How are LF photographers treated where you live?

[johnelstad]

Bay Area, CA

 

Okay, I can't resist anymore. I've had only positive experiences thus far using lf in public (less than one year in all). Most people are curious and would just like to ask one question before moving on (am I a professional, how big is the film, how old is the camera, etc.). One memorable experience was while I was taking pictures at Bodie, a well-touristed ghost town in eastern California. A man with his family stood a few feet behind me and appeared to be trying to catch a glimpse of what I was seeing. I finally asked him if he'd like to see for himself. He accepted and was very impressed by the whole experience. He and his family turned out to be French, and all wanted a turn, so after the last of them got their view they started with the questions in French. Anyway, I realized then that if I was ever going to travel internationally with that that camera I would first learn how to explain the basics in the appropriate language.

 

Oh, one other thing that I always find amusing about taking pictures in public is when passersby look at the subject I'm photographing and try to find out what's so special about it. I like to think that these are people who have passed by this same spot hundreds of times before and never found it of interest, and that now they might appreciate their environs a bit more. Call me romantic.

 

John H: Regarding a one-sentence explanation for people waiting for you to shoot. I usually just tell them that I'm setting up and that it will take me at least another ten minutes before I'm ready.

 

Andrew P: I had a very similar experience to yours while shooting mf at the ruins of Palenque in Mexico. I climbed up a pyramid to get a better angle of the one adjacent to it (about 70 meters away). Everytime I looked in the viewfinder I saw the same guy aiming his camera at me. I thought, okay, get out of the picture so he can take his, then he'll do the same for me. I walked deliberately around the corner and waited a couple minutes. When I came back he was finished taking the picture, but was still dawdling around. I had to wait another five minutes for him to finally get bored and move on. And, of course, when I climbed the second pyramid to take a picture of the first, there he was where I had previously stood!

 

Anyway, Matthew, if you're still reading this, my guess is that you'll be well-received anywhere you go if you are polite and don't do anything stupid like shooting in a dangerous neighborhood at night.

[mateo]

I'm in Tampa and have had the same curious/friendly reception that everyone else seems to have with one difference. I have a policy of keeping small change in my pocket because invariably someone asks me to help them out. Forget the unusualy looking 4x5 or 8x10 contraption, they want bus fare or whatever other direly necessary alms that comes to there mind. No big deal. But then, night before last I was out in the wee hours when even the people who need change have passed out and the police hassled me. I'm a respectful, law abiding citizen and even look like one but this police lady decided that I was up to no good. I was calm and courteous and she was yelling her questions at me. By the way that was in Ybor City so if you come across the bay, Matthew, and want to shoot Ybor at 4am, watch out for car #202!

 

Mathew

[terence_m.]

Interesting to see so many of us photograph old industrial areas. Most of the attention paid to me is by the authorities wanting to know what I think I'm doing. I'd like to answer, "I THINK I'm taking a FANTASTIC picture," but they wouldn't care for that and it would probably be a lie in any case. I had a much easier time before 9/11, but always had police sizing me up (despite being the correct ethnic extraction for South Boston, pre-yuppification anyway). Here in NYC and North Jersey I find a small portfolio and my business card showing I work in construction go a long way with authorities. Of course one said,"Got lots of pictures of powerplants and bridges I see . . ." Gardners photograph plants, engineers photograph buildings and bridges. What can I say. I gave up trespassing when I was a kid, so that's rarely an issue, unless it's by accident. New Yorkers pride themselves on ignoring everything, from homeless to LFers. I have gotten a handful of comments from passers-by, mainly of the "old camera" type which is valid. I rarely photograph in areas frequented by tourists so that's not typically an issue. I have yet to have any serious run-ins, but I make sure none of my gear is so valuable or rare that insurance couldn't replace it.

 

The most comments I get are from my girlfriend when I drag her to a steel mill or rusting bridge, but those comments are mostly unprintable.

 

If there are any other kindred spirits in the NYC area drop me a line. I'm always looking for another person to watch my back.

[neal_shields]

I was asked not to photograph an old powerplant the other day by a guard that had seen action in WW2. He was polite and had some good stories. But said he was afraid he would get in trouble if he let me take pictures. I should have photographed him. I was also told that I couldn't take pictures from the top floor of a downtown parking garage, but I think that was because they were afraid I would fall off. At a local university dance department, I recieved a cold reception until they found out that I was more interested in the stair well than the girls and then they let me shoot away.

 

On the whole I think things are still pretty frendly in Texas

 

Neal

[jorge_gasteazoro4]

Here in Mëxico, there are so few LF photographers that I always get at least curious stares, many people approach me and ask me what I am doing, I tell them I am taking measurements for a space port, then I smile and tell them the truth, usually breaks the ice and they stay and talk, I let them see the GG and they are usually excited. After a while the curiosity fades and I am left alone to take the pic.

 

 

Steve, to get the bold face use HTML tags:

<b>text</b> gives you bold face.<i>text</i> italics, etc etc.

[david_goldfarb]

New York City also. Often I get questions from curious people about the big camera, often from photographers who may have used a 4x5" camera at some time long ago. On the other hand, it's not too unusual to see people with lots of photo equipment here--model shoots on the street and in parks, films being made everywhere, nature photographers with big teles in Central Park, and such--so most people will leave you alone. There are places where you will be hassled about using a tripod, particularly in the parks along the riverfront from Battery Park north, heading up the West side of Manhattan toward midtown (even before Sept. 11). Explaining that the pictures are for personal, non-commercial use, usually works. I've had no problems in Central Park or in Riverside Park north of midtown, though.

 

I don't feel uncomfortable walking around the city just about anyplace during daylight hours, but one should always be alert, and there are isolated spots where I wouldn't be inclined to be standing alone under a darkcloth in the 6:30 a.m. light. If I have doubts or if I would rather not be too conspicuous, I'll shoot medium format.

[tom_perkins]

Western Nevada/Eastern California

I live in Minden, Nevada, and people are friendly. The farmers and ranchers are very open and generous if you take the time to ask for permission. Tourists are curious, and here they also want to know if it's a Hasselblad. They assume I am a professional (I'm not), and some have seemed disappointed that I do not have a web site. The locals who don't already know me and assume I'm daft are relieved when they find I'm not from California, although most of them are, and from what I have seen it is an extraordinary place. Take lots of polaroids and hand them out freely. By the way, I snuck through Tonopah the other day and Jim Galli did not see me, that is, unless he is the one who tried to direct me to an open mine shaft.

[reinier_de_vlaam]

Typical dutch. A lot of so called funny remarks. "Hey, is there a nude girl in there?" or "Is that your latest compact camera?"

[george_nedleman]

I live in Cambria-central coast Calif. No problem here or in any natl. park but Washington DC was another matter. at the Supreme Ct. bldg an officer grilled me about no pictures for commercial use/Interior of railway and subway stations-no tripods even in an out of the way spot. Outside the Hirschorn Mus. I was shooed off the patio pavement but took the picture from the sidewalk a yard away. Hostility oozed from those cops. No fun!

George Nedleman

[dan_smith]

I live in Utah and the reactions are varied though generally friendly and curious about the big camera. In LaVerkin(where they passed an ordinance banning the U.N.) I was stopped & questioned by a lady suspicious I was from the United Nations... and she lit in again when I visited their small museum. Everyone else who walked by laughed & when she left a few came over & apologized for her.

In the Mormon Temple Square I was threatened with arrest & kicked off for photographing. Same thing with the Brigham City Tabernacle (mormon) here in Brigham City where I live. Odd behavior to say the least. Most other places outside Mormon church tourist attractions the problems are few.

In Grouse Creek, a small town on the very NorthWest edge of the state I had three or four people come up to me asking if the camera I was using was a Deardorff. These folks recognized it... at a 4th of July parade that swelled the town numbers to at least 400 people.

As I said, generally positive with only a few jerks.

[philip_mccourt]

I live in Cleveland Ohio and have learned to avoid areas that are packed with people. I have photographed inside of buildings that are public access buildings with 35mm and have had no problems. Medium format and up is another story, people get downright nervous when you show up with "profession gear". I have been politely asked to leave more than once. I have been told that if I make an appointment with security that most of the time pictures can be taken. A good example of this is what we call here Tower City. It is a hub for the local rail transit and bus routes and also is a shopping mall. Being a law abiding person I don't like to upset people, 9/11 has made it a little rough for photography.

 

With my 8x10 I shoot mostly landscapes and open areas with few people around. The people that I do run across are simply amazed at the sight of a "Ansel Adams" type of camera. They always have a dozen questions about the camera, once I let them under the focusing cloth they thank me and move along. I find it very hard to concentrate on making the shot I want when people are around.

 

Others have said they carry around some of there work to show any questioning officials, I had some pens made up with my web site logo on it and give one to skeptical people. That almost always lightens up the moment and allows me to continue what I was doing.

[armin_seeholzer]

Hi Matthew

 

Here in Switzerland is it almost easy, but don`t take a picture of a bank or other money oriented building not only with the LF you get also problems with the 35mm camera. Because they think the next days you come with the gun!

Some people are saying "Oh a very old camera very interesting"or "are you making a movie" or "for what is it good such a large camera"?

In the citys there almost passing by out in the field you get more people wich ask you something about the camera!

 

Good light!

[alpshiker]

As Armin said, not too much to worry in the swiss mountains. Here is a

typical encounter report from two weeks ago:

 

Camera was pointing at an old pine, I was trying to take some bark

close-ups. A family of hikers is passing by. One of the girls asks with

a typical teenager cheekiness: "Hey, what's this thing, what are you

doing? Are you taking measurements or trying to shoot a rabitt?" -

"Well, it's a large format camera. I'm taking some images from details

in the bark, wood worms paths and so on". The father asks, pointing

his finger to my VX-125: "This must be an old camera!" To what I reply:

"No, it's a modern one, a view camera, you might have not seen one, but

they are still widely used in photographic studios for advertising and

product shots, when you need extreme definition and image control".

"Ahhh! So you are taking a publicity shot of your camera bag!" he says

pointing now my backpack who lies nearby. We laugh... I hope we didn't

scare the woodworms the girl says before walking away. And here I

stand, feeling a complete idiot!