Anyone else a little self-conscious about shooting film?

[zach]

Stop worrying and take more photos.

I'm only 20 and have no qualms carting around my 4X5 and throwing a dark cloth over my head.

Drag some cute artsy girls along with you if you are worried.

[BrianShaw]

When I was 20 I had no qualms either. I think the qualms started at about 45.

[BrianShaw]

... or maybe that is because I shaved my beard when I turned 45... IDK for sure.

[batwister]

^ Aren't qualms vegetarian burgers?

[vintagesnaps]

For me even though film seems to have had or is having something of a comeback, it never really left. But I don't get looks so much now for what camera I'm using, although I have a vintage lens on my digital camera so it wouldn't surprise me if someone seemed curious about it.

I did sports for marketing for a local team and since women sports photographers don't seem to be all that common, I got a lot of stares and questions. I felt self conscious at first, being at ice level in an arena full of people looking down at me. I just got used to it in time and it could be pretty entertaining. Like when they'd look at me, look at the sign, then back at me like 'what the...?' Or ask me where such 'n such was (what was I, the information booth? LOL) Or when mascots would flail around in front of me wanting their picture taken, or when fans would notice my camera aiming their direction and start waving at me, especially the ones who have made maybe one trip too many to the beer booth. When people gawked at me I'd usually give it a minute and they'd get bored and go back to watching the game as I'm not as interesting as a hockey game.

Maybe it just takes some experience to get good at figuring out how to deal with people noticing you and your camera. You maybe can develop some strategies as to how to respond or react when various situations occur; I usually just try to give someone a brief answer that would hopefully make sense to someone who's not a photographer. Or sometimes just a nod or a hello is enough.

[tony lockerbie]

Stop worrying and take more photos.

I'm only 20 and have no qualms carting around my 4X5 and throwing a dark cloth over my head.

Drag some cute artsy girls along with you if you are worried.

Maybe a big-ass camera is a good way to attract girls when you are a young-un! I am, these days, more pitiful than attractive so I stay hidden under the dark cloth. Seriously though, I have found a little change in the way people react to film cameras.
Went through the "time to move on" and "you can still get film?" stages, but now quite often get "cool camera" and sometimes even "respect" which is nice.
Also great to see a lot of young people getting into analogue...don't much care if they are hipsters or not.
To the OP, just wear that camera with pride and don't fret about what others think.

[tkamiya]

I've been thinking about this for a while and I think this has nothing to do with photography or camera - but has everything to do with age.

OP is in his early 20s.

In this age, things matter. Being accepted by others matter. Being thought well by others matter. Although legally an adult, one is somewhat unsure of his/her role in the world. No matter how hard one tries, he/she just doesn't have enough life experiences to know if he/she is in the ball-park. Always a thought creeps in.... am I doing this right?

Come 40s and 50s, one had been through many situations including good, bad, embarrassing, etc, etc, etc. May had a serious illness or even death in close relatives and friends, and begin to realize what's really important. All the sudden, everything else seem insignificant. By this stage, typically, one knows what he wants and makes decisions.

I'll let you know what 60s and 70s are like when I get there.

[Felinik]

^ Aren't qualms vegetarian burgers?

Yummie!! Now you made me hungry!!

[Newt_on_Swings]

I feel the exact opposite, when I have the digi-setup bare, without the handgrip, big flash bracket and flash that I use for events, its just an ordinary crop sensor camera, that people with the big ol full frame cameras and L lenses turn their noses up to lol. I dont really have any digi autofocus lenses at all, maybe 3-4 tops and none that are exceptional or very fast.

I feel much more at ease with film and my light meter, I get better shots with less exposures needed, and do not have to fiddle with autofocus.

[BrianShaw]

I am, these days, more pitiful than attractive so I stay hidden under the dark cloth.

Well, perhaps... but I was shocked at how pitiful I looked when I saw a photo of me, taken by someone else of course, while under the dark cloth. I thought I looked pretty good...and I did with my own eyes and imagination.