I enjoyed photography growing up. I wasn’t into taking pictures of family gatherings or of summer vacations. I preferred the artistic approach. I would arrange flowers and interesting objects by a window and take black-and-white photos. Outside I would look for natural patterns and textures such as rocks and tree bark. I would vary the camera’s meager settings to see the results.
I got my first SLR as a college graduation present. I purchased a telephoto lens, a set of macro lenses and a UV filter to go with it. I loved the flexibility and picture taking range the camera gave me. I still worked with black-and-white on occasion but I enjoyed color more.
I hung onto my film camera long after dSLRs came on the market. The first time I thought of going digital was after my children and I had traveled to England and shot well over 20 rolls of film. The cost of the film and its processing was a clue that I needed to switch. But no. It would take several more vacations before I would trade in my film camera for a digital.
My first digital camera was a small point-and-shoot Minolta. Very easy to carry and simple to use. After that I went through a progression of more complex dSLR cameras ending up with the micro four thirds Panasonic GH2. Lots of bells and whistles compared to the small Minolta.
It has been great fun learning how to get more out of photography. And one of the best rewards is if I don’t like the picture there is always the delete button.
-Carol
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