How has photography affected your life?

DSLR noob · Feb 10, 2007

Some of you may have been a part of photography for so long that you don't know how it made anything different. I got my first camera (Rebel XT) for Christmas and ever since then, the world has looked more colorful and sharper. It feels like I just got glasses or something, and my eyes work the way they are supposed to. The world is so beautiful, and my camera forcing me to look through the viewfinder and make adjustments has made everything seem to pop.
I have always appreciated other's photos but I now feel the rush in taking my own. It was a hobby I just fell into and already I have learned so much and enjoy holding that camera to my eye. My girlfriend and friends think I'm crazy when I talk about how much I want a lens(some that cost more than my camera) or what settings I just tried.
So I have shared the beauty that photography has put into my life, I'd like ot hear about how it has effected yours.

Sw1tchFX · Feb 10, 2007

Years ago, I got a camera as a gift from some catalogue and I really enjoyed experimenting and toying with it. That year, I bought a better point n' shooter (one that actually had a focus system) and than I really started getting into it and not only I, but other people started noticing. Once I bought my FE, my photography went to new heights and I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

LaFoto · Feb 11, 2007

While I have been exposed (ha!) to photography for as long as I can think, and while I have somehow handled a camera of my own for the past more than 30 years, I can still say that photography does change one's way to see things, and despite the fact that I've had the experience for so many years, I still know exactly what you are talking about, DSLR_noob. And you are explaining it really well. The world becomes "sharper", "pops" more, and you see a possible motif where others don't see anything.

What I personally like so much about photography is how the little frame into which you put only a little part of the big whole can enhance that little part, give it a life of its own, a meaning of its own. You can pick out beauty, make it seen where others would say: "What on earth is he/she on about, why does he/she want to take a photo THERE?", to only later say about the photo itself: "Hey now, THAT was there? Never noticed!"

But as a photographer you begin to notice, and yes, indeed, you "see" differently, you get "new eyes". And I find those "new" eyes are a very valuable addition to my life. They make it broader, fuller, more complete.

All this apart from the mere joyful fun that I find is also there in photography, that wonderful pasttime. No more need to ever feel bored.

craig · Feb 11, 2007

I have always felt the beauty and power in life. Certainly sharp and coluorful. Photography is the medium that I use to express and record those feelings. In other words it's not like life got better when I picked up a camera. I just found a way to record it. Truth be known I wish I was born as a painter or writer or anything but a photographer. Relying on the mechanics and process of photography is kind of a drag and very limiting. I wish I could just blink my eyes and record what I see.

Peanuts · Feb 11, 2007

It has taken up my life. No kidding. I work weekends with photography, I work at school as a senior leader of photography, and every spare minute otherwise I am learning about photography. School? That is my side-pastime

On a serious note, I do seem to see the 'beauty' of things more, and I am willing to experiment. Not to mention, it is practically my stress reliever, I will go two weeks without photographing anything, and eventually that craving just comes on and I have to shoot and edit. (In one of those phases as of right now)

Alex_B · Feb 11, 2007

Well, in my case I think it made me look more intensely at things. In particular when travelling I spend more time looking at scenes / landscapes and all. Similar like Peanuts' "to see the beauty of things more"

This started early on when I was 10-ish i think to remember, but I only became aware of it at 20-ish.

Since then I would never travel without a camera, not mainly to bring images home, but to see more intensely. The images are just a side product.

Another effect is the mondey drain on my bank account in recent years

benjikan · Feb 13, 2007

DSLR noob said:
Some of you may have been a part of photography for so long that you don't know how it made anything different. I got my first camera (Rebel XT) for Christmas and ever since then, the world has looked more colorful and sharper. It feels like I just got glasses or something, and my eyes work the way they are supposed to. The world is so beautiful, and my camera forcing me to look through the viewfinder and make adjustments has made everything seem to pop.
I have always appreciated other's photos but I now feel the rush in taking my own. It was a hobby I just fell into and already I have learned so much and enjoy holding that camera to my eye. My girlfriend and friends think I'm crazy when I talk about how much I want a lens(some that cost more than my camera) or what settings I just tried.
So I have shared the beauty that photography has put into my life, I'd like ot hear about how it has effected yours.

To freeze a moment in time for eternity..

Ben

Jeremy Z · Feb 13, 2007

Good thread.

I started photography as a young lad in the 80s with a 110 camera I got as a gift for Christmas from an uncle. It was the best gift ever. However, I noticed that no matter how hard I tried, the pictures didn't come out as well as my dad's and grandpa's. (who were shooting 35mm)

I forgot about it and read comic books for a few years.

Then, I got the bug again. I saved my allowance until I had about $55 and marched down to the local camera shop. I bought a Fuji, fixed focus, manual wind camera. No aperture adjustments, the lens was always wide open. One shutter speed, and no sensitivity difference with each type of film. It pretty much relied on the latitude of the film. The viewfinder was not at all accurate; it only showed about 70% of what I was getting, which was quite maddening to me. Nevertheless, this was a "real" (read: 35mm) camera. Being an impatient youth, I lost interest due to lack of control and crappy results for a couple more years.

Then, my older sister received an old 35mm camera from my grandpa for a high school photography class. A Canon Ftb. I asked a lot of questions to my grandpa about this. (my sister wanted nothing to do with her 5 year younger brother; all she wanted was to watch MTV and sleep) So I grilled my grandpa about the technicalities of photography. What is shutter speed? What is aperture & f-stop? What is ASA and ISO? What's the difference between telephoto & zoom? Why doesn't your camera have a viewfinder like everyone else's? So I learned all the technical basics from him, and basic composition from books.

A few months later, I had saved up allowance, birthday & Christmas gift money, and money from odd jobs and bought one of the last brand new Pentax K1000 SE with 50mm f/2 lens. I shot one bad roll, learning the ropes. The results finally encouraged me. Things were framed exactly as I had composed them. If things were too dark or bright, or without enough depth-of-focus, I could figure out what happened. Now that I had control, and that I got good results when I did things right, I was hooked.

So it started for me in about 1995. It has been a hobby one and off, and even when it wasn't a hobby, it was useful. That is the thing about it that makes photography so cool. Once you learn a certain amount and get a certain grade of camera, it is useful, even if you're not hot about it at that moment in your life. My family pictures are always good, my ebay pictures are always sharp & clear.

Now to answer the real question. It has changed my life because I am able to show other people how I see things. If I notice a certain detail, I can protray that to them. For someone who hasn't got a good memory, it is really nice. My favorite pictures are my vacation photos, as they really bring me back. With just a nudge from a photograph, I can remember everything that happened at that time with crystal clarity. So I guess it helps me keep my memories polished and bright too.

Thanks for asking, I bet you regret it now, hehehe.:blushing:

Mike_E · Feb 13, 2007

I am still a work in progress but photography is helping me learn to speak clearly through metaphor. Words, emotions, motion and seasons all wrapped up in a photo like a fly in amber. Golden for all time.

mike

DSLR noob · Feb 13, 2007

No Jeremy, I have read all of your reply and everyone else's. The life story adds character to your response. I feel photography is a very positive thing that may be hard on the wallet, but has enough self-bettering perks to bring out the good in people.

neea · Feb 14, 2007

Like craig said, I too wish I was a painter. I used to write alot when I was a teenager but it was purely for my own enjoyment and own reading.
Once I quit writing I often got urges to paint landscape scenes, but I know nothing about painting, so photography stepped in.
If I cant create my own beauty I will capture what is already there. Although I still get random urges to paint. And I have no idea where this desire comes from.

I dont think of photography so much as expressing myself (well maybe it is a bit) but I think I do it to help others see the beauty in everyday life.
I often feel that too many people are just consumed in work and such that they dont take time to stop and smell the flowers (where as I not only smell them but take their pictures too).
My 'hope' for my photography is to help people realize how much beauty is around us despite all the chaois and hopefully encourage them to stop and take it all in more often.

My relationship with photography has more ups and downs than any other relationship. If photography was a person we'd be in couples therapy : / haha.
It frusterates me alot. I havent used a whole roll of film since summer probably. I had planned on making photography help me see the beauty in winter this year but when it's -40C I find it hard to leave the house unless necessary... and I dont think my camera would appreciate it either (so I tell myself)

This is getting long winded... last point. I promise.
It's certainly helped me to.. not really meet people.. but have better conversations when I meet someone new. People always ask questions and I get to tell them how beautiful I think every day is.

Claff · Feb 15, 2007

LaFoto said:
But as a photographer you begin to notice, and yes, indeed, you "see" differently, you get "new eyes". And I find those "new" eyes are a very valuable addition to my life. They make it broader, fuller, more complete.

I'd like to be more eloquent but I can't put it much better than this. I'm now constantly on the lookout for the next great scene, if I can capture a dramatic sky while walking the dog, if I can get those colors to pop on the computer just like they did when I saw them the first time, and now, what else can I do exploring the world of macro photography. The world is full of minute details and textures that nobody notices; maybe I can show them to a few people and they'll appreciate them as much as I do.

Blairc · Feb 15, 2007

Peanuts said:
School? That is my side-pastime

Yeah, it feels like that to me too.:lmao: My life would be very, very different if I didn't do photography. But that's a nightmare, me without a camera!?

Blair