Do you want to look cool and get people to think you are a pro photographer? There are several ways to do so and some of them are really cheap and simple.
Get a photo jacket
A photo jacket is a wonderful piece of clothing. Totally unsuitable for most weathers (in summer you dont need it as it is too hot and in winter its too cold due to having no arms). It has numerous pockets small ones, big ones, zipped ones and netted ones. You can hide all sorts of things in the jacket even non-photography related stuff and everyone will think youre a pro
Get a cheap, but big, lens
My friend had a Photax 300mm lens. It was poorish quality but it was cheap. Oh, and it was long. Very long. Attached to his camera, he looked like a pro without trying - putting all the other photographers around him, with their 50mm lenses, to shame. Turn the focussing or zoom ring regularly to add to the effect.
Take notes
Get a small notebook. Whilst taking photographs, periodically take your notebook out and write something in it. It helps if you can occasionally put your pencil to your lips and look upwards as if in deep thought. It shows that you are thinking about what your are doing. Just write a shopping list or do a doodle nobody will know.
Get in and about
Go anywhere where there are people. Snap away merrily. Get in-between people. For this you have to be brave but it will pay dividends (especially if you are wearing your photo jacket). If you muscle in a bit and sport your long lens, everybody will think you are a pro and will start to make way for you. Saying excuse me periodically can help as can looking busy or harassed.
With time you will develop your own approach to faking it.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com
