People's response to your camera.

Yesterday we attended the engagement party of the daughter of a friend. I had four frames of FP4+ left in the the Rolleicord so I brought it along. I got the young couple to pose and they loved "the old camera". I let them look through the waist fiender and it was an an instant success.

Nothing beats a waist level finder for getting people to relax. And when you mention that the camera is older than you are they just love it.

r

Mats

Waist level finders aren't as threatening to people , I find this is so with my Mamiya TLRs, the reaction is different if I have the prism fitted.

My kids thought my new (very old!) rb67 was a video camera too!

I shoot film and the best reaction I got was from an acquaintance I was working with, he kindly and thoughtfully offered me one of his digital cameras that he doesn't use anymore. I think he felt a little sorry for me . I explained that film was a choice and nothing else. We had a good laugh.

Lots of fun having people look at the GG -- let a young couple take a look thru the 5x7 in Fern Canyon a couple days ago. The fellow spent a long time under there as he sort of clutched his DSLR at his side. Then I told him that it was only my small camera...

It is the only way this dirty old man can get a pretty young lady under the covers these days...

Vaughn

(and no, I do not get under the cover with them...)

That's a real good one Jeff! What digi camera did he offer you?

Jeff L said:

I shoot film and the best reaction I got was from an acquaintance I was working with, he kindly and thoughtfully offered me one of his digital cameras that he doesn't use anymore. I think he felt a little sorry for me . I explained that film was a choice and nothing else. We had a good laugh.

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What if he offered a Leica M8 or Nikon D3?

Sirius Glass said:

When I received the Mamiya C330, I went to the Kodak Threater and Hollywood and Highland in Hollywood to test it photographing buildings and the Hollywood sign. On the way back to the car I was carrying by the handle mounted on the left side, I was walking with the camera down by my side. As I passed a hotel, the doorman said, "Now that is a CAMERA! The Crocodile Dundee of Cameras!"

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When I bought my Mamiya C 330F I was showing it to one of my photographic friends, and as I extended the bellows to show him how close it could focus he said " All that thing needs is four wheel drive and it would be a Land Rover" :rolleyes:

One of the question I always had, how to do random street photography without making people mad when you're not in a big city? Here's my experience personally. When i am in a bigger city such as visiting Chicago, anything works, 35mm or medium format, people seems too busy to worry about you 3/4 of the time, or they will give you a stare and move on at the most. But when I am in a rural area (where i live), taking a 35mm to the park or beach, everyone look at me weird thinking I'm some sort of perv with 35mm SLR or DSLR( sorry for mentioning digital). But when I bust out my Rolleiflex or my 645, I can get away with most anything, less weird look from people. But there's a problem with my Mamiya 645 PRO with the long scope behind the Prism. Most of them would think I got a video camera, its better to take out the Power Drive and put the hand crank back on and let people know whats up. 35mm Range finder in a minor league ball park, 50/50, I'm invisible to some and some of them wanted to kick my ass. So far, i think medium format works the best, and my Rolleiflex T gets best reception and comments from people.

Bigger might be better, to clearly let peoples know " hey, I'm a photographer, not a perv. " After typing the last sentence, i can relate this to my old job, which requires lots of walking around in different neighbor hoods with a camera, taking photos of foreclosed houses that i was working in, either out in the boondocks or the hood, same difference really. The camera i was using is a point and shoot, to avoid getting shot by the neighbors literally, i wear a large "construction grade" reflective yellow jacket. Same idea with the medium format, stands right out, and let them know I'm there. Maybe someday I should put on my yellow jacket on with cameras, haha.

altair said:

That's a real good one Jeff! What digi camera did he offer you?

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Not sure, most likely a P&S.

fotch said:

What if he offered a Leica M8 or Nikon D3?

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Nope. I prefer film. Just do. I haven't found a digital SLR that I like nearly as much as my Contax RTS II or III. Oh, and I like film.

shimoda said:

Nothing beats a waist level finder for getting people to relax. And when you mention that the camera is older than you are they just love it.

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benjiboy said:

Waist level finders aren't as threatening to people , I find this is so with my Mamiya TLRs, the reaction is different if I have the prism fitted.

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Now that I have taken my camera (Yashica-Mat) out and used it several more times, I'm starting to get more used to using it. I am noticing more things as I take photos because I don't have to concentrate on the camera as much.

Yes, I am noticing that people aren't nearly as uptight and suspicious when the camera is waist or chest level. I also notice that the shutter is nearly silent. People aren't spooked by the "Ka-Chink!" of the shutter going of as they often are when I use the SLR.

So, people aren't as well aware that their picture is being taken and, when they are aware, they don't know the exact moment the picture is being taken so they don't know whether to be on guard or when to let their guard down.

I was taking photos in Skid Row, LA and a homeless guy walked right past me and said, "Is that a Hasselblad man?" I replied "I wish I could afford one!" and laughed. He laughed with me. And it was a pretty beat up Rolleicord.

Another time I took my 4x5 press camera to a rooftop party and had lots of party guests swarming around looking at it. And then someone broke out his Iphone to take photos of me taking photos and put them on Facebook. It was a fun party.

athanasius80 said:

Another time I took my 4x5 press camera to a rooftop party and had lots of party guests swarming around looking at it. And then someone broke out his Iphone to take photos of me taking photos and put them on Facebook. It was a fun party.

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You should respond by photographing his using his iPhone photographing you and put that photograph in your Kodak Carousel tray and your family photo album.

Steve

athanasius80 said:

I was taking photos in Skid Row, LA and a homeless guy walked right past me and said, "Is that a Hasselblad man?" I replied "I wish I could afford one!" and laughed. He laughed with me. And it was a pretty beat up Rolleicord.

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Hmm, makes one wonder whether that homeless guy was once a photographer himself..I don't think any laymen would be familiar with the name Hasselblad.

An anecdote: That happened to me too, I was in a local vacation spot photographing this 60 year old hotel with my Yashica Mat EM when the manager came out and asked me directly "Is that a Rolleiflex?"..to which I replied "No"...fail! In retrospect, I should've replied "No, but how I wish it was!"

It's like the word "celluloid." People don't know what it means but they only know it has something, vaguely, to do with photography or movies.

If somebody sees an old camera they don't recognize they might think it's a Rolleiflex or a Hasselblad, not because they do or don't recognize it as such but because they vaguely know those words and associate them with cameras.

People will refer to movies as "celluloid" not knowing that true celluloid is unstable and highly inflammable. True celluloid has not been produced commercially for many years. However, people still refer to "film" as "celluloid." When called on it, they'll say that it's just a slang word that refers to all film. That might be right in a manner of speaking but, logically speaking, that would be like calling everybody who lives in the United States "New Yorkers." True; some people who live in the U.S. are "New Yorkers". All "New Yorkers" are Americans but not all Americans are New Yorkers. True; celluloid is film and some film is "celluloid." Not all film is "celluloid." (Ignoring the fact that celluloid has been used to make things besides film.)

So, people who see an old camera might ask whether it's a Rolleiflex, not because they know about cameras but because they only know the word but not what it really means.

The next question would be whether people are more at ease getting their picture taken by an "old camera" for some reason. Do they feel more important because they are getting their picture taken with a "Rolleiflex" or a "Haselblad," not because they know what those names mean but because they just know that those names are synonymous with "old camera?"

Do you think that people would be more impressed by having their picture taken by a Rolleiflex versus a Yashica-Mat? If I covered up the name "Yashica" on the front of my camera and put "Rolleiflex" on the label instead, would they behave differently even though it's the exact same camera? If I did the reverse, would they be less impressed to think that they are being photographed with a cheaper, "Poor Man's Rolleiflex?"

Maybe in the days when those cameras were more normal but, today, when people don't know sh*t from shinola, in terms of cameras, would it still make a difference?

I think you also get a different reaction when you use a tripod. People think you are getting a serious picture and not just snapping away at people. I have noticed this with both my Mamiya rb67 and my 35mm. In one case I was taking some pictures for stock at an art show and a guy that appeared to be a foreigner and his son stood in front of my camera to have their picture taken. I tried to explain that I was not with the newspaper or anything, but he just stood there. So I took a picture of them. Another time with my 67 at a beach, a guy came up and said, 'a guy after my own heart' or something like that. He went on to say he used to have a Rollie and how he wished he still had it. Had I not been using a tripod, I think I might have gone unnoticed. I do also think that with a MF (or LF) people think you are a pro and are working for someone or selling your pictures. I think if I have to take pictures in a town I will put on black pants and a white shirt with a pocket protector and pen, wear a tie and a yellow hard hat with something like D.of P.N on it. That way when someone sees me they will know that I work for the Dept. of Photography Nuts. It might work! Ric.

We have a classic collector car show in our old-time town centre today. I decided that I'd take my Mamiya C330 to take some photos (use a classic to shoot a classic ).

I was leaning down to take a close-up shot of detail on one of the cars (a "Bel-Aire" name plate) and the owner said to me:

1) there is someone who knows what he is doing with a camera; and then, later
2) is that a Hasselblad (my first one ever!)?

We had a nice conversation about cameras and cars. I told him I thought about 2/3 of the cars there were older than my camera, and 1/3 of the cars were newer.