Re: [Leica] Screw Ups 'r Us.

[John Coan <jcoan@alumni.duke.edu>]

Ted,
Thanks for sharing this story.  Sort of reminds me of another Canadian
shoot with a somewhat better outcome -- Karsh and Churchill.

My latest screwup was last month when I volunteered to take departmental
group shots at the company picnic.  I had my way cool Contax 645, Metz
flash for fill, and Bogen 3021 tripod with the ball head.  I got some
volunteer subjects to help me haul the stuff to the site from my car,
set everything up, and went to mount the camera.  Whoops, I had left the
dern quick release plate neither on the camera or the tripod.  It was
sitting at home!  They said, why aren't you using the tripod?  I said, I
think it will work out better this way -- which of course by then was
true.  Now everybody on this list knows how stupid I was.  Fortunately
two things:  the shots came out just fine handheld, and I don't pretend
to make a living at this.  In photographers, you get what you pay for!
John

Ted Grant wrote:
> 
> Rick Dykstra wrote:
> >
> > Tell us about your biggest, worst, most enlightening, whatever,
> > photographic screw up.    Might save some of us from doing the same.<<<<<<<<
> 
> Rick,
> I've screwed up more than I want to confess but I have had a few
> hummers! ;-)
> 
> My assignment was to photograph the Governor General of Canada with his
> grandsons and a huge decorated Christmas tree at Rideau Hall where the
> GG lived. The picture was for a Christmas news release by a National
> News agency and if I did a good job it meant I'd have a full time
> position on their staff!!   Cool shoot.
> 
> So more hung on this assignment than just getting the picture. I arrived
> early to look the site over and had everything ready when the GG and the
> boys arrived.  Everything went like clock work, kids were great, GG was
> happy looking with the grandsons. I was tickled pink and as excited as
> all get out!         Perfect shoot, no sweat, new job here I come. :-)
> 
> Souped the film and  ...*&%$@#$%&*())*&^%$ FLASH!!!! wasn't synched
> properly! :-(
> 
> Now some of you understand why I hate flash so vehemently!   Panic
> panic! Assignment screwed-up, new job before I got it was gone in the
> flash of an eye!
> 
> Get calm, phone the press secretary...." I blew the shot can we reshoot?
>  Like right now immediately?  If the GG doesn't give me another chance I
> wont get the new job."  Whine and whine, near tears, plead plead, I got
> a wife and three kids etc. etc.   Christmas !
> 
> Good guy GG  says OK get right over here.  We  reshoot and it was so
> static, just so damn miserable looking and the expressions were
> absolutely nothing compared to the exciting time we had doing it the
> first time.  Re-staging a great shoot never looks the same.
> 
> Did I get the job?  Nope!  They never mentioned it nor I.  As I knew
> they knew I had screwed-up "Royally!"    Only in the face of the Queen's
> Royal Representative you say?   Pity!
> 
> Since this screw-up?  If at all possible and I can make successful
> photography by available light, I shoot only available light! ;-)  Yep
> and I've screwed a few of those and had to reshoot using flash!   Hey
> you can't win 'em all.   Life's like that. :-)
> 
> ted