How I developed a love for Photography

[RScottie123 37]

I developed a love for Photography in the 9th Grade, my last year of Junior High.

We were allowed in 8th Grade to pick electives for one class period during our 9th Grade year, with each class lasting one six week period. The selections contained a whole bunch of courses such as Art, Cooking, Woodworking, Photography, Sewing, Finances, Music (Singing), Intro to Band (Instruments), and a few others that are not coming back to me.

As I have no ability to draw but love looking at art and nice pictures, I chose Photography. I did very well and became one of the volunteer school photographers for the remainder of the year.

I continued that "job" in High School, even having a couple of my pictures published on the Sports Pages of the local papers.

After years of not shooting with my Pentax SLR and only having a few point and shoot digital cameras, which left A LOT to be desired, I decided I wanted one of these new electronic marvels.

My OCD led me to researching various camera's and their capabilities, I was not having much luck. Along with my ignorance of how digital camera's worked in comparison to film, and my OCD, it seemed I was just chasing my tail.

My wife, who is an angel, recognized that I would suffer for a long time with comparison charts and specification lists, decided to ask the internet what a good camera for someone new to digital cameras would be. She was given the answer of the Canon EOS Rebel T7 that came with at least one lens, the specs which were lost on her.

She chose the Kit that contained a new T7 with the EF-S 18-55mm and the EF 75-300 lenses.

And now I am totally enjoying figuring this thing out.

It is a little frustrating that some of my pictures are not as good as others, but I have found that if I look at the parameters that I chose, or let the camera choose, they do tell a story.

But, all in all, I am loving it and, as I approach retirement, it will give me something to do that I really enjoy.

And, I am really liking this forum too!

 

[SharonHearn]

I got into photography many years ago with an old Samsung phone camera, I managed to take a close up of a bee on heather and fell in love.

Many years later and with a much more expensive camera this is still one of my favourite photos. I keep trying though but my OCD (another OCDer) won't let me accept noise or any blur in my photos so I have problems knowing what's any good lol

 

[cgw126 151]

I got into photography many years ago with an old Samsung phone camera, I managed to take a close up of a bee on heather and fell in love.
View attachment 287970

Many years later and with a much more expensive camera this is still one of my favourite photos. I keep trying though but my OCD (another OCDer) won't let me accept noise or any blur in my photos so I have problems knowing what's any good lol

Shoot what and how you like. They'll catch on eventually.

 

[Ozzie_Traveller5 3]

Good on yer Scotty !

Your intro to the 'love of our lives' is a beaut read and no doubt similar to many of us too

We all seem to go thru some sort of evolution for our equipment, before settling upon the kit that gels with us and our way of life. Keep going mate !!
Phil

 

[smoke665]

My journey started in High School in the mid 60s, with an old import 35mm range finder (which I can't remember the name of). I was pretty much shooting blind, but loving it. When I started college I traded it in on a Yashica Electro 35. My freshman year i started working evenings at a large local paper in production. I loved it there and gobbled up knowledge/skill from all the departments including darkroom and photography from the staff photographers and reporters. During my time there the owner/publisher took notice of me and became a mentor and life long friend. After college he helped me buy my own weekly paper, which rapidly grew to include three papers and a commercial printing shop. It was during this time in 72 that I switched to Pentax equipment, and honed my photography skills both with the papers, and as side hustles doing portrait, product and forensic work for the SO and local attorneys. 10yrs later marital problems and the resulting stress forced me to sell. It was then my career path changed direction, I mostly forgot about photography for many years, except for the occasional family and vacation snapshot, I just didn't have much interest. Then in 2012, the newly released "red" Pentax K30 came out, something snapped in the brain (had to have it) and I dived back in. Loved that camera so much I must have wore it out shooting, because the auto focus died. From there I went to the K3ii (which I still have) and the K1Mii. I've thought about an upgrade, but frankly both bodies still serve me well, and I've yet to exceed their capabilities. Over the last 13yrs I've discovered the joy in photography that I first found in the 60s. I only shoot "who, what, and when" I find it interesting, and convient to do so. When it starts feeling like a job, the equipment goes back in the closet.

 

[Rickbb74 13]

I was 12 or 13, got an official Boy Scout Kodak instamatic for Christmas. It was on then.

 

[Don Fischer]

My first camera was in Germany while in the service, 35mm Voigtlander with a fixed lens, think you'd call it a bridge camera today because it looked like an SLR. Took lot's of pictures and like'd it but really got into it when I got into pointing dogs. For me I needed a tie to the subject! Never really that good at portraits but don't blend in well with people either, pretty much a loaner. Then when I moved to Central Ore I got into old homesteads and old barns. I do lot's of homesteads and barn's and got a lot of dog photo's. Finally occurred I could never do my best unless it was something that appealed to me.

My old Bodie.

 

[cgw126 151]

Told I was better at it than people who thought they were good at it.

 

[Castelnuovo5]

I started carrying a camera with me back in the 1980s when I went on a ship for the first time. I was an apprentice officer, time before Instagram, google street view etc. So a world traveller with a camera who goes to unusual, off the beaten path places and then brings back photos is one of the coolest guys . I had a Russian Zenith, it was simple, weight a ton and was indestructible.
Later, during the war in Croatia, I was "the camera guy". I took risks taking photos when every normal and sane person run like hell into the bomb shelters or any other kind of shelter. I was inseparable from the old Zenith, pockets full of film and the used up films safely stored and well hidden. The war photos have been put away along with the horrors, fear, blood and tears.
Now in Canada, many years later, love for photography continues with digital Nikon L830. Life is peaceful and so are the photos.

 

[webestang6419 1]

My interest in photography started for me at age ten (1974). My Pop handed down to me a Kodak 104 126 camera. I loved snapping away with that thing. But also, I got an Ansel Adams 12-month calendar, just fell in love with those photographs. So for Christmas of 1980, I asked for a new camera. My parents went to Schiller's Camera (who I work for now) and bought me a Pentax K1000 with f/1.7 50mm lens and Pentax AF 160 flash. It sure was a step up from my Pop's hand me down Kodak 104 126 camera and flash cubes (which I still own).
Have worked in photo store/labs since 1985. Still a film shooter.

 

[tinytmp]

I developed a love for Photography in the 9th Grade, my last year of Junior High.

We were allowed in 8th Grade to pick electives for one class period during our 9th Grade year, with each class lasting one six week period. The selections contained a whole bunch of courses such as Art, Cooking, Woodworking, Photography, Sewing, Finances, Music (Singing), Intro to Band (Instruments), and a few others that are not coming back to me.

As I have no ability to draw but love looking at art and nice pictures, I chose Photography. I did very well and became one of the volunteer school photographers for the remainder of the year.

I continued that "job" in High School, even having a couple of my pictures published on the Sports Pages of the local papers.

After years of not shooting with my Pentax SLR and only having a few point and shoot digital cameras, which left A LOT to be desired, I decided I wanted one of these new electronic marvels.

My OCD led me to researching various camera's and their capabilities, I was not having much luck. Along with my ignorance of how digital camera's worked in comparison to film, and my OCD, it seemed I was just chasing my tail.

My wife, who is an angel, recognized that I would suffer for a long time with comparison charts and specification lists, decided to ask the internet what a good camera for someone new to digital cameras would be. She was given the answer of the Canon EOS Rebel T7 that came with at least one lens, the specs which were lost on her.

She chose the Kit that contained a new T7 with the EF-S 18-55mm and the EF 75-300 lenses.

And now I am totally enjoying figuring this thing out Switchable smart window film.

It is a little frustrating that some of my pictures are not as good as others, but I have found that if I look at the parameters that I chose, or let the camera choose, they do tell a story.

But, all in all, I am loving it and, as I approach retirement, it will give me something to do that I really enjoy.

And, I am really liking this forum too!

That’s fantastic! It sounds like photography has been a passion for you since junior high, and it’s wonderful that your wife helped you find the perfect digital setup with the Canon EOS Rebel T7 kit. It’s normal for some shots to turn out better than others while you’re learning, but experimenting with settings and lenses is part of the fun. Approaching retirement with a creative hobby like this is a great way to stay engaged, and it’s clear you’re already enjoying the process and the community here.

 

[RScottie123 37]

That’s fantastic! It sounds like photography has been a passion for you since junior high, and it’s wonderful that your wife helped you find the perfect digital setup with the Canon EOS Rebel T7 kit. It’s normal for some shots to turn out better than others while you’re learning, but experimenting with settings and lenses is part of the fun. Approaching retirement with a creative hobby like this is a great way to stay engaged, and it’s clear you’re already enjoying the process and the community here.

It has certainly been interesting.

With film, I did not have to worry about a lot of the things you must deal with in the digital world, but it has been fun nonetheless.

I just purchased an adapter that will allow me to use my old Prime Pentax Lenses on my Canon!

They will be totally manual but that is fine with me.

 

[Tinstafl125 121]

I started in the 60s with my dad and his darkroom. I loved watching the picture come up as it sat in the tray. I loved black and white and spent many years shooting just that. Then in 72 I joined the yearbook and school newspaper and got to shoot the things that were happening and they paid for the film and developer and paper. I did this thru college. I put it up after college but in 2000 the bug hit again and I started back with film till 2001 and I bought my first digital and well I never shot film again. Now I shoot lots of different things but love people as they are always different

 

[AirTechJr]

It all started with a Polaroid Swinger, bad bad results.
Next was the Kodak Instamatic.
Then.. In 1969 a guy my sister dated had bought a Nikkormat, I borrowed it for a short trip to Bedega Bay. One lucky shot of a seagull starting flight and everything changed.
I won overall at the county fair and at a local camera shops yearly contest. I Was in 8th grade. That Christmas my mom purchased a Nikon FTN for my Christmas present and we were off to the races, literally.
Due to the cost of developing, my father built me a temperature controlled dark room. Integrated safe lights, Vivitar enlarger. It was so sweet. I spent hundreds of hours in there. I was lead photographer of the high school yearbook as a freshman.
The darkroom ended up a multipurpose facility as I started dating. Lots of development.
Since then the phone cameras were so good, and I was so bad, my best pictures were with my phone.
Still have Nikon DSLR and amazing glass, however I want to upgrade to a new ecosystem, possibly Sony.
BTW, I made a significant income in the old days shooting race cars and race karts.

 

[Don Fischer]

It all started with a Polaroid Swinger, bad bad results.
Next was the Kodak Instamatic.
Then.. In 1969 a guy my sister dated had bought a Nikkormat, I borrowed it for a short trip to Bedega Bay. One lucky shot of a seagull starting flight and everything changed.
I won overall at the county fair and at a local camera shops yearly contest. I Was in 8th grade. That Christmas my mom purchased a Nikon FTN for my Christmas present and we were off to the races, literally.
Due to the cost of developing, my father built me a temperature controlled dark room. Integrated safe lights, Vivitar enlarger. It was so sweet. I spent hundreds of hours in there. I was lead photographer of the high school yearbook as a freshman.
The darkroom ended up a multipurpose facility as I started dating. Lots of development.
Since then the phone cameras were so good, and I was so bad, my best pictures were with my phone.
Still have Nikon DSLR and amazing glass, however I want to upgrade to a new ecosystem, possibly Sony.
BTW, I made a significant income in the old days shooting race cars and race karts.

I've done some, not a lot of photo film developing. I'd guess I'd have liked it more if I'd stayed at it. But until recently I used a free copy of Pisca and absolutely loved it. I did not have a need to add to photo's, just correct them a bit. But Picasa is gone now and no idea what I'm gonna do! used Photo explosion for a while and was alright but more involved than I wanted. Just wanted to take a good photo with a few problems and fix them. Mostly like the ability to print photo's to whatever size I want. Love 12x24" crops and Picasa let me do that while improving lighting at the same time. That was the free Picasa program and I'd pay for it it I didn't have to get all that other crap too!