[jewel]

Hello from Toronto, Canada! I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hello. I am also curious as to who is out there really? Sorry if the post seems a little redundant but it just seems weird talking to a bunch of strangers. Can anyone share a little about themselves. Like how did you all get into the world of photography, what do you all do when your not enjoying photography. Meaning your 9-5 jobs,lol. Where do you all call home, and so on, and so on. I'll share a little about myself for anyone who is interested. I am a stay at home mom of two who really got interested in photography when they were born. I started snapping pictures of them and the bug was planted from that point on,lol. I just can't stop now!!! For the time being I am shooting with a basic SLR camera I bought off of e-bay for 100 dollars. That didn't last long before I wanted a better camera. I can't decide between Canon or Nikon. I think I am leaning towards the Nikon F100. What do you all use out there? I know it's simply a tool but, I"m just curious as too who uses what. I mainly shoot candid shots of people. Young and old, but mostly children because of their innocence. I also like street photograqphy too. I like to just pick up my camera and walk the streets and see what captures my eye. I'd be interested to hear back from you all and see what others are shooting out there. Well there seems to be a wealth of information in the forums, and I am looking forward to sharing and learning with you all.

Regards, Jewel

[Matty]

Hi Jewel!

First question, how did you find us?

My names Matt, im 32 and ive been getting into photography for about 14months, i work for a company manufacturing acoustic diffusors for recording studios etc(the original QRD, not these copies from far audio and whitemark.....)I have 2 kids, a wife, 2 hamsters and 3 cats, though not in the same room.....in my spare time, i dont get out much cos i design and build websites for people for fun!

[Steep]

Names' Hugh, prehistoric, from Scotland. Been a keen photographer for most of my life though not a good one, my favourite areas are landscape and still life. My main ambition is to take a landscape shot where the sun is out and it's not raining

[digitalfailure]

Hello there

Where do i start?

32 and have had a camera of some description or another since being in single figures.......now now you lot, just because I own them, it doesn't mean I have to use them :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Photography is a hoby for me, which is a good job because i'd never manage to pay the mortgage with my snapping skills.

My other hobbies include cars and motorsports which usually form a basis for my snapping.

[dod]

Real names George, real life nickname is dod, aged 41 going on 18, lifes too short to be serious . Married with no kids, couple of horses, three dogs two cats. L

Run a couple of a businesses from Inverness, relax by messing about with PC's, occasional mountain biking, and a rekindled interest in photography. As far as kit's concerned a Canon 10D, a few lenses, don't really have a favourite subject, that's probably why I never get good at any of it.

Just wondering why nowadays you're looking at 35mm instead of digital?? As far as the F100's concerned it's a fine camera. The only thing which put me off the Nikon system when I went for a DSLR was the cost of accessories, even worse than Canon.

[jewel]

Thanks everyone who gave me a warm welcome. To answer a few of your questions, I first found this site on a google search Mark. Is it supposed to be hard to find,lol? As for staying with film George and not entering the world of digital. Frankly I don't understand it all. Forgive me for being an idiot,lol. I also thought it was more expensive as well. Maybe I"m a fool not to dive in and take advantage of digital, I don't know. It just intimidates me that's all. Does that make sense or is that just being niave? Also I thought it took alot of time in front of the computer. Time isn't something I have alot of with two small kids. I barely have time to get out and take the pictures, let alone sitting on my computer as well. If I"m wrong please correct me on this. So do any of the members on this site ever get together to learn from one another or is everyone spread out too far for that? I know of another site where the members get together regularly. One more question before I go, how old is this site?
Regards, Jewel

[Digital SPG]

This site is just a baby. A couple of months if that. I think many of us have come from different forums that the Admin were all ready members on. Always nice to see a new face though.

I am from Kent which is in the far south east of England. I live about 30 Miles from London. I have been interested in photography for as long as i can remember but it has really taken off with the advent of digital. Used to do quite a bit with a film SLR but got fed up with getting 3 or 4 good prints out of a roll. Plus I get impatient waiting for them to be developed. I love the freedom of digital and the ability to alter and adjust the photos after taking them.

Don't be afraid of digital. There is very little difference between the two mediums. Much of the photo editing software on the market is very easy to use and you will be supprised at what you can acheive.

[Matty]

As Steve(digital spg) says, we are but a couple of months old, we have members in the northwest of england and the southeast who are close together and are likely to meet up, Digital SPG lives about 5 miles from me, ive avoided him for the last couple of years but im running out of excuses!

Google is a great place to find us, shows that the Metatags are working!

Image editing can take a long time if you shoot in raw, but if your really good and shoot in jpg, they go straight to print, lol

I dont have time either really, but without digital i wouldnt be here, i wouldnt have taken up photography and wouldnt have had images published!

[Liberalis]

Welcome Jewel.

I'm Kris, 30 years old, and living on the Isle of Man, a small island in the middle of the Irish sea, or as the locals call it "70,000 alcholics clinging to a rock" lol

I am a kept man, the girlfriend earns plenty for me to share, but when I'm not doing housework or out taking photos, I work for the local ferry company for a couple of hours every day as a ropeman, in other words I tie up the boat when it comes in ... easy work, but slightly dangerous ... ohhh makes me sound manly!, lol

My photography interest comes from boredom, I was wandering through town trying to find something to buy, so I bought a Minolta Dynax 5, then caught the digital bug by getting a Minolta Dimage 7i, I understand what you mean about taking a leap into unfamilier formats ... I still have not had the guts to buy anything from Ebay.

Now I shoot with a couple of Canon's and a few lenses, I've had a few things published, which I'm very proud of, it would'nt pay the bills, but buys the occasional new toy. Motorsport and child portraits are my greatest interest, hmmm, maybe I could mix the two?

I hope that even though you dont have the desire to edit your images on the computer, I hope you scan some prints so we can all share your interest.

Kind regards

Kris aka Liberalis.

[Matty]

yeah Kris mix it, toddlers driving rally cars.....

[dlh]

Little old me picked up my first SLR some 20 years ago, unfortunately it was my fathers and I managed to break his telephoto zoom after only a couple of days away with it :lol:

I've only now (the last 3 months) decided to try my hand again by jumping in with a dSLR. The idea was to get me away from the computer (I work in IT and played MMORPGs in all my spare time) and out in the fresh air. Well it's still a little cold to venture out :roll: but I've managed to kick the MMORPG habit :lol:

[pawtrait]

Ex-Brit living in the Fingerlakes region of NY. Having owned and operated canon 35mm for 20+ years, moved to digital in '98 - Canon is costing me a fortune.

Photograph people, pets, landscapes and events. Outside of photography love to cook, also work in a school 9-5 (well 7:30 to 4:30).


Paul

[Matty]

Welcome Pawtrait, good work on your site!

Where abouts in the UK are you from originally?

[Arkady]

My name's Rob, I'm 42 (no-ooooo - I'm only 26 surely!!!!) and I'm a professional photographer for the MoD. Currently employed by the Army as the Team Phot for the Defence Media Operations Group based in Uxbridge near London.
We deploy all around the world with the UK Armed Forces and provide stills and ENG (video) to the civilian news agencies.
My images go out to PA, Reuters and Getty Images, thus ensuring world-wide coverage.
I've been taking photos since my granddad gave me a Pentax Spotmatic (which my mother now holds onto for safe-keeping) when I was 12 years old.
I now use digital exclusively for my work, using NIKON D1x cameras (soon to be replaced with D2x's), but still have most of my film cameras, including a pair of Leica M6's and a couple of Nikons - F5 and FM2.

If you're buying digital, I'd say go for the Canon EOS system as the metering and auto-focus is superb (though the D2x may change all of that), but for film, you still can't beat Nikon.

Lots of my work now on the Gallery Pages.

[pawtrait]

Originally Posted by EosD

Welcome Pawtrait, good work on your site!

Where abouts in the UK are you from originally?

Thanks, was born in Boston and lived in Wakefield for a while (went to school there) Was living in SHrewsbury before I moved over here.

[jewel]

Hey, I"m glad to see that a few of you replied back. I love to hear what people are doing when their not enjoying photography. Lots of different interesting people I see. That's great. Thank you, jewel.

[effyman]

Hi, I'm Brian, and am not too far from you - Buffalo, NY. I'm an architect here, and have been into photography since high school. Now I have a canon 10d digital slr, and still find it a little intimidating compaired to what I find is the simplicity of film.

I've come here from another forum, where I knew some of the admins & members (and I highly valued all of their input on photography as well as other subjects).

And pawtrait, I grew up even closer to where you are now (Rochester) and I used to spend all of my childhood summers on or near Seneca Lake and the canal. Small world, eh?

Oh, and one more thing... I guess this would be my formal "Hi, how ya doing" too, even though I've been lurking around for a week or so, and I already know some of you (and your work).

[Matty]

Your more than welcome here Effyman! Nice to see you