Things Not To Say To a Photographer, #1

[MatthewThompson]

"The last guy who did these photos for me only charged $50.00"

That was from a phone call a week ago.

After being beat down $100 on my half-day rate for a corporate event (I'd rather get the work than not, right?), the woman told me that was a more fair price, because it's not like I was doing any real work anyway.

Grit teeth, bit tongue, print invoice.

 

[TomN]

i overheard a member of the bridal party last weekend say that my camera looked like a disposable that i probably bought at the grocery store on the way to the wedding. when we were done, i handerd her my camera and asked if she could put it in the bin that was just behind her. she had a blank look, and then we both had a chuckle. i think she realised when she felt how heavy the MP was with the Summilux 75mm attached, that it wasn't a disposable.

 

[Turtle]

After being beat down $100 on my half-day rate for a corporate event (I'd rather get the work than not, right?), the woman told me that was a more fair price, because it's not like I was doing any real work anyway.

Grit teeth, bit tongue, print invoice.

Correct response: "Well, sadly this is the real world and I charge money for photography services. I do, however, kill for pleasure."

 

[amateriat]

In reference to my Leica M2 at airport security "...what do you mean it doesn't turn on?"

I had one like that, followed by "That's so 20th century."

Me (thinking): That's mid-20th century to you, pal." (Best said with a mild smirk.)


- Barrett

 

[antiquark]

 

[Ben B.]

Great thread, thanks Barrett!

I can relate to a lot of what has been said but the "you should photograph this and/or why do you photograph that" really piss me off! Why do I photograph that? Because I can... 🙂

And I also pretty much annoyed by anything from an airport security agent : "No, I won't hand check you bag of "film", it has to be X-rayed but don't worry it's totally harmless. Why? Because I say so..."

I have to admit though that I had a great conversation about film photography with a security guy in Bordeaux last july. So all hope is not gone...

Craig, that "...what do you mean it doesn't turn on?" made me laugh out loud!

TomN, great reaction you had to some sad people prejudice!

 

[Kent]

In reference to my Leica M "...is that an antique camera?"

🙂

In reference to my Mamiya 7II "...is that a Holga?"

😀

In reference to my Leica M2 at airport security "...what do you mean it doesn't turn on?"

😀😀

Great thread! So funny!

I once had a huge black security guy clumsily toying with my digital cam (some years ago, a Minolta Dimage 7), saying "Hey, that's a nice cam!". *Grin*
My heart was pounding and I replied: "Yes, and it's pretty expensive. Please, don't break it." He then explained to me that if something gets broken during anti-terrosit security measrurements, there will be no refund. That did not make it any better, actually!

I also hear the weirdest comments when shooting with a film cam. "You should buy yourself a digital cam. They are much better.", was one. (I did not reply: "Man, I have got about 6 digital cams...")

What I would not like to hear as a photographer is: "You are now under arrest!". But chances for that are not too bad nowadays.

And I often hear: "What do you need all these lenses for?" 😉

 

[capitalK]

When covering a local election I brought along my Bessa R2A around my neck with my DSLR in my hand. A fellow photojournalist looked at it and exclaimed "oh no, the F word" (referring to film, I assume).

At the same event another pj from a different rag asked me "so, you're into toy cameras?"

And, as someone already mentioned, "wow, that must be an old camera" "yeah... I bought it new last year, time for a new one"

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Made in 1959, huh? I assume it uses Film?

I brought a Canon P to a freind's 50th Birthday party. He liked it.

Still using Film huh, taking pictures of Dinosaurs?

Comebacks: This camera USED to be DIGITAL! I converted it to use film. (Kodak DCS200ci converted back to film using MF-20)

" I LAUGH at your dependency on Batteries!" when the Digitals go dead.

"And what are YOU going to do when the EMP hits! I'm going to have pictures!"

 

[payasam]

"Gruyere" and "Mozzarella" are both unsafe when facing a camera.

 

[summaron]

In New York just after I had just bought my used Leica, the totally out of it homeless guy lying on the subway bench besides me wakes up and says, without sitting up, "nice M-3, single stroke?". Not that he shouldn't have said it, but it alerted me to how in New York, nothing and no one is really anonymous.

Regarding tops of biscuit tins, that tends to be the sort of thing my eye goes to these days, but cats not yet thankfully.

 

[wilonstott]

In reference to my M2, I've been asked on more than one occasion:

"Does it work?"

As if I simply enjoy wearing cameras around my neck for aesthetic reasons.

or

once, a rather haughty young woman, upon noticing my camera, informed me:

"I had an old cheap one just like that when I took photography in college"

said to me by a guy at a parade:

"...thats cool, but check this out (stated very self-assuringly)"

at which point he pulled a Nikon d40 w/18-55 kit lens out of his bag.

 

[dadsm3]

"No peetch! Spacca la testa!' (or something like that)
- an old Italian accordion busker outside Hamilton Farmer's Market
Although my Italian is imperfect, I think he was subtly implying that if I took his picture, he was going to break my head.

 

[Nescio]

Good thread for a sunday read (bank holiday overhere).

But on holiday this summer, when seeing my M, on a few ocasions I had people coming up to me saying: "nice camera you have", as a lead to start talking on how many M's they had themselves...

Luckily I also met an elder guy who was doing 3D shots with 2 DLSR's on a home brewn frame and we had a few beers praising the film feel.

 

[charjohncarter]

Can you still buy film for that?

 

[capitalK]

Can you still buy film for that?

I've also heard a few times "hey you better get a digital soon because I heard Kodak isn't making film any more" since Kodak retired Kodachrome.

 

[oldoc]

No, my favorite is, upon reviewing a series of elegantly made and displayed photos, the viewer says,"Ahh...what nice pictures! I need to do that; what kind of camera do you use?"
"It ain't the camera, sister..."
Blank look, vacant stare,....unknowing facial expression....confusion..."Oh, I get it....you mean.....
It happens over and over and over, does it not?

 

[gavinlg]

Every single time I get into small talk with people just about anywhere it usually goes like this:

So what do you do?
me: Oh I'm a photographer.
Ohhhh how nice.... my uncle/sister/cousin/best friends dog is a photographer, he takes pictures at weddings for $50.
me: blank stare


everybody is a photographer. Take pictures of a dead tree on their compacts, make it black and white in photoshop and BAM - one meaningful photograph.

Or the worst is selective color. Take a pic of a rose and make it so only the rose is in color, everything else is black and white. Yeeeck

 

[count_zero]

"Take a picture of me!" - Yes, because I really want to waste my time and film.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I guess I've been lucky. In Chicago, I've run into Leica users and we simply nod our heads in recognition and keep walking (usually, because both are with wives and they're not letting their husbands stop and talk gear).

Otherwise, I've been lucky; never got any of those comments. In fact, I received a few compliments on my M3 ("what a beautiful camera!" said a graduate student in Brown Univ, after she gave me the conference badge with my name on it), and my M6TTL elicited some interest from a fellow attendee to the blues festival some time ago ("you mean that's a mechanical camera?"). And of course, the line I've gotten twice from airport security people, when I have to open my camera bag with my two M6TTL bodies and four lenses: "Are you a pro?"

The nicest one... a guy who saw me taking photographs in some festival and simply said to his wife, loud enough: "That guy must know what he's doing: he has a Leica."