how do people react when you tell them you shoot film?

[Cropline]

..... Later after the plane taxied in and did a nice pirouette for the crowd, he came by and said, "I got 10 shots, how many did you get?" Apparently it's a competition for quantity.

" I got the one good image I needed." Or, "I don't need ten to get a good one."
Just thinking out loud, pbromaghin. Amazing how some people can act.

 

[tomfrh]

Last year 'round Christmas I was shooting with the F5. A guy (my boss at the time) asked to see the picture. Told him it was a film camera. He asked why. I handed him the camera and told him to take a picture. I had to fill him in on how and he took a shot. He looked at me and just said "Wow" and handed it back.

I've had that same "Why" followed by "Wow" conversation myself.

 

[tomfrh]

I was shooting some trees by the local jogging path with my Rolleiflex 2.8 on a monopod, and a jogger stopped and said "Did you know they have digital cameras now?". Without missing a beat, I looked at his running clothes and said "did you know they have cars now?" He didn't get it.

Wow, you actually said that? That's gold. Like George Costanza I only think of things like that hours later then fantasize about having said it!

 

[Manwithacam]

Lamborghini started out making tractors, no reason Ferrari shouldn't have started. I usually find people tell me about the cameras they still have at home. A couple of days ago someone told me he still had an Olympus OM10 and a couple of unused films, then said it has an f1.2 55mm lens. I mentioned to him that the lens was worth some money and did a quick eBay search and found it going for GBP220-280. I also said that film is still readily available at Poundland and cheap to process. He seemed pleased. Probably more about the potential income though.

 

[fotch]

I was shooting some trees by the local jogging path with my Rolleiflex 2.8 on a monopod, and a jogger stopped and said "Did you know they have digital cameras now?". Without missing a beat, I looked at his running clothes and said "did you know they have cars now?" He didn't get it.

His viewfinder is dim.

 

[ME Super]

I'd say his viewfinder is not dim, it's busticated.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I would say that his brain has a very dim bulb. No flash found in him.

 

[removed account4]

===

i was out again yesterday and someone was interested, asked me questions about the camera and film, and i took her portrait ..

==

I was shooting some trees by the local jogging path with my Rolleiflex 2.8 on a monopod, and a jogger stopped and said "Did you know they have digital cameras now?". Without missing a beat, I looked at his running clothes and said "did you know they have cars now?" He didn't get it.

i don't get it either ...
whats was the point ?

 

[Nathan King]

My experiences have been extremely positive. When I was photographing with my Kodak Retina iiic a man walking by exclaimed, "Now that's a REAL camera!"

I was walking around Chicago when I heard, "is that a film camera?" I turned to see a very professionally dressed man looking at my Leica. Turns out he is a professional photographer who does medical imaging. He was shocked I enjoyed darkroom printing and said he was glad those days were long gone. I suppose if I had to do it for work I'd feel the same way.

I had my Leica M6 hanging over my shoulder in a coffee shop and the barista was practically drooling looking at it and complimented me for shooting film.

A fellow photographer at an event asked if my camera took film. We talked about it for a moment, and she seemed interested...until I mentioned that I had a darkroom. I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy.

 

[mehguy]

===

i was out again yesterday and someone was interested, asked me questions about the camera and film, and i took her portrait ..

==




i don't get it either ...
whats was the point ?

the point was why jog when you have a car?

 

[Cropline]

Most experiences have generally been good. Some have shown a camaraderie such as the Pentax 645N guy shooting Portra 160NC I ran into at a pow wow. Others seem like they really want to learn or understand and sometimes they just accept it as cool without further comment. The only negative-yeah, there's that word-response I got was from a fellow(female) photography club member that responded w,"you shoot film?" like it was syphilis or something. I wasn't trying to be rude but I looked at her as if she were stupid and she said no more. Sometimes people that don't understand the impact of an image is more important than the gear it was made w/ are beyond help.

 

[removed account4]

the point was why jog when you have a car?

is that the point? it seems like it was different, seeing people don't jog for personal transportation ...
but people use digital and film photographic equipment for hobby or job ...

 

[Sirius Glass]

the point was why jog when you have a car?

Indeed, with their logic, which some cannot not take off the blinders to see, why have a stove and oven when one can defrost food in a microwave.

Apologies to those who are unable to understand.

 

[Xmas]

is that the point? it seems like it was different, seeing people don't jog for personal transportation ...
but people use digital and film photographic equipment for hobby or job ...

Some of us pedal cycle or jog to work most work places have showers and changing facilities.
More so on in Europe...

But pro photog who I have met frequently at demos starts to ask me questions about wet printing.
After a few answers I ask why. He says the only way he can get payed digital commissions is with a silver halide print portfolio...

On the other hand the DSLR hot news people are suffering from girls with iPhones who can quit selfies and do a video of a happening and push two buttons to have it on news editors screen. There is no point in law person confiscating phone cause the evidence has already flown...

The answer to can you delete the photo is 'I'll phone the BBC.'

 

[removed account4]

Some of us pedal cycle or jog to work most work places have showers and changing facilities.
More so on in Europe...

But pro photog who I have met frequently at demos starts to ask me questions about wet printing.
After a few answers I ask why. He says the only way he can get payed digital commissions is with a silver halide print portfolio...

On the other hand the DSLR hot news people are suffering from girls with iPhones who can quit selfies and do a video of a happening and push two buttons to have it on news editors screen. There is no point in law person confiscating phone cause the evidence has already flown...

The answer to can you delete the photo is 'I'll phone the BBC.'

sorry to be contrary ...

i wasn't questioning if people have changing facilities at work, the guy seemed like he was jogging for self fulfillment at a park like the person with his camera
was taking photographs, for the same reason. the photographer wasn't a professional photographer or a newshound girl with a cellphone but a hobbyist, like the photographer
( unless i miss-read the original post ? ) ... i find it hard to believe that a professional photographer can only get commissions if he has a wet printed portfolio, unless
he never bothered to upgrade his or her skillset to using a computer to retouch his work ( or maybe he hasn't gotten spammed by hundreds of people in
india who will retouch photogaphs professionally for a few dollars per file ( the same price a profsssional retoucher charged in 1988 ) .. it isn't like it takes a genius to do that .. or maybe his printer
( or lame consumer ink jet thing ) and he havent shared profiles so his work looks like junk ( or maybe he isn't very good > ) ... the profile thing is like dovetailing your negatives to print well with azo grade 2 paper
and printing everyting on ilford grade 2 rc paper ...

the point of my comment is because digital beat down threads serve no purpose ... being snide and snarky to people who use a digital camera
serves no purpose except earning you brownie points on a website ...

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... Sometimes people that don't understand the impact of an image is more important than the gear it was made w/ are beyond help.

Exactly.

 

[removed account4]

Exactly.

exactly

 

[Xmas]

sorry to be contrary ...

i wasn't questioning if people have changing facilities at work, the guy seemed like he was jogging for self fulfillment at a park like the person with his camera
was taking photographs, for the same reason. the photographer wasn't a professional photographer or a newshound girl with a cellphone but a hobbyist, like the photographer
( unless i miss-read the original post ? ) ... i find it hard to believe that a professional photographer can only get commissions if he has a wet printed portfolio, unless
he never bothered to upgrade his or her skillset to using a computer to retouch his work ( or maybe he hasn't gotten spammed by hundreds of people in
india who will retouch photogaphs professionally for a few dollars per file ( the same price a profsssional retoucher charged in 1988 ) .. it isn't like it takes a genius to do that .. or maybe his printer
( or lame consumer ink jet thing ) and he havent shared profiles so his work looks like junk ( or maybe he isn't very good > ) ... the profile thing is like dovetailing your negatives to print well with azo grade 2 paper
and printing everyting on ilford grade 2 rc paper ...

the point of my comment is because digital beat down threads serve no purpose ... being snide and snarky to people who use a digital camera
serves no purpose except earning you brownie points on a website ...

My photog with analogue portfolio said any one can borrow his uncles DSLR and do a gilee portfolio only real photogs do wet prints it was the risks of hiring people who would fail.

He had borrowed a film camera and had the prints pro printed but needed to be able to talk about variable contrast and burning and dodging etc.

It is a lot harder being a pro nowadays!

The iPhone girls are not news hound girls the apps have buttons which say send pic send text any girl can video a cop coshing a old slow newspaper seller the video stood up in court.

 

[jscott]

the point was why jog when you have a car?

Yes, the fellow was running because it had value to him, for reasons other (health, enjoyment, etc) than quick transportation.
We use film the same way, because it has value to us above and beyond speed, cost, etc.
There are a lot of examples where we choose to do things in more "primitive" ways, and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.
Actually I see shooting film to often be more advanced, in terms of the brain power required not to screw up!

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse people.

 

[removed account4]

My photog with analogue portfolio said any one can borrow his uncles DSLR and do a gilee portfolio only real photogs do wet prints it was the risks of hiring people who would fail.

He had borrowed a film camera and had the prints pro printed but needed to be able to talk about variable contrast and burning and dodging etc.

It is a lot harder being a pro nowadays!

The iPhone girls are not news hound girls the apps have buttons which say send pic send text any girl can video a cop coshing a old slow newspaper seller the video stood up in court.

wow that is crazy ..
anyone can put a portfolio of powerful meaningful images together with his uncle;s dslr and an ink jet printer? i don't think so ... it takes knowledge and skill .. and printing gllee <sic> is as hard, or harder than darkroom work.
of course it is important to be able to communicate with your printer to have them arrive at what you envisioned the print to look like, if you aren't able to print them your self ..
it IS a lot harder to be a pro these days .. i get my throat slit often because i am not a not a craigs list one hit wonder / one client wonder.

sorry to hear your newspaper sellers are being manhandled, i am glad the girl was there and able to submit evidence. that is not a bad thing that someone with no professional experience is able
to submit evidence to a court and have it admissible. many year ago in LA a guy named rodney king was beaten by police and a guy playing with his video camera ( had tape ) recorded it
and it changed the world http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_King ... nothing wrong with that ...

Yes, the fellow was running because it had value to him, for reasons other (health, enjoyment, etc) than quick transportation.
We use film the same way, because it has value to us above and beyond speed, cost, etc.
There are a lot of examples where we choose to do things in more "primitive" ways, and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.
Actually I see shooting film to often be more advanced, in terms of the brain power required not to screw up!

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse people.

you didn't confuse me, i understood your snarky comment ( and his ), i was just ( and am still ) tired
of people who use film being jerks towards anyone who says something to them, as if it is some game.
a lot of people who use film say awfully nasty things about people who don't, either on this ( or other ) websites
or in person. people who are thinking of coming over to film google apug or film photography or whatever
they see these threads filled with nasty comments and commentary and they get turned off. others register on apug
and then they read threads like this and never come back ...
and i don't use film for any of the reasons you mentioned, and i own and use a digital camera(s) ( since the mid 90s )
and use a scanner and P/S ( since photoshop was invented ) and it has nothing to do with speed or cost &c ..

whats the point ?

 

[Xmas]

Yes, the fellow was running because it had value to him, for reasons other (health, enjoyment, etc) than quick transportation.
We use film the same way, because it has value to us above and beyond speed, cost, etc.
There are a lot of examples where we choose to do things in more "primitive" ways, and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.
Actually I see shooting film to often be more advanced, in terms of the brain power required not to screw up!

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse people.

No you are wrong

Replace 'we' by 'most of us' and you would be ok.
I've not bought a digital camera yet cause none I've tried have worked for me.
I'd note that every time I see Bruce Guilden he has a M6 or FM2n.
If you don't have deadlines the differences are marginal.
and my photos are not like Bruce's.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Yes, the fellow was running because it had value to him, for reasons other (health, enjoyment, etc) than quick transportation. We use film the same way, because it has value to us above and beyond speed, cost, etc.
There are a lot of examples where we choose to do things in more "primitive" ways, and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that. Actually I see shooting film to often be more advanced, in terms of the brain power required not to screw up!

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse people.

No you are wrong

Replace 'we' by 'most of us' and you would be ok.
I've not bought a digital camera yet cause none I've tried have worked for me.
I'd note that every time I see Bruce Guilden he has a M6 or FM2n.
If you don't have deadlines the differences are marginal.
and my photos are not like Bruce's.

I agree with Xmas.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

What surprises me is the question, "Where can you even buy film?"
I generally reply with, "The same places you always did before - Target, Walmart, CVS, RiteAid, etc.
They don't have the selection they used to have and you may have to search a little in the store to find it, but for the most part, the same places you bought it before still carry it.

Not at all true, sad to say. At my closest Walgreens, nothing. Across the street at CVS, a few disposable cameras, a few rolls of Fuji color neg. Wart-Mart, just last week, even less than the CVS, one peg of Fuji film.

And then what do you do with it? See my post: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Paul Verizzo]

Great observations and humor, especially the early posters.

Photography, as a field, has ALWAYS had a lot of asthmatics.............you know, Sniff!.....nose held high. Not the most expensive gear? SNIFF! Not slide film? SNIFF!

Now it's the brain dead digital wannabees who confuse quantity of both dollars spent and images made with quality. To say nothing of fun.

I've had family members get married and in one case, the woman taking the pictures had, of course, the latest Canon. At least she had an assistant using an umbrella reflector. She turned all the images over to my daughter, boy, did they suck. I improved them 300% just by running them through a batch auto-level program. Skill-less.

When my father shot weddings, he had a Speedgraphic, a big box of film holders, a giant "strobe" that powered off of a big brown box with a wet battery and DC to AC to DC converter. Then, of course, into the darkroom. His pictures were reliably perfect, unlike Ms. Digital. OTOH, both she and her assistant were far better looking than my father, if you get my drift.............

I think we, as humans, really don't like perfection as much as we have always thought. One friend of mine has taken up the audio tube (valves to you other guys over there) amplifier hobby. I heard on NPR that a vinyl record stamping plant in Nebraska is running almost 24/7 with NEW releases. It does appear that film is making a comeback, based on any number of observations.

I posit that when we attain perfect technologies, we then hunger for the old ways.

 

[removed account4]

Now it's the brain dead digital wannabees who confuse quantity of both dollars spent and images made with quality.

brain dead digital wannabees ? couldnt' that be said about anyone who uses a film camera too?
they sometimes also confuse quantity of dollars spent and images made with quality ??
plenty of people believe $$ gear means better photographer ( sometimes its true, sometimes its not )