;@) PS - I saw the sheep too.
Haha! It does serve me right...
A smidgeon of planning is a good idea, if you plan every shot down to last detail you will be disappointed in the end, because don’t forget: the best laid plans and all that
Yes sir :)
Hey, next time you come around here, stop by in Hungary. I'd really like to say this is not a boring place, but we do have some photograph-able-ish stuff here, and I'd really like to shoot with you. At most, for the fun, but also maybe I'd learn a thing or two :)
Planning can be necessary, but don't let it get in the way of spontaneity. You never know what you're going to come across and take advantage of that because, that moment may never come again. I suppose the best planning will allow you to reschedule locations later in the day or the next day, if you can be somewhat assured, baring weather complains that you can get the shot(s) you've missed because of those spontaneous opportunities.
I've taken enough random photo walks where I live in the last year to have a good idea of what looks good in what season at what time of day in what type of weather. I've got a few of the routes I've taken so well memorized that I just have to think of how far I'm willing to walk, whether I want clouds or not, and how masochistic I'm feeling if it's the dead middle of summer. That sets me up with a few guaranteed static shots, and then I just take whatever else I feel like that comes up by chance. So I suppose I've started to loosely plan by not planning at all, just thinking about how much I want to hate myself that day.
That's a nice position to be in :)
You should rename your channel “The Misadventures Of James Popsys” (and brother)
Hmmm, there's a thought... :)
Got to admit, I do like going on an adventure with very little or no plans.
Me too :)
PMSL you make me crease up.
“We live on a very small island...” you should come to Oahu, HI and drive in morning and afternoon traffic on a Friday or when it rains lol great video as always. But for me, I go as a hiker first, photographer second. I need to prepare for that trail especially if it’s a trail I’ve never been on. I would prefer to know how much supplies I would need and know the lay of the land.
That makes a lot of sense! I guess you're like me in not planning specific shots though :)
Two hours is a long time as well when you live in Holland, you'd be halfway through Holland in 2 hours 😂 I prefer to not plan too much.. Of course I'd like to know where I'm going before I drive off, and kind of know if it could be nice there or not.. But when it looks nice, I prefer just going there and just enjoy the adventure!
I live in Texas. Two hours in a car is a pretty short ride.
Thank god it's not just me who wings it!
There is a saying that "Time spent in recce is seldom wasted". There is another one known "affectionately" as the "7Ps": "Proper prior planning prevents pi$$ poor performance." I don't have the money to waste by going someplace without knowing how to find it or if it works better as a sunrise or sunset shot. It would be nice to be able to go someplace and not care if I stood at least a reasonable chance of getting some sort of a shot, but I don't think most people have that luxury.