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Turning Semi-Professional

I enjoy using my Bronica S2 and small compact flash to take candid Black and White portraits on Ilford XP2 film. I have had great success with this setup.

I use the Bronica flash mount (originally made for the Bronica Deluxe) which fits into the S2 bayonet mount on the speed dial, and into the accessory shoe on this mount I put a small lightweight manual flash unit- the Vivitar 1900. This flash is so light that its weight puts little if no strain on the speed dial.

Furthermore, batteries last a long time in this unit, which still pours out a lot of light. If one is using negative film, you can easily guess exposure which will work well, especially with XP2.

To this combination I add the Zenzanon 100MM f2.8 lens, which enables me to get a nice sharp portrait, while not needing to stand as close to the subject as the normal 75MM lens would require. This is helpful if I am not shooting a posed photo, but am photographing people involved in some activity.

Now to the the Psychology of Photography-

Attending collectibles expos, where Movie and TV actors attend as guest stars signing autographs, gives me a great opportunity to snare some excellent portraits of these performers.

I have found there that I am adrift in a sea of other photographers all taking pictures of these performers.

I would divide those taking pictures into three categories:

1- The average snapshooter with small 35MM Point and Shoot or Digital cameras.

2- Paparazzi (professional photographers) looking to shoot some unusual celebrity photographs they can sell somewhere. They generally use pro-type 35MM motor drive SLRs.

3- Other unknown professional types shooting possibly for publication. I may appear to be in this category.

Here are my observations on how the performers (subjects) seem to react to the various photographers:

To Group One - the snapshooters - the actors will pose if they are not busy and try to please their fans. If they are busy they seem to ignore them and not pay attention to the person snapping the pictures.

To Group Two - the 35MM pros - they are sometimes wary of them - thinking they are trying to take embarassing pictures which will make them look poor in some way, and these photos may get into print.

To group Three - (me) with my Bronica S2/Flash rig and 100MM lens - this causes a subliminal reaction, especially as I am viewing through a waist level finder and carefully composing the shot, so that the actors seeing this, generally stop what they are doing and actually "pose" for the picture, in the way they have learned to do after years of being photographed professionally in studios.

I have been amazed, that without needing to even talk to these actors, and ask if I can take the photo, that the mere sight of that large 2 1/4" SLR instantly clicks them on to specially pose for the photos.

Not asking who I am, or why am I taking the photos, they react automatically, like Pavlov's Dog. Noting this reaction, I can easily get them to pose for me looking in different directions etc., all without explaining who I am or why I am doing this.

I have never gotten this automatic response from using good quality 35MM SLRs, which apparently are as commonplace as simple point and shoot cameras. However, the use of large 2 1/4" SLRs is usually seen in professional studio settings, or was commonplace in the past at movie premieres and other special events. So, actors who always want to look their best for the press, automatically react to this type of equipment with stock poses known by them to generally look good in the finished prints.

If you want your subjects to respect your photography, a nice old Bronica can help get you results which the finest 35MM cameras may not be capable of ....at least as far as how your subjects react to the camera.

Related Comments

But there is also a different feeling to looking down and composing on the medium format SLRs, and looking "through" the 35mm SLR eye level viewfinder at the subject. When I look downward into a WLF, I feel as if I am interacting with the final photograph. When I look through an eyelevel 35mm pentaprism, I feel as if I am interacting more with the subject, even to the point of "staring" at them.

This viewing mode difference carries over into how we interact as photographers with the subject. I believe the waist level or downward looking medium format TLR and SLR viewfinders is one reason these cameras have been so successful as portraiture cameras. This mode of looking is very non-threatening to subjects, compared to an eye-level approach. Similarly, you can look down at the waist level finder and compose and focus, while still being able to smile and look directly to the subject to provide encouragement. With a 35mm SLR, the camera gets in the way of such informal and relaxing interactions between photographer and subject. Finally, the waist level camera has real benefits in street photography and other informal portraiture where many folks don't realize you are taking their photograph since the camera is not at eye level.

In short, not only do the subjects react differently, as Sam has noted in his article above, but the photographer reacts differently depending on the camera in use. When I shoot medium format, my shooting improves for many reasons having to do as much with my attitude towards the camera and photography with it as to the larger film format and quality factors. One side result is that I get as many "keepers" with a 12 exposure roll of 120 rollfilm as I do with a 36 exposure roll on 35mm film. My cost per keeper shot may even be lower with medium format, thanks to the interaction of psychology and format quality.

I think many photographers find that they are challenged by the quality potential of their medium format cameras, even if just a $150 Rolleicord or a $250 Bronica model C, over the 35mm format. This effort to live up to the potential of the camera is one good reason for upgrading to medium format as a way to improve one's photography efforts. Enjoy!