Introduce Yourself

[plangereis]

Hi Darren (and the rest of the group),

My name is Paul, and I am getting back into photography after a long layoff from it (since my highschool years- I graduated in 1978). I just bought a Canon 40D, with a Sigma 18-50 f2.8 macro and a Canon 55-250 zoom lens. I have to admit that i am getting hooked on taking photos, but have somewhat limited time as I teach grade 7 full time. I live in British Columbia, Canada (in the lower mainland area), and because of this I lean toward landscape photography at this point, but would like to venture into more creative shooting (subject matter and composition). I have always been into visual expression from a very young age, and also work in digital video (I have a Canon XH A1 camcorder and work in Final Cut Pro). One of my biggest problems is that I have too many creative outlets, but that is my issue. I look forward to getting feedback from others about any aspects of photography (I am keen to learn about this whole DSLR format, including its limitations). So, if you come across one of my posts, please let me know how I am doing, and do not worry, I take criticism very well (in a positive light : )

[Silentman]

Hello, my name is Col, and i've been receiving the newsletter for awhile now and thought i would take it a step further and become a member of the forum.

I enjoy CGI in all it's forms, digital photography, digital art in the abstrat drawing form, 3D Art. I'm currently dabbling in Photoshop, Illustrator and 3DS Max but have my eye's set on After FX as well, i really haven't found my main interest yet, i'm still exploring

I look forward to getting to know you all over the coming months thanks for having me.

Silentman

[EdHamlin]

Good morning,afternoon or evening as to where you are in the world,
My Name is Ed,

I have been into photography since the sixties, ah but I was only a youngster then. My Father was into photography and owned Kodaks version of the rangefinder. I am not sure when but he bought me my first camera as he didn't want to give up his and get a new one. When He gave me my first camera, a vivitar, I was disappointed, I really wanted a nikon, well about six months later i ended up getting a Nikon with a coupleof big lenses, then I picked up a pentax and then a canon. Now I am not going to say which one I liked better when it came to functionality, but I now own two nikons and I am looking for another when I can bundle the $$ together. I love digital though, I can delvelope my own work and have total control over the results all the way through printing!
I strarted out shooting black and white since that is what my dad taught me how to develope first. MY photos were of the Serra Nevadas and aircraft. Mostly WWII stuff. Well I Got to the point where I shot so much film that I couldn't afford to develope it. Never really thought about pursuing it professionally.
Well after a career in the US Air Force and having traveled almost around the world I have shot some interesting photos with a varierty of P&S flm cameras too. I have found digital an intersting challenge. I am pursuing Photography as a full time profession more so on the artisti side yet I am also looking at commercial as a support side to allow me to still travel and pursue the artistic side.

Well I can be long winded as that is the writer in me. Hope to hear some awesoem crits on photos and I am working on honing my skills. Have a Blessed Day. Oh and if there are typos forgive me as I spend a lot of my time editing manuscripts and when I get to writing here my brain if almost fried.

[Tom Taylor]

I'm Thomas Taylor.
I live in Dartford, Kent in the UK with my Mum and brother.

I'm a student about to progress to Art college, Rochester's UCA for an art foundation.

My Gear - I use a Canon EOS 450D DSLR, and a Panasonic Lumix TZ3.

I really enjoy art, design and photography. Over this longggg summer I'll experimenting wiht my photography!

[martster]

Hi, my name is Martin, I live in Nelson New Zealand. I fancy getting a dslr so I thought that I should get out my Canon a460 and see what I can do with that first. Started posting photos on a blog to help with motivation [URL="http://muntyneighbour.blogspot.com/"].

[Viking]

Hi Darren,

My name is Erik,
I have been into photography for over 40 years. I prefer to do mainly candid style pictures.
use a Canon Powershot S45 as a general walk around camera but when I do functions and weddings use one or two of my Film SLRs Canon 500 and Nikon FM2, I have a number of other cameras Pentax Spotmatic, Fuji 605 SLR, Rolli range finder version, Yashica range finder, plus various automatic point and shoot cameras which have decided not to work anymore.

Anyway enough for now. will try to contribute to the forums instead of just reading others postings.

Regards Erik

[speedfreak]

Hi everybody my Name is Daniel Alvarez from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

I love photography, I been taking pictures for long time but only using point a shoot cameras, i just realize that thougth the lens I can capture things around me and share my very own perpective and is great. So I decide take this to the next level


My gear Nikon D60 & Kodak Z214

saludos desde Mexico

[imik]

Hello people My name is Kimi and i live in a small town right in central Alabama. Currently i'm unemployed, being a photographer is what i want to do for a living and for the rest of my life. I never knew i could be so happy but i finally found something that i'm passionate about, that is blissful for me. I feel most like "ME" when i'm taking photos and wandering around getting lost in concentration and the quiet rhythm of my breath. My love of photography developed slowly over several years... it stems from my love of nature. It all started when i was a young teen and my boyfriend (now my husband who i'm getting divorced from and my best friend) was in college for a degree in graphic design and he took me to a few of his photography classes. I was fascinated... the dark room, the process, the hand tinting. When his class would go out to locations to shoot he would bring me and i would set up his shots... i had an eye for it i guess you could say. I stole all of his photography books and was enthralled and captivated by what i felt when i saw the images that were within those pages. It never occurred to me that i could do that too. Later after 4.5 years of college attempting to get a degree in something that didn't interest me i quit and thought for a really long time... Then i bought my first camera in 2005 ( a 5mp point and shoot Kodak) and i fell in love. But not until this year did i finally let myself dream big enough and admit that this was it for me... i'm happy and i have a LOT of growing to do as a photographer. I love this site and learning from some of the nicest people not to mention fantastic photographers has been fun and inspiring. So after taking a BIG step this year i bought a Nikon D90! and that's where i am currently, learning and taking steps toward becoming a professional photographer! nice to meet you all

[ianm79]

Hello everyone

I'm Ian fro the NE of England, Photography has been my hobby for a couple years now and just starting to get better. Landscape and Travel is my kind of thing although I am experimenting with different types and styles of photography.

This site is awesome and wealth of info, glad to be part of the community.

Ian

[Sailing Bill]

Good morning to you all,
I am Bill, ocean sailing is my passion, and I am an American living in the Munich area. I moved here 11 years ago from one of the most beautiful places in the US, Marblehead MA. I started with Photography in high school and loved night shots. I grew up in the southern mid-west where there are lots of neon signs from the 30's. One of the inspirations from this time was a shot I had seen of the Atlas Insurance neon sign in down town Tulsa that was shot at night after a rain storm. The reflection off of the street gave an interesting mirror image of the sign and I still remember this 30 years later. After high school I dropped the hobby until last year when I bought a Nikon D80 and a Manfrotto tripod. This kicked off my old hobby and I am now focusing on mastering black and white nude photography. I find the art form part of this type of shooting to be stunning, which kicked of the interest. I also shoot black and white architecture and in Europe we have some of the worlds best. I found this website a year ago and I read it a few times a week.

Gear - Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-135, Nikkor 85 1:18, Manfrotto tripod, B&W filters, Photoshop