jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I’ve been at it since I was eight years old. I’m not on any journey nor out to impress anyone with my photos; I just like to fiddle with my equipment and try to keep getting better. If any accolades come along the way, I’m pleased that some folks like what I do. If none do come, well, that’s ok, too. My photographic ego doesn’t get bruised easily. The person I want to impress the most is the guy I see in the mirror. Sometimes I succeed.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

A long history of photography in the family: My Dad was a professional photographer. As a youngster I was sometimes allowed to sit in the darkroom beside him, and I still remember the wonder of seeing Dad project a picture on a white card, then put that white card into a "baking pan" and then see the picture slowly appear on that white card. It was especially exciting when that picture was a portrait of myself, my Mom or one of my brothers (or all of us together).
I was 12 when I was allowed for the first time, to take one of Dad's camera's on a school trip. Good thing I had only the film in the camera (a 36 exposure) and no spares, because I would have filled as many films as I had!
In my teens I rarely took photos as homework had a high priority!
Didn't get my own camera till I was 21, an Agfa Silette.
Now the proud mother of 4 sons, 13 grandkids and 3 great-grandkids, I still can't leave the camera alone. At home, it lives on the coffee table, ready to be grabbed at any time...
When out and about (except for grocery-shopping) it usually hangs over my shoulder, ready to shoot...
I just can't imagine my life without a camera. Or without the pictures I have taken over the years.
It's because of these pictures that my grandkids know as much about the family as they do: we look at the pictures (in albums) together, I tell them the stories that go with them!

Where do I want to go with my photography? I don't really know. As long as the road I'm on right now, keeps open ahead of me, I'll stay on that road, and I may never know what the destination is.

hammond

I had separated from my wife, having been together for 11 years, and living by myself in a former judo dojo that I had converted into a bit of a man-cave, located on the mouth of the Kaifu River in Tokushima, Japan. 300 meters from my bedroom window, one of the most spectacular waves I've ever surfed peeled across a pebble beach sandbar from right-to-left with a plethora of egrets, herons, and black kites fishing in the river-bed. Giant huntsman spiders, preying mantis, and cicadas were everywhere.

I had made a few friends, but as anyone who's ever lived in Japan can tell you, Japanese culture can feel very closed and isolated. I had an old Nikon D70 that had been given to me by a friend years earlier, with a kit lens that maxed out at about 70mm. I wanted to take pictures of the birds and surfers, and realized I'd need something with a lot more zoom, and found a 'like new' Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary. It gave me the reach I wanted, but the auto-focus was relatively slow, and the resolution seemed pretty poor (it was, after all, a 6.1 mpxl camera).

On a day when the surf was firing, I talked with one of the pro photographers who was shooting from the shore, and asked him what I could do to improve my photography. He looked at my D70 and said I should start with a new body. He gave me his FB Messenger account, and over the next week or so, helped me identify a camera that would better fit my interests, according to my budget. I settled on the Nikon D500, and I've been very happy with it since then.

It was so satisfying to get the pictures of birds and surfers that I had envisioned in my mind: whereas I was getting a keeper rate of about 1/10 with the D70, nearly all of my pictures with the D500 were in-focus and I was really excited to share my pictures with the surfers in the community.

From there, I learned to couple my interests with specific lenses:
- for insects: a macro-lens
- for landscapes: a 10-20mm
- for street photography: a 35mm prime

And as I took more pictures and learned more about what my camera could do, I started having visions in my head of images that went beyond what my steadily growing arsenal of equipment could do.

- Time for a tripod.

I admit that I experienced some extreme GAS attacks, but for the most part, am really happy with the collection of gear I accumulated. I'm a bit of a tech-head, and had quite a bit of disposable income with which to travel and buy gear. Photography meshed well with my travel interests, and I found that I could easily spend days on end doing nothing but roaming the streets of a new city taking pictures, or embarking on wandering missions up mountains and river valleys completely engrossed in the process of capturing images.

My next round of purchases would lead to more significant investments:
- An 8-15mm Fisheye, which opened up a whole new world of perspectives
- Two high-end primes (58mm and 105mm)

I'm mostly passed the extreme GAS phase, though I admit, I have my sights set on the D850 and the Nikkor 28mm f1.4 - I think I'll be set at that point, since my next wish-list item would be the Nikkor 200mm f2 : and my wife would never approve that purchase.

For my next phase?
Continued travel with my wife,
and honing my skills on baby photography: yes, we have a daughter on the way, due in June.

Guess it's time to learn more about portrait photography.

In summary: I love the learning process, the tech (gear), the feeling of 'flow state' when taking pictures and post-processing, and most of all: sharing the results with people who appreciate my work.

LeeinNC Loc: Morganton, NC

Two cents for me.

ColoPete

For me, there were two phases of photography separated by several decades, but throughout I found that I most loved capturing fleeting moments in nature. When I was a kid in the 1970s, I had a Kodak Brownie, and then got a “real” camera — a Nikon Nikkormat FTN — as a high school graduation present. I used that through college, shooting mostly landscapes while on backpacking trips, etc. Work and other distractions kept me from photography (had a point and shoot for a while) for a few decades until I got a real DSLR around 2006, a Nikon D5000. Over the years, I have upgraded bodies (D7200, D850) and lenses. I live in a beautiful place and shoot mostly nature (and some outdoor sports), seeking to capture fleeting beauty, whether it be sunrises, wildlife, wildflowers, or alpine scenes. I love the challenge of trying to improve with every shot, as well as trying to capture elusive wildlife. And, I confess to being a bit of a gear head.😄 All in all, I find it very rewarding.

gilpog

I agree with retired CPO. It's an excuse to call myself an "artist" when I can't do anything else in "real" art. My consolation is that I thoroughly enjoy. And, on occasion, I even produce satisfying images. That's enough for me.

jaycoffman Loc: San Diego

Can't sing can't play an instrument can't paint--well you get the picture. Yet I'm pretty visually inclined and I understand the basic elements of photography. I also love to write. So I find fulfillment in taking pictures and writing about them.

rodpark2 Loc: Dallas, Tx

While serving in The Army in Vietnam I felt I could do more good with a camera than a weapon. I've never tired of photography and the internet allows me to share it. I do just about every kind of photography, but traveling and recording nature is my greatest joy. I also teach, and getting good folks together for fun and adventure is the icing on the cake. I'll soon turn 76 and photography has helped to keep me healthy and feeling young.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Caught the bug from my father. He used the bathroom as his darkroom, in the apartment I grew up in. He used a bellows ( don't know the name) 35mm camera. And a wind up Keystone 16mm film movie camera. He also had 1 of the first models ofthe Polaroid Land cameras. I still remember the oos and ahas, at "instant" pictures. My first camera was an Ansco that my sister and I shared. My first (not shared) 35mm camera was a Samoca. I was about 15. Used it untill the Spotmatic. (still have that Ansco). Now I think I shoot for the "art". One of these days I will actually learn how.

Tale Loc: Glasgow, Ky

I was a pressman that printed parts of Pop Photo back in the 70/80's. I would look at the magazine during my breaks and think I would like to try this. So, I started looking around for a person that actually had a 35mm camera for buying advice. I found someone and I bought a Canon FTB and have bought several Canon's since. I used my cameras mainly for sports photography since my son was just starting on the little league football/baseball trail. During this time period I also turned a fallout shelter in my house into a darkroom.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

First of all, I avoid the word, 'shoot'. I make photographs with my serious cameras, and take snapshots with my iPhone. Making photographs is intentional. It involves mental focus, planning, dedicated hardware, and a purpose. Taking snapshots is casual. It involves whipping the iPhone out of my pocket and making a quick record of an event or gathering.

I use photography — intentionally — to communicate. My life's theme is that I take worthy thoughts, and express them with clear words and grounding images to move others to action. My best incarnations of that have been as a corporate AV producer (multi-image shows and video for meetings, workshops, promotions, and training), and as a training content producer (manuals, posters, videos, web seminars, eLearning modules...). Lately, I've helped my twins make some short films.

I use photography — casually — to document family events and outings. I'd rather be "in the moment" as much as I can, rather than thinking about recording it as a photojournalist.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

As an extension of my talents as an artist.

SpyderJan Loc: New Smyrna Beach. FL

Page 4. Great set Rod.

bbrowner Loc: Chapel Hill, NC

It keeps me off the streets at night!