canon Lee

Funny how things progress in our lives. I started out taking photos for the joy of it. I never thought I would do it full time and own my own photo business. I am just interested in other stories...

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

I started photography as a hobby at age 15.
I was a part time pro through most of the 80s doing mostly product photography
for the electronics industry where I spent much of my working life.
I'm back to photography being a hobby now at age 75.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

I've been fascinated with cameras since I was a teenager. Never had the nack for composition or taking photo's of people at exactly the right time, all the things you need to do to make money at it but sometimes I get lucky and push the shutter button at the right time. I'm 68 and still fascinated with cameras but always knew I'd never be able to do it full time.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I got interested in photography for two reasons initially. Long ago for reasons I am not sure of I talked my parents in to buying me a Kodak Instamatic 104 Camera (126 film; early to mid-sixties sometime). I used that most of the time then instead of my parents Argus Seventy-Six (620 film camera). But it was not really a hobby or anything then. During the mid-1970s a friend of mine introduced me to darkroom photography at his home. He had a Pentax Spotmatic (which I now own). Then in 1977 my girlfriend was taking a photography class in college and I got more interested then she was and got hooked. 35mm, 2 1/4, 4x5" cameras. I took many photo classes back then too. I bought an Asahi Pentax KM camera w/smc-Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7 lens (the original K-series lenses were being phased out by 1978). In 1979 I dropped out of University for my Biology major but continued taking Community College Photography and Computer classes for fun. By 1980 I had purchased a Second camera that I still have, a pricey Pentax K2 DMD. Has Av AE and Manual. Later during 1980 my parents booted me out for not making further progress on my degree. I of course then needed a job. With help from one of my photo Instructors I found a job at a local (rather famous) museum. They hired me temporarily for a special project. I photographed and printed copy photos of around 10,000 drawing and water color paintings. I shot these with a vintage B&J 8x10" view camera. I worked on this project for over 3 years. After that I worked there in various capacities off and on until 1992. I had many crappy jobs in between and since involving Chemistry.

In 1984 we got married and by then photography had become a hobby. And many additional cameras and lenses and enlargers. During the Nineties I rather lost interest until I bought a Digital P&S around 2005. I did finally finished my Biology degree in 1995 and a teaching credential in 2006. My tag line list my current set of cameras. That is missing a lot of the details obviously.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Started out as a hobby...and still is a hobby...just one that I take very seriously. As a graphic designer by trade, I would never (or very rarely) have to hire out for image acquisition.

Joe Blow

During WWII my mother worked in the photography department of a major weapons manufacturer. Her job was to photograph blueprints and minimize them on microfiche to send to England and to enlarge the microfiche sent from England. In the 1950s, she would take the occasional photo with a Yashica DLR but absolutely refused to use a home developer.

Even today, at 93, Mom can remember how many steps and turns there were into the dark room through the dark tunnel.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Wife wanted a DSLR 4yrs ago. I never took a photo before that. Since then, part time wedding and event photog...

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I know a few women that fit that description. The definition of many professionals, in many spheres of work! Perhaps the question is about what standards they adhere to in their respective disciplines. The women that I know adhere to very high standards!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Started out as a hobby, turned professional for 40 years, now it's a hobby again. And it's better now.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I first picked up a serious camera in 1967. In 1969 I did my first paid job. I haven't stopped yet.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Are we talking about photography...

If you try to make money with your hobby you run the risk of losing your hobby...

Best,
Todd Ferguson

canon Lee

Hi Todd , you may be correct, but for me a hobby turned into a very exciting entrance into business, which I love, but the passion is still there after so many yrs...

jacklewis014

Started 40+ years ago with a Canon TLB which I purchased to coincide with my 1st daughter's birth. Have always been a sports fanatic, played in college. About 10 years ago I started thinking about retiring and wanted to have an alternate income stream. Decided to move beyond snapshot taking to photography, with sports as my primary subject. At that time I had moved into digital with a D70. Living in the Atlanta area, there are many colleges and universities in the area. With few exceptions, if you ask, they will give you access to their sporting venues. I started taking pictures at those events and critiquing myself against pictures I found on-line. I quickly discovered I didn't have the right equipment to do this job. After about four years, upgraded equipment and thousands of pictures taken, I was ready to begin selling my services. I still work in corporate America, but plan to retire in April 2019. Between now and then I will continue to expand my network of contacts and market my services. I stay as busy as I can with my photography given that I still have another job. My hope is to be able to combine my love of sports and photographing sports to generate some extra income in retirement. And encourage my budding 13 year old granddaughter to keep taking pictures and learning - she's really good.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I think there are many more for whom it worked the other way around.

Capn_Dave

Sounds like my Ex