Ywenz, for once I agree with you. But I also like the "horror" stories. 🙂
Last night I went to a photography workshop where a semi-pro lectured us. He was really good at teaching us, though hardly anyone got it.
Many didn't know squat about composition and were already amazed that you can put your subject off-centre.
Others were a bit disappointed that he didn't talk about apertures and such.
But his nuggets for us were how he connected with people, how he got a rapport with his subjects without entering in a "long-term relation", how to easily overcome your shyness, etc.
Then he kicked us out to do a short assignment in the building. Of course, I got asked by security why in all that is holy I was shooting photos. It was a cool experience for me. Normally I blow up. This time I was relaxed, built that rapport, stayed calm, and in the end walked away with at least a small victory. I was allowed to photograph but only the walls and the ceiling; no staff or personel, no security, no desks, no entrances, etc. We went outside right after that was settled. 😛
At that workshop, most had digital p&s cameras, some had big dSLRs, a few even had film SLRs. None knew squat about rangefinders, let alone a digital one, though one or two ventured the R-D1 looked old and perhaps like a Leica.
BTW, I saw a tourist yesterday walking around with a small, black Nikon SLR. I know nothing about Nikon's models but it looked nice.