Carrying a Large Format Camera?

[Ed Burlew]

I have experienced the pleasure of meeting uncounted people while shooting. The darndest is when you are setting up in a small town and the denizens and store keepers mistake the old best 8x10 for a movie camera and demand mony for the shot, In the Toronto area alot of "Hollywood " productions are shot and they lavish the denizens and stre keepswho may be in a shot with money. I do find the embarrasement the denizens and storekeeps experience once they see the old beast, I have a few pics called angry passerby or angry store owner shot as the yelled and hollered for payment and I just ignored them. Then as they approached and saw the old aluminum eastman the got REAL QUIET and skulked bach to their lair.

I like to get out the mahogany and brass red bellow wisbang too to get people interested and to invite them to get in the picture and by the geeze the really respond and put on quite a show before the lense, Of course I have fun too and the first two or three shots are just " blanks" until I actually load film. So I have some fun with them too.

ED

[Christopher Condit]

A folded dark cloth also serves as good shoulder padding, and helps me remember to bring it along.

A lot of you folks are more welcoming than I; I find kibbutzers can break my concentration and cause me to hurry. A solution I learned from a landscape drawing teacher, is to wear a Walkman with headphones. This really discourages people from approaching. Kind of paradoxical, since folks will gladly interrupt an artistic endeavor clearly requiring focus and concentration, but wouldn't dream of interrupting your listening to the ball game or whatever. By the way, the Walkman need not be turned on, or even present, so long as the headphones are visible, preferably in bright yellow.

CXC

[Peter Galea]

I carry my tripod and some accessories in a "Sunday bag" similar to this.
Sometimes I'll leave the camera attached. It is very comfortable and easy to balance.

[Peter Galea]

Sorry, just looked at the specs on the Sun Mtn. Mine has a 7 inch opening and I can't believe it weighs even a pound. Got it at a garage sale for $3.00.