blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire

Well this could be a very long post, but, I will not go there. Lets just say all my friends think I was born with a camera in my hand. I have a camera with me at all times. I am not a pro but do sell an occasional print here and there. I always thought when I retired I would go pro. I am now 74 and stil working so that doesn't look good. I primarily shoot with a Nikon DSLR full frame (I try to keep up with the equipment) I still have a darkroom in my house, however unused these days. I have shot with everything from a cheap Kodak camera to a speed graphic 4x5 still have many of the darkroom accessories for that monster. These days I keep a point and shoot with me at work for events here and of course most of us have that smart phone with the camera built in for Johnny on the spot photos.

I have attended photographic schools and have taken several workshops over the years because you can never learn too much.

I love photographs and will most likely do it until I pass away. My kids will have a huge collection of photos from the past 6 decades. LOL

My favorite subjects are landscapes, seascapes, people especially babies, children and females, not in any particular order... Oh and of course Racing, cars, motorcycles, boats, fishing, politicians, and travels.

I guess I will shoot just about anything that interest me, because it is fun and I get to share my work with friends and family...

Sorry it was longer than I wanted but still shorter than it could have been :-)

Bob

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

As a devoted amateur, I do enjoy taking photos. Having the best equipment equipment is not my most important item but having equipment to help me make the best capture possible is. I love shooting outdoors, nature, scenic and architecture. I also do shoot tennis for it is a sport I do enjoy. Being able to take my photos to my computer to enhance them as I used to do with my darkroom. Seeing the final product is in many cases just awesome. Overall, photography helps me to relax along with my other hobbies of genealogy, cooking, reading and scroll sawing.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Welcome to UHH! Good thread, getting some interesting discussion.

I love the feeling of "discovering" a subject to photograph, trying to capture it from different vantage points, and having it come out the way I envisioned. I also love the rush I get from realizing that the light is especially beautiful and being able to capture it. Sometimes light is changing rapidly, so I will wait until it is as close to perfect as possible before hitting the shutter button. The combination of subject, environment, and light will never be exactly the same as it was at that particular instant, and it is exciting when I have been able to be there as a witness and to record it!

As for post processing, it is generally an important part of bringing the photo along to mesh with your vision. The camera does not "see" the same as we do. It tends to average the light, and while what we saw is in there, it has to be pulled out and made clearly visible. When you decide that you want to go beyond the image as shot, and start using editing programs like LR and PS, you will undoubtedly begin to realize you should be shooting in RAW. The .jpg images are nice to look at, but a lot of "information" has been discarded. The RAW images contain all the information captured by the camera, which makes your job of editing a lot easier. And if you later want a .jpg, you can make one from the original or from the edited version!

marty wild Loc: England

The most important part of photography for me, is not moning about carrying my kit bag, when I'm out. But when I do! I will take my phone.

chevman Loc: Matthews, North Carolina

Hey, snfapm1983, I think I'm a little like you! I'm doing this just for fun and also so I can keep learning. If you're just starting out like me I wouldn't worry to much about PhotoShop at least yet. But I would get LightRoom 6 the one you can own. And no it doesn't update chances are if your in it just for fun you may not even need it to update. But LightRoom6 does just about everything you need to get the photos you take look just right for printing and sharing. And I would take the photos in RAW. Why? Because you can easily fix them in LR if you find a shot that is underexposed or over, and what if the white balance is off because you may have had the camera set for tungston while you were shooting in sunlight. Easy to fix in LightRoom, right in the Library Module most of the time. The best advise I have recieved from photographers is shoot in MANUAL mood, by doing so you will learn your camera and what it takes to take a good picture. Yes you will take lots of bad pictures but that's how you and I learn and another reason for getting LightRoom is because it tells you all of the pertinent information about each shot. Such as shutter speed the aperture setting what lens focal length, etc. I hope you will have fun.
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Jerry in NC

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

To me the most important thing is knowledge. The knowledge to make the best image I can regardless of equipment. The knowledge of how to compose, what settings to use, how to use the best available light and to be able to work the scene in order to get the best image I can.

Some times I am smart and other times not so much.

Don

14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio

All of the above! Great start, enjoy the hog, welcome.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I have never understood the advantage of a ball head. How is it better than a pan/tilt head?

Dan Downie Loc: Rochester, NY

Thank you, Linda. I enjoyed the article and absolutely loved the photos!

Pkfish Loc: Wilson Wy

What I like about my photography is that I'm looking a things differently. I'm always looking at the light ,movement,colors,patterns etc. I've always been an outdoorsman,hunting ,fishing ,hiking etc. Which I still do , but I almost always have a camera with me these days. I get a big kick out of getting that really cool picture. Being a gear kinda guy that's been fun also and actually having to learn computer skills and processing skills has been fun also. I will say the computer end of this is the most challenging to me.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I've used all kinds of heads.... for me it's just so easy to get to where I want the composition to be with a single adjusting knob. And when I lock it down it's solid.

Islandgal Loc: Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Canada

For me I like to see the ordinary differently!

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

I use photography mainly as a documentation of my travels. Although I do attempt to capture "good" photos in that quest, it is often more important to me that I get a picture than to get a great picture. Many times on a tour I just don't have the time to pick and choose vantage points and work for the optimum composition. I post them to Flickr® so that my family and friends can enjoy my travels, too. (Some of them are physically or financially unable to do their own travels, and some just don't have the free time--I am retired.)

blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire

Totally understand that position. I too do travel photography and many times it is difficult to get that perfect shot. However often while on a trip I will get up before dawn while the better half sleeps and go out and shoot sunrise or even a pool setting that has dramatic lighting and there are not a lot of people around... It's fun...

Bob

LEWISHINE

What is usually most important to me is creating the image I see in my head.... whether it's film or digital, whatever format, doesn't really matter. Get the shot! It's the only thing that counts....