What Age Were You When You Entered The World Of Photography?

Squidgy Black

Just figured it'd be cool to know how old some of you guys/gals were when you first started snapping away

I may as well start I was 15 (now only 16) when I first started with my bridge camera, I've always liked photography, and finally found some time to start meddling around, and I immediately fell in love with it. I've a Nikon D200, I'm still not exactly 'good' yet, but I'd like to think I'm improving I find it hard to be taken seriously on gig shoots and stuff, older lads tend to think I'm just a spoilt kid with a camera (I've only saved for it for months on end ) and it's hard to get shoots with older bands, so I tend to do younger bands for nothing.

So yeah, rant over, how old were you when you started shooting?

TelePaul

16. She was 28 and a model.

Oh...wait....wrong thread!

alexlyons

About 10. Am 20 now, hard to believe I've spent half my life at it! Have a few from the very beginning but not many. No digital files due to a major loss of data when I was about 13. Digital was tiny back then, but was far more cost effective for a ten year old!

Borderfox

32-33 with a point and shoot from Argos, Pro now

Thecageyone

Have always had a camera of some sort or another since I was about 8 [almost 27 years ago ... gulp!] Of course, what i was doing back then was very simple snap shooting, but I guess developed a love for imagery over the years. Never went anywhere without a camera on me. I think there's still rolls of old film belonging to me from back then in my Mother's!

Only really decided to make it more of a hobby about 3 years back, bought a bridge cam, forced the basics of manual exposure onto myself and haven't used Auto since. now on my 3rd dslr sinc selling that old bridge cam, my xbox 360 and some other bits and bobs to pay for the first one! [which was a Sony A200, moved to a Nikon D200 ... which OP now posses ... and now have a D90 with one lovely lens and 2 alright ones, but getting there]

smelltheglove

Around 9 or 10 with my first point and shoot film camera, 17 when I started digital photography editing 25/26 with first dslr. Started taking odd jobs a year later and been photographing weddings pretty much since then.

magicbastarder

got my first camera around age 18, an OM1n. which i subsequently sold, which was a stupid idea.

Buceph

I was always interested in playing about with my Dad's SLR when I was a teenager. Then I got into College and decided to join the Photo Society. I made a friend there and he had a Canon Powershot point and shoot, but it had manual controls so we'd both head out and about and take turns snapping stuff, this was around 2004. Then the two of us were official RAG week photographers, which was an absolute laugh. Going around nightclubs taking pictures of people. When we posted them on the website the traffic for the next two weeks was immense. After that I started borrowing the Photo Soc's SLR and was practicing with that. Took a good few shots at gigs and student events. However, the friend I was shooting with moved away, and I realised the rest of the society were foreign students or gimps so I fell out of it for a few years.

After years of contemplating photo stuff, last august I decided to get back into it again. Since then, every day I've been reading blogs and forums about photography. This place has been invaluable. And I've bought a few books when I've had some Amazon vouchers.

I still don't have a camera. I'm unemployed and living off my parents so I have no money beyond the cash they give me when I go out once a week. I'm waiting on the social welfare crowd to get back to me so I can head to FAS maybe be able to get on the WPP scheme. I've looked to see if going the film direction would be cheaper, but it's not really and digital has the faster learning curve of instant feedback. First few paychecks are going to be going on a DSLR. I've always liked photography. Going to the Sebastio Salgado exhibition during the Cork Capital of Culture year was an eye opener. This time I'm determined not to let circumstances get the better of me, and I will stick with it.

tl:dr For a year or so in 2004 when I was 19 I snapped away. Stopped for a few years. And have been into it again in a theoretical way since last August when I was 25.

CabanSail

I was about 5 or 6 years old and can remember the first photo I took. It was at the Three Sisters in Katoomba and using an old Box Brownie. The subjects were my parents and brother (then aged about 1 or 2) posed in front of the view of the Grose Valley. It took ages for me to set up and a few trips back and forth from my father. The resulting photo was probably rubbish but I was hooked.

TelePaul wrote: »

16. She was 28 and a model.

Oh...wait....wrong thread!

...... I always thought the letters in your magazine were made up until .......;)

serjical_strike

im 24 now and been at it only about a year.. i always had an interest in photography and never went for it, then when my 5 year contract in the navy came to an end i decided to leave and go to college studying photography and see where i end up.. nearly finished first year now, its going great and its the best decision i ever made

Prenderb

Well I had a Kodak P&S (still do, actually, I think) since early, must have been early teens. Then at 18 I put some birthday money into a Pentax MZ-M, and got a dSLR last year.

Now I just need to work on using them properly :P

kensutz

5 or 6 started doing Waterford United games with my dad who was the stadium announcer in Kilcohan Park and also photographer for the club. Used to sit up in the gantry with him and he'd shoot for a bit and give me the camera to mess about with. Then after the game they'd go for their post match meal/drinks and he'd shoot the players being presented with their man of the match awards. It died off in my teens for a bit but always had a passing interest.

With illness I wasn't allowed to fly for 6 months in total so invested in an SLR and it snowballed ever since. That was 5-6 years ago if not a bit longer.

stabo

Had a couple of point and shoots when i was 25,got more into it when i got my first dslr at 28. 31 now.

twowheelsonly

Buceph wrote: »

I was always interested in playing about with my Dad's SLR when I was a teenager. Then I got into College and decided to join the Photo Society. I made a friend there and he had a Canon Powershot point and shoot, but it had manual controls so we'd both head out and about and take turns snapping stuff, this was around 2004. Then the two of us were official RAG week photographers, which was an absolute laugh. Going around nightclubs taking pictures of people. When we posted them on the website the traffic for the next two weeks was immense. After that I started borrowing the Photo Soc's SLR and was practicing with that. Took a good few shots at gigs and student events. However, the friend I was shooting with moved away, and I realised the rest of the society were foreign students or gimps so I fell out of it for a few years.

After years of contemplating photo stuff, last august I decided to get back into it again. Since then, every day I've been reading blogs and forums about photography. This place has been invaluable. And I've bought a few books when I've had some Amazon vouchers.

I still don't have a camera. I'm unemployed and living off my parents so I have no money beyond the cash they give me when I go out once a week. I'm waiting on the social welfare crowd to get back to me so I can head to FAS maybe be able to get on the WPP scheme. I've looked to see if going the film direction would be cheaper, but it's not really and digital has the faster learning curve of instant feedback. First few paychecks are going to be going on a DSLR. I've always liked photography. Going to the Sebastio Salgado exhibition during the Cork Capital of Culture year was an eye opener. This time I'm determined not to let circumstances get the better of me, and I will stick with it.

tl:dr For a year or so in 2004 when I was 19 I snapped away. Stopped for a few years. And have been into it again in a theoretical way since last August when I was 25.

Where are you based Buceph?
Given your interest and enthusiasm I may be able to dig out a D40 for you to mess around with if you're local to me. I'm in Cork BTW. Let me know asap.
D.

Edit; PM Sent..

superflyninja

Not sure ive stepped foot in it yet

oldyouth

I was 19, stayed for about 10 years, now back in the digital era at 48.

You young 'uns have i so much easier these days

Freddie59

Have had a camera in some shape or form since I was 12 (51 now). Had a Konica SLR in the late 80s for a while, then a Pentax SLR in the early 90s. Then a film P&S Canon until 2000, when I was given an Olympus c2020Z in work, then bought a Fuji S5000 in 2004, until finally taking the plunge from auto into Manual with an Eos 450D in 2008. Now have a 40D.

The Snipe

kensutz wrote: »

5 or 6 started doing Waterford United games with my dad who was the stadium announcer in Kilcohan Park and also photographer for the club. Used to sit up in the gantry with him and he'd shoot for a bit and give me the camera to mess about with. Then after the game they'd go for their post match meal/drinks and he'd shoot the players being presented with their man of the match awards. It died off in my teens for a bit but always had a passing interest.

With illness I wasn't allowed to fly for 6 months in total so invested in an SLR and it snowballed ever since. That was 5-6 years ago if not a bit longer.

And look at him now..


Idn't he beautiful? And look! So is Ken.. Somewhat

Me? Well Started about 3 years ago at the age of 14, messing around with P&S's and an old Fuji SLR in school, then about 2 years ago I got a Samsung Bridge camera, which I used an hell of a lot, then last year after I finally picked up some form of income in a job (few hours a week but saved like hell), and got my first DSLR, a second hand Canon 400D - I've still only got that the 18-55 Kit, an 18-200 Sigma and a 50mm 1.8 and 3rd party B-Grip but still I get by with what I have, but I also picked up a Canon 580 EX II, because I wanted an off camera flash, and they didn't have any 430's in stock, so I decided I might aswell spend big and keep it because I'm gonna be sticking with Photography! So now I'm saving again, looking to get a 7D and a 24-70. And thats my story!

kensutz

Jaysus, stalkers left right and center :-) The pic you saw on Facebook is better

zerohamster

I was about 17 getting my first point and shoot, a fuji finepix A380 which I shot with for about 2 years before losing interest because of the limitations of the camera and what I wanted to shoot.
Then when I was 20 I got a 1000D and near christmas 2009 upgraded to a 500D plus better lenses which Ive been shooting with since (nearly 22).

The Snipe

kensutz wrote: »

Jaysus, stalkers left right and center :-) The pic you saw on Facebook is better

Aye thats true, thats true. But this one was actually titled: "Dear Santa..." which is making me think, are you going to take his photo, or did you turn your "Canon" into a "Cannon!"

.Longshanks.

Had a 8 year old point and shoot up until January 2009.....was still 28 back then

charybdis

I've been interested in photography for some time. I got my first ever camera (a Pentax P&S) for some very early birthday (I don't remember which). After that I used my Dad's SLR so often that he bought me a Canon EOS 500N for my 12th or 13th birthday. I used that not as frequently as I should have then became mired in the the early years (2003-ish) of consumer digital photography with a couple of ridiculously crap digital P&S cameras because for some reason crap images that were convenient to view seemed preferable to quality images that required a bit more effort.

After several years of meaning to invest in a DSLR (including a trip to Iceland using a borrowed 20D that really hardened my resolve) I finally bought one in Japan in 2008 at the age of 22.

Currently 24 and involved in a slow gear & book acquisition death march.

daycent

I was the grand old age of 27. Jumped right in with a Canon 450D after getting a lend of a bridge camera. Closest I ever came to owning a camera before that was a cameraphone, but I don't think that counts. Especially with the quality of them back then!

NooSixty

The first time I seriously used a camera was Christmas holidays '09 when I had a Nikon D1 loaned to me, so I would have been 26, 27 now.

humberklog

38 and a half.

Cakes.

I played around with my cousins bridge camera at a party one day last year and thought it was cool then came onto boards and came into the photography section and seen the stunning photos people we're posting and wanted to try it. I then hounded my mam for a few weeks before Christmas and she bought me a Canon 1000d from Santy :P I'm 14

Thecageyone

oldyouth wrote: »

I was 19, stayed for about 10 years, now back in the digital era at 48.

You young 'uns have i so much easier these days

I had to make do with crappy Agfa p&s film cams as a kid! Would love to be 10 now! even the iphone takes better pictures

AnimalRights

43, Im 46 now.

Squidgy Black

I think if I manage to get a wee job, I'll delve into a bit of film, can't be that bad aye?

How long did it take you guys to reach an 'acceptable' standard? I've taken some half decent shots, but for the equipment I've managed somehow to get, I don't think they're good enough. I've yet to do any courses, I think I could benefit from one

Thecageyone

Just wondering, those of you saying a few years or so ... surely you had some form of camera through the years? Ok, you might not have been bothered, and not exactly doing what we deem photography, but some of you might have loved cameras way back then just ... forgot?

I know the artist in me was always fascinated by photography, but it was so expensive, and I was so poor, to be brutally honest. I remember when asked in school to give 3 choices for what I wanted to be, photographer was always one of the choices. Can't see me ever being a cartoonist or "lorry driver" so ambitious I was ...

NooSixty

To be completely honest I don't really remember ( I can barely remember what I did yesterday ) but I guess I did have a few cameras growing up but was not something I could afford.

I was never really aware what a camera could actually capture until my sister met her husband and even then it was wasn't till I met the person who loaned me the D1 that it fully hit home how amazing photography could be. It still took a year to pick up the camera with the view to make a serious effort.

pete4130

I could say since I was 4 years old, my first memory of having a camera in my hand, but I won't because it would be a lie. I first thought about getting a camera and taking good pictures in April 1999. It was many years before I took good pictures....there were no internet forums or cheap affordable digital to see your instant results.

I know this will probably sound elitist but I do think people who have an analogue background have had to learn things the hard way and have a better appreciation about understanding photography. Having a camera doesn't make you a photographer.

I think the majority of people over the years has a had a camera, taken some pictures at some point since they were a kid. I don't think that really counts for 99% of people, unless they feel it needs to count.

I've been making toast since I was a kid, and really enjoying the toast I've made but I'm no means a chef, even though I knew how to manually set the timer on the toaster (I'm eating toast right now so hence the analogy).

I think the cost of photography in past with analogue mediums were very off putting to people. Back in the day it was buy film, put roll through, get prints....with no control over any of the process unless you went to a pro lab.....which entailed more money. Digital is as great as it is a curse.

Thecageyone

I don't think chefs would count making toast as anything close to cooking pete.

Whereas having an actual camera, and doing more than taking mere 'snap shots' with it, even as a kid, could be deemed a step towards photography.

I love cooking btw. Toast wouldn't be a specialty.

I have a film background, obviously. I'm so glad digital came along. I like to see my results soon as! that, is the difference for me.

daycent

Thecageyone wrote: »

Just wondering, those of you saying a few years or so ... surely you had some form of camera through the years? Ok, you might not have been bothered, and not exactly doing what we deem photography, but some of you might have loved cameras way back then just ... forgot?

Not me anyway. I think that photography was in the back of my mind for a long time as something that I could be interested in, but I never knew much about it or pursued it. I was always creative growing up, but put my energies into music mainly, and even pursued music as a career for a while. But the only camera I ever had was the sh*tty ones in phones (unlike the gazillion megapixel ones now).

The first time I paid any attention to photography was about 3 years ago when I saw one of my friend's "milky water" landscape shots. I was like "wow, real people can take photos like that??!". Not too long after that, the same friend gave me a loan of a bridge camera when I was heading on a trip across America, and from then on I was hooked.

woody_2000

When I was about 15, and at school, I bought a used manual film SLR in practically as new condition on "layaway" with a camera shop. I kept it for about six months and then traded it in, with cash, for a quicker used aperture priority SLR - in slightly more used condition. I never used anything more than a standard prime lens. I had a few photo magazines, and I mainly used my photography time trying out the various photographic techniques in these magazines - and to rather good effect. My accessories extended to a Cokin filter holder with one or two creative filters, and a rubber lens hood. I never really did much more than that because the logistics, and costs, associated with film photography were not really feasible for me - but this was my first real introduction to the world of photography. This latter camera then sat in a drawer, unused, for many years before I eventually sold it - and I hardly ever used a camera since my initial foray into photography. I never had, or probably even used, a camera since then (unspecified temporal gap :rolleyes:) until 2003 when I came across a reasonably priced discounted Nikon Coolpix 2000 digital compact in a Currys store, which I bought for very practical purposes - as it would slot in neatly with other practical digital facets. I subsequently bought a later model Nikon compact (Coolpix 2200) in the US the following year (the compact size was very important), which I didn't use very much until I installed a trial of Photoshop CS on my computer later that year. During that trial period I took the time to understand all I needed to know about processing, correcting and enhancing digital photographs - including "purist" Photoshop techniques for correcting chromatic aberration, noise reduction - and developing my own particular technique for efficiently correcting barrel distortion using a Photoshop action. I also had Photoshop Elements 2 on my computer, but I didn't particularly like the direction Photoshop Elements took since then with version 3 onwards. I then went doing other things and completely forgot about digital photography once again (and not understanding as to why compact point and shoot digital cameras needed to be any more than 2 or 3 megapixels, and compromising on light sensitivity with higher density sensors - and making up for it with image stabilisation, and then still have rather "muddy" images). Then in 2010 when I was looking at a digital photograph online one day, and the particular character and quality of the image struck me, and got me thinking of getting a good digital camera to explore photography once again. I considered a DSLR but decided against it as the physical size was not practicable for me, as I wanted a good quality take anywhere camera for a particular type of photography I had in mind. With this in mind, and after some research, I decided on a Canon S90 - and I could relate to, and appreciate, the idea of a bigger and lower density sensor in a compact. If the results, and what I learn, justify it - I will then probably consider a fairly good DSLR body at some stage - with a good lens or two. I was thinking of maybe a fairly good mid range DSLR, but if action shots become part of the equation then a more expensive semi-pro body might be a consideration -- but I don't know yet. I have been visiting this photography forum recently, and other photography websites, as part of my exploration of the subject - and it has even been interesting to see people discussing and exploring techniques for the first that I been exploring and trying out for myself on film as a teenager xx years previously... I am now back picking up from my initial foray all those years ago (ok, I'll admit it, the 80s :eek:), in the digital cloud that is the global village - and who would have thought it -- not I, for one - and I did computer science for the Leaving Cert back then... Two of my early/teenage pursuits coming together in the most interesting of ways - maybe it's time...

Borderfox

Thecageyone wrote: »

Just wondering, those of you saying a few years or so ... surely you had some form of camera through the years? Ok, you might not have been bothered, and not exactly doing what we deem photography, but some of you might have loved cameras way back then just ... forgot

Nah, brother was into photography. Canon AE1

dazftw

2004 I was 16, now 22. So roughly 6 years! Only really starting to feel im a competent photographer within the last year or 2.

Started on this bad boy:

aidanic

I had a Kodak disk camera back in the early 80s, followed by a present of a third hand Fuji ST605n manual SLR for doing well in my inter cert. I still have it, and a second ST605n body which I used as recently as October last for some Kodachrome. The first ST605n has a problem with the self timer. I moved mostly to Sigma SA (SA5/SA7) in the mid-90s.

I resisted digital for a long time, and in 2004 finally gave in to a Sigma SD9. To be honest, that was not the best move for me, and in 2008 I picked up a Canon 400D, and late last year moved everything from Sigma SA to Canon EF. The SA film body was sold (for very little) and I got two EOS 30 bodies on eBay.

Ever since the first ST605n, I've done my own film development, and some printing when I got access to a darkroom.

My *cough* fourth decade...

pete4130

Thecageyone wrote: »

I don't think chefs would count making toast as anything close to cooking pete.

That was my point entirely.

Having a camera and being a photographer are mutually exclusive.

I had jam on my toast. Does that help?

OldGoat

Picked up a dSLR a couple of months ago in an effort to prove to myself that you can teach a 49 year old dog some new tricks. So far I'm still at the chewing the lead strap stage.

Promac

Had various compact film cameras from god knows what age but didn't really start doing anything other than snapping until I was 17 (in 1993 ...). I did a course in newspaper journalism which was heavy on the photography and had lots of equipment - some nice Olympus and Nikon SLRs and a really nice 120mm Bronica. We did A2 prints from that thing that would make your eyes bleed they were so sharp.

NakedDex

I honestly can't remember the age, I'd guess around 16-17 years ago, but I remember the first camera. A cheap-and-cheerful Pentax P&S film camera. I'd been dying to get any sort of camera for quite a while before that, since seeing my aunts Instamatic and her AE-1 (I think). I ended up giving it rather light use since it was reasonably rubbish, and I was impatient.

Around 15, I went on a school trip to France. I wanted a camera and ended up buying a Kodak Advantix 4100ix (boy did I punt in the wrong direction there...) since I was sucked in by the ability to take panoramics. That was probably when I started taking interest.
After a while using that, I picked up a Nikon F55, and started to learn things as I went. Went through a few film bodies before going digital, then a couple of digital bodies to now. I regret selling the film bodies now, I've had a serious grá of late to pick up an FM2.

I recently found an Instamatic in my parents loft when I was renovating it. Perfect condition, sitting in a Tupperware box with some old photos. No spools, and obviously no film, so no chance to use it, but it's nice to have the camera that started it all for me really.

rusty_racer94

15, with a point and shoot Argos Camera...17 on 14th Feb..Using a Sony a290 DSLR 18-55mm lens now.

DougL

I started with photography when I was around the age of 12 or 13. My father let me use his Pentax Spotmatic SLR the odd time. I took my first class in photography at the age of 14, and "upgraded" to a Pentax K1000.

I owe my initial interest in photography to my father. From the time I was very little, we'd have slideshows in the sitting room where he would show all of his pictures from my parents travels around Europe before I was born. Great memories.

baby and crumble

Well my dad was a photographer with the NUJ when I was little, and we used to go on camping trips when I was 6 or 7 and that's when he first taught me about aperture and all that jazz. I remember when I was about 8 we went to Athlone and there was some crazy arts festival on and I was so cocky with my dad's big camera that I waltzed right up the front and starting taking pics of all the performers! I remember getting a nice shot of a guy in the middle of a backflip that I was immensely proud of. If I saw it now I'd probably cringe.

Used to help my Dad pick his panels for the IPF award thingies, but never really went beyond that for a long time. Bought myself some nice p&s cameras as time went on then shelled out on a Konica Minolta 5D to take my mind ff things when my Mum passed away about 18 months ago. I loved that camera, but it got stolen soon after. Eventually my Dad took pity on me and gave me his old 10D when he upgraded to a 1Ds. As soon as I get some dosh I'm gonna change, probably to Olympus or Sony. I just prefer them. Dad's a Canon man though, so never look a gift horse in the mouth, eh?

I don't consider myself a photographer, I consider myself a hobbyist who very (VERY!!!!) occasionally gets lucky!

So tl;dr- started when I was about 6 (23 years ago, HOLY COW!) but only got into it properly about 18 months ago.

Buceph

pete4130 wrote: »

That was my point entirely.

Having a camera and being a photographer are mutually exclusive.

I had jam on my toast. Does that help?

I'm not too sure about that. I think the attitude of the person "creating" comes into it as well.

Take a seven year old, they make toast and jam for their mam on mother's day and see she's delighted with it. They decide this cooking lark is alright. With a bit of help they go on to boil an egg and make soldiers for themselves. Tastes nice. They see a few cooking shows on TV where it shows them how to make scrambled eggs and French toast, and off they go. And all of a sudden you have someone really into cooking all because a few neurons flicked when they made a piece of toast.

And I think the cooking/chef comparison is interesting in comparison to photography. Pretty much everyone cooks and/or eats because they have to to survive, but how many treat it as a passion where the put care and devotion into it. Then of those people how many go on to treat it as there careers? Similarly with cameras, I wouldn't know many people who haven't taken a few pictures, either at their communion when they got a camera for the day, or on their camera phone now. How many of them go on to show devotion to the art of snapping. And then from those who do devote themselves to it there's the pro/hobbyist divide.

So I think a lot of it comes down to the attitude of the person performing. Is picture taking simply a rudimentary thing, purely a tool to record friend's events or life's occasions. Or is there a love and dedication to bettering yourself and enjoying the purity of the medium?

When it comes to cooking or photography, starting out running around a field taking pictures of your friends or making toast and jam for your mother could mean completely different things to different people. For some it could be the start of a lifelong indulgence.

honerbright

Always had cameras, I'd say. I still have photos I took when I was 7 or 8, they're rather blurry and of completely random things. I did a 2 week photography elective at intermediate school when I was 11 or 12 and really got into it then, started documenting every little detail of my life. Only had my DSLR for (just under) 2 years, got it for my 21st birthday.

Buceph

twowheelsonly wrote: »

Where are you based Buceph?
Given your interest and enthusiasm I may be able to dig out a D40 for you to mess around with if you're local to me. I'm in Cork BTW. Let me know asap.
D.

Edit; PM Sent..

A huge thank you from me to twowheelsonly. I now have the D40 in my hands, he even drove out to my place to give it to me. I'm looking through guides on how to use it now. And I'll spend the night seeing what buses can bring me to interesting places (or I'll spend tomorrow prowling about town.) I'm delighted.

Thank you, again.

11811

Only really started over the last year, always was keen to take pictures with other peoples cameras and that. Got a 35mm point and shoot Konica when I was about 12 alright, (I think), used about tens times and was then consigned to a junk drawer for some reason!

Just bought my first dSLR yesterday so be getting more into it over the next few weeks!

SO I've only really started at 27/ 28

baby and crumble

Buceph wrote:

A huge thank you from me to twowheelsonly. I now have the D40 in my hands, he even drove out to my place to give it to me. I'm looking through guides on how to use it now. And I'll spend the night seeing what buses can bring me to interesting places (or I'll spend tomorrow prowling about town.) I'm delighted.

Thank you, again.

Ok, I'm just a randomer, but that's so lovely!

Looking forward to seeing some pics!