Will the price of gas affect your photo habits?

[Addies Granddaddy]

Sometimes last summer, I'd grab the d70 and go out for a little ride looking for photo ops. Needless to say, that's not going to be the case so much anymore. I'm starting to consolidate my trips, trying to have a plan before I get in the car.

Anyone else? Has this stifled your "grab and go's"?

[mwfanelli2]

Sometimes last summer, I'd grab the d70 and go out for a little ride looking for photo ops. Needless to say, that's not going to be the case so much anymore. I'm starting to consolidate my trips, trying to have a plan before I get in the car.

Anyone else? Has this stifled your "grab and go's"?

Definitely. I have severely limited my driving. Now, I drive back and forth to work and that is it. I try to get photos within walking distance of my apartment. Thanks to gross administration mismanagement of the economy, its not just gasoline that is rising in price. Money has become extremely tight with rising prices for food, housing, health care, services, plummeting dollar, increasing layoffs, etc. The perfect storm, where/when will it end?

[Sushigaijin]

Gas is ALWAYS crazy this time of year - and every year it is a bit more crazy. That said, this is my most productive time of year for photography (reptiles and amphibians) so I have no choice in whether or not to drive. a gallon of premium is just over $4.00 here, which is about where it crested last year. I expect 15 or 20 cents higher this spring.

The strangest thing is my fuel economy - I used to get $10 worth of gas to get out of the city, where gas was cheaper by 30 or 40 cents, but this year there is less than a dime of difference between my urban and suburban filling stations. Villainy! Conspiracy! That amounts to several dollars difference on a tank of gas!

[jgredline]

Definitely. I have severely limited my driving. Now, I drive back and forth to work and that is it. I try to get photos within walking distance of my apartment. Thanks to gross administration mismanagement of the economy, its not just gasoline that is rising in price. Money has become extremely tight with rising prices for food, housing, health care, services, plummeting dollar, increasing layoffs, etc. The perfect storm, where/when will it end?

Yes, This pretty says it all for me....

[mn shutterbug]

I wasn't into photography last year. However, last year I was making 265 mile, one day trips, for fishing. I did this a few times last year. This year, I'll stick much closer to home. I'll probably catch fewer fish too.

I did figure out one way to let the blasted government help pay for my gas for taking pictures. I just turned my photo habit into a small business. I may not sell more than $1000 worth of product this year, but I can still write off my mileage, as long as I come back with a couple good photos. I'll also have to make sure I get a couple good pictures every time I go fishing too. If I can show a couple thousand dollar loss this year, that will help with my gas bill. :idea:

Also, I have been making a lot of short trips to a state park. The park is only 10 miles from home and has more bird life than I thought. I had longer trips planned, but this will take place of a couple of them.

[adina]

I'm moving this to the Viewfinder, it's not really off topic, very relevant, I think, for a photography board.

[mjs1973]

I have already cut back on a lot of local photo trips. I hate to even leave town with the price of gas now. I will start to plan my outings so they match up with other trips that I have to take. Like taking my gear to work with me, and stopping at some places between work and home. I will also start riding my motorcycle or bicycle on photo outings.

It's not just photo trips that I'm cutting back on. I use to take the dogs for a walk after work by driving them to a local park. Now I walk the extra mile to the park. It's better for them, me and the environment.

I have also changed the way I drive. I'm lucky if I break 55 on my way to and from work.

[rylan]

gas is horrible! 1.20$ / L here in newbrunswick

[Dylan8i]

nope, gas doesn't bother me much, and i still just go on drives. of course i can get 40+ mph if i drive slow (ie not 80 mph) so.... (also to note i have no money as a poor student)

[SmartWombat]

Look, you have it cheap !
I'm on the point of cutting back on travel to WORK because of the cost.
Over £3700 this year, if the price doesn't increase again.

£1.089 per litre at the moment.
1 litre = 0.264172052 US gallons
£1 = $1.98

$8.17 per gallon
$2.17 per litre

[photophorous]

Let's see...I fill up about 3 times a month and each time I put about 12.5 gallons in my tank. That means when the gas prices increased from $2/gal to the current $3.50/gal, my monthly gas expenses went from $75 to $131.25. An extra $56.25 doesn't really hurt that much, so in the rare situations where I have an afternoon to go drive around looking for photos, I don't hesitate. But it's much more common for me to just drive 10-15 miles, park the car, get out and walk around looking for photos. That only costs me about $3-4, round trip. I spend a lot more on film than gas.

Paul

[Franglais]

Look, you have it cheap !
I'm on the point of cutting back on travel to WORK because of the cost.
Over £3700 this year, if the price doesn't increase again.

£1.089 per litre at the moment.
1 litre = 0.264172052 US gallons
£1 = $1.98

$8.17 per gallon
$2.17 per litre

Hang on - just worked out the price in France - wow I get $8.17 per gallon as well (1.35 Euros per litre).

The Dollar has now fallen to 1.60$ per Euro (it used to be 1$ = 1 Euro). Blame the subprime crisis in the States, still a number of banks going to fail.

No it hasn't changed my photography habits. My project still isn't finished and my client won't let me take any holidays just yet so basically I don't make any trips. I stick in the Paris area and practice my Salsa (5 different outings last week). I actually use the car more than usual to get to the venue.

[RP Racing]

Look, you have it cheap !
I'm on the point of cutting back on travel to WORK because of the cost.
Over £3700 this year, if the price doesn't increase again.

£1.089 per litre at the moment.
1 litre = 0.264172052 US gallons
£1 = $1.98

$8.17 per gallon
$2.17 per litre

But take all of the associated taxes added per litre off and how much is it? Here in Wisconsin, state and fed tax is $0.52/gallon. Gas is $3.60/gal here.

[Mr Yuck]

For me, it's not the shortage of gas as much as the shortage of time that keeps me from driving around looking for photo ops.

The gas prices don't keep me from attending autocross events so why should it keep me from driving for photos?

[retroactiv]

8.17 a gallon, holy (fill in the blank). You want me to send you some of our 2.50 a gallon stuff, and I thought it was to much for me. In fact the 2.50 a gallon has effected my life not only with photography, it has really effected my family going to the store along with just running out to have some fun. I think it's been time for new technology to come into place for energy, we have used gas for well over 100 years.

[Shooter Tiff]

I think it's been time for new technology to come into place for energy, we have used gas for well over 100 years.

I fully agree with you. My only problem is they way that they are trying to fix the problem.
Who thought it was a good idea to grind up our food so we can drive more?
I run a pizza restaurant and I have watched the price of flour triple in one year and the cost of canola oil double.

I don't mind paying 1.30/L for gas as long as I can eat.

[MB1]

I haven't driven my car to take a picture in years. FWIW my wife and I have been discussing if we should bet on the price of gas continuing to rise and buy a tank of gas now or wait a few months on the chance that prices will fall.

IMHO it is getting foolish to set up your life to where driving is a requirement to do something.

[another view]

I don't see gas prices generally affecting a whole lot of anything just yet. Me personally, no. It does feel a little decadant and arrogant to say that, but it's true. The other day I put $59 into my diesel Jetta which was pretty surprising considering that five years ago I couldn't put $20 into it, but that $59 will last me for two weeks. It's all about choices. I really do want to shoot more this year and I really don't think gas (or even much more expensive diesel) prices will change that a lot for me. Ask the same question when it reaches $5 a gallon and the story may change...

[adina]

$3.75 here today.

I'm driving less, not necessarily for photos, since that's work, and I need to do it, so I can pay for gas. But in general, I'm driving less. I've made a schedule, and am busting my butt to stick to it. You'd not believe how much more I get done when I say "this is work time" and work. So because of my schedule, I can say, okay Tueday I'm doing this, and then can just plan to do other things while I'm out.

Like today I had my hair done, so while I was out, I picked up dog food, coffee beans, and went to the library. Before, it was "oh I need coffee, let me run and get that quick" and the next day, or even hours later "oh, dog food, need that"

[another view]

But in general, I'm driving less.

Same here - but I really haven't had to clamp down on the fun stuff, at least yet. Now I rarely go out for lunch at work (instead of rarely staying in) which is saving me a lot of money on food and gas (also better food, losing weight, etc). When I do go out, I make sure to run a bunch of other errands at the same time but that's been only about once every two weeks. That saves a surprising amount of money.

But for fun stuff like photography, I'm really not cutting back at this point. At least in my case it's fun stuff - you (and others) are doing it for hire so it's a different story.

[SmartWombat]

I was looking at the Tesla Roadster (http://www.teslamotors.com) only $100,000
But it's a 125mph electric sportscar, based on the Lotus chassis design (aluminimum and glue) assembled by Lotus and some design by Lotus.

They won't sell it outside the USA though.

[photophorous]

I was looking at the Tesla Roadster (http://www.teslamotors.com) only $100,000
But it's a 125mph electric sportscar, based on the Lotus chassis design (aluminimum and glue) assembled by Lotus and some design by Lotus.

They won't sell it outside the USA though.

If I was selling gas maybe I could afford one of these.

[freygr]

I was looking at the Tesla Roadster (http://www.teslamotors.com) only $100,000
But it's a 125mph electric sportscar, based on the Lotus chassis design (aluminimum and glue) assembled by Lotus and some design by Lotus.

They won't sell it outside the USA though.

At 100,000 it's out of my price range. Now even 16K is an iffy thing.

[another view]

At 100,000 it's out of my price range.

The Tesla has been around for awhile, and I think the interesting thing about it is that it's even possible for less than a defense department budget. It has to be crazy fast like that and look cool so that it generates interest and news stories - as well as discussion on forums... 100K is out of the question for a car purchase for me as well, but maybe some of the lessons learned with this project will be applied down the road (pun!) to something less performance oriented and more reasonably priced.

My only problem is they way that they are trying to fix the problem.

Mine too - or at least partially. We have to remember that "they" is us!

[Old Timer]

99% of all photos I take are within a 1 mile radius of my front door. On the rare occasion that I do go on a photo excursion it is in conjunction with another planned outing anyway (trip to see one of the kids). So right now I would have to say that I am not cutting back on photography because of the gas prices. However if ask has it changed my driving patterns I would have to say yes it has. I now give greater consideration before those impromptu trips to the neighboring town to shop or hit a favorite restaurant.