Weekly Poll: How long have you been photographing for?

[Isilwen]

I had to check decades after I sat down and really pinpointed when I became obsessed with photography. I bought a really nice film Olympus point and shoot back in 1996-ish and fell in love immediately. I'm only 29, so anything with the word "decades" is kind of alarming... LOL

[inn]

When I first got into photomanips I started to take my own stock photos to use. Though eventually I grew bored of photomanips, and it was because of a friend who brought himself a canon 20D that I really saw how wonderful photography was.

I can't state how long because I can't extactly remember when switch went off in my head. I see photography as a best friend I've always had that I suddenly realised I had feelings for. And as each day passes I fall in love with it a bit more

[velvet4269]

I've enjoyed photography for quite some time (ever since I was a wee lass), but I've only really been seriously into photography since June of this year, when I borrowed my best friends Olympus E-300, took it to one of the parks here in town, and it was like something exploded inside me. I took that first picture and was hooked.

And then I had to buy my own camera. I was a little concerned that I wouldn't be able to truly justify the cost - after all, the camera is more than one month's mortgage payment - but it's significantly less expensive than going to a psychologist every month, and I've finally found somehting I truly enjoy.

[jaydubyasee]

I guess I've been taking my photography seriously for about a year now. By serious I mean actually thinking about what I'm doing as opposed to just taking pictures.

My first camera, a Polaroid Instamatic, was bought for me when I was eleven by an uncle who worked as a scene-of-crime photographer for the London Met. Unfortunately my parents thought me a little too careless to be given such a gift so it was put away until they thought I could handle it more responsibly. By the time that day arrived you could no longer buy film for it so I never did get to use it. Who knows what might have happened had I started so young ?

[Bentwing]

Like others here I have been trying to get serious about photography for a while. Before we had children I had gotten a cannon 35mm film camera with which I took 100's of pictures with but I seemed to plateau at a certain level. I couldn't afford the time or the money to get really serious about it. Some years went by (I can't believe how quickly). I then got a digital SLR this spring. Being able to see my photos right away has helped me gain an understanding of photography in just a few months which far exceeds my previous knowledge. Now I just can't seem to get enough. I find myself actually looking for photo opportunities where ever I go now. I have never done this before. So I would say I have only been serious about this for a few months, with years of dabbling. This forum has helped me out tremendously with my quest for knowledge. Seeing such a vast array of other peoples photos and critiques is such a great learning tool.

[Teewinot]

I'm in the 'decades' category, but that feels sort of weird since I'm only 26.

I got my first plastic cheap film camera when I was about 8 (it was purple) and I actually got serious pretty much right away. I remember my dad teaching me about using trees to frame pictures. My photos were horrible quality due to the fact that the camera was probably about $10, but many shots were framed nicely. I went through a few more cheap film point and shoot cameras over the next few years. My photo collection grew and I began to really be serious about composition, even with my limited equipment. When I entered college I bought a Minolta X700 film SLR on eBay, got a bunch of lenses from my dad, and began shooting a lot more. A couple years later, digital photography got me curious so I borrowed my dad's 2.1 megapixel Olympus p&s. I was hooked. And it was a good thing too, because I had been rapidly filling up way too many albums and spending WAY too much money on film development. In 2004 I bought a high-end point and shoot digital camera (my current camera) and bigger hard drive. I am currently on the look-out for a digital SLR! I love photography more and more everyday!

[Sime]

My first memory of "photography" was one of my mums friends giving her a pentax.. a really old film pentax when I was about seven I think. I used it on and off as I was allowed. That stopped when I started kicking around with friends and riding my bike around the farm and getting interested in motorbikes, I started doing all sorts of other stuff and photography dropped out of view. I left home when I was seventeen, from Coffs Harbour back down to Melbourne to live with my brother...and for some reason became interested in capturing everything again.. I started by asking mother to send her pentax down (she stopped using it) and I used that for a couple of years.. destroying loads of ilford b+w and loving it.. I had piles of photographs everywhere around my flat as my then gf now wife will confirm... I went through a couple of old Nikons and Canons after this (eBay tastic) until I purchased a canon eos 50e, it was nice, but then I went and stopped taking photos for a year or so... THEN...I sold that and bought a Nikon f90x..and loved it, was hooked.. then, with the (almost I think) first canon ixus being released, I stepped into digital... from ixus to ixus to powershot pro 1 to my EOS 30D... I said ten years, I think that's too short.. started vaguely at 7'ish.. i'm 33 in a month... yeah, a while... right, 23 minutes to do my 365!..better stop rambling

Sime

[kelly]

I think it was in High school. I have always loved taking pictures and I have thousands!! Most are from my canon ElanII. I am just now begining to understand lighting, composition and everything else that goes into getting a great picture. Eight years ago my hubby bought me EOS and I was so happy!! I was going to go right out and sign up for classes! Then life happens. heheheh I found out I was pregnant with number three and I put classes on hold. got into a groove with number three got ready to sign up again and guess what? Number four was on it's way! Three moves later, number four is five now, we are settled, My hubby bought me my RebelXTI ( I swear it was a present for every present giving occasion for the next three years!) heheheh. I went and bought books I am on the internet everyday and trying very hard to learn but it is slow going. I have four kids, three dogs, a husband who travels and serious commitments tot he PTA. ( I know the PTA seems optional but I feel the need for certain reasons to have my presence known, but I do their publicity.) I am sorry this is so long!! Thanks for reading it! Believe it or not I could have written two more pages! Anyway a BIG thank you to everyone here! I have seen my photos get better and I find myself thinking about my pictures more and it is because of this place. You guys are awesome, with not only great information and great people but a website that is very easy navigate! THANKS AGAIN!

[peeperita]

i am a decades old user....although, my shots don't tell the same tale....

i got my first camera at age 8, it was the "win' for saving up bottle caps,.....i worked in my mother's diner and bottle caps came easy...i remember my first few shots....and the remembering is worth something as the film was so darned expensive to our household back then....

i kept point and shoots on and off for succeeding years until i met mister fabulous, who insisted i enjoy my pleasures more fully and he bought me my canon ae1 in 1984.....which kept me happy for a millenium....

somewhere around 1998 i discovered a new way of processing...digital...and i along with my camera shop pro experimented with digital...processing was next to nil as he and i learned the differing aspects of digital together....in late 99 mister wonderful once again gifted me with the latest and the greatest....a new digital camera with an amazing 1 meg!...

i loped along for many a year with various and asundry digitals until this year when he again gave me my heart's desire....my now one and only canon rebel xt....

serious?.....since that day of my eighth year......fun?.....for a lifetime.....

thanks

peeper

[bsolah]

I got my first digital camera a couple of years ago, and mainly used it for taking occasional family photos, protests but it was made difficult by having a crap computer where I couldn't upload my photos.

I got a laptop at the start of the year which made it easier so I could take photos and use them more frequently, but I guess I've only started taking it seriously when I bought my Olympus SP550-UZ.

Taking photos is so easy and yet there's room to stretch yourself and so something special.