funny questions about your LF camera

[Kevin M Bourque]

I was set up on a sidewalk with a 4x5 and a case full of stuff and someone asked, "Are you a photographer?"

I didn't have a snappy answer, and I still don't know what a good one might be.

[venchka]

I haven't been out much since buying my Zone VI field camera.

On my only public outing to date I was asked, "Nice camera. Is that a Hasselblad?"

[DJGainer]

Last August I was in Grand Teton when a man and his son saw me taking a shot with my 4x5 Horseman. He asked why I didn't do what all the professionals do and go digital? When he mentioned that digital cameras would shortly outpace large format, I responded the most polite way I could; I ignored him.

Same trip I was in Yellowstone setting up a shot of some buffalo on the plains. A car came to a screeching halt behind me, literally. I turned around to see two pairs of eyes just glaring at me. Very odd...

[Tim k]

Last summer, while waiting for a sunset with my Toyo monorail, some guy came by and said " Boy you look like you know what your doing".

Gave me a big head at the moment. But in hind site, it was hilarious. I had no idea what I was doing.

[Nana Sousa Dias]

I was set up on a sidewalk with a 4x5 and a case full of stuff and someone asked, "Are you a photographer?"

I didn't have a snappy answer, and I still don't know what a good one might be.

You could say:

"No, I'm a French musician and this is my acordeon, I'm gonna play some Paris waltzes!"

[Nana Sousa Dias]

The most common is:

"Hey, is this for TV?"

one guy asked me where I used to put the film cartridge on that camera...

Once I was setting my cherrywood 4x5 Wista, at the beach, in winter.
I was below the dark cloth, trying to focus the camera, when I saw a face looking at me, on the groud glass...

It was a fisherman who asked me if I could still find film for that camera. He told me that is grandfather had one like that, I told him the camera was 4 years old. He laughed...

[bspeed]

Last summer, while waiting for a sunset with my Toyo monorail, some guy came by and said " Boy you look like you know what your doing".

Gave me a big head at the moment. But in hind site, it was hilarious. I had no idea what I was doing.

Now, thats exactly how I feel when I am out with my view camera.

[willwilson]

Nothing breaks your concentration better than onlookers.

I was in the middle of a shot, focusing, trying to get my rear tilt just right. The framing required my tripod to be half in and half out of a stream (I was managing to stay dry). I came up from under my dark cloth to a loud voice directly behind me, "Nice Camera..." I lost my balance and ended up on my back, taking a bath in the process.

[JOneZero]

I've had all the usual ones, including "Is that a...Hass...a Hassel...is that a *Hasselblad*?!"

A couple of times I've been asked - with all seriousness - how many megapixels my 4x5 has.

At the moment, I'm living in New Zealand. When I take my camera on an outing, it *always* attracts a crowd. Always. I have to say that I've met some of the nicest people, and had some really great conversations with locals who stop to chat. They are both puzzled, and bashfully flattered that anyone would photograph their neck of the woods with "such a serious camera."

One time I was at an event and I was surrounded by digtal machine-gunners. You could hear the shutters firing away, and the point & shoots were beeping. An older fellow from the local camera club stopped to chat with me, and he said loudly: "How many have *you* taken?" I said: Three. We laughed like hell.

Anyway, I'll take all the "is that *digital*???" questions in the world. I've met some really cool folks because of my camera.

[Richard M. Coda]

http://rcodaphotography.blogspot.com...bstractly.html

We went to the Mustang Library in Scottsdale last fall to get some books for my daughter. I had never been to this branch but was immediately struck by the entry to the library. There is some renovation construction going on, but this seems to have been part of the original design and structure. I checked the time and decided to come back the next day at the same time.

Next day I show up about a half an hour before our arrival yesterday. Started setting up my 8x10" camera. As I was setting up, one of the library workers came out for a break. He asked what I was doing so I explained to him. He asked what I was photographing so I pointed to the area. He said, "I don't see it." It was an abstract pattern of shadows created by beams overhead. I showed him under the cloth and then he saw it. He then asked me why I hadn't switched to digital. I explained to him that the best DSLR out there is about 20 megapixels. I told him that my 8x10" film camera has 55 times that. I finished my exposure and we talked for a few more minutes. Then he took out his cell phone and snapped the same image I just had made! I hope that doesn't put a dent in sales of my image! :^)