You are what you shoot

There was an article I read on... Darn, I've forgotten, possibly 2point8... About how the public reacts to different kinds of cameras. I'll have to dig it up when I get back from work, it makes an interesting read and is on a very similar theme to this topic.
 
Well, a model 120, of course. 😎
swoop said:
Someone once asked me what kind of Holga I had.

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That person obviously were professional, because most casual shooters (except those knowing DSLR) would associate G1 (especially black one) with professional realm. Same as most guards at concerts (watching to disallow pro-gear taken into) would consider black Leica as Holga 🙂
 
In the context in which he said it, I think it was meant as a kind of insult. It didn't offend me (well, not much anyway), I just thought how it confirmed the stereotypes about photographers that people have. Appearances are everything.

/T
 
Why do you care what this obviously ignorant person thinks? Heck, there are pros out there using any kind of camera you can possibly name. I was watching a TV show about some photographer or other a few years back and, tucked in among some of her other gear, she had a pink 110 "Barbie Fun Camera."
 
True story I wrote, circa 2004:

So I am walking a little North of Union Square Park in Manhattan today.

There is a young foreign tourist couple, not speaking much English. They are diddling around with the latest whiz-bang point and shoot digital camera.

They stop a sort of elegant/shabbily dressed guy with thick glasses and greyish hair; "You take our picture, Mister?"

"My pleasure", he says.

The foreign guy elaborately explains to the man with glasses how to push the shutter, how to frame a picture, how to make sure it's in focus, etc etc, in schoolbook English. "Keep the sun behind you, look through here."

The guy pressed into taking the photo smiles, nods his head sagely when instructed how to take a photo.

The couple stands back, the guy moves the camera around a bit, takes four of five snaps with the digital camera.

"Thank you, mister, thank you very much!" says the beaming couple.

Richard Avedon hands the camera back to them, says "you're welcome", and continues strolling uptown and turns the corner, disapearing out of sight........
 
Actually, if I carry a Leica or other iconic camera in NYC, numerous people try to engage me in conversations about photography. Nothing is more horrifying to me than having to discuss some nonsensical thing about cameras with some balding half-wit ill-informed fan-boy, and I duck these conversations rudely.

Unless the person wishing to speak about cameras is a pretty female Japanese tourist under 30, then of course I am most pleasant, and I go out of my way to be kind, thoughtful, charming and helpfully educate her about anything she wishes to know.
 
Certainly the way photography is viewed is culture biased. My friend Florencio tells me he gets more cooperation while using more elaborate equipment in Mexico, as the subjects assume you are shooting as an artist.

I thought using a Contax G2 was flying a bit under the radar.

Things change, though, and as any RF is more rarely seen, even a red circle may not get you overly noticed.

As a "keep in the car" camera, I have an Olympus IS1 in the trunk, though I would prefer the smaller ones, this is the one I had lying about.

As to shooting folks' snaps, why not? Nothing wrong with some courtesy.

Regards, John
 
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