Hipster vs. analog hobby photographer

[Compaq]

Where is the line? The reason I ask, is because my girlfriend said, "well, you are a little hipster". And I was like, "whaaat?? I feel insulted!".

So, I've been thinking about this. Unless I have grossly misunderstood the term "hipster", I think it means people that think they are cool by using retro stuff.
Example: wearing rangefinders and shooting with it because "obviously film is sooo much better and it makes me look cool.. ohh, and it goes very well with my haircut!"

I'm not like that. Or am I? No, probably not. The reason I shoot film is I like the process. "Getting my hands dirty", in a sense. Back to the basics. I don't think I look cool wearing a rangefinder, or even two. In fact, I'm quite self-conscious! (Although I can't ignore the positive comments I've had).

It's a little like when someone says "Ohh, I thought you were gay", when you're not.....or are you??

When has one crossed the hipster line?

 

[02Pilot]

Walk around Williamsburg, Brooklyn and try to engage actual hipsters in conversation. If they talk to you, you're a hipster; if they instantly dismiss you and walk away looking terribly burdened for having had to do so, you're not. Simple. 😉

 

[finguanzo]

^ sounds about right..

 

[Murchu]

Hipster = all style, no substance, imo..

 

[BLKRCAT]

people call me hipster all the time. Especially for using film. For some reason bringing my bronica along to shoot public events counts as being hipster.

It doesnt bother me anymore. I know I'm not. And who really cares what other people think anyways? Caring what other people think is probably a hipster thing to do anyways. I dont know.

Best way to extinguish the conversation,

Someone: "You're a hipster"

me: "ok."

Someone: "...alright."

 

[Brando]

You're a hipster.

Seriously though, ask 10 regular people what a hipster is and you'll get 10 different answers, so forget about asking a bunch of camera geeks.

Besides, "hipster" is so overused as an insult it has lost any sting. I'm sure she was just being playful.

 

[danielsterno]

IMO: what comes out of the camera will be the difference.....

 

[rbiemer]

Hipster = all style, no substance, imo..

Not much style either...😀

Are you using your cameras ironically?

I don't think it's worth worrying about, really.

 

[jvan01]

Maybe you're both. Or neither.

 

[maclaine]

It's an easy label and classification to throw out there, and thus it is used by the lazy. For instance, if one took a superficial glance at me, they might assume I fit into the broad stereotype of a "hipster". I am a musician, my clothes actually fit my body, I have thick framed glasses, I only have film cameras (and quite a few of them). So what? A simple label doesn't define who I am. I didn't start shooting film because I saw someone who looked like me doing the same. I started because I love photography, and the photographers I loved shot film. And, like you, I enjoy the process of film photography, from winding the camera to the next shot to pulling a freshly developed roll out of the tank to watching an image slowly appear on a print. Anyone who shoots film as a fashion statement would probably be bored to tears with all that stuff, so forget 'em.

 

[enero]

Walk around Williamsburg, Brooklyn and try to engage actual hipsters in conversation. If they talk to you, you're a hipster; if they instantly dismiss you and walk away looking terribly burdened for having had to do so, you're not. Simple. 😉

I know plenty of hipsters that are very polite and friendly. I think this kind of generalization is more a reflection on the person that thinks like this then actually based on fact. Dont get me wrong. I still freakin hate hipsters, no matter how nice they are. I just dont trust them, they are lacking in any kind of credibility and generally smell bad 😀

Also, why on earth would you want to talk to a hipster, if you didnt have to?!

That said, to answer the OP question, IMHO, it doesnt matter whether your a hipster or not. Its all about whether or not you will continue doing what youre doing, or if you'll move back to digital (back, coz youre young) after you realize that "Its really hard! *POUT*!" So yeah, I wouldnt worry about if youre a hipster because of this. Rather, worry about if your a hipster coz you probably just are 😛

 

[BLKRCAT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAlzPgXb6rE

 

[Kingston]

The question is: does it really matter at the end?

If you're young and into rangefinder cameras, chances are people will say you're a hipster. Everyone has different reasons for choosing his hobbies. I've always been attracted to old things, I'm into history, XIXth century literature, classic cars and trains, and before that retrogaming when I was a teen or collecting old coins when I was a kid... It was natural for me at some point to think "what about retro cameras?".

It's like when you are fond of Japan and eastern asia people will say you are an otaku, or a geek, even if you haven't read a single manga or are bad at computers! There are always different reasons for people to get interested into topics and there are no good or bad reasons, simply some might be more superficial than others.

The fact that having old camera is trendy and hipster might not be a bad thing after all, some people will buy a vintage camera because they think it's cool and then will know about it, become very knowledgeable about it and will be good photographers, whereas some will play with it for a week and put it back on the shelves.

As for you, don't bother too much about it, as long as you know you're doing it for noble reasons and not just to show off, who cares how people might label you? And it's not like it's a big insult. If people say I'm hipster I'll just laugh, and most of the time they will be much more hipster than me.

 

[Calzone]

The term "Hipster" associates someone who is both young and trendy, but there is a derogatory context/spin because there can be a sense to this term that suggests a herd mentality that lacks individuality. To a certain degree the word poser can be substituted tor hipster.

At 55 years old, I'm too old to technically be called a hipster, but over the decades I've been called a lot of things, especially because I stand out. If you truely are an individual you just got to learn to stand alone, and words and terms then have very little meaning.

When people compare me to others, I just respond by saying, "All I'm trying to do is be me and no one else." In the end I only live for my own selfish self approval, but humbly the only person I'm trying to impress is myself. In other words I really don't care what others think.

If you are not a hipster and are an individual, being called a hipster really shouldn't have much meaning.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

No hipster thinks they are a hipster. 🙂 If you call yourself a hipster, you most likely aren't either. For me, it is all style and no substance if you are going to use it in a deragatory manner. However, I know people who live in Williamsburg, dress the part, and have substance. My girlfriend and her sister (both grew up in Japan) don't think of the term as being deragatory at all.

The only hipsters who suck are the ones who look down on people who are not into what they are... or look down on people for being into exactly what they are... but are deemed inferior. However, the same can be said of any type of person. In the end, I guess it's like hating disco and its style in the 70s. lol.

With regard to film cameras... do you use it because you love photography or is it to out-cool someone (i.e. for show)? Do you look down on people who use digital? Do you think you are better than others who use more pedestrian cameras?

I heard a 50 something year old woman at work call her 50 something year old husband a hipster because he was drinking Stone IPA when she figured Budweiser was good enough for anyone. Hahaha.

 

[skipjack]

As long as your lady friend loves you - what difference does it make. Go with it.

 

[user237428934]

I'm over 40 now. Can you imagine how cool it would be if someone called me a hipster?

 

[nightfly]

Hipster is one of the most ill defined and over used phrases around. Basically everyone else is a hipster but my choices are authentic (whatever that means).

Don't worry, just shoot.

 

[alienmeatsack]

I struggle enough with whether to call myself a photographer or a film photographer, let alone trying to decide if I am a "hipster" too. lol 😀

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

Hipster = all style, no substance, imo..

This is ridiculous.

No different than xenophobia, homophobia, or racism. Making snap judgements, based on what — the person's style of dress? Seriously? At what point in the assessment of the bearded, plaid-shirted dude on the street are you actually analyzing the PRODUCT? The photographs? So, some schmuck in Dockers and a tan photo vest, who eschews style either by deliberation or ignorance is given the benefit of the doubt? He surely must have substance, right? In the absence of style, surely substance must occupy the space. And, yes, i will call you Shirley.

There's a lot of bad, banal photography shot by style-less doofae and you guy wanna bust the collective chops of people who actually give a $h!t about film?

"imo," ANYONE who embraces, in this case, analog photography should, in turn, be embraced.

Jeezus. Let's now turn our attentions to people with tattoos. Let's make snap judgements about them. Oh, wait — that's what i do....