What Made You Want To Get Into Photography?

Question

I just thought of this, but I got into photography because...well I just thought it would be cool. Before I got my first SLR, I mostly would sketch, paint and what not. Now, I carry my camera where every I go. It gets kind of bulky, though. Oh, well.

Breasts...?

Annafur: I'm glad you got a camera, since your photography is some of the best I've seen. ALT, too.

Let me just say, I'm glad everyone has a camera. I enjoy seeing everyone's images.

Wow, maybe we can get everyone in the photography section to answer :)

Answer 1

I saw the big white Canon lenses at a sport event when I was more of a kid. Years later I had romantic notions of following Olympiakos or AEK Athens football games around Greece and Europe.........I ended up doing boring real estate images for throw away papers........

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Answer 2

I really have no idea what initially got me interested in photography.....it was just something I always wanted to do. Besides being an Archaeologist, that is.
I was probably around 10 years old when I started begging for my first camera. My parents were shutterbugs, but a far, far cry from having any talent. I do know that we always had National Geographic magazines around the house so that could of been a possible influence.
After 13 years of begging, my father finally broke down and bought me a really nice Minolta 35mm camera set (which almost 20 years later, I STILL use on occasion) and the rest is history!

Answer 3

As a kid, I went all over the American Southwest, Pacific to the Rockies. I usually had little 110's, or really rinkydink 35mm's to document the trip. In high school, I got my dad's 35mm (some no name thing he bought in Korea in late 50's), and had some fun with it, and attended a few classes at the local city college.

A while back, I started doing some exploring again, and used my first digital, just for the fun. The last couple of years, I have started getting a bit more serious about my photos, doing some landscape and nature stuff, portfolio work with models, actors, and various stylists. I have even done a bit of portrait stuff for people wanting to do something different than the everyday sit in front of a paper backdrop portrait set. I have done about a dozen sets for wives and girlfreinds of marines being deployed. I work outdoor mostly, from city streets and parks, warehouse areas, and into the mountains. Mostly its for fun, occasionally for pay, but always for learning.

I like to tinker, so I put together my own lighting and backdrop stands, props, and try lots of different looks. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, but I learn from it.

Kinda got a health thing going on, and photography has kept me sane while I have been off work the last couple of years.

Broke my camera a while back, and if things work out, I will get a new one this next month.

Answer 4

I barely remember NOT being into photography. My dad was an avid amateur photographer and I just picked up his interest. I used to love going into the darkroom with him when I was probably 5 or 6 years old. My brother got a camera when I was that age and I got my first camera when I was 7 or 8. (ahem) I'm 57 now, so it's been a long time.

I think my first attraction to it was the magical ability to take a picture and turn right around and develop the film and make some prints at different enlargements.

Answer 5

Wow that could be a long story but I'll give you the Readers Digest version. I started college on an art scholarship (I was a painter). After awhile I was in Greenwich Village in N.Y. and I saw these starving artists on the street doing paintings that I could never be as good at. I was also taking a photo class and started getting praise for my unusual approach to subjects-kind of how you see images- and the praise boosts your ego to the point where you are convinced this is your destiny. I never thought I was that good but others did! As a sophomore the professor in charge of the art program asked me to teach the photo class and I jumped at the chance. So I've been hooked ever since and have done the full circle from being a photographer for $$ to being a teacher again-but now I do it for the love of the art and to help talented people like you- without charge. joe

Answer 6

I wanted to be an artist like my grandmother but realized I couldn't draw.

I went to a greenhouse with my Instamatic and tried to capture bees on the flowers. When I processed the blurry mess I realized I needed to learn about better cameras and bought a 35mm (SRT-101). I was a fine arts major.

Two friends taught me darkroom work.

Ten years of office and lab work, with photography as a hobby drove me nuts...I took the big leap, became a pro photographer and that was over 30 years ago.

Answer 7

National Geographic Magazine.

As I flip through those pages, I wonder, I marvel, I gaze. How I wish that I could see one of these and press the shutter! I always aspire to reach that level of excellence! Not even close yet though, but I'll keep trying, because that's what photography is all about!

Answer 8

I hope to get really into photography someday. I've taken basic photography courses as part of my graphic design degree but it was very, very basic and mostly focused on getting product shots to clip out in photoshop later.

I really enjoy perusing the photography section of Yahoo answers, though. Some of you are extremely talented. When I need product shots in the future I definitely plan on just hiring someone to take them for me ;)

Answer 9

Nothing really made me want to get into photography.
I just had an interest in it.
And took a couple of photos, and had entered them into a contest and came out with a best of category and some first prize ribbons, so I decided to persue it and my Pop (grandpa) helped me along with it.

Answer 10

well, for me, i really just like the whole idea of it...being able to look back on something that was important to you for whatever reason.

i'd have to say what made me get into it in the first place was one of the first concerts i went to. i took a ridiculous amount of pictures and looked back at them and it kind of all clicked. it seemed like such an awesome thing to be able to look back at them and be like "ah! that was during that song!" and stuff like that.

since then, i've opened up to so many other aspects of photography. i know what you mean about carrying your camera with you everywhere you go, i do that too! an SLR can be a bit bulky, but it's definitely worth it when you look back at all the moments you've captured!

Answer 11

I'm in to photography, but not as much as I'd like to be. I lack the skill and knowledge about lenses, apertures, focus , and all that technical stuff. But I love to take pics and i love different kinds of cameras. (Father-in-law surprised me with a great Vintage polaroid.) Wish I knew more.