Even as photographers, whether professional, amateur or somewhere in between, none of us have a camera to hand 24/7. Even when I'm walking down the street I find myself looking at colours, compositions, shapes, shadows...
So, what do you remember as the best shot(s) you never got to take? The times you WISHED you had a camera?
I'll offer a few:
1) I was walking through town one evening around sunset, just after a heavy rainstorm when I passed by a wooden bench that had recently been recoated. The dark brown of the bench was highlighted by the last of the yellow rays, and there were huge droplets of water spattered over the surfaces of the bench, and a bold green sign that proclaimed, 'Wet Paint'.
2) I was at home in my office on a rainy afternoon, trying to focus on paper work when I looked out the window and saw two people with umbrellas walking along the sidewalk across the street. In front was an old grandmother, European, dressed all in black and hunched over with her umbrella practically hiding her; it was clutched so tightly. Behind her walked (I presume) her granddaughter, in a bright pink raincoat, and with her umbrella held horizontally at arms length in front of her while she caught as many raindrops as she could on her face and tongue.
3) About 10 years ago I was driving out to Canada's east coast and stopped overnight in Campbellton, New Brunswick. I got up early the next morning (Sunday) and drove along the secondary highway that parallels the ocean. Just after sunrise I passed over a bridge that was sheltering a few small fishing boats, so I stopped and wound off the last of my film. Got back in the car and about a hundred yards down the road there was a lagoon with THIRTY SEVEN Great Blue Herons in it, all waiting for me to arrive, without film...
Anyone else?
Mike.