I was out today walking around the Prime Hook NWR here in coastal Dealware (like there's another part of Delaware). I had walked the Trukle Pond path with Alice (my 4x5). Made a couple of photographs. Drove down to the refuge offices and walked the boardwalk path out into the marshes. White flowers on the salt reeds as far as the eye could see.

Got back to the Jeep and saw some people standing looking at the ground. One had a camera. Walked over and the lady there was talking a man and his sons and she was trying to get an exposure of these ground-boring insects as they were coming in and out. We talked a minute and I asked what kind of Canon she had? It was a 40D. She had a 100-400 on it. She asked if I was a photographer. I jerked my thumb over my shoulder toward my backpack and stated I was lugging around my 4x5 film camera.

Instantly she went on the defensive. Don't know why. She was about 55 by my guessing and she said that she started out with film about a couple of years younger than I am (either I don't look 40 or I've been photographing longer than she has). Then she says 'Everyone has to go digital'. I think I detected a hint of longing and regret. Then I whipped out, contrary to her expectations I bet, 'Well, I've always thought it doesn't matter what someone uses, just as long as they enjoy what they do.'

We chit chatted another minute, she got a good shot of one and said she would delete the rest. Then we parted ways. All in all it was a pleasant encounter.

...'Alice'?

Perhaps it's your naive attitude. You always come across as someone who has only just learnt something new and needs to tell everyone else about it.

I guess you don't mean to seem like that but . . . . . . .

Ian

...'Alice'?

The girl next door...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsrfovOPcjk

Hey Chris,

Sometimes I don't get things until the've slapped me in the face two or three times, just ask my wife.

Your "longing and regret" description is good. Seen it, over and over.

It is almost as if these people are saying, "if I can't shoot film anymore, you can't either". Same idea applies to the RAW vs. JPEG, "If I have to suffer and use a raw converter, you do too."

Alice is my baby. My Aletta 4x5. I named her Alice. I've had her for a couple of months. I'm in love. But I think my wife knows about here.

Aw now I don't feel so bad that my 4x5 is named 'John' after our own jnanian who inspired me in my search for developing 4x5 without buying more stuff (yay paterson tank, no reels, 2 sheets a go).
I don't think I ever saw that memo that EVERYONE HAS TO do anything...

I have found the 'older' folks are usually the ones making their unintentional snide comments whenever I talk about shooting film. Especially the camera club blue haired group. It's the youngsters that have the greatest sincere interest in traditional methods and processes.

Regards, Art.

I have found the 'older' folks are usually the ones making their unintentional snide comments whenever I talk about shooting film. Especially the camera club blue haired group. It's the youngsters that have the greatest sincere interest in traditional methods and processes.

Regards, Art.

Yup, same here. I think most of them are just jealous that I don't need autofocus.

Man, if I were to show up at a camera club with Alice they would look at me like I had three heads and a wart the looked like Ethel Merman.

I think I detected a hint of longing and regret.

That's because everytime she takes a memory stick to the lab to get it developed, she can't believe how much more expensive than film they are.

I haven't encountered any rude remarks so far, but I too can vouch for the younger generation having a sincere interest in traditional processes. Even a devoutly digital friend of mine got rather excited loading her K1000 for the first time in our Black and White intro course.

Man, if I were to show up at a camera club with Alice they would look at me like I had three heads and a wart the looked like Ethel Merman.

What, you know Ethel? I thought you were too young.

John Powers

Except for one person, everyone I've ever encountered who had a digicam while I had a filmcam either made no mention of it, or spoke almost apologetically about film use as "real" photography implying that digigraphy was something else. In fact, I suppose I've been the one who has been a tad puffy about my kit when it has come up. But the sole exception was as strident and emphatic as a southern Baptist preacher about film being "dead". If the ground hadn't been so wet, I would've lain down and looked as deceased as possible.

It's funny. When I run across others while I'm using my film camera, they usually respect me for it...as if film is somehow more artistic than digital. Only my older brother thinks less of me for using film.

And get this...A friend of mine got an old all-manual 35mm camera (I think it's a Nikon), but he doesn't want to use it yet. He wants to get better at photography using his digital Canon (XSi) so that he can waste as little film as possible. Now THAT is respect for a tool for an artistic medium.

Honestly, I don't care about this whole film vs. digital debate. Digital is faster, film looks different. They both cost about the same. (Think about it...if you're shooting so many frames per year that film would be more expensive than a mid-level DSLR, you probably have a high-end ($2,000+) SLR that you're going to replace every 2-3 years. Film doesn't cost much if you buy in bulk and develop it yourself.)

That said, I do have extra respect when I see someone out shooting film. That also said, I can't remember seeing someone shooting film. I saw someone with a Leica once, but it was either an M6 or an M8...

I attended a nephew's wedding -- on a beach, no less -- back in June. As I was just a spectator, I felt free to play around with some Acros in my Perkeo II, playing the roll of eccentric uncle to the hilt. As I was taking one shot, a voice along side me said "ooh -- how many megapixels?" When I turned to look, there were two groomsmen standing there, but the grins on their faces told me they knew quite well what was happening. So I said "oh, with the right scanner probably about 40." I explained I was shooting B&W and they seemed to think it was all "really cool."

My last two camera purchases were the aforementioned Perkeo and an EOS40D. My shooting projects in the past week or so used those two cameras, a Flexaret III, an Argus C3 and my Bronica SQ-A -- I try to be ecumenical. :D

DaveT

I do the local "art show" circuit and cringe whenever someone with a camera comes in the booth. Far more often than not, I get (unsolicited) advice and commentary.

Most people assume that I shoot digital, and some looked stunned or disbelieving when I tell them that I shoot medium and large format film.

They then look at the 30X40 prints with great tonality and no grain ...... some digi types tell me they can do as well with their DSLRs - wankers!

Quite a few folks tell me that have a nice Nikon or Canon film SLR somewhere, looking a bit sad. I tell them that film now is better than ever, so they should stock up and shoot!

Man, if I were to show up at a camera club with Alice they would look at me like I had three heads and a wart the looked like Ethel Merman.

Any doctor will tell you it's the warts that start to sing like Ethel Merman you have to worry about. And when they start doing synchronized swim numbers, you're really in trouble.

The other day I was out my Speed Graphic, and a guy with a digicam was impressed. He actually thought my "ancient" camera was "the best!" But usually the only people who notice what you're carrying are other people with film cameras. Actually, the best thing is the reaction you get from small kids, who will stare at it like it just fell out of a passing alien spacecraft while the parents try to pretend they don't see you.

Almost forgot, I was out Friday -- Argust 8th -- with my C3 (and a tripod so people would know I'm serious, and also my SQ-A) -- prowling around Valley Forge National Historical Park. Somewhere near George Washington's headquarters, a thirty-ish woman with a kid in tow came by and said "oh, that's an interesting camera." As I started to explain that this was a special day organized by some crazy camera collecting people on the Internet :D I mentioned the camera was an Argus C3. At that moment, a senior citizen passing by stopped, his face lit up and he said "that was my first camera!" He had acquired one in the mid 1950s. So I explained that mine was my first 35mm, bought new in 1958, and the woman said, "wow, they must be really well made." And she thanked me for the explanation as she moved on.

DaveT

I went through a number of community college photography classes with, and have stayed close to, a group of about 5 or 6 photographers. We all started out shooting film, but everyone but me shoots digital now. When we get together to consume libations and talk photography, they always seem just a bit envious that I still go into the darkroom to make my prints.

John, I was raised right, I guess. Not emotionally scarred by it. That's a cool story, Dave. I went to school in Phoenixville for a semester and I know the area well. I spend a weekend every year in the Scanticon when tax money comes in. Right before I go on my G. A. S. spree.

You should see the looks I get when I go out shooting with my 35mm Univex, Mercury II (http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-25.html) with the circular shutter!

People start to make sarcastic remarks and then... don't. Often then scurry off with a half formed word on their lips; looking worried and wondering what the range of that weird contraption could be.

It's the Iron Maiden of candid photography...

The only comments I've got when shooting medium or large format is positive ones, but even that rarely happens.

I've only shown my 4x5 to my friends (all early 20's) once and they were all fascinated by it. I do get people staring at me when I'm using it though, which I absolutely hate and sometimes puts me off using it a bit. I don't like being the center of attention when I'm just having some me time. I've also shot two friends weddings with my old TLR, and got so many people wanting to see it and play around with it both times too.

Though the other day I was talking to my mate I'm going to Nepal with and another of our usual tramping buddies, and the other one couldn't understand why I'm gonna take a film camera with me (I'm not sure if he even understands why I still use it). He shoots everything with a P&S digi, and stated that the photos he gets from that were more than enough. He's also a bit of a greenie, and has previously sited the waste of film and chemicals compared to digital as a reason why digital is better (I just rolled my eyes and nodded). My mate I'm going with took photography at school and loves film more than digital, but has been out of the film game too long and is worried he won't be able to get on the wagon in time for our trip. I tried to talk him around a bit, but he's gone to the binary side.

There's a ton of appreciation for film amongst people my age. I just think a lot of them are almost afraid of it, both for not being able to check if the photo's good 'til it's too late, or because they all think film's dead and there's no point using a technology that will 'be dead soon anyway'.

This thread has reminded me of a man who approached me when i was minding my own business shooting the Sydney opera house with my 4x5 field camera. I had taken all the time to set it up, I was out of everyones way and this guy who's in his mid 50's comes up to me with an canon automatic point and shoot digital camera and says to me why would you waste your time with that old junk? you need to get one of these you know exactly what your getting immediately and the picture quality is so much better.

I didn't even bother respond to this stupid ignorant man with his 3.2 mega pixel camera!!!

Ive had my share of run ins. Most have been great, fun even.
My favorites start with me trying to focus on the ground glass and then a face completely obscures the scene.
It happens so often. I have met some nice people that way and educate them on the joy of shooting film.

On the flip side, some of those anti film digi only butt heads really get at me. I end up all red in the face. I have even sworn a bit.