Topic: The Question

[jharr]

No, I'm not talking about "Can you still get film for that?" or even "Why do you use such an old camera?". This morning, I stopped by the door on my way in to work. There are some blooming succulents there, so since I always have a camera with me (Nikkormat FTn in this case) I paused to take a picture. One of the people from the camera club here at work happened upon the scene and he said, "I suppose it would be pointless for me to take a picture of that with my little point and shoot now." I said, "Not if you want a picture of it. Besides, mine will be black and white since that is the kind of film I have loaded." He got a very puzzled look on his face and (sincerely) asked "Why would you take a picture of a flower in black and white??" I wasn't quite sure where to start, so I just said something like "It's all about the light and not necessarily what the subject is." He worked up his best nod of agreement, but I could tell that he thought I had just wasted a frame and/or had lost my mind completely.

What's the question that you get that best expresses the bewilderment of the general population at your choice to be a Filmwaster?

[Late Developer]

"Does that camera still take good photos, then?" is a relatively common one.  I usually answer "no" and walk on.  On the odd occasion that the question is pushed further, I tell them that the camera is only a tool and that the person using it is ultimately responsible for whether the photo is good or bad - whatever those terms mean.

[Francois]

It's funny because I usually get one question and one comment.
"And that camera still works?"

And then, I get other photographers cheering me on as if I was one of the few brave who stick it up to the Digital man...

There's another funny thing I noticed: when I go to tourist spots with my Nikon, people often hand me their camera asking that I take a picture of them.
But when I carry my Holga, I just get the look... you know, that one where you can read in the other's eyes what they're thinking?

[jharr]

" the person using it is ultimately responsible for whether the photo is good or bad - whatever those terms mean.

A good retort is "What do you mean by 'good'? Do you mean of high subjective aesthetic quality or do you mean objectively morally defensible?" That ought to give you a long enough pause to get out of there.

[Francois]

I'll have to try this one next time 
I can just imagine the look on people's face!

[Kai-san]

One of the most frequent questions I get (not specifically related to film) is this:
"Oh, did you shoot any nice pictures today?", meaning of course flowers, sunsets, pets, kids etc. If I'm not in an extremely good mood my usual retort is: "No sorry, I only shoot ugly pictures".

[gsgary]

I get the same one, can you still get film then I tell them what film I have and what you can get

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[astrobeck]

in no particular order:

Are you a professional?

Can you still buy film for that?

What is that?   ( usually when I'm out with the pinhole)

Will you take my photo?

Why don't you use a digital, it's better!


All of which just make me grin like a cat that ate the canary!  Most everyne is polite yet curious about why I still use film though.

 

[Indofunk]

Mostly I get the cheering on for still using dinosaur technology

[zapsnaps]

I'm know as 'Mr Angry' in the office and clearly, my 'don't mess with me' attitude must extend to my expression while snapping, as strangers rarely speak to me. But I do occasionally get asked by locals when photographing urban decay in beautiful places, why I take ugly photographs. Try explaining Romanticism to the good folk of central & southern Europe at first light, after sampling the local food and alcohol with enormous appetite the night before.

Paul: I love your flat "No" to the question, do the cameras (in your expertly curated collection) still take good photos.

[lharby]

I tend to promote the fact that I only shoot film, I mean I don't shoot digital at all.

I shot a friend some years ago after I had taken some shots she came over, and in a rather chimp like manner peeled the camera away from me to examine the back which she thought would have a small screen of images I had just taken of her.

[lharby]

"No sorry, I only shoot ugly pictures" is very good.

[Late Developer]

Paul: I love your flat "No" to the question, do the cameras (in your expertly curated collection) still take good photos.

I try to temper my response so that I don't come across as overly aggressive or sarcastic when the question has, seemingly, been asked by someone who is genuinely interested in the relative differences between photos taken with film and digital.  However, if it's some oik carrying a [insert name of digital camera / model here] I try not to engage in what always tends to end up being a futile discussion. 

It wouldn't never occur to me to pitch up in front of someone sporting a DSLR and ask them whether their pride and joy takes good, bad or indifferent photos. The only conclusion I can draw is that because most DSLRs tend to be set permanently on the "programme" mode, most people tend to think it's the camera that controls the photographic process.

The other question I've had a couple of times - and which sort of flummoxed me momentarily - is "Is that a Hasselblad?".  On both occasions, it was asked by men about (I guess) 60 years old and whilst they were looking (at close range) at my Rolleiflex.  On both occasions, I ended up having a really nice chat with a couple of interesting people.

[Sandeha Lynch]

"Lomography?"

"No, it's just an ordinary wooden sheet film camera."

[Terry]

Paul, I've had exactly the same response--only in my case I was shooting with a 5x7 Burke & James.  Doesn't look much like a Hasselblad!  And like your guy, mine was a middle-aged gent who had a lot of questions about shooting film etc.  Mostly I've been approached by older people who remember shooting film and for them it's a nostalgia thing.

A footnote to this: I was grading some papers this weekend, and came across the assertion that the Lumiere brothers invented the video camera.

[Francois]

  Well, you know, kids do say the darnest things... I can imagine the Lumiere brothers with a betamax camera... Totally surreal.

Maybe I should start saying that my camera is quite temperamental and that it starts taking only bad pictures when it gets annoyed...

[limr]

I too seem to get mostly comments from people happy to see film cameras still being used. Those conversations take two forms: first, it's a person who recognizes the camera and wants to talk about it (nine times out of ten, people approach 02Pilot first and talk to him about his cameras. Leicas are sexier than K1000s They treat me like I'm his sidekick or something.) This happened just yesterday, in fact.

Or second, it's another photographer who's excited to see people shooting film in any kind of film camera, and they want to talk about photography, not just gear.

Only once have I ever gotten the "Why would you still shoot with that thing? Digital is a lot better" comment. My response was something along the lines of "Digital bores me." I mean, I was carrying the C330, for cryin' out loud. Why would someone willing to shlep that thing around care about digital? 

In a twist on things, last weekend I was the one who approached someone else about his camera! There was a couple taking a picture of their kid with a Land Camera. Now, I'm quite shy about talking to people so it took me a while to get up the nerve to approach them (02 had to suffer from several renditions of, "I should talk to them, do you think? Should I? No, I'll leave them alone. But...I don't know, should I?") When I finally did talk to them, we had a nice little conversation about instant photography, we mourned the loss of 3000B, and I told him how to recover the negatives for the 100C. And I did not, in fact, burst into flames from initiating a conversation with a stranger! Woot!

[jharr]

And I did not, in fact, burst into flames from initiating a conversation with a stranger! Woot!

You're braver than me Leonore. Strangers terrify me. I'm certain they are going to start ranting and berating me for any number of things from my choice of camera to my personal appearance. Yes, my malfunctions are profound. This is why I only got to #3 of my 100 strangers project. Good on you for stepping out of your comfort zone.

[02Pilot]

I too seem to get mostly comments from people happy to see film cameras still being used. Those conversations take two forms: first, it's a person who recognizes the camera and wants to talk about it (nine times out of ten, people approach 02Pilot first and talk to him about his cameras. Leicas are sexier than K1000s They treat me like I'm his sidekick or something.) This happened just yesterday, in fact.

I contend this occurs simply because I'm taller. And I had no Leica with me yesterday (I was shooting an Ikoflex).

[Bryan]

For the most part I get positive comments like "that's a cool camera!".  If they ask me why I shoot film I say "because I enjoy it".  The question I get asked most is "can you still get film for that", I usually reply "Kodak still makes it". 

[charles binns]

I have occasionally been approached by pros - one of whom started calling me 'Olga' or so I thought until I realised he was pointing at my holga, and another who got very excited by my Photon (not a phrase I ever thought I'd write) and told me he thought it was brilliant and asked me where he could get one.

[mcduff]

The best question I got was from a friend who regularly sends boatloads of money to Leica for its latest and greatest digital cameras & lenses. He asked me "but isn't film so expensive??" This coming from a guy who probably spends 5+ grand a year on his hobby 

[Francois]

It's funny because I find it's always easier to approach other photographers than regular people. It's like if the fact of having a camera around your neck creates some sort of link. We don't see each other as predators like so many people do nowadays.

Somehow, it's always fun when people are engaging.

As for spending a lot of money on Digital Leicas... I keep telling myself that my Fed is just as good and for some odd reason it seems to work so far...

[Indofunk]

But does it still take GOOD pictures?

[limr]

And I did not, in fact, burst into flames from initiating a conversation with a stranger! Woot!

You're braver than me Leonore. Strangers terrify me. I'm certain they are going to start ranting and berating me for any number of things from my choice of camera to my personal appearance. Yes, my malfunctions are profound. This is why I only got to #3 of my 100 strangers project. Good on you for stepping out of your comfort zone.

Believe me, if it hadn't been for the Land Camera prop, I never would have done it. I can handle if people approach me, but if I don't have a very clear purpose for talking to someone else, I generally won't. And of course I had to rehearse my opening line for several minutes before I said anything. I'm just so thankful that they were receptive and friendly, otherwise it would have set me back about 10 years in my social development! 

[jharr]

Here is the photo I was taking when asked 'the question'.


FTn-Dacomatic-001 by James Harr, on Flickr