Are we a bit weird?

I am weird full stop, but that doesn't mean my hobby is weird

I think it's weird to take your dSLR literally everywhere "just in case". I mean, I used to do that but I never captured anything that I wanted to blow up to a poster size.

Definitely we're weird...even my dad (who once was an amateur photog and got me into the hobby 20 years ago as a kid) asked me yesterday "do you take pictures of everything??" My answer was a no-brainer..."Absolutely!​"

I always choose phones with good cameras. Have owned my current phone for about 10 months and have taken nearly 6,000 pictures with it. I never go anywhere without a camera (usually the G9, or the 30D if it's a trip where I'm actually expecting something majorly nice to pop up).

In addition, I'm turning into a film geek again...that's a whoooooole other mess people can't understand. "But you have all those fancy digital cameras...why are you shooting with a 50 year old camera that should be in a museum??"

When I tell them it's a whole different feeling taking pics with an oldschool rangefinder they don't get it. Meh...I don't smoke, drink, gamble or do drugs...photography is a relatively harmless way to spend my time/money/energy

I took a photo of a nice mosaic on the floor and I overheard an old couple talking. The lady said "why do people take photos of everything?" and the man said "maybe she's an art student or something".

I was about to tell them to mind there own business but I just smiled and walked away. Some people will never understand.

I don't think we are weird.
While instead I think there is a prevention against photographers in different circumstances.

I used to go for fast cars and fast women. But at my age now I prefer them both a bit slower. LOL!

Paul

I'm trying to overcome my anxiety about photographing everything. I feel a "bit weird" when I haul my gear to places I hadn't before. But then I figure, people think I'm weird anyway, might as well practice my hobby and enjoy!

*I've also noticed as I am getting more involved with a local moms group that my camera makes a wonderful ice breaker when going to events with moms I'm meeting for the first time. I'm uncomfortable in new settings and have started using my camera as a crutch. Not only does it encourage me to actually go to the event ("oh think of all the possible great shots and much needed practice") but I have reason to start talking to new people ("do you mind if I take some shots?").


ETA: My husband recently upgraded parts on his motorcycle and spends time admiring parts online... I think that's weird.

Everyone has their own bent.. Human nature..

Mine was (and still is a little) Italian motorcycles from the late 1970s to early 1990s,, pure porn.. God I used to love my Moto Guzzi LeMans MkV..

No, I'm a lot weird After all I take photos of trees and bugs rather than people....

Tendy wrote in post #10225929
No, I'm a lot weird After all I take photos of trees and bugs rather than people....

So do I, and apparently it doesn't get any weirder than that!

My son just got recommended for the Media Club, aka AV Squad. He would have the camera around his neck all the time to catch stuff for the yearbook next year. I have been quiet about this, but it's got "geek" all over it. Poor kid. No one ever thinks I'm not weird, so the camera around the neck, or better yet, 2 cameras, makes me seem normal. For me.

Ricardo222 wrote in post #10225952
So do I, and apparently it doesn't get any weirder than that!

Back in the days of film I would run a 36 roll on mostly 'trees and bugs' as my family put it with the occasional human face in there. I would show them my photos and it was like skip, skip, skip, skip,, ah thats a good one of aunty sue (passes it round to show everyone), skip, skip, skip....

Maybe weird was a nice way of saying nosey?

birdfromboat wrote in post #10223616
My college age daughters are my source of information on all things cool, and sorry to say, we are not cool. Female photographers with eclectic taste in clothing are way cool and that goofy punk with the Nikon chimping on TV is cool, but any male over forty with a camera is a cross between a creeper and a junior high school science teacher on the cool scale, the bigger the lens the closer to the creeper end of that scale. Lets just face it, we all need brand new BMW convertibles or at least Land rovers to make up for it. sorry.

Yep. Unless you're at Disney World or somewhere like that. One more reason to go with the smaller 4/3rds, IMO.