So - what's your story?

[pointandshoot]

OK, I am HUGE lurker here and I have just decided that as of Jan. 1 I am going to start stepping out of my box and posting. I would LOVE to have a DSLR but for now have the Canon SX10 IS. No sense getting a standard if you can only drive an automatic!!

My DBF, now DH bought me a digital camera for my birthday back a few years ago and I have been hooked ever since. I have taken 1000's of pictures but would love to be able to take great photographs. I am truly inspired by all the work that I see here and stop in everyday to see what has been posted.

Enjoy your journey from the shadows. Nothing to fear here.

I have always had a camera in my hands and love travel. One trip about 15 years ago to Alaska, I decided to get serious about photography.

Since then, I have done darkroom, emulsion transfers, macro, and now into digital. I love the hobby because it makes me slow down, look, and see the beauty of the world.

Now, I shoot often with my 11 year old DD. She has the real talent and has placed in a few contests. I enjoy shooting with family or friends and seeing how different people look at the world in unique ways. You could take 20 of us and send us in to shoot a subject like the castle and get 20 different perspectives. I do not know of a hobby that enables almost anyone to participate in their own way.

That is why I started this response with a lurker welcome. Everyone has something to share.

Chuck

 

[DznyFan]

Wow, we sidetracked this thread!!!!

Yeah, but it's pretty darn funny if you ask me. And I always thought "holler" was the equivalent of "yell", whereas "hollar" was a place. I guess that's the difference between WV, KY, and OK.

I sometimes feel like the lonely Maytag repairman of the PB, being one of the few users of Olympus. But that's ok as it was more of a challenge in many ways and was more satisifying to see it through and make it work, and I do love a good challenge.

Welcome.

thanks!
My first digital was an Olympus! Back in 2001, maybe 2002, I got a C720. I got my dad a C740 as his first, and he STILL loves that camera. He actually perfers it over the Canon S3IS I gave him to replace it. They make good equipment.

OK, I am HUGE lurker here and I have just decided that as of Jan. 1 I am going to start stepping out of my box and posting. I would LOVE to have a DSLR but for now have the Canon SX10 IS. No sense getting a standard if you can only drive an automatic!!

And your SX10IS will go fully manual to allow you to learn if you ever want to learn to drive one...

I have been told that I take great pictures but after seeing what the people on here can do I feel like I'm a complete idiot. I have been playing around with my cameras to try and do more off of the auto setting and am really thinking of taking classes at my local Community College to get a better understanding of the camera. I take good pictures but not great pictures. They don't have the wow factor that I see here.
I will continue to lurk but wanted to add my story.

The photogs here are amazing. I think that they provide a good source of inspiration and that is what drives the desire to learn. Take that class!

 

[tazdev3225]

The photogs here are amazing. I think that they provide a good source of inspiration and that is what drives the desire to learn. Take that class!

I am hoping the class will fit into my fall schedule. I have to work around my DD's work schedule. I think my DGD will be the real photographer in the family. She is 5 y/o and has been taking pics for the last 2 years. It is really amazing to see things from her perspective. She took an beutiful pic of her baby sister. If I can ever find the camera I will post it here. (My DD tends to lose things to keep them out of reach of the kids.)

 

[budmonster]

Well I'll try to make my story short; I knew I always wanted to be a photographer. But unfortunately growing up in a very poor family we didn't even have a camera. When I started HS I ours HS was part of a Vo-Tech school that you could go to half a day to learn a trade. I thought here's my opportunity, they had a photography class, to learn what I knew I was born to do. So I started 9th grade, you couldn't start the vo-tech until 10th, half way through I signed up for the photography class. Well 10th grade starts and on the first day they let us know that the photography class and been eliminated and replaced with graphic arts, I was in tears. Fast-forward to HS graduation and me looking for a fulltime job that would pay for me to go to college. A bank job falls into my lap and for the next 5 years I work and go to college for banking, they would only pay for financial related courses. So in the mean time I had bought a little film camera and took pictures and dreamed of becoming this amazing photographer.

Well the year is 1993 and I met MR Right, get married and have a son. I have to have a good camera now, so DH buys me a Nikon 35 mm. I just love it though most of my pictures suck because I don't know how to use it. Years go by and I keep up grading and practicing and my pictures improve or maybe I just go luckier with my shots.

So now it's 2010 I have a great camera, IMHO, a canon 50D, I've read lots of books on photography and my pictures have improved, once again IMHO. I now work at a college that will allow me to take classes no matter what they are. So next semester I plan on taking some classes and still hope to one day be the next Andsel Adams, lol I wish.

Sorry I tried to keep it short.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

OK, I am HUGE lurker here and I have just decided that as of Jan. 1 I am going to start stepping out of my box and posting. I would LOVE to have a DSLR but for now have the Canon SX10 IS. No sense getting a standard if you can only drive an automatic!!

My DBF, now DH bought me a digital camera for my birthday back a few years ago and I have been hooked ever since. I have taken 1000's of pictures but would love to be able to take great photographs. I am truly inspired by all the work that I see here and stop in everyday to see what has been posted.

I"m similar, as to wishing I had a DSLR (not that I'd know how to use it)... but I've always been the one all through childhood and school that was known as the 'chick with the camera'.. 110's...those Kodak Advantix wide shot things... disposable, whatever. Just for my bday last Oct, I got the nicest camera I've had so far, which is a Nikon Coolpix L18. Although the snap is a bit delayed and it gets frustrating, I'm happy in comparison to what I've had before. I haven't played with any of the settings, I just LOVE taking pics. (aside from my love since childhood, 4 kids will do that to a person.. lol)

Being on this board has made me want to take a trip to WDW JUST for picture taking though!! Everyone here is amazing!!!

Maybe one day.......

 

[Master Mason]

My dad was a camera nut, he was the HS photographer etc. When I was 4 I got my first Camera

In junior High I took a photography class and my dad gave me his Practica 35mm that he had bought in the 50's. The in HS he gave me a Pentax K1000.

When I had kids the SLR became a pain and I got a point and shoot. Then I got my first digital p&s. When I finally stopped coaching baseball, I figured I would start shooting the games, and quickly found out I couldn't do so with a digital p&s. So I bought a dSLR.

That rekindled the interest I had when I was younger.

Several thousand dollars later, here I am.

 

[PhotographyDR]

Well I started in 8th grade (1984) when my dad bought me my first SLR. (which I still have and works). My dad was always taking photos of us growing up and I wanted to do the same. I asked for one before I went into high school so I could join the year book once I started. I did take shots for them as they always supplied film for free. I continued to shot once I left high school but did not do as much because I could not afford as much. One of my college room mates was also a great photographer and he and I would spend sometime going out and finding unique locations to shoot but again mostly him as the expense of film and processing kept me from doing much. It was on and off until the first digital cameras started to hit the market. I upgraded my camera through those years but nothing until Digital cam about. I got my first Sony Mavica (3.5" floppy). A whopping 1.3 MP I think. I shot with that for a long time. It got me to re-think and re-enjoy how much I liked Photography. I played around with that for many years and it was great. I could take shots and not have to spend money on film. From there I realized that I "needed" to upgrade to a DSLR. My early cameras were all Minolta and I had lenses already so I used that brand. That is when I really started to learn at a increased rate. I shot with that camera for a couple of years until it had a shutter issue. (I did get it repaired but let gave it to my dad because he was still in the film realm. He now loves it and still shoots with it today). I on the other hand upgraded to my current Nikon D300 and have not looked back. I am taking an increased rate of shots every year. My lens collection is rising and have never regretted any decision so far. Now I have combined my two favorite hobbies (photography and Disney) and cannot get enough.

 

[KramBerries]

Don't like photography. Never have. Seems like a boring hobby for overweight old men that want an excuse to stand around. Save yourself some time and trouble and buy a postcard instead.

The only reason that I'm "into" photography is that I like the gear. I love taking pictures of rulers and tweaking the focus. I obsess over MTF charts and fret over whether I should get a lens that trades high frequency resolution for sharpness. I'm constantly seduced by a desire to have the latest model body. Let's face it, the stuff is cool. But taking pictures? Meh. Waste of time.

 

[DisneyDivaMom]

Many (30) years ago I went to college and took photography courses. I had a Canon AE-1 which I loved. I was a fast learner and advanced fast. I was old school and shot mostly b/w which I developed myself. Color was mostly slidework. I preferred b/w and my style was street photography. I had a few showings at local galleries. I was young and went and got married to a guy who thought it was his right to destroy my work, negatives, slides and my portfolio. He also pawned all my equipment including my camera so he could restore his junker car. I wasn't working at the time and I was dealing with a risky pregnancy so I let it go.

Fast forward to NYE 2009. I met a photographer at a friend's NYE party. As we talked about his photographs (check out Digitaltrekker.com to see some of his work) he was encouraging me to go back to photography. He recommended a DSLR which I will be getting with my tax return. I can't wait to begin again although it so different now and I will have to learn so much to even get back to where I used to be. I really feel like I found myself again and I am thrilled to have something I can do for me. I have been researching as much as I can and reading all I can until I get a real camera back in my hands again.

 

[spinetnglr]

My love of photography started in the mid 70's just out of high school and purchasing my first SLR ... Pentax K1000. Fast forward to 2000 when my son was in a photography class at UARTS in Philadelphia and I gave him all my film gear. A few years with a point and shoot until my son comes home from college with his shiny new Nikon D50 ... inspired me to purchase a DSLR and get back into shooting again.

 

[oogieboogieman]

I had a Canon AE 1 Program back in high school. Never really used it outside of the program mode and never really developed an interest in using it. Had too many other interests instead.

Got interested in photography again about 20 years later prior to my first trip to Disney. My wife described the trip as " A chance of a lifetime". Now we are DVC members!!!

I changed jobs and needed a hobby that didn't require so much time. There wasn't enough hours in the day or week for golf and hunting. I was also looking for a hobby that was cheaper. I never read the artilcles on GAS, my wife probably wishes I did. Boy was I wrong, this hobby IS expensive!!!

Bought my first DSLR on Black Friday several years ago. I purchased the Olympus 410 kit. I did this without any research and got angered by my impulse purchase. I didn't realize that accessories were not that easy to find for that brand of camera. Now years later I'm still using this brand and I love it.

 

[DisFam95]

Fun thread.

My dad had an old Minolta SLR, heavy as all get out, but it just intrigued me. I used it for awhile in high school and then he bought me my own new Minolta SLR. I was in all the photo classes in high school. By Senior year I had gotten the majority of my required classes done so I was year book photog, took a photo class, and was the photo teachers asst during my 'study hall' period so half my days in were in the darkroom!

My dad helped turn the laundry room into a darkroom w/ drop down board to go over the washer/dryer, built in cabinet for the enlarger etc. I carried my big heavy camera everywhere (which no kids did 20+ yrs ago).

I've always taken pics but never really gotten back into the 'art' of photography until recently. College, work, marriage, kids..life just sort of got busy. Got my 1st DSLR w/ my 1st kid to have the 'no delay' when taking shots. Oooh that's 7yrs ago - time for upgrade (rebel xt).

It's always been a love but just trying to make room for my interests now that the kids are more self sufficient

It's just so funny that people at work see some of my shots from trips and always ask "wow what kind of camera do you have" and I tell them same as yours! (they do have the dslr's) I just start talking about basic framing, rule of thirds stuff and they think I'm brilliant It's not the camera it's person behind it 'creating the shot'.

Anyway..I still have a LONG way to go but I'm trying.

 

[ssanders79]

I started to become really interested in photography back in high school so I used a chunk of my graduation money and purchased a Canon Rebel. Why did I choose the Rebel? Well, that is simple, Canon had good commercials and a sports star, Andre Agassi slinging the gear. I had no clue what I was doing. I was young and I had no training other than the manual. Ultimately, it sat unused as I did not want to pay for film and processing of a roll for just one or two barely decent shots. Flash forward a few years when digital P&S started to become affordable. I sold my Rebel and two lenses on eBay and bought a Sony Cybershot.. Yes, that is correct I went from a SLR to a Digital P&S. At that time the Rebel was useless to me as I wanted to get a digital camera and I really never learned to use my SLR. The P&S rekindled my interest in photography. I did not have to worry about taking bad shots and throwing money out the window with film and processing. A few years later I started to become really frustrated with the limitations of my P&S so I started to save up for a DSLR and do my research. I finally got a DSLR and it was like adding fuel to the fire.

I can only image what my life would be like now if that Rebel was a digital or, if I spent the time or took a photography course in college. I gave my daughter (2 1/2 yo.) the old Cybershot and she loves it!

 

[DznyFan]

It's amazing to see how many of us started the SLR journey with Canon AE-1! I shot a used/borrowed AE-1 back when my daughter was a baby, then when she was about 4 went to the Minolta Maxxum. My first couple Disney trips though, were shot with a 35mm P&S. Interesting too, just how many of our kids share our passion. My girl's a 3rd gen shutterbug, and will be getting her first DSLR (hand me down from mom) in a couple months. She's shooting an S3IS now.