On a recent snorkle trip to Molokini from Maui, we ran into a large pod of Spinner Dolphin. All at once, about 15 of them breached at the same exact time. Then they took off. The marine biologist on board said there must be a shark around. Sure enough we soon spotted a 12 ft hammerhead. We did not get pictures of the spinners breaching or of the shark, even though I came home from Maui with 10 rolls of film! Anybody else miss the big shot?

Hummingbirds in Jamaica
flocks of them darting all around us and not one camera in the bunch!

nance,
Your story reminded me of a snorkeling/sightseeing excursion we were on in Moorea, French Poly a couple years ago. As they frequently do, a pod of spinner dolphins was swimming out front of the excursion boat. I'd already gotten my pictures and put the camera away when four of them, as if they were performing, almost simultaneously jumped out of the water spinning. Really cool to see, but rats.....the camera was in the bag.

Two of us rented waverunners in Costa Rica on the Pacific coast. About 3/4 of a mile from shore suddenly 5-6 grey dolphins emerged and were "racing" along side of us, jumping out of the water right alongside of me. They were only about 3-6 feet away! What a rush. Obviously, no camera on board. : (

A rising moon over Marblehead harbor, among all the sailboat masts -- had the perfect camera, but the film had never been taken up by the take-upreel.

LL, I think you must have found my old camera! LOL. After that happened to me a few times, I got a new camera! I missed one entire Christmas due to my film not catching the reel.

Coming south from the Twin Cities, I-35 goes over a lake. A few minutes before we got to the lake, the clouds at sunset had all turned cotton candy pink. As we crossed the lake, we saw that it was mirror smooth, meaning we not only had a pink sky but a perfect reflection of the pink sky. I should have just pulled over and taken a picture; because every time since then, as I crossed that lake, I remember the sunset I didn't get a picture of.

In the early 90's, 4 identical looking homeless guys sleeping (sitting up) on a bench by the tracks in Grand Central Terminal, with a big sign above them that read "STAY ALERT".

Had my camera on me...didn't want to wake anyone w/the flash!

Also - ugh - had 11 rolls of film ruined by multiple x-ray machines on my trip to Thailand. It looked like we were in a fog the whole trip. NEVER PUT FILM IN CHECKED LUGGAGE. My boyfriend learned his lesson. I went out after that and bought a digital.

Nance:

Not sure if this is good or bad...but here goes...I work in NYC and witnessed Sept 11th. After about 4 weeks I just had to go down and try and put some closure on the event! I felt real guilty bringing my camera. I just wanted a personal record for a journal where I could put down my thoughts along with pictures. I worked my way passed all the security and made it to about 5 blocks from ground zero. I started to take pictures of the devistation that was still visible. Took shots of the "U.S. Army" that were patroling the area, the volenteers, the faces!! I finally was told by a soldier that "no pictures were to be taken"! I packed up and left..crying! When I opened the camera ( a old Canon AE-1) I found that the manual take-up reel never "took-up" the film!. I had no pictures!!....I felt absolutely devastated!...but I think there was a bigger reason for those pictures not comming out....sorry to get so mystical..it is just how I felt
JOHN

We were walking past Buckingham Palace when the gates opened and the Queens car came out. We were so excited! We were so close, we could have touched her car! My husband hurridly grabbed his camera from around his neck and took a picture as she waved at us! When we got home and developed the film, we disappointedly realized that in his haste he had taken a picture of her chauffeur!

Our company was in Las Vegas and we had a scavenger hunt. One item to collect was a celebrity autograph. I literally bumped into Jackie Chan and asked him for his autograph, showing him my list. he was so nice, adn I was so thrilled to get his signature that I totally forgot I had a camera in my pocket. Drat!

John, that would be a hard call, to take or not to take pictures. I don't know if I would have been able to do it, but I am glad that so many people did take video and photos. I don't that the rest of the world would have been able to understand the devastation without the graphic images.

Mine isn't anywhere near as exotic as any of yours. I visited the Philippines 3 years ago for a month with my sister (my mom's filipino and dad's irish)for the first time and met dozens and dozens of my mom's relatives. It was an emotional journey that I belatedly realized I should've taken while my mom was still alive. Like Suzanne, some 16 rolls got ruined by the x-ray machines (I have since forgiven my sis for that)...luckily we had about 8 hours of video so all wasn't lost. I would give up just about almost anything to get those 16 rolls back.

John,I understand how you must have felt and agree that sometimes there are reasons for things going a certain way.This might have been one of them,but there are THankfully,plenty of photos of everything, so maybe no one will actually try to say that it never happened,and no one will forget.

That is funny that two of you mentioned the xray machines ruining your film. I had checked around on various photo boards about that same subject. It seemed to me that most people agreed that the machines would not hurt anything less that 1000 speed film. Lucky for me, I was stopped at the airport recently and told if I had any film in my checked baggage, to take it out. I was carrying 10 unopened rolls of film, and I got them out and put them in my carry-on. I would have been very upset to have taken all 10 rolls, and then found them ruined!

I realize it is very expensive to get film developed in less than developed areas, however, when in the U.S. I always find a local drugstore and get most of my photos developed while still on the trip. No need to worry about the x-ray machine on the way back. (Also, if they didn't come out, you still have time to run around and take more! We did this on our honeymoon in Maui and Kauai and Long's Drugs was cheaper than we pay at home!

I have a whole website devoted to this topic.

http://www.picturesofmyfinger.com

Amita!
The photos with the finger are funny but the World Trade Photos are so sad.
Thanks for showing us your site.
kate

Lots of (attempted) pictures of Terns diving on fish, but all I got was calm water or, in one case, a pic of a splash ! Now I have a motor drive ...

Regarding x-rays & spoilt film, you can buy lead-lined flexible bags for film, the one I have (well.. had, can't find it) could hold maybe eight or ten rolls. Would be interested if anyone could recommend a supplier for its replacement.
Keep Snapping !
p.

Was touring Graceland in Memphis...I was in the foyer by the main staircase and looked up the stairs. A large man with porkchop sideburns and wearing a jumpsuit ran by......sorry to say I didn't have my camera ready