Have you ever been mocked for LF?

**cikaziva** · 3-Dec-2014, 18:50

not bad experience at all, just a misguided youth!

**Pamelageewhizz** · 14-Jul-2015, 14:37

Never been mocked. I was out shooting in an area in Sacramento one night - used to be a drug/homeless haven and has now been turned into a bar and restraunt area for people with too much money. I miss the was it used to be, much more interesting. Can't count the number of people that stopped to admire the camera or ask questions. I've got an 8x10 Kodak 2D. Folks assumed I was a professional. Mostly nice folk and I love chatting. The ones with money could be a little snotty, not so the homeless. I was doing night shooting so time/light wasn't a problem.
The one I fould so funny was a young kid who asked how I could see the monitor, it wan't lit up! Tryed to explain it to him, even opened up the back and said a camera is just a box of air, a lens and a place for the film. He asked again is that the monitor! Sad. Funny but sad.

**Kirk Gittings** · 14-Jul-2015, 15:41

I get mocked more by LF snobs (I hang out with a lot of them) when I occasionally drag out my DSLR to do a stitch instead of my 4x5.

**Jmarmck** · 14-Jul-2015, 15:46

Once had a collage professor ask why I shot film when digital was better.

**Drew Wiley** · 14-Jul-2015, 16:28

I set up the 8x10 just once on the trail this past weekend. Got nothing but compliments, as usual. Of course, I'm not hiding a cell phone or DLSR somewhere on
the side. People can sense those anomalies, just like dogs can sense fear. Bad vibes. Helps to have a vintage pack too. Authenticity, just like real dents on my
truck.

**Pali K** · 14-Jul-2015, 16:46

I was mocked by a group of what looked like college kids. They were just talking behind my back and making jokes about the size of the camera and my general stupidity for using it. While this was happening, a family walked up and started talking about the camera. They then took turns to take selfies and to look under the dark cloth and were amazed by the experience. The college kids saw this and decided to walk up and check out the camera and they were very excited at the end.

I actually hesitate taking the 8x10 out because it calls for too much attention and I am not totally comfortable with it just yet.

Pali

**Jerry Bodine** · 14-Jul-2015, 17:13

Quite a few years ago (pre-digital) I had my Norma set up, blocking traffic, on a "single file" trail across a steep hillside just below a huge old rock slide, my tattered original Kelty on the ground near me. It had taken me a while to get everything just right. I came out from under the darkcloth, noticed two of the only people encountered all day standing and waiting to pass. I couldn't do anything about it so I just gestured with my hands, palms upward. I got a thumbs up, and went back to hurriedly try to finish. Then I heard them climbing through the boulders behind me and on they went. Not a word was said the whole time; once on the trail again, they looked back at me with another thumbs up. That kind of respect is apparently lacking since the digi revolution.

**sun of sand** · 14-Jul-2015, 20:01

I have people wonder what I'm doing but not mocked

I live in a tiny town 15 miles outside of a tiny city and it it seems my graduating class was one of the last to play outdoors
My local church down the road has a bball court and I go regularly to shoot around dusk for 30 min

I'm always alone over there and I've had kids walk by and be like. ..wtf?
He just shoots by himself at night? Lol!!1
How can you shoot hoops with no light??!1
girls doing a mock cheerleading routine

The not so stupid kids who see I'm draining every shot will chime in and a couple times have had them stop to watch for a while or join in for a bit

People don't practice much
They don't practice much nor do they practice much what they do choose to practice
Not a whole lot of passion in the world

But that means if you do have passion for something you'll wow quite a few people who may believe its genius or god given talent
But its just work. Wanting to be good.at what you do. Care
I don't know how people live without it

Who says the guy isn't a good photographer?
Maybe he isn't
Who says all the people on this site are?

Mediocre
Decent
Good
Very good
Exceptional

More in the bottom half than top half

**steveo** · 15-Jul-2015, 01:40

Had a French chap try and ask me some questions a few weeks back, his English was better than my French but we weren't getting any where. When I'd finished setting up I gestured to the guy who was just getting in his car to come look under the dark cloth. His grin crossed language barriers.

**Larry Kellogg** · 15-Jul-2015, 06:17

Originally Posted by steveo

Had a French chap try and ask me some questions a few weeks back, his English was better than my French but we weren't getting any where. When I'd finished setting up I gestured to the guy who was just getting in his car to come look under the dark cloth. His grin crossed language barriers.

Yes, a look under the dark cloth is what excites people. I usually have to tell them to stand back a bit as most people seem to expect a viewfinder type experience and press their nose against the glass. This is one a 5x7.

A nice woman and her daughter saw me standing under a tree in Central Park with my camera during a rainstorm. The woman said her daughter was reading a book in which one of the characters used a camera like mine and they wanted to know how it all worked. I explained everything and let them look under the dark cloth.