I admit that one reason I lug around my big stupid 4x5 (yes, I know it's not really big compared to some of the other beasts other large format photographers carry), is that I do draw attention. I find it easier to talk with people when they come up and initiate conversations and having that old Pacemaker Speed Graphic is a sure ice breaker.

Update

Here is the shot that I took before Mark's photo of me. Click on it to see it larger.

The shot is that black sheet of Fuji instant (FP-100C) that I have in my mouth just before I peeled it apart to end it's development. The negative sheet that I exposed after I was satisfied with the instant was actually trash. I couldn't understand why. At least I have the instant of the image so I can go back another time. It really is about the tree.

At the Vancouver Folk Festival, although mostly I got winks and "nice camera" comments as people walked by, many people did stop and ask me about it, asked me what camera it was, whether I could get film for it ("Well, I'm not carrying this dead weight for nothing.") and how many megapixels it was ("More than my scanner can resolve."). And mostly they assumed I was taking absolutely stunning photographs with it. Little do they know. (I haven't had any developed yet). The Fuji instants, well, FP-100C in 4x5 isn't there for beauty, in my opinion.

Even more rewarding was being able to talk to other photographers, and on a couple occasions, older pros who had actually used a Speed Graphic or other large format in their time. As pros they had moved onto digital for serious work but I could see a glint in their eye as they stared at the Speed Graphic. Was that a loving memory? Or a memory of how hard you had to work to be to pull of a decent shot?

Thanks to Mark and Matt for the shots of me 'working'.

Incidentally, speaking of dead weight, it looks like I could stand to lose a few...