Camera of the past still bringing in the business - India

panoman said:

panoman said:

Panoman wrote :- he is not on slow film, he is using photo paper as a negative and them again to make a positive.

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erik

You are missing the point by being pedantic. The point being that the street photographers DEVELOPING PROCESS is slow and insensitive, not the materials he uses. He could use potato starch and blotting paper if he so wished, the point being any stray light would do very little harm within the time scale and the quality required by his customer.*

Duh - "Hello, is there anybody home" ?

Dave. (UK)

Roland Karlsson said:

Hmmmmm ... the camera is in a really bad shape. It is held together with strings and stuff. Hmmm ... if he really cared for his trade he should keep his camera in good shape, fixing it in a more professional way.

I think this basically is a fraud - someone that swindles tourists.

OK - he is probably making photos. But the old and broken camera is just for show.

IMHO of course.

Roland

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Have you ever been to India?

I can easily believe he is completely genuine.
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tim

timo said:

Roland Karlsson said:

Hmmmmm ... the camera is in a really bad shape. It is held together with strings and stuff. Hmmm ... if he really cared for his trade he should keep his camera in good shape, fixing it in a more professional way.

I think this basically is a fraud - someone that swindles tourists.

OK - he is probably making photos. But the old and broken camera is just for show.

IMHO of course.

Roland

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Have you ever been to India?

I can easily believe he is completely genuine.
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tim

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you said it correctly. If someone spent time there would know that this really might be the case.

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one among others

coolhat said:

Leswick said:

That's cool. Only a handful here have the ability or the patience to deal with a view camera.

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Perhaps so, but does that make them inferior photographers? IMO there are just two kinds of photographers: those who like old junk and those who like new junk. If you belong to the former group, fine. Just dont act like fooling around with view cameras, different films, developing agents and papers is somehow more "creative" and "soulful" or "real" than fooling around with a DSLR and Photoshop. They are just tools.

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Well, if they are inferior photogs, I'm sure that it has very little to do with the view camera. Though, I've seen plenty of that here too....and more specifically

from people that have $25-30K tied up in equipment... just saying. In regard to two kind photogs, you seem to try to put people into convenient boxes (?). I mean, we don't have to look far, KR does daily shoots with D3 and other digi gear, yet he still enjoys using his 4x5 and some of his 35mm rigs.....and one does not necessarily have to inhale fixer or developer all day, just to enjoy that type of

photography. I don't deal with a view camera (presently), but occasionally will shoot some 35mm....and it's not any more 'creative', 'soulful' or 'real', than using my DSLR.

Leswick

Its not cynical, just ignorant to say its a "sales tactic"......I have a picture on the wall of my studio of exactly the same scenario taken of a beach photographer (aged about 90 by the look of him) in Portugal by a collegue of mine several years ago, the process was the same, snap a piccy on bromide in the camera, process in the back of the camera then slip the negative image in the holder in front of the camera and snap another bromide, hey presto in ten minutes you have a pretty interesting picture of yourself on holiday.

Maybe the cynic here would like to donate the chap in India a digital camera, laptop and training for him to convert to a more modern process? ;o)

The fact is the cost of your latest modern marvel might well feed that guys family for the year......now, let me guess why he doesn't upgrade himself?

Best regards David

Boxbrownie said:

Its not cynical, just ignorant to say its a "sales tactic"......I have a picture on the wall of my studio of exactly the same scenario taken of a beach photographer (aged about 90 by the look of him) in Portugal by a collegue of mine several years ago, the process was the same, snap a piccy on bromide in the camera, process in the back of the camera then slip the negative image in the holder in front of the camera and snap another bromide, hey presto in ten minutes you have a pretty interesting picture of yourself on holiday.

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I have no problems at all believing that there exists genuine photographers that use old view cameras from the 19th century. No problems at all. I know they exist.

But when I see a young well dressed man with a camera tied together with strings and a broken bellow, then some bells ring. It does not look genuine.

The 90-ish man you saw probably had a camera in slightly better condition. Maybe not good condition as the camera might be 120 years old or more - but nevertheless.

--
Roland

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Roland Karlsson said:

Roland wrote :- But when I see a young well dressed man with a camera tied together with strings and a broken bellow, then some bells ring. It does not look genuine.

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You are assuming of course that the 'young man' is from the same cultural and intellectual background as you probably are. He is 'well dressed' as you put it because HE HAS PRIDE in his business and wishes to appear professional to his target customer group.

I spent many years training people in basic mechanical and electrical work. A large amount of these trainees were from an Indian/Bangladeshi family background and culture so I feel that I am partially qualified to pass comment on your interpretation of the original thread article.

Roland, please when commenting on or criticising poorer people from other cultures who are desperately trying to earn a crust remember they are working in order to survive by the only means they have. The welfare state does not, as such, exist in those countries. So it's quite simple really, if you don't work you don't eat but you DO die.

So yes, by all means if you want to use some subterfuge in displaying the tools of your trade in the hope you will eat that evening by all means do so but don't apply Western values when critisising the guy doing it.

Dave.

David Clarke29 said:

So yes, by all means if you want to use some subterfuge in displaying the tools of your trade in the hope you will eat that evening by all means do so but don't apply Western values when critisising the guy doing it.

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Hmmmm ... I wonder if anyone even tries to read what I write?

If he is starving and poor he can do whatever subterfuges he wants. I have absolutely no problems with that. All I said was that I think it is subterfuges - the strings and broken bellows are probably just there for show.

And of course - if you find something wrong with this post of mine also - please do. Finding faults seems to be your dearest pastime.

--
Roland

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I found my collegues original picture, this chap I can vouch for 100%

I hope you don't think the camera looks too contrived ;o) I personally think it looks like it has been and is giving sterling service for a chap who obviously is proud of his work.....just look at his face, total pride.

Roland,

Roland Karlsson said:

If he is starving and poor he can do whatever subterfuges he wants. I have absolutely no problems with that. All I said was that I think it is subterfuges - the strings and broken bellows are probably just there for show.

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Why does it have to be show ? Possibly the bellow broke a bit left and right but it doesn't matter because he's working on photo paper, which is slow enough anyway ? And probably, the strings are there because the original guiding mechanism of the bellows broke and this works just as well... and was extremely cheap to repair ? With that kind of technology, I'm quite certain that's just how it went: just like all over the world, old cars keep being repared basically without tools and without replacement pieces.

In China, there's still people living in extremely bad circumstances, too. But as soon as they left the area where they live, you'd think they're just salarymen with a nice costume. It's quite easy to get used to a camera that looks a bit sloppy (I notice that when I point my old Zorki at my young nieces: first laughter, then who cares). But if the man would've been wearing sloppy clothes, he would never get customers. It's part pride and part necessity to survive.

There is nothing inherently in the fact you're posting, Roland. Just get off your horse and admit it is quite possible that somebody's seriously making a living using an old and broken camera. Because, funny enough, that's exactly what is happening in more places than we can imagine.

Peter.

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Hi,

Boxbrownie said:

I found my collegues original picture, this chap I can vouch for 100%

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Absolutely amazing ! Great picture. Thanks for bringing a smile on my face with this really old camera, while we're all waiting for all the new Leica cameras to be introduced

Peter.

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Boxbrownie said:

I found my collegues original picture, this chap I can vouch for 100%

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That man look genuine. The camera is old and worn - but it is not actually broken. It matches the old and proud man - old - worn but not broken.

--
Roland

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To provide an enlightening note:-

Someone took out his Hasselbald and went to Bondi Beach (in Australia) to take some picture. A young and up policeman came and asked him what he was doing with that thingy . The old folk said ït was a camera. The copper said "It won't be a camera, it didn't even have a LCD screen"

The other time happened to me. I took some pictures near a Casino. The security guards kept a very closer watch at me all the time because I used an old Zeiss 120film folder.

The other time when I used some other folder, some friend thought it was a super duper digital camera!

Old junks still have plenty of fire and could still provide superb images from time to time.

PeterLeyssens said:

There is nothing inherently in the fact you're posting, Roland. Just get off your horse and admit it is quite possible that somebody's seriously making a living using an old and broken camera. Because, funny enough, that's exactly what is happening in more places than we can imagine.

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Cynical; ignorant; high horses; etc; etc;

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I am right. If you think I am wrong - why not say that in a more friendly manner? Why all the poison? Is it because I am not politically correct enough? Does that disturb you?

I just dont believe in an old and totally broken camera and a young well dressed man. I might be wrong of course. But I think it looks fishy.

You looked at the camera did you? The image where you see it from the front? It is tied together with strings. The focusing mechanism is totally broken, i.e. you cannot focus. I have used cameras like this one - I even own some. In that condition it cannot be used. Maybe he loosen all strings when using the camera. Maybe he holds the lens when focusing. I dont know. But in the condition it is shown - it does not work.

And you say that a broken bellow is not important - as he uses photo paper. Thats not true. The sun is bright in India - and even the smallest leaks in the bellow will destroy the paper instantly. If he uses that camera - then he must have fixed the bellow somehow. And maybe he have. Maybe there are lots of patches inside the bellow. Or maybe he have the cloth all over the camera all the time.

The proud old man with the proud old camera shown in another post looks genuine. This young man dont IMHO. And I say it again - that I dont think this looks genuine does not mean I cannot be wrong.

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Roland

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I'm thinking that if this guy switched to digital instead of shooting a large format camera for his streetside portraits . . .

He might be able to make a much better living!

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J. D.
Colorado



I do understand its a Jeep thing . . . thats why I bought a Dodge!

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http://december.zenfolio.com

I use an old Linhof 4x5 monrail for some portraiture....mainly people who have either seen the camera sitting in my studio, or they have read about them.

I'd like to pick up some old lenses from the last century for their "defects." Some provide a beautiful soft effect. Other lenses can be had for sharp, huge prints of large groups or families.....those who may want a 50" or 60" print that's nose sharp.

Or....we can use an old 4x5 pinhole and skip the lens altogether. Sounds like this fellow really had a passion for what he did.....something that a lot of people lack.