Another report from the "celebrity tour"

[TheFlyingCamera]

I went out last night on another what I now call "celebrity tour". AKA shooting on the street with a LF camera. I had the Canham 5x12 out to do some night shots. I think I'm going to get some really good ones, including the Fresh Fields/Whole Foods Market neon sign reflected in the roof of the car parked across the street. That said, for every single shot I took (all six of them) at least one person came up to me and had to ask about the camera, and what kind is it, and how old is it, and does it use glass plates, and can you still get film for that, and do you do your own developing, etc etc etc. This is why I call it the "celebrity tour" - being out shooting with large format in public turns you into an instant mini-celebrity because everyone wants to stop and talk to you. The good upside of it is that I educated several people about film-based photography, and I encouraged two other folks to get back into using their existing LF gear. The downside? my photo outing took twice as long as I had intended to spend

 

[jimgalli]

Scott, it doesn't quite work that way in Nevada. I had the 8X10 out at a cowboy wedding on Saturday and no one stopped drinking beer long enough to ask me if it was a movie camera.

 

[Dan Fromm]

But Jim, them cowpokes got their heads screwed on right. Beer first, last, and always.

Now, if you put a crank on your camera, then you might attract some attention.

 

[greybeard]

Jim,

That's because they could tell at a glance that it was one of those Hasselblads.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Oh, I did get asked if it was a movie camera. And of course, the ubiquitous, "why would you prefer this to digital? Do you think it's better?" to which I answered, "Of course I think it's better. " and proceeded to explain how a sheet of 5x12 film is somewhere around a 6 Gigapixel image chip. That silenced the doddering (m)asses.

 

[jp80874]

I got asked how old the 7x17 was the other day. As the second owner I wasn't quite sure, but said about four years I think. The questioner, about my age, was so disappointed, I said, but the operator is 67. That didn't do it for him.

John Powers

 

[Alex Hawley]

- being out shooting with large format in public turns you into an instant mini-celebrity because everyone wants to stop and talk to you.

Hey, it even happens to me here in Kansas! Most people stopping at one place where I'm shooting: seven. Best question asked: is that (the Deardorff) like a Hasselblad? Six horses coming up to sniff me over: priceless! :rolleyes:

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

I enjoy the can you still get film for that question; I would probably answer no just to hear the next question. The usual question I get is whether I am shooting B/W film, and some surprise when I mention I only shoot colour transparency. When someone seems nice enough, and I have some time, I usually have at least one sample 4x5 transparency I let them see.

I have experienced the old camera question (for a less than 2 years old 4x5), and the movie camera question (probably the tripod I use). Never got the Hasselblad question, though I do get people asking what lenses (Schneider and Nikon mostly). Wonder what questions I might get when I get that 1850s HB&H mounted and take it out for a spin . . . . .

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
Dead Link Removed

 

[colrehogan]

Oh that's a riot! I'll have to see what kind of comments I get when I take an 8x10 to a balloon glow next month.

 

[amuderick]

Shooting people on the city streets is always easier with a Polaroid pack camera or a handheld Graflex. Unlike the paparazzi-style 35mm long lens, the bellows invite people into your photography and helps avoid troublesome situations, especially when photographing children.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Well, I've got the film souped and hanging up to dry now... awesome stuff. I'm really psyched to print the shot of the Whole Foods Market neon sign, with reflection in the roof of the car across the street. I'm a little surprised that the family standing in front of the Dupont Circle fountain didn't register even as shadows, considering they were standing/sitting there the whole time I had the exposure running.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Scott, it doesn't quite work that way in Nevada. I had the 8X10 out at a cowboy wedding on Saturday and no one stopped drinking beer long enough to ask me if it was a movie camera.

Jim- that's a great shot of the bride and her father. I think I know why nobody asked you- the bride was too pretty for anyone to actually look at you (no offense).

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Scott, we must live in parallel universes...I've never met another LF photographer while photographing in about 25 years of photographing! Then again, I am a tad off the beaten track

Murray

 

[jstraw]

New APUG T-shirt:

1. No, it's not a movie camera.
2. Yes, I can still get film for it.
3. No, it's not an antique.
4. Yes, it's supposed to be upside down like that.
5. No, it's not a Hasselblad.
6. Yes, of course I think it's better than digital.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

New APUG T-shirt:

1. No, it's not a movie camera.
2. Yes, I can still get film for it.
3. No, it's not an antique.
4. Yes, it's supposed to be upside down like that.
5. No, it's not a Hasselblad.
6. Yes, of course I think it's better than digital.

Even better, get it embroidered on my darkcloth so they can read it without disturbing me while I'm composing.

 

[MattKing]

New APUG T-shirt:

1. No, it's not a movie camera.
2. Yes, I can still get film for it.
3. No, it's not an antique.
4. Yes, it's supposed to be upside down like that.
5. No, it's not a Hasselblad.
6. Yes, of course I think it's better than digital.

And, if you are Eric Rose:

Yes, that is my bare butt, but I do this for my Art .

Matt

 

[Moopheus]

New APUG T-shirt:

1. 
   [*
2. No, it's not an antique.

Unless of course it is an antique.

Unfortunately, there's no T-shirt long enough to answer all the weird things people say to you when your out with a camera.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

New APUG T-shirt:

1. No, it's not a movie camera.
2. Yes, I can still get film for it.
3. No, it's not an antique.
4. Yes, it's supposed to be upside down like that.
5. No, it's not a Hasselblad.
6. Yes, of course I think it's better than digital.

Even better, if you're in a particularly snarky mood, for #4:

If you'd pull your head out of your ass, you'd see it right-ways up

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hey, you, Americans !
You're lucky !
Last time I tried to shoot some view from my town with my (I thought) small MPP 4x5 field camera, I was forced to put all the stuff back in the Lowepro because I almost caused a car accident, and a riot because too much people where gathering to ask the very same question. I was thinking that I should carry a second Manfrotto Pro055 tripod just to be able to resist too close inspection of the camera ;-)
But, one time I had a chance of revenge ! I was photographing a nice landscape and came 2 journalists and a photographer of the local paper. The photographer came to compliment me because long ago he learned photography with the same MPP I now use. This attracted the journalists, and pissed of by the questions, I asked if they wanted to have a look at the ground glass. They where astonished by the brilliant and REVERSED color image. So I replied that they where lucky because, as I planned to shoot color, the image was in color. Otherwise they would have seen it in B&W.... It took 10 minutes of explanation from the pro photographer to explain the contrary.... Of course, I had taken the shot and moved away ;-)
This story could have appeared in the local paper if they hadn't been stopped by the photographer.

 

[bliorg]

You're killin' me! Where're the pics?!

I'm enjoying watching your learning curve. I'm making a 5x12 back right now. Can't wait to start shooting it!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I've got three in my gallery here on APUG now, and I'll be printing some of the night stuff after work today hopefully.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Ok- posted two more today - two of the night shots. Working with the Wolly 159 is a challenge, because it's so wide, and it starts to distort perspective a little at the edges of the field of view. Plus, it's pretty darned dark to begin with, and then couple that with shooting night work and you're lucky to have anything to focus on!