How did you become interested in Photography?

[Gabe]

I think it all started when I was pretty young, maybe eight years old? My father was working at a big department store's warehouse, and he used his employee's five-fingered discount to bring back a point-and-shoot Vivitar or three. I kept one, and it was then that I probably became fascinated by these little boxes that can freeze a magical moment in time forever.

I didn't do much with it till I decided, at 14, on following my lifelong dream to be a film director. I dabbled in photography, read some books, but didn't have any cash to buy an SLR. I wanted to be a fashion photographer, though, by the time I got into film school to pay for my classes, ha!

When I finally got into college, years later, I went back into photography to learn all the lenses, aperture, lighting, yadda-yadda-yadda, for cinematography. I bought me an Olympus P&S zoom, and an issue of American Photo. It had Kate Moss (jeez I love her!) on the cover. Months later, I had a Canon EOS 650 with a 35-70mm, was running up my credit cards to get more gear, and eventually dropped out of school to pursue fashion photography as a career after having shot two or three models.

And the rest of the story gets more complicated, and beyond the scope of this thread, but it's not over yet so that will have to be for some other time ;) The account above is, however, of my humble beginnings.

[Sebastian]

As much as I wanted to work on movie special effects, and as much as I loved studying film, nothing ever held my attention and interest like a great still photo.

That's pretty much it.

[schrackman]

My brother got the gift of drawing, and I never had thought I was the "artisitic" type until about two years ago when I started dabbling in graphic design. About a year and a half ago Penny directed me to this website to view some of her pictures. At that time, I had a Sony DSC S30 P&S digital but I only bought it to take closeup pictures of my metal detector finds and share them on a treasure hunting forum, and also take the occasional vacation picture. I began posting a few pictures on this forum with that camera and quickly got addicted enough (and learned enough) to where I soon bought a Nikon Coolpix 5000. Had that for about a year and then some months ago purchased my Canon DRebel. Not a very long or intersesting story, but I'm stickin' to it.

Ray

[mjs1973]

I don't remember what got me interested in photography. I do remember always having cameras around when I was a kid. The old 110's, the disc cameras, and eventually some 35mm P&S ended up in my hands. I even had a tiny keychain camera that was only about and inch or so square, and it clamped onto a roll of 110 film. I wonder whatever happened to that... Anyway, a few years ago I got a Canon WP-1 35mm P&S free from Marlboro and I ran a ton of film thru it. I eventually got a Rebel G with a couple of kit lenses, and just a few months ago I got my DRebel. I love the idea of capturing little moments in time. I have never thought of myself as an artist or anything even close to it but I have always loved taking pictures. Now that I am actually devoting a lot of time to learning more about photography, it is sooo much more that just taking pictures. I have always found myself looking at everything around me and looking for a great photo opportunity. I just enrolled in a photography class and I'm thinking about getting a certificate in graphic design. Maybe there is an artist in me somewhere after all... I guess I didn't really answer the question did I, oh well.