LF as a Spectator Sport

**Michael Graves** · 17-Oct-2015, 18:01

It's leaf peeping season in Vermont, and naturally, I had to burn a couple of hundred dollars worth of 8x10 negative film. (Hope I can figure out where to get it processed!) So my wife and I headed out with the dog and the 2D. Darned dog wouldn't even carry my camera for me! Naturally, all of the really scenic roads in the state were packed with tourists and other jacka$$ types (like myself, for example) out staring at a natural phenomenon that occurs every year about this time. But we had fun anyway, and I got a few shots that I hope come out okay.

There was one place we stopped, next to one of my favorite trout streams, where there was a pullout. A hill rising up from the river was resplendent in fall color and the sky was showing one of its rare moments today where there was some blue peeking through the overcast. Two vans pulled up about the same time we did, and my wife and I watched a modern reincarnation of the Keystone Cops, as about thirty Japanese tourists piled out of those two vehicles. Or maybe it was just twenty...I didn't try to count them. They started snapping away with their digital cameras and paid no attention to me at first as I set the Eastman 2d up on a Berlebach tripod. When I went to move it onto the spot from which I wanted to shoot, I caught their attention. For the next fifteen minutes, we waited while each one in turn posed with my camera and had their picture taken. You'da thunk they'd want their picture taken with the lovely mountain in the background! Then when they were all done getting their pictures taken, they waited very politely and quietly and watched while I set up my image and took my photograph. When I was finished and put the dark slide back in place, they started clapping, like I'd just finished performing a string quartet all by myself. It was actually quite amusing, but I was afraid if I laughed, I would offend them, so I just shook their hands as they went by me, going back to their vans.

I hope they all got into the right vehicle.

**LabRat** · 17-Oct-2015, 18:20

Could be worse, with a whole stadium of J-girls shrieking at you, and them lobbing their underwear at you...

Steve K

**Ken Lee** · 17-Oct-2015, 18:23

As you probably know, they have a very long tradition of profound appreciation of nature and the seasons, of poets and painters - not to mention their love of photography equipment and of photography itself. That's why they traveled all the way to Vermont. They not only discovered a scene of great beauty, they found a kindred soul.

Therefore with regard to that crowd, consider yourself appreciated and admired many times over

**480sparky** · 17-Oct-2015, 18:43

More than once I've had to stop being a photographer and start being a teacher. Once their curiosity has been addressed, I return to being a photographer.

But that's partly my fault because I chose a LF camera, at least in part, for it's looks rather than technical ability. If I can generate just one spark of interest in another person, my job will be done.

**Michael Graves** · 19-Oct-2015, 07:30

Originally Posted by LabRat

Could be worse, with a whole stadium of J-girls shrieking at you, and them lobbing their underwear at you...

Steve K

That would be horrible!!!

**Fr. Mark** · 19-Oct-2015, 10:55

When we (mostly) middle aged fellows hang out here all the time, I think we forget how unusual our choice of camera type is. I know I do. I took a Sinar P 5x7 and Sinar trunk fully loaded with gear and huge tripod to an outdoor art show to take pics of landscape plus painters or pottery (it holds still better...) or glass blowing etc. and lots of people stopped to look at the "ancient" camera (I do have a 100+ year old 1/2 plate camera, but the Sinar is 1970's, I think). I make a point of letting them look at the ground glass etc. A fellow with a modern digi-cam did say, "Wow, a Sinar, when I was younger I really wanted one of those!" But lots of people stopped to look and asked questions. I was not prepared for the attention I was getting with my new to me toy.

I agree with Ken above, Japanese culture prizes artists and craftspeople: a cultured person was supposed to write well (handwriting AND poetry like haiku), be elegant with his sword (particularly samurai), arrange flowers well (ikebana), have some facility with drawing, play go passably well, etc. Many of these arts are somewhat extemporaneous/involve movement or an attempt to capture what is fleeting about beauty. LF, esp. with 8x10, must be well considered, carefully executed, a near ballet-like performance in some ways. I'm not surprised, really, by their reaction.

Did you shoot transparency or negative film for the pics of the VT leaves (or both?)? It is very beautiful there based on my limited experience with the area.

I need to get some B/W film developed and put some color neg film in the 4x5 holders and put it in my car so I'd have even a chance of capturing the fall color here which is getting close to peak (S. Central PA)

**LabRat** · 19-Oct-2015, 11:47

But seriously, consider it a good thing... We ALL have too many stories of the time it all started when someone yelled "HEY"!!!!

BTW, there are too many people out there that get suspicious when the camera rig comes out... Enjoy the good times!!!

I think of being out shooting somewhere as being under the sea... You are in an environment that is out of your normal element and only visiting... The inhabitants may be going along with their own way, or may be curious and might approach, and there are rouge or higher-in-the foodchain elements, too... But if you can bring good energy, and not be a threat, you can be accepted into that environment, and get good shots, too... Be part of it all!!!

Sounds like a good day!?!!!

Steve K

**Drew Wiley** · 19-Oct-2015, 12:11

Hundreds of dollars worth of 8x10 film: isn't that about two sheets at today's prices? Since that happens to be the situation (almost), I decided to take a walk with
medium format (P67) instead, and save up my 8x10 film for next month, when the angle of lighting gets more moody and the air clearer after a few rains. But I still packed my big Ries tripod just for the sake of exercise. That combination forfeited the "nice camera" comments I'm accustomed to on the trail; but I still garnered a "nice tripod" comment from a German tourist. You can't win em all. The only real nuisance is when some young couple comes along and sees you with a serious camera of some type, so asks you to take their picture on their little cell phone, since you're obviously some kind of pro. I oblige, even though I can't even see what I'm looking at on those silly little arms-length screens without wearing glasses. In fact, I need to ask them what button or pad to push.
Why can't they just equip those darn things with dark cloths like other cameras?

**djdister** · 19-Oct-2015, 12:51

It is interesting sometimes. They are interested if you have a 100 year old camera and lens because they are amazed the thing still works. But they are equally amazed (or more so) to see a "modern" (e.g. less than 20 year old) LF camera and lens. Got some equally open-mouthed stares at a Canham all-metal MQC or a Walker Titan SF with a modern lens and shutter because it "looks cool" and yet shoots big hunks of something called film...