how did you get started in photography?

[zekai]

another thread i saw in offstone and reproduce here. http://www.offstone.com/photo/showthread.php?s=&postid=72910#post72910


My own account.

age 9: started with a disposal camera in pr 3.

age 10: save hard ($60) to buy a point and shoot. mother pity me :embrass: , top up $40 to get a better more decent PNS. The brand is Chinon, still have it but does not work anymore. :cry:

teenage year: shoot a lot of rubbish. :devil: kanna left right centre from relatives :nono: because all my travel pictures did not have me inside. had shots of beautiful tea plantation, monkey fuc#ing but no shots of myself. :sweatsm:

was told it is a big waste of money to travel and have no pic to prove i was there. so.... during 1 trip to thailand, every shot i took had myself in it. (actually thats means i asked someone else to take for me) :blah:

borrow cousin PNS with ZOOM. (wah) Yearn for an SLR but could not afford it. :sweat:

JC years: make money selling polariod shots to :heart: couples @ chjimes & boat quays. tried to sell to jap tourists but they carry nikon & canon with super zoom. :bigeyes:

college years: camera fell into waterfall with owner (me). I survived, the camera did not. father tio "4D" :thumbsup: sponser my Sony 505V. Sold it for a G2 :think:

now: ocassionally help out in studio. exposed to MF. Shot with my eos 33 now.


now share yours!

 

[SniperD]

Hmmm...........

Mine's relatively short then -

Never did I dream of starting out as a photographer or to be involved in photography since young.. more of an animator or designer.

Got my first brush with a camera (EOS500) @ 15 yrs of age (borrowed)

2nd brush with the same camera (borrowed) @ 17 yrs of age, in the church's photography club but wasn't really into it coz no money.

Got really interested with making visuals but with a film cam (bolex & betacams) when in Poly while Studying in Film, Sound & Video but that only boosted my interest as a animator and designer coz doing 2D & 3D animation and graphics

3rd brush with a newer model EOS 500n (borrowed) in the Army when I took it for road marches in BMT, my OCS training days local and overseas, made worse when appointed the PLT and Wing's photographer (I hate that term)

4th brush with an EOS 50 (borrowed.. yet again) for a wedding shoot during my army days (backup photog).. got encouragements and pointers from the pros

Bought myself a new Nikon F55 for a trip, sold it 4 months after the trip coz still prefer canon :devil:

Bought myself a 2nd hand EOS 500n (finally my own) from one of my superior for a good price but sold it off 6 months later and got myself a EOS30 from a fellow officer colleague

GF bought me a 10D last year

Never look back since then...............

Now full time into Photography and Graphics design using all I can use

 

[kelster]

wah...then mine even shorter...

1st brush...9yrs old...given a very simple PNS toy camera (really forgotten what name and type)...took shots of all my relatives but I think all turned out to be overexposed and washed out...no idea then that film cannot be exposed to light :dunno: ...

Sec Sch to Poly days...Meddled with parent's PNS (Olympus...I think) as family's "official" photographer...took normal snaphots...nothing spectacular...

After ORD in Army...got inspired by a fellow camp mate who was really into photography then...bought my 1st & only SLR...a Minolta 505si...started my intensive reading on the subject...went over to UK for my 2yr degree and shot over 200-300 rolls across my stay there....

Been observing the digital Cam development over the years and finially took the plunge and bought my Oly C5050z...also never looked back since...

 

[rncw]

1 yr old - 37.8 yrs old = dun like photography - hated flashes
37.8 yrs old - present 38.11 yrs old - like to snap snap wif my camera after seeing megaweb's pictures in HWZ forums :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

now still hates flashes, but it's ok when i flash at others... :blah: :devil:

very short history... :embrass:

 

[zaren]

< 10 years - used mum's camera, can't remember the brand, it was German RF. took some B&W shots.
10 years - 30 years : no interest in photography.
30 years to present - used a couple of film P&S (Yashica T5, Konica Lexio 70), Nikon F65 (mostly for work), several digicams (Canon IXUS 300, Oly C4000). Joined CS after rediscovering interest in photography.

 

[Vynara]

.....all my travel pictures did not have me inside. had shots of beautiful tea plantation, monkey fuc#ing but no shots of myself. :sweatsm: ....

....camera fell into waterfall with owner (me). I survived, the camera did not.....

:bsmilie: :bsmilie: :sweatsm: :sweatsm: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: to the above. Thanks for sharing~!~!

My own (it's mine.. my preciiiiiiooooooooooooooous) experience:

Primary4: Trip to Botanical Gardens, sharing with some classmates to get a disposal. I ran off with it to shoot flowers. Got wacked by classmates ; worst still all flowers came out blurry :cry:

Secondary School: Got stunned by a digital camera my teacher bought so school. Added "digital camera" to wishlist, but parents told me Santa actually doesn't exist :sweat:

Junior College: Year1, Older Brother bought new camera, thus I inherited his Sony DSC P-31 - first camera to totally belong to me. Wee. Bought a bigger memory stick, clicked at everything and anything - what I ate, my friends, my house, my pets, etc etc etc. Racked up over 7000pictures in about 10months. Parents shook their heads and prayed in thanks for the invention of digital cameras (can you imagine developing 7000 prints? :bigeyes: )

Junior College: Year2, got a little more.. uh, sedated. Started to view photography more seriously. Tested out more "artistic" angles. Started to keep human beings out of my photography. I would twist my body into weird shapes to get a shot - all in public. I stood under the burning hot sun so I can get that "natural lens flare" in my shots. Parents shook their heads again and prayed for my recovery. ;p

This year, 2004: First trip overseas with my own camera, snaps aglore. Cried over murky, noisy, blurred pictures because DSC P-31 can no longer live up to my expectations :thumbsd: . Started thinking about a new camera. Parents realise (FINALLY) I am serious about photography, let me spurge 1k on a new Canon A80 :thumbsup: . Currently still testing it out, it's coming along perfectly well, wee.

 

[Vynara]

1 yr old - 37.8 yrs old = dun like photography - hated flashes
37.8 yrs old - present 38.11 yrs old - like to snap snap wif my camera after seeing megaweb's pictures in HWZ forums :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

now still hates flashes, but it's ok when i flash at others... :blah: :devil:

very short history... :embrass:

Flash at others... hmmm. =X :bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[ndroo]

mine is the simplest story liao lor :bsmilie: bought a DSC-P1 about 2 years ago only for snapshots during holidays. replaced it wif a C5050Z december 2003. that's it :bsmilie:

 

[blurblock]

Once upon a time, about 10 years ago, on a boring afternoon, I have nothing better to do, then I borrowed my friend's Canon.... I was playing with it until it shoots .... well .... messy..... lots of stuff ..... then I realised playing with that piece of equipment is kinda fun. However I cannot get used to it.

Then about a few months later, another friend was playing with his Nikon F4, I borrowed it and start to play with it again, still like it, but still cannot get used to it.....

Then another few months later, another friend was taking pictures with his Minolta 7000i, I borrowed his 7000i and used it, it was fun, it was just the right size, it can aim very well ....... it was obsolated ;P ......

So I went down to Fotoguide to try to get a set of Minolta 500si from Nelson, he advised me against it and introduced to me 700si instead ..... from that day onwards, I am playing with my own 700si, I love it so much until I sold it a few months ago ..... now waiting for a Minolta DSLR.....

The End :bsmilie:

 

[Stefen]

8 : knew my father interested in photography. he showed me his Nikon F2, I thought it belonged to the dustbin

10-15 : used olympus zoom p&s. nothing spectacular, but child hood shots are still the best

15 : used camera to mount ophir. first outdoor shoot, and thought kodak negatives the best cos the box is yellow

18 : brought nikon zoom (found it left behind by some poor soul for free at airport :bsmilie: :nono: )to australia. didn't realise how ugly my shots looked.

18 : lost my nikon zoom

19 : europe, with nikon p&s. went to 7 countries, and when I came back, the shots were so horrigible that i decided to learn photography

20 : joined a pro photographer as a camera assistant. bought f60 with my first month's pay

20 : start taking landscape photography

22 : went to europe, nepal (twice), tibet, nz) shots were always seen by my old boss for critique

22 : serious foray into slides, projectors, dry box. bought contax t3, tamron 24-135 lens for my nikon. started having photo exhibitions in libraries

23 : mountaineering and photography ... big plans

still think the F2 belongs to the dustbin :devil: too heavy for my style of photography

 

[Clown]

<10 : dismantled cameras at home for fun

somtime between 10-12 : dismantled my uncle's/grandfather's F3 and leica (ooops) luckily these kinda cameras can be put back together given my granddad's skill.

15-21 : got influenced to start using the cameras to take photos instead of dismantling them by one of my closest friend. taught me using FM2.

now : heh heh heh....

 

[tush]

For me:
Learnt to use manual cams. in sec school (Pentax K1000)
Borrowed cams: Pentax, Yashica, Nikon, Minolta
JC: Saved up by giving tuitions. Bought Canon 1000Fn.
Uni: Still using it. Got a Nikon F801.
After uni until now:
Stopped taking for a few years.
Gave the Canon to my gf's nephew.
Got a Canon A20 (digital). gf took it.
Got an FM2. gf took it too cos she loved the feel of the cam.
Using Rollei35.
Just got a pre-owned F3. Use it for travelling. Found out that the cams that I enjoy the most are fully manual ones.

At the moment trying to influence one of my friends to take up photography. Lent him the F801.

 

[RuthBaby]

lolz!!!

i started shooting accident vehicles 4 yrs back... as a surveyor... camera has become my everyday life.. and i love ogling at pretty gals... and yandao guys.. so my camera has never left mi till (dunno when)

started off with a EOS 500, den went on to a point and shoot IXUS 300... Den off with a EOS 300 den my EOS 10D ... LOL..
maybe next yr i will be shooting with a 1Ds?

LOL

hopefully i strike toto soon

 

[Sion]

how did I get started in photography?

Learned how to push exposure button one year old with an empty camera.

 

[Octopuz]

mine is the simplest story liao lor :bsmilie: bought a DSC-P1 about 2 years ago only for snapshots during holidays. replaced it wif a C5050Z december 2003. that's it :bsmilie:

Think my story even shorter than you...
Bought Canon A70 last year (after saving for 1+year by having part-time job in NUS).. Then found about Clubsnap and fall in love with photography..

 

[KNIGHT ONG]

1984 : Borrow friend's camera shoot school chabo :bsmilie:
1985 : Kodak 35mm compact camera
1986 : Nikon F301
1987 : Secondary Scool Photography Club & Athletics Club Chairman :bigeyes:
1988 : Brought Nikon FA and sold F301; Singapore Poly student and became LianHe ZaoBao Student Photographer 1st batch, it is where I started to earn $$$ by publishing photos on the newspaper. During my poly days, I shoot more than studying ... hehehe Luckily still cleared my papers ..
1990 : Brought Nikon F3HP + MD4
1988 - 1991 : Active in salon photography
1991 - 1994 : NSmen
1994 : Brought Nikon FM
1998 : Brought Kodak DC120 digital camera
1999 : Brought Nikon F100
2003 : Nikon D100
2004 : Nikon 70-200mmf2.8G VR IF-ED AFS

1993 - present : wedding and events, etc freelance photographer. This year gotta be a good year ahead ... shoot shoot shoot :lovegrin:

 

[tangoninazero]

HEhehe here mine
From birth to 2001: just shoot around with a simple Ricoh film P&S and polariod and let other shoot me. Had a psychological problem when i will suffer slight anxiety attack while anticipating studio flashes (my head will shake involuntarily! due to bad experience in childhood hehe dun want to mention what is it but its related to flashes :sweat: )

Dec 2002: Got a IXUS V3 :lovegrin: and started to shoot around and began diving into the deep abyss of photography

July 2003: Got CP5700........... :sweatsm: and the rest is history.....

Present: Still learning photography thru books, magazine and self learning.....and looking and reseaching and saving and waiting for my dream DSLR..................... :sweatsm: main subject are street, landscape and school events...............

 

[patch17]

15 years ago first picked up my dad's Pentax ME Super... thought hot dang, this thing's way cool. never got to use it though.

5 years later came to singapore, got a job and bought my own SLR - another Pentax, P30T. shot occasionally. bought another pentax P&S - Espio 928. shot more often, until camera spoilt. will have to fix it one day.

present, got a 2nd hand F801, went nuts, shooting more regularly now. started collecting "old junk" cameras. my dad gave me his ME super, still have my P30T, my wife thinks i'm crazy when i stop and stare at an empty field.

but she still loves me anyway...

 

[OzOn3]

Childhood : Didn't take notice of cameras. Didn't take note of them particularly =x
2002 : Started noticing how "special" portriature photographs are. Why the background blur blur one. Started surfing the web to find out more.
2003 : There was a hype about canon A70.. So i bought it, after much comtemplation
June 2003 : Bought filters and stuffs for my A70.. Macros, NDs.. Very fun cause can achieve different effects!!
Some IT show in 2003 : Felt the EOS 66! Like damn power cause when turn the lens, your image "moves"!! HAA.
Can't remember when, but first SEED meeting i went : SO MANY D/SLRs. Damn steam ar. Haha! =x
Nov 2003: Got a 2nd hand EOS 300. Shiok. Haa.. Then subsequently got EF 50mm f1.8/ Tamron SP 90mm f2.8, speedlight 430ez ( all items on a budget.. ahhaha )
Now : trying out macro/portriat/street.. So interesting! Haa..
Next : Canon DLSR! WAHAHAH! =x

 

[Inimatad]

Ok...long story
Primary 3 - Started with Kodak Instantmatic. The one with the flash cube. Shoot everything that moves.

Sec school - cub reporter in school mag - took pics for school.
JC - Got my hands on classmate's Canon SLR and never wanted to return.

NS - bought myself a Ricoh PNS and took a lot of pictures that shouldn't have.
93 - went to US. Went whitewater rafting - Ricoh fell into the Colorado river. Probably still there today.
97 - went to US again. New Ricoh camera died. Bought Pentax PNS in USA.
98 - came home and bought a Canon EOS88 for gf but I use all the time.
2000 - got a Canon EOS 30 - gift from uncle.
2001 Nov - bought a Sony F505V. Lots of problems
2002 June - Sold 505V and EOS30 to colleague and friend. Replaced by a Sony DSC F707
2003 June - Bought a Sony DSC P2 for wife.
2003 Nov - Wife not happy with P2, bought Minolta Dimage A1
2004 Jan - Not happy with 707 sold off and bought Sony DSC F828.

Now have 4 cameras in dry cabinet. Maybe get a DSLR sometime soon.