Irony

I hope the irony of the past few days wasn't lost on anyone: first I complained that the weather was keeping me from photographing, and then I saw one of the prettiest sights I've seen since I moved to the Finger Lakes. And wasn't prepared to photograph it.

I've been saying it for decades: I hate irony. (Here's a great article about what "irony" means. It's a deep word.)

And now, we are being blessed, where I am, with one spectacular day which is is expected to end up having bad weather stretching before and after it for many days in both directions—and the Fuji X-H1 must go back to Lensrentals tomorrow. So, if you'll excuse me, I am going to head out and have fun with the Fuji and fill up a card. I intend to photograph Halloween decorations...

...But, with photography as with irony, you never know what you're actually going to get.

Mike

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Anders Holt: "As I wrote my thesis on Søren Kierkegaard, I can not resist to point to his 'On the Concept of Irony with Continual Reference to Socrates.' Not his best text, but is still worth some hours away from photography.  :-) "

Comments

[John Holmes]

Mike,
When you buy a camera from B&H they give you 30 days to try it. If it wasn't what you expected you can ask to return it and they will send you the paperwork and shipping label .... Just remember to treat it kindly and pack it up exactly as you got it in the original box, etc.
Since I have no camera stores nearby I have tried lots of cameras from B&H and had to return them.

[Chuck Albertson]

...or a box of chocolates.

[Steve Jacob]

Interested to hear your experiences. Given your appreciation for some Fuji lenses, like the oh-so-lovely 23 f/1.4 and your preference for IBIS, it seems like the perfect marriage.

[Mark Sampson]

Pay the lens rentals late charge. The pictures you make will be worth it. 50+ years in western NY State says that the weather will clamp down the week after Election Day, and your opportunities to photograph outside will be few and fleeting for some months to come. Carpe Diem!

[Jeron]

I'd try to cheat the rain mechanism. Prepare everything to be returned the next day. Go to bed. If the weather entity was successfully tricked, you'd have optimal photo weather. Instead of sending the package, extend the loan for 1-2 days and enjoy!

There's a risk however: it might only work once. If the weather mechanism is seriously angered, the next time, it might keep on raining long after you've sent back the camera.

[Rob Campbell]

Unlike for most, my favourite photography weather (these non-commercial days) is represented by clouds, drizzle, and calm sea.

There is so much tonality to be milked from cloud; so much mystery, threat even.

Sea that looks like ink with a few bright flashes in places, brings something that's lost in days with too much azure above the head. As for sea that looks like mist... kinda like rivers of running soap suds.

But then in the interests of the popular idea of full disclosure, I'm not terribly in love with landscape snaps, or colour in general.

Not wanting to knock anyone in particular, but landscape seems to consist of turning up when God gets the lighting just right.

:-)

[Moose]

I'm not convinced this is an example of irony. I read your link. I'm still not convinced.

You have quite a number of self-confessed examples of this kind of occurrence over many years. Not to expect them to continue to occur when you continue to go out regularly without a camera seems to me to be something other than ironic.

(Was it ironic when I uncharacteristically neglected to take my cameras to downtown Boston yesterday on a personal business visit then went on a walk in the Commons? I suppose not, as I missed no wonderful shots.)

[I think it's happened to me many times over many years simply because I'm not always photographing but I'm always *looking*. I spend a lot of time and concentration looking at things, and I'm almost always alert to what I might see.

Reminds me of a funny story--I have a friend who taught photography at the Smithsonian for many years. One day I was walking across the Mall with him after leaving the Smithsonian classrooms, and I noticed he was walking looking fixedly at the ground in front of his feet. When I asked him why, he answered glumly, "because this is my kind of light and I don't have my camera with me. If I look up I'll just see pictures. I don't want to see any pictures." --Mike]

[John krumm]

Probably the closest you come to irony here, is that by writing about the image so well, you have made a much better image than your fancy Fuji would have. But it's still only sort of ironic. English majors can argue about irony forever.

[James Weekes]

I have done the exact same thing while camera-less when great light occurs. Thus, I am rarely camera-less.......until today, when the light on the golf course was like liquid gold and my camera was safe in my car. Curses.

[Speed]

As a literary technique [irony] is used when a certain outcome is revealed, but is not what readers were expecting or hoping for.

It is ironic the first time but becomes less so the more it happens until it becomes something else -- forgetful maybe?

With the always-with-us camera/phone there is no reason to not make a picture of some sort when the situation presents. In my experience the always-with-me camera/phone has me taking pictures of some sort far more often than when I carried a little point-n-shoot. And the "pictures of some sort" are often quite good -- certainly better than nothing.

[anthony reczek]

I know the comments to yesterday's post were closed, but I do want to commend your sensibilities. I would hope that your views reflect the general sentiments of many of the regulars here, though reading between the lines, there are probably a few "outliers".

Happy Halloween !!! Lot of old school costumes this year: Harry Potter characters, Austin Powers, PacMan, etc..

[Daniel]

Stunningly beautiful day with inclement weather moving in.
Sounds like photo heaven.
Everyone photographs when it is nice out. Rain, snow, wind and squally make for compelling images - and most stay inside and miss the whole opportunity.

[Jock Elliott]

Well, Mike, if you're going to be an opportunistic photographer (as I am), the rules are simple: take a camera with you everywhere and see what happens.

Then it comes down to: what are you willing to carry that will deliver the results you want?