Fear not; just expect some very unusual behavior. Not long ago I was at a scenic overlook with a 4x5 set up on a tripod. Along came a gaggle of sight-seers and I could hear from beneath the dark cloth voices saying, "What is that? Why that looks like an old-fashioned camera; that man must be photographing this scene." When all of the sudden everything went black. They walked around me and were standing directly in front of my camera and no amount of throat clearing could get their attention. At least the y didn't say the word "weirdo" out loud!
how do people react when you tell them you shoot film?
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Fear not; just expect some very unusual behavior. Not long ago I was at a scenic overlook with a 4x5 set up on a tripod. Along came a gaggle of sight-seers and I could hear from beneath the dark cloth voices saying, "What is that? Why that looks like an old-fashioned camera; that man must be photographing this scene." When all of the sudden everything went black. They walked around me and were standing directly in front of my camera and no amount of throat clearing could get their attention. At least the y didn't say the word "weirdo" out loud!
Someone once asked me "can you still get film for that". I replied "no, I just like the sound of the shutter".
Steve.
Steve.
First, yes, the most common question is whether film is still made and where it can be developed. Since I was using a Minox B last week, people were more amazed.
Secondly, digital fanatics can be really tiresome. They actually believe digital is superior in every possible way to film. Sometimes I take my Fuji X-Pro1 or Nikon D700 with me so I won't get that "why haven't you switched to digital yet?" attitude. Even among themselves, the micro-4/3 and mirrorless crowd nip at the DSLR users. Not only that, there are some (many?) who believe and have "proof" that 11 megapixels is all you need to match or exceed medium format film image quality.
I never had anyone say something negative, when they ask it starts with either "oh wow you still use film, cool, didn't know you can still have it developed" to "what is that? really? cool". If they say "why, is it not expensive/slow/whatever" I just say it is just a bit of fun. I had an Italian tourist outside the British museum who saw me with the Hasselblad and started talking to me for 5 minutes, while his family looked on impatiently, and in the end said he had a blad he stopped using 8 years ago, now that he knew you can still use them he'd go try it again. I also had an old cinematographer who saw me with the RB67 and got chatting about kids nowadays and the rest and asked me to grab a photo of him and his mrs and send it to him as "this young man has a proper camera you see".
It is quite nice really. By the way, this stuff only happens when I'm shooting MF, when I have 35mm stuff nobody gives a s.
It is quite nice really. By the way, this stuff only happens when I'm shooting MF, when I have 35mm stuff nobody gives a s.
Just like Leica vs 35mm vs medium format vs Hasselblad vs large format vs half frame vs....
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be in public!
be an advocate and ambassador and emissary !
SEND INTERESTED PEOPLE HERE, tell them where to buy stuff ...
the folks who have 50000 images in their computers, and phone will be sorry when the sun sends the pulse that will delete everything ...
the 11x14 is in big tupperware tub in the back of my car. i have the
120 year old case ( cardboard box, covered with canvas and a handle ) it came with
but i have to make a new one. when i do, i will put straps on it so it is more like a "yucca pack"
than a cardboard box ... much easier to go more than 50 feet from the car ...
( even though i have been told by experts nothing interesting is beyond 50 feet )
no worries about being called a weirdo, i have been called much worse ...
Most of the time people are surprised and can't even believe that film is still being produced. I think it's interesting that usually people shooting big DSLR's end up speaking to me the most. In a sense I feel like they feel like they've cheated hahaha. It's easy to shoot digital, but it's so much more rewarding to shoot film (also I mean that as a hobby not as a professional or commercial photographer). Also I was shooting in Herald square with a Polaroid 420 and I got stopped by a gentlemen shooting digital and we had a nice long convo about film and he seemed excited. I hope he ran to get some film. Last story, I was shooting with my Mamiya c220 in Flushing, Queens at about 2 am and people literally gathered up near me and just watched for about 15 minutes. They were interested, but didn't speak to me. I didn't mind. The more the merrier. I agree with Jnanian, we should all be ambassadors for shooting film, and I would love to shoot 11x14, i'm sure those contact prints are incredible. Cheers.
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hi rgperedo -
i shoot paper negatives
extremely affordable considering a sheet of film
that is 11x14 costs like 10-15$ / sheet LOL
expired paper is CHEEP
and paper negatives that are that big are sweet !
i shoot paper negatives
extremely affordable considering a sheet of film
that is 11x14 costs like 10-15$ / sheet LOL
expired paper is CHEEP
and paper negatives that are that big are sweet !
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One more story.. Me and the family were out walking around Urban Outfitters looking around, I had my trusty Leica M3. I notice a cool picture that consisted of a bunch of random light bulbs hanging over from counter. I was in the middle of getting the shot, when I was approached by a mother and daughter. The mom asked if that was a cool shot and replied yes it is. She said, can I see it? I said it,s a film camera. She answered with cold "Oh". And walked off. So if that lady is watching...? Here it is.
Todd
001734-1005 by ToddB4 on Flickr.
Just follow this link to see and comment on this photo:
https://flic.kr/p/sj3MMd
Todd
001734-1005 by ToddB4 on Flickr.
Just follow this link to see and comment on this photo:
https://flic.kr/p/sj3MMd
Nobody ever asked me.
When asked, "Do they still make film?", I reply, "No, they quit making film in 2002. I just stick a memory card in where the film used to go and it seems to work. I get 350mp images to boot."
How do people react?
Much the same way they do when they see me do math on one of my slide rules. (Not kidding).
Much the same way they do when they see me do math on one of my slide rules. (Not kidding).
I would have answered her too but you have to know Harold. He has absolutely no patience with people asking him questions while he is shooting. I think being a retired teacher from a rough school has something to do with it.
MattKing
Moderator
We all need to realize/remember that mehguy is 14 years old.
A lot of people who ask me about my cameras or engage in discussions about film with me are a fair bit older than that, and often used a lot of film in their past. So they have context that mehguy's "friend" probably lacks.
Generally, I would say that people are basically interested, even if they don't intend to go back to film themselves.
One of the things I like to highlight is that, at least in my area, there remains a reasonable selection of labs, and a few places to buy film.
In addition, I point out the relatively robust internet market for film.
In response to the question: "Why do you still shoot film?", I usually say that I have been doing so for more than 40 years, I enjoy it, I'm fairly decent at it and therefore really see little reason to change. I also like to tell people that the current films are wonderful - there have been excellent improvements in recent years, and although the selection has been reduced, there still is choice.
From time to time, someone also says something like: "You shoot film - you must be a good photographer".
I guess I'm just an agreeable sort.
A lot of people who ask me about my cameras or engage in discussions about film with me are a fair bit older than that, and often used a lot of film in their past. So they have context that mehguy's "friend" probably lacks.
Generally, I would say that people are basically interested, even if they don't intend to go back to film themselves.
One of the things I like to highlight is that, at least in my area, there remains a reasonable selection of labs, and a few places to buy film.
In addition, I point out the relatively robust internet market for film.
In response to the question: "Why do you still shoot film?", I usually say that I have been doing so for more than 40 years, I enjoy it, I'm fairly decent at it and therefore really see little reason to change. I also like to tell people that the current films are wonderful - there have been excellent improvements in recent years, and although the selection has been reduced, there still is choice.
From time to time, someone also says something like: "You shoot film - you must be a good photographer".
I guess I'm just an agreeable sort.
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Hardly have anyone notice. Or if they do they don't often comment on it. When shooting with my Pen F had one guy ask 'it that a Leica?' Get the most comments when using a big homemade 4X5 point and shoot. They are interested in that. Or, if I'm using a Box Tengor people will stop and talk.
Most people say "They still make film? Can you still get it developed?" I explain it to them and they're like "Really?" And when I tell them I recently started developing my own B&W they think I can make alot of money doing that.
Usually it's pretty positive responses nowadays. More a long the lines of oh cool. When I take the kids out to the park for photo lessons and practice at the nearby park we usually have a mix of both digital and film cameras. This week I've been carrying the 4x5 out with them and lots of people have come by to stand and look on while I show the kids how it all works. I had both a 90mm lens on it to show how it usually looks with a wide lens, and then lens boards with different sized pinholes as we were learning about the camera obscura. I usually take the time to explain to passers what we are doing and better yet I let them have a go under the dark cloth. We shot some paper these past two days as we have been out of film (regular and litho but more is on order). Out at the park I get stopped all the time by curious folk that are usually genuinely interested, have shot it before, or just crazy (lots of drug users in the area). Last week one person in a wheelchair rolled up and commented on our film cameras as I was watching a student load a roll. Started off as nice and pleasant to a crazed shouting and cursing outburst out of nowhere with kids all around. We got out of there quickly.
I have only ever had the conversation once with a pure digital shooter. He accepted my points. Told him that I used both & that digital is great for care free photography but that I got more fun having to put more thought & effort in using an old film camera. Having to choose my shots & not machine gun & I liked the tactile return from an old manual focus camera way more than a plastic push button DSLR. He did say the arbitrary "Can you still get film?" though.
Mostly they detect that it is a old camera. And many questions are from film people.
The last question was from the F of a M/F (s/p) item - the lady asks
what sort of a camera?
Etc.
She then confesses that her SLR is only from 1970.
The riposte
'new fangled?'
Most people are just curious, many will not detect that it is a film camera, almost all of the digital people don't care any more. Those that do ask about difficulties, like being stuck at 400 ISO all day. Many are aware you can uprate - push.
I've had digital people who ignored a Leica and took a photo of a Weston.
The last question was from the F of a M/F (s/p) item - the lady asks
what sort of a camera?
Etc.
She then confesses that her SLR is only from 1970.
The riposte
'new fangled?'
Most people are just curious, many will not detect that it is a film camera, almost all of the digital people don't care any more. Those that do ask about difficulties, like being stuck at 400 ISO all day. Many are aware you can uprate - push.
I've had digital people who ignored a Leica and took a photo of a Weston.
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I had my 4x5 out at a steam show last weekend and got a couple of comments. I only used it in one spot kinda hidden away, so now many people probably even noticed. Of the few that did, one asked why I wasn't using glass plates and a couple weren't really sure if it was even a camera, but they sorta thought it must be. All were very nice and all were surprised it was less than 2 years old (Chamonix F1). I don't think any were photographers themselves.
I work in a techy place where many people aren't even aware film ever existed. If I'm using 35mm nobody even notices, if I'm using the Pentax 6x7 it gets noticed and conversation follows the usual 'how may mega-pixels is that?'... 'it doesn't have pixels'... 'what?'... 'it's analogue'... 'oh, you mean it uses video tape?'...
I had a WLF for the P67 delivered to work: 'what's that?'... 'it's a retina display adapter for my camera'... 'Wow, that's the best LCD screen I've ever seen!'...
I had a WLF for the P67 delivered to work: 'what's that?'... 'it's a retina display adapter for my camera'... 'Wow, that's the best LCD screen I've ever seen!'...
Hipsters: Coool
DSLR users: Oh dear, oh dear. I used to have a Leica.
Joe Public: Can you still buy film for that thing?
Kids: Show me the picture
My Wife: Not another bloody camera
Mirrorless camera users: How much did you pay for your lens?
Friends: You have how many films in your fridge?
Old Men: I've still got one of those somewhere. Do you want to buy it?
Photo shops: We sold the last roll eight years ago.
Good photo shops: Portra or Pro400H?
Other film photographers: I only shoot black and white
Nutters: Take my picture and I swear I'll kill you
"You must be God."
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