Pro says "I never heard of that before..."

[Kragmeister]

This weekend I went to a rehearsal dinner and wedding. Saturday night was an outdoor luau dinner/party so I took a Kiev 4 and CZ Sonar 50 f1.5 to shoot available light B&W. Pro photographer kept looking at me and then finally asked what I was shooting. I gave the short answer on how Contaxes were made in Ukraine etc. and he said "Cool!".

Sunday I took my Fuji GS645 folder (to finish a roll of film) and a Rolleiflex 3.5 with a Metz shoe mount flash to the wedding.

I like the Rollei because I can hold it upside down high above my head and frame to get high level shots above crowds.

This time there was a 2nd photographer. Both were shooting newish Nikon DSLRs with Stroboframes (or whatever) and flashes. The partner looked at the Rollei on the table and asked what I was shooting and I told her a Rolleiflex. She says "Roll a flex, never heard of it." so I said, "You know, German professional medium format stuff". She asks if I shoot professionally and I told her that I shoot for my own mental health. She just kinda walked away, never said anything the rest of the night. Kids these days...

Later,
Greg

 

[Meleica]

I am good friends with a pro photog and lab owner....he knows next to nothing about equipment ( other than he loves his Pentax 67 outfit for portraits ) but shoots wonderful photographs. I shoot like an amateur and know everything about equipment....we make a great pair...

my point, some of the best photogs care less about the equipment and only about the image....most of us here, have major GAS while we should be focusing on images (more)

Dan

 

[pvdhaar]

Imy point, some of the best photogs care less about the equipment and only about the image...

Given that the aforementioned photogs inquired about the camera/gear this doesn't seem to apply here...

 

[ruben]

I haven't met any pro without keen interest in gear.

In a very rare case, I do have known a pro without knowledge about gear, hence with a deep feeling of un-security about her lack of gear/technical knowledge.

GAS appeal seems to be undiscrimatory. Some people enjoy most with the end-result, others enjoy more with the photographic process. We all are flesh and bones of a fortunately varied big family.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[boarini2003]

That's pretty sad! Last friday I was walking around with a Canon FTBn, and I would notice people turning their head, looking at it. Eventually there was one guy that stopped me with a really huge smile and asked me where I got it and why I used it. It made his day, to see something so "old" being used, and working perfectly. Every pro I've met loves old cameras, but often uses digital (very understandable) for the work related stuff.

 

[Kragmeister]

Hey Dan,

my point, some of the best photogs care less about the equipment and only about the image....most of us here, have major GAS while we should be focusing on images (more)

Right you are. That is why I've stopped buying stuff and am trying to shoot more. I found myself shooting too many "test rolls" to see how stuff worked instead of trying to see how my perception works.

Later,
Greg

 

[ruben]

That's pretty sad! Last friday I was walking around with a Canon FTBn, and I would notice people turning their head, looking at it. ......

Time to confess it: I use to take RF film cameras to some places I know I will not make any pic, just to show off.

For this purpose too, Kievs are sure winners.

 

[jlw]

In a very rare case, I do have known a pro without knowledge about gear, hence with a deep feeling of un-security about her lack of gear/technical knowledge.

There are some high-end pros who don't know anything about gear; they get around this by hiring an assistant to serve as "technical director."

I've taken workshops from a very successful advertising shooter who has one dedicated specialist who's her camera and lighting expert and another who's her computer expert, along with several general-purpose assistants. The whole thing seems to run like a movie production unit, with the "photographer" functioning more as the director who communicates with the client, grasps the overall vision, and directs all the specialists to make sure the desired result is achieved.

It works very well, but it's also very far removed from the notion of the individualistic auteur spontaneously cranking out brilliant work solely on the strength of inspiration and genius (between orgies with the models) which seems to constitute what most people -- including clients -- PREFER to believe is how professional photographers work.

 

[Kin Lau]

Time to confess it: I use to take RF film cameras to some places I know I will not make any pic, just to show off.

For this purpose too, Kievs are sure winners.

Kiev + J9 + Turret finder or Leica IIIa + 90/4 Elmar + external finder. Any LTM Leica (or close enough clone) + collapsible 50 looks great.

Both not only have classic lines and look beautiful, but at the same time, also look futuristic in a "Flash Gordon" sort of way.

 

[Stephan]

Heeeheheh, fun story. Don't worry, not all kids these days know nothing about proper photography equipment. I'm a photography student and a few of my friends own and shoot Rolleiflexes, Hassy gear, the odd pentax 67, and I'm currently working on converting some of them to rangefinders since I received a Yashica GSN (from Wayne Scott here on the forum, thank you sir 😉 ).

 

[ruben]

There are some high-end pros who don't know anything about gear; they get around this by hiring an assistant to serve as "technical director."

I've taken workshops from a very successful advertising shooter who has one dedicated specialist who's her camera and lighting expert and another who's her computer expert, along with several general-purpose assistants. The whole thing seems to run like a movie production unit, with the "photographer" functioning more as the director who communicates with the client, grasps the overall vision, and directs all the specialists to make sure the desired result is achieved.

It works very well, but it's also very far removed from the notion of the individualistic auteur spontaneously cranking out brilliant work solely on the strength of inspiration and genius (between orgies with the models) which seems to constitute what most people -- including clients -- PREFER to believe is how professional photographers work.

OK, but to be fair with pros, a totally different question is wether they think the gear they use, or gear they should use, is unimportant or something not to be interested in,competition and simple human curiosity being major reasons. That's the question I hear at the forum from time to time, artificially opposed to making images.

As for wether some of us, me including, tend to dream gear will make us better photographers, I confess too. This without making me less interested in gear. And no difference here too between us and pros.

I find no point in making the pros as a kind of advanced type of super photographer, a self-defeating and erroneous generalization, insinuating the advanced amateur is a kind of under or looser-photographer.

 

[Ash]

The first time I had my Zorki out in the town centre, i had a guy ask if it was a Leica :S

 

[steamer]

Hey Dan,


Right you are. That is why I've stopped buying stuff and am trying to shoot more. I found myself shooting too many "test rolls" to see how stuff worked instead of trying to see how my perception works.

Later,
Greg

Gotta agree 100% with that, I've got way too many photos of my laundry and the view from my balcony, I hope that phase is over, though I've got a zeiss ikon 135 f4 sonnar coming for my contax II real soon--might have to actually take it out for some photos.
Cheers
Steve

 

[photogdave]

These days I wouldn't necessarily put a "pro" photographer and a wedding photographer in the same category (although if you get paid you are pro by definition).
I see too many people, younger and older, running around with DSLRs and selling themselves as wedding photographers, because someone told them they have "a good eye".
So new couples beware and thouroughly scrutinize those portfolios! There are some very fine wedding photographers out there but you may have to wade through some sludge to find them!

 

[darkkavenger]

People looking at my Kiev-2A (kind of "camera litterate folks") ask me if it's a Leica :bang: I reply (to make it short) that it's a german Zeiss Contax design manufactured in Soviet Union after WW2 and that it was much more advanced than the Leica at this time.

Last time that it happened to me was thursday evening... a guy of my age fondling his M6 TTL with a 35'cron was peering at the Kiev and was speaking with his girlfriend wondering if it was a Leica ... :bang: 😀 :angel:

 

[aad]

My IIIf gets a lot of use, and attention, from just about anyone who actually looks at it. I was in a coffee shop-the owner commented on the camera, and a young fellow came RUNNING over to see. Turns out he's a pro w/ a digital setup, but shoots LF and MF for fun, planned to get into rangefinders.

 

[lubitel]

I had some people tell me that they have "one of those big old folding leica cameras" lying around somewhere.

hmm, I dont think leica made a folder.
o its medium format? hmm. no. Leica never had a medium format camera. 😀

 

[darkkavenger]

I should beat them with my pentacon six and the 300/4 sonnar next time!

 

[JimG]

I share a community college darkroom with a couple of twenty something Russian guys. They both said they never heard of Fed or Zorki cameras. They both use Nikon SLR's and looked at me like I was some demented eccentric for using a camera made in Russia. Jim

 

[ywenz]

she might not know anything about a rolliflex, it doesn't mean she wasn't a good photographer. let's cut back on the elitism here okay?