Background

ELJeff

Ok I said i'd try and find out about people life with photography and its nice to know a little about evryone who posts here.

Mainly I'm interested in photography as a career but have a long way to go before that happens but I'd like to know a little about how the people here got into photography, how they got their first professional gig, why they do what they do etc.

Share your story it might be a little fun hearing about each other!

squareballoon

I started out doing a little film photography in college but just as part of a foundation course. When I had children I got back into photography and dusted off my old film slr.There was something about taking photographs with the slr that was so different to the p&s digital cameras that were out at the time.
In 2006 I bought my first dslr and started taking photographs of friends families and it started from there. After a couple of years of that I started looking into the kind of newborn photography that was being done in the U.S and was really interested in giving it a try. At the same time I met up with another family photographer in my area and we decided to try it together. That was late 2009. Since then we've been working really hard to make our mark. In September we joined the IPPA and a couple of weeks ago we were so happy to win two Diamond awards in the IPPA heats.
From here I don't really know. I'd love to be earning a decent wage for what I do but I still have to figure out how to do that.
I also illustrate, design and teach photoshop so my income is supplimented but I'm very glad I don't have to be the main earner with photography.

dirtyghettokid

i'm actually a graphic designer. have been into photography a long time, but only took pics with whatever camera i had. i used to work for a design company around the corner from birminghams in dublin.. i'd pass by there every day on my way home. used to stop to look in the window all the time .. remember seeing a nikon DSLR in there when they first came out and felt bad cos of the price tag haha! it took me another 7 years until i could afford one!
taught myself everything i know, but i am doing a formal course now to get the paper backing. i'm mainly a keen amateur - i've not made a cent off my photos, despite getting several requests. one day?

shellyboo

I'm a noob, to the forum at least Photography's just a hobby for me, been interested in it for ages though. At uni, I was involved in the college paper (ended up editing it after I finished college) and we had a good camera and sometimes needed to take shots for news stories, or filler! As I went on into journalism, I found the same in most publications -- they had an in-house DSLR and if there wasn't a photographer available you had to take your own snaps.

My awesome boyfriend loaned me a bridge camera he had and I loved it, so much so that he bought me my first DSLR for my last birthday. It's been nearly a year and I rarely leave it out of my hand!

For now, it's a hobby and will likely remain so... but I really want to learn and improve!

Rainbowsend

My dad was (and still is at 82) big into photography, so cameras have always featured in my life from a very young age, I have always had a camera, from the age of about 7, so have progressed through box brownie to Nikon d700 over the years, I remember having a bright red Hanimex with a built in flash :eek: very racey! And also remember the little flash cubes, you got four flashes per cube and had to twist the cube round to move onto the next one...lol how things have changed!

Borderfox

Full time pro shooting a lot of different subjects from Horses to Weddings to Corporate, first picture I was paid for was at a Polo match in the Phoenix Park in 2006. I have nearly stopped the Equestrian end of the business and concentrating on Weddings and Corporate. Weddings are pretty self explanatory but the Corporate end of things can vary from single shoots to long projects.

At the moment I am out in a large multi-national in Leixlip shooting environmental portraits of the staff to be printed A1 on acrylic and hung in a corridor. Loving the variety of work but it has taken a long time to become established.

Snowie

My dads a photgrapher Bye trade, and well i was around cameras since i was one as a kid I used to carry some of his gear let me tell you a mamiya and a bunch of kit for a kid is pretty weighty and of course got the day of school and go watch my dad take pictures for the day which was awesome . I was also a model as a baby and kid for lots of stuff ... then when i was 12 I started working for his Image agency as a researcher general dogs body. and also i was in and out of the office a lot so i kept my self entertained looking at pictures.

got a 400D last year, just sold it to put towards my next camera . at the moment I'm being guided bye my old man some other photographers mates who I've known since i was quite young.. Iv done a bit of work as an assistant for weddings with a really creative photographer who's taught me tons about light and how to use it. So At the moment I'm saving for me new camera and lense which i should have after christmas ... Bur i would also like to work with moving footage to... Being honest I never in a month of sundays thought id be saying or writing that id like to work as a photographer.