Are other noob's as obsessed as I am?

[Battou]

I got my camera and into the photography side of owning a camera about a month before Christmas last year. I was a complete noob other than snapshots of birthday parties and vacations. I had never had a camera where you could adjust anything.

I took pictures of everything. [1]I gathered up all the kid's colorful little Littlest Petshop toys and Webkinz stuffed animals and took pictures of them. [2]I too stood out in the freezing cold for hours, only it was well below freezing at night during the lunar eclipse. I was out for a bout 2.5 hours and if I remember, it was 18 F or so.

I looked out in the yard one day and noticed an old shovel leaning up against one of our apple trees. It looked interesting, and I went out into the cold to shoot it. As I learned more from here and the internet, I went back out and shot the same shovel in the same place again in another week. I learned more and shot the same shovel. I would go out and shoot this stupid shovel so much that my wife threatened that she was going to move it sometime while I was at work! LOL.

We have bird houses tied up on posts in our yard. Well, they are more like bird motels, they are big. We get these little birds, and the first one that moved in this spring, I walked around and around the tree shooting the little guy. Finally, I gave up on trying to get a good shot from the angle of under the tree, so I, at 36 years old, [3]climbed up into the knarled old apple tree to get closer. He let me get pretty close surprisingly.

We have [4]LifeFlight helicopter fly over our house all the time. When I hear it, I am like a little kid running excitedly for the door. Only, I am running with my camera. I have yet to capture it because it isn't always within a good range. But, just the other day, I heard it and saw off in the distance it was on course to fly directly overhead. By the time I grabbed the camera just inside the door, I realized it was not the LifeFlight chopper I have been trying to grab for so long, but an Apache AH-64! I was way excited about this!


Yes indeed, you are not alone. And since it's been nearly a year now and I don't concider myself a complete noob anymore, the obsession has nothing to do with noobness. Me frantically running into the kitchen so worked up about grabbing the camera that my wife though something had happened to me (I was working on the house at the time) was only less than a month ago. That was when the Apache chopper flew over.

Wow, I did not know we had so much in common

Number one
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97607
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113639

Number two

Number three (first shot)

Number 4

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119141
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119557
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127080

I also have one from when I grabbed my tripod and went chasing after one during the night but I can't find it.

I also have a new one from a couple days ago that is waiting for processing, going out on Wensday


*EDIT*

Ha, that's totally me, but also my 4 year old son. Any time ANYTHING airborne goes overhead, we go tearing out the door to try to see it. No matter if we are in our underwear or fully clothed! My wife snuck a picture of me and him both standing out in the yard in our boxers staring up at the sky trying to find the helicopter we were hearing. (We live way out in the woods. )

Yeah I run after anything airborne too, But in the city I have to atleast have pants on. I got a bunch of single engine prop plains, and once chasing after one of those I ended up with some great shots of a pair of bald eagles

 

[danjchau]

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[yogibear]

I am the same way. I have been aiming towards wildlife photography or photo journalism for a few years. Unfortunately it took me a number of those years to actually save enough to buy a decent camera. Since i got my D80 it never leaves my side. Its motivated me to get up early and find those nice morning shots. This in turn has given me motivation to spend less time out drinking. Photography has begun to fix my life!

/hugs d80

i love you camera.

 

[bhop]

I've been taking pictures since the 90's.. i'm still obsessed.

 

[DRoberts]

I take mine with me everywhere I go, because you never know what you will run across. Thats how some of the greatest pictures in history were captured. Someone just happened to be there with a camera when something amazing happened.
It would be great however to be paid and transported to where likely amazing things would happen though...ie Time Life or National Geographic photog.

 

[Beacon]

I know exactly how you feel. I am obsessed as well, I am constantly reading about photography, or viewing other's work on-line, (currently viewing an on-line photo art competition at): http://www.maineartscene.com/maine-photography-exhibit/2008/default.html and am obsessed with this forum! I even joined a local camera club. Oh yeah! and I spend all of my spare time taking pictures! BUT, unfortunately for me, I don't (currently) bring my camera to work - someone just yelled rainbow and I looked out over the river and there was a beautiful rainbow, a gorgeous ominious and luminous sky, and worst of all, I have been waiting for the perfect conditions to take a picture of a bridge that spans this river and this would have just put the picture over the edge!!!

 

[Dionysus]

Im late to this convo, but I too carry my camera with me everywhere i go, including work. I'm looking at it right now, next to me at my desk. It's not so much that I think there are pictures to be taken at work, just that i dont want to leave my camera in the car. I'm more concerned w/ missed photo opportunities to and from work. But in my personal life it comes with me everywhere as well. I have a 6 year old and an infant, so i have to be prepared at any given time for a magical moment.

I have two bags. I have a canon backpack that can pretty much hold everything one can imagine to bring, and a smaller shoulder bag that holds the camera, filters, charger, (the necessities) etc. During workdays it's the shoulder bag, because its smaller, less bulky, and less of a pain in the ass. On weekends when I dont know how little or how much stuff i need, i'll pack everything in the backpack.

I buy every photo magazine as they come out. I'm constantly online and in photography books getting "fresh" ideas. i'm constantly on amazon as well..checking out future purchases.

 

[tenlientl]

I am the same. I usually take my cameras everywhere unless I'm at work where I have to keep it in the locker.

This hobby is expensive though.

I just purchased my D90 Oct 1. I am kinda in debt because of the D90 with 18-105mm itself, extra battery, a bag, 50mm f/1.8, 2x 4GB cards.

I'm planning on going to the states on Nov 29 and buying a Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8(maybe Tamron 28-75mm, I keep going back and forth like everyday).

I don't even have a tripod yet o.o

 

[Dionysus]

tripods are a must, even if you just get one for now that will do the job at a reasonable price. I bought mine from best buy for 60.00, and ive used it on all terrains and in windy weather, and its held its own just fine. Sure, one day i hope to be able to afford a really nice one..but i dont regret the one i bought FOR NOW.

 

[Lyncca]

Uh yea, I've been at it since my husband bought me my first DSLR last Christmas (that I had been drooling over for years) and I have been in debt since! I absolutely love it though, and I am continually learning. There is so much to learn that it is hard to get bored with it, although I can get frustrated.

 

[tenlientl]

i actually just got one a couple nights ago. i didnt know my mom had one. its a cheapie, but itll work for nightshots.

i think ill be more satisfied saving $200 for the lens right now. i dont always need slow shutter speed anyways. although with winter comming up, i might think of something.

 

[Dionysus]

i'm all done taking autumn shots..all the leaves are gone, and even if they were up i wouldnt take anymore fall pics, just because that's all i've been doing. I can't wait for the opportunity to take some winter/snow pics though. and it may be soon. (snowing today, but i doubt itll stick til closer to the end of the month)

 

[Lyncca]

tripods are a must, even if you just get one for now that will do the job at a reasonable price. I bought mine from best buy for 60.00, and ive used it on all terrains and in windy weather, and its held its own just fine. Sure, one day i hope to be able to afford a really nice one..but i dont regret the one i bought FOR NOW.

I agree. I use mine a lot. I just lost the attachment that screws onto the camera the other day and had a photography group outing where I needed it. I was pissed! I couldn't shoot any infrared or many slow shutter (waterfall) shots. I ended up proping my camera on top of my backback that was on a boulder, but it wasn't an option for many of the shots I wanted.

I sacrifice shoes when I travel with my job to make sure I can fit my tripod!

 

[Kegger]

I too carry my camera everywhere. You never know when somethings gonna happen and you're the only one with a camera.

But I also have a fascination with photographing flying objects, and living on a Army installation makes that a frequent occurrence.

But mine are bigger

 

[Draken]

I wish I can bring my camera everywhere I go, but I can't and I don't want to leave my camera in my car all day. Don't want it stolen.

Yeah i agree with that only weekends and week nights for me :-(
But your not alone, my partner thinks im insane cause i love photography so much i almost always have a copy of Practical photography or some other magazine with me to keep me inspired when im not out shooting