How long have you been doing photography for? (dated 20/02/11)

[JayM]

Just got my first camera in late June of last year.

Ever since I was a kid I was attracted to it but never took it up. I was injured last summer and my family was visiting both of which prevented me from training for a while. Seemed like a perfect time to get a camera 🙂

 

[acheyj]

Box brownie 1944, started contact printing 1945, Voigtlander 120 Bessa 1946 then a Voigtlander Brilliant. Guns Cars Girls in that order, but still the infection of cameras remained.

ron

 

[defektive]

Seriously picked it up May last year when I bought a Pentax K-7 and many lenses since. Great system but unfortunately they had to go to make the rangefinder move, I hope I'm not disappointed. I know the gear is top notch but I won't have used a rangefinder camera before my M8 arrives next week (hopefully).

Before the Pentax I had a second hand film Minolta SLR given to me by my sister with a 35-105 zoom. It ended up sitting on the shelf due to the hassles and cost of colour film development so the move to digital was made and it has become much more of a hobby (or obsession my wife would say) since.

 

[Joosep]

Filled my first roll when I was 9. Got my first camera when I was 12.
I am 21 right now.... Damn Im young

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Started with a Russian made TLR when I was 7 or 8, over 30 years ago.

 

[Teuthida]

Started in 1971 as a 12 y/o. Built my own darkroom. Went to New School in NYC late teens. subsequently studied in Paris. 40 years.

 

[rudolf]

Wow, I didn't think RFF's users are so... mature 🙂

Guys, now I know why I like to read this forum so much - I just sense experience not only in field of photography, but of life as well.
Thanks for that 🙂

 

[jippiejee]

When I was a 15yo kid, I won an essay contest. A trip to South Africa. I borrowed an Olympus Pen and then the neurotic habit of documenting my life and everything in it had begun. But it's only been since the web and all its forums, that I realized this has been a hobby of mine. I never really thought about the fact I always had a camera on me before. It's been 30 years now. And got more and more expensive... since the web also taught me my lenses were no good. :/

 

[Asim]

My 2 Year Old Photographer

So I just took a slide photo of my 2 year old tinkering with my Rollei and Pentax LX. He loves looking through the Rollei waist level finder and winding the LX. He even takes a meter reading with my handheld gossen digisix (which is his now), then turns the shutter knob on the LX, advances the film, puts the camera up to his face (he doesn't actually look through the viewfinder just yet), and releases the shutter. So I wonder if it's in his genes even though he's just following my footsteps?!

He's even got a viewmaster camera toy in his stroller. When we are outdoors he pulls it out and 'takes photos' of things that interest him.

Does he qualify as someone who started photography at age 2 and has been doing it for less than a year? I hope he can view the slide photo of himself shooting with the Rollei and LX years from now and proudly say that that's when he started photography. 🙂

 

[dabick42]

My very first camera was a Nikon F bought new tax free in Singapore in 1963, when I was a 21 year old RAF airman. It scared the hell out of me until I eventually mastered the basics of photography and could use it with confidence.
I still have it ; the camera itself still works perfectly, although the Photomic head has become erratic and untrustworthy as they're prone to do. I have since given a home to 4 other 'F's and numerous Nikon lenses, and they get a periodic airing along with my Leica, Voigtlander and Rollei TLR cameras.
If I'd known at the start that photography and cameras could become so addictive, I sometimes think I should never have started... !!

 

[nighstar]

it's hard to say.... i got my first camera, a film P&S, when i was in high school (2002?) but didn't really think seriously about photography until 2004 after taking the first photo that i really really loved. didn't get my first serious camera (a Canon Digital Rebel XT) until 2006 but even having a DSLR i didn't seriously strive to improve my photography until around 2008~2009.... i've grown most as a "photographer" (i still hesitate to even call myself that) in the past 2~3 years.

*shrugs*

 

[mynikonf2]

Man, there's a bunch of us long-timers... 😀

 

[imagist]

My first weekend job was cleaning a commercial photo studio in 1960; at age 14. Worked there every Saturday and full time during the summers until 1966 (or maybe 67).

 

[ForteXIV]

Bought my first serious camera (canon dslr) early this year. Learnt about rangefinders along the track and got my first film RF a few months ago and the dslr has since been collecting dust.

Looking at the results I seem to be quite inexperienced indeed 😛

 

[cjbecker]

started at about 9 with my uncles fe kit. Then got a few digitals along with a 500cm. Sold all the digitals. Now shooting with a rolleicord/older arca swiss. Still have a blad but don’t shoot it.

Not too bad, as i’m only 21, so im been shooting for more then half my life.

 

[OldNick]

Flash Brownie, 1951, Leica IIIa, 1952. Almost 60 years!

Jim N.

 

[Dirk]

35 years now. I got started in 1976 when when I went abroad to live and attend school in Ecuador for a year. Needed a camera and got a Porst 1000 something or another (a German store brand Mamiya 1000) with an Asahi Pentax Super Takumar 55mm 1.8. All manual camera. I didn't know what I was doing, but was hooked for life.

 

[BobYIL]

As of this year, it was a wonderful half-a-century and I think I will be doing the same as long as I am able to use a camera 😀 .

 

[Doug]

Lots of very experienced photographers! It was 1963 that I got seriously interested in photography with a 35mm Regula, influenced by a co-worker.

 

[Mat01]

42 years for me. 1st camera was used Zorki 4 + Jupiter 8 and I still use it from time to time.