The Beginnings of YOUR photography

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Wow, a lot of people got their camera when they weren't even teenagers! I thought I was a young Photog!

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[topazsol]

I've always liked to take pictures for fun my whole life but didn't actually start learning photography until this March. I got my first DSLR and started taking pictures non stop every day, all the time. What I have learned, I've mostly learned online, TPF has been very helpful.

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Agreed, TPF has really helped me along the way, and has connected me with fellow photographers!

[charlie76]

Great thread idea, Josh. I enjoyed reading about the others first experiences.

My dad had a camera...it was heavy and cool looking and black. Ended up mine. That is how I first got a camera in my hand.

However, photographic appreciation and technique comes straight from the study of other arts and art history...seeing how others paint, sculpt, silkscreen, everything.

[manaheim]

My Aunt was a pro years back and I was fascinated by the idea. Esp. when I saw the photography books with naked women in them. (What can I say, I was 13... I'm being honest at least, so bite me.)

Anyway, the idea always stuck with me (and not just because of the naked women, thank you... I did grow up eventually) and eventually I got a camera on my own.

I honestly learned most of what I know from this very forum.

Interestingly, later in life when my Aunt got back into photography (she had retired) I realized that she basically didn't know anything about the technical aspects... like totally clueless. She had a good eye so her compositions were solid, but really the woman barely even knew what aperture variations did. Totally bizarre.

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

[/QUOTE]

However, photographic appreciation and technique comes straight from the study of other arts and art history...seeing how others paint, sculpt, silkscreen, everything.

Yes, you have to appreciate art other than photography to really get an understanding of photography

[Tee]

The beginnings of my photography began in an alley in Petaluma, CA. I was walking, saw an old bicycle propped up with a ray of sunlight casting down on it. I clicked. I was hooked.

[Jaemie]

The beginnings of my photography began in an alley in Petaluma, CA. I was walking, saw an old bicycle propped up with a ray of sunlight casting down on it. I clicked. I was hooked.

Yay, Petaluma. I know it quite well.

[bratkinson]

I was a lad of 10 when I inherited my grandfathers' 616 film-size folding Kodak camera in 1957. The negatives were about 3"x5"...they were HUGE! I recall shooting the first roll in a hurry and got it developed thanks to my parents finances. Then my mom suggested I take a summer school photography course, which I did. I think they stuffed as much composition, exposure triangle, and even doing our own darkroom work into the handful of schoolkids there as they could in those 10 weeks! I was interested in trains by then, so I took some pictures of trains here and there. With no meter, it was pure 'these settings should do it' for exposure. Back then, Kodak was nice enough to print suggested exposure settings on the sides of the film boxes. (Or was it printed on a sheet of paper inside?) I still trashed most of my pictures due to exposure problems, like forgetting to change settings when changing film speeds, etc.

Then came girls, cars, beer, etc, and the camera got put away (I still have it). Spin forward 10 years and my train-oriented friends were taking slides of trains and projecting them when we got together so I picked up a viewfinder Minolta and started shooting 35mm. Shot 1000s of slides of mostly trains for the next 25 years or so and ended up putting away the gear when #2 now-ex came into my life and my work as a computer consultant consumed me as well.

10 years later, I wanted to sell some stuff on ebay and got a Canon Point & Shoot. It did the job. Got involved at church and became their defacto photographer. I knew enough to put a good flash (a new 550 EX) on the point and shoot since all built-in flashes are worthless. Popups are too! I even did 2 weddings for a couple of down-and-out friends using the P&S and the 550EX. Ignorance is bliss!

About 18 months ago, the 2nd of my two P&S cameras was doing double exposures, flash lag, and that forever annoying shutter lag was driving me nuts! Time for a DSLR! So I found a used Canon 30D, and a pair of new EF-S lenses at a bargain and the rest is history!

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Wow, that is a very inspirational story, comparing you to me, i had everything handed to me on a silver platter!

[tiaivas]

Actually, I was going on trips with family that were obligatory but were boring. So to take up the time and to capture the shots as we were going to keep as a "keepsake," I started taking along a camera. I found that my trips increased and so did the camera shots, until the camera took over the enjoyment of the trip.

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[Steve5D]

My older brother had been shooting with our Dad's old Konica rangefinder when he borrowed $460.00 from our Grandfather to buy a Canon F1 in 1976. I remember when he brought it home, and how majestic that big, black professional camera looked. He would go shoot pictures with it and then develop and print them in our basement. Seemed pretty cool to me, so that's when I started shooting with Dad's Konica.

Before long, I was on the staff of the yearbook and newspaper at my high school, but the rangefinder was falling short. I took some money I'd received for my birthday and bought a used Canon TLb, and it was life altering.

I fell out of photography for a while, while I was in the Navy (I retired in 2001). I had a camera during this time and, of course, took pictures, but it wasn't "photography" in the sense that I didn't see it as doing anything other than taking snapshots.

I bought my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel, back in 2005, and a wallet-sucking siege has ensued. I used to collect guitars, but that gave way to watches and cameras. Now, it's just cameras. I don't buy watches or guitars anymore because, well, there's always more photo gear to buy...

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Wow, it's good that you still followed your lob of photography after your absence. Photography is an addiction!!

[pixmedic]

wow. MY beginnings seem rather dull now compared to everyone else. I got started to help my wife with HER photography when she was "apprenticed" to a friend of ours who was a wedding and studio photographer. Back when the D200 first came out and he upgraded, he sold us his backup D100 and a few lenses and a SB800 for a pittance so she could second shoot for him at weddings. I learned little bits here and there so I could eventually help her out when she started shooting on her own. I feel awful new to photography having started in digital and not Film, but that's how it is. I dont have the same "passion" for photography as my wife does, but I guess that's why I never gave up my day job

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Wow, so your start was kinda like an accident! Haha!