Always the Rolleiflex for an Introduction

I’ve used a lot of different cameras and of them all, I’d say the Rolleiflex is the one that helps me meet the most people.

This trio of photos tells a story.

This is Juneau, the dog I was taking care of for three days last week.

This is the owner of a cafe in the neighborhood where I had to drop Juneau off at home. He noticed the Rolleiflex, said he used to be a photographer before he decided he needed steady work to raise his family.

This is Janet, visiting Denver from Steamboat Springs. I saw her walking along the sidewalk with a camera and I asked if she was out photographing. Her first instinct might be to not talk to me, but with a Rolleiflex in hand, we struck up a conversation before making each other’s photographs.

The Rolleiflex camera (and really all cameras) are a great way to connect with people we don’t know–I use them often just for that reason, knowing they will help make an introduction easier. Not between two strangers, but between two acquaintences who haven’t met before and who can share some time chatting about photography or life in general.

Lee Friedlander said, “It’s a generous medium, photography.” And it certainly is.