how long have u been shooting?

[photobum]

Being a film photographer forces you to make wise decisions, especially when you start photography with large or medium format.

I started photography with medium format, then 35mm, followed by large format.

Old habits die hard. I still think 2, 3 or 4 times before clicking the shutter on my Canon EOS-1Ds Mk2.

 

[Stratix]

had been shooting seriously only after April 2006. well. cant consider myself good, but i guess the most important thing is to be contented with what you shoot, and improve from there.

my shots are mostly in my dA gallery in my sig. not very good kinda pictures i must say, but at least, i find that good enough for my own eyes. =)

 

[VR2]

started somewhere ard oct 05'
jumped straight into DSLR w/o any knowledge to it.
been learning and reading through internet, google, clubsnap, books and advices from fren..
lik wat others always say, shoot more, review. and dats where i learn..
fun and expensive learning process.. haha.. now trying to restist the virus..

 

[Stoned]

May 04. Mostly a film user till Feb 05. The steep learning curve of film helped catapult me farther along the line than if I had started with digital. I still keep a lot of good "film habits" such as shot conservation. Believe it or not, i can go on holiday for 1 week and come back with 50-60 photos only, even on digital. I'm quite anal with what I shoot.

 

[photobum]

...I'm quite anal with what I shoot.

I can relate your feelings. :bsmilie:

 

[Michael]

I started to use my dad's Canon AE-1 in the late seventies, moved on (or back) to use his old Voigtlander SLR. The Voigtlander was a fully manual camera without lightmeter, thought me a lot about measuring light, looking at light and how to set up things. The longer process made me look more in detail at the situation. A great thing to start out photography. My mother's 6x6 Rolleicord help a lot as well, again all manual, no light meter, slowing down things giving you time to compose and think about the photo you are about to take.
Bought the Nikon F-801 in the late eighties and a Leica IIIf 1990. Around this time i started also my own darkroom. When the F-801 started to act up in the late nighties replaced it by two Nikon FM2. You see going back to fully manual, again a great learning experience, slow down of working speed, think more.....
To get speed where it is needed i added a F-100 in 2002 and my first digital a Coolpix 950. And for one and a half years now the D-70.
Still i am longing for my manual film cameras, the process is just so much different and there is so much to learn....
Digital was like starting all over again, its different from film and particularly different from B&W film i used to shoot.
After more than 20years of photography i am still learning and discovering every day....

 

[Benjymocha]

Still i am longing for my manual film cameras, the process is just so much different and there is so much to learn....
Digital was like starting all over again, its different from film and particularly different from B&W film i used to shoot.

Started with a Nikon FM10 for almost 5 years in the late '90s... learnt everything from basics... had to think carefully before pressing the shutter button (exposure? composition? worst was: in focus??? *gasp!*). Couldn't see immeadiate results. In the beginning :bheart: most of the time after developing cos of the lousy shots i got. Eventually got much better so that don't waste $$. :bsmilie:

stopped serious shooting and doing events for a abt 2 - 3 yrs due to studies & other work...

now back again with digital... and going through the pain (although less this time) of learning almost from scratch...

you don't always get great shots... but you can be sure they'll get better...

 

[Hexlord]

Hmmm.. been shooting casually since 2004, but only begun taking it seriously from end of last year.

 

[zcf]

was shooting P&S film camera like 10 years ago, recently then change to digital prosumer, then DSLR, now thinking of shooting more on film SLR to cut down everything also shoot syndrome :sweat: .

 

[lsisaxon]

was shooting P&S film camera like 10 years ago, recently then change to digital prosumer, then DSLR, now thinking of shooting more on film SLR to cut down everything also shoot syndrome :sweat: .

Discipline...

 

[Andry]

me about a year only
started with my gf ixus 40 (that time still studying in uni, an survive based on the teeny tiny scholarship, so can't afford anything serious) ... then canon S2 IS then now D70s, happy with my choice, still keeping S2 IS.
For me it's:

1. Reading up before moving to anything new (on equipments, technique and sample picture (very important))
2. Start shooting, practising but ...
- Think before u shoot (even though i'm not using film)
- Think after u shoot (review of the photo, by yourself, ur friends, experienced fellow photographers)
3. Start thinking of investing on better equipment (come very last when you have done enough review and be quite sure u already hit the limit of ur current tools ... but well, how do u know if u never tested ... that's why having friends to share equipments is also good, or go for one with best review, value for money with ur budget)

Keep experimenting and having fun

I guess even some very experienced fellow photographers here have bad time with their "bad" photo from time to time, too...
To me so far it's a serious hobby, for those who r shooting for a living, guess you guys sometime take a break, refresh and recharge, ya? ...

 

[eddielimcs]

i bought my 1st compact film camera in 1990. it was used mainly to snap friends and events, no idea about compositions or the art behind photography.

mid-2001, I got a 2.1mp P&S sony cybershot
Aug 2003, 4mp P&S Casio Exlim
Mar 2006, 350D DSLR, begining to get serious with photography =)

 

[dun.ask]

Feeling very down and out after helping a friend out at his recent photoshoot(i was 2nd photographer). Pics didnt turn out to be great(but neither were they that bad).

Wondering how long did you guys took to sorta "learn the ropes" of photography...i've been shooting for abt 2 yrs now...yet i feel so embarrassed at my level of photography, cos sometimes the shots really come out crappy.

Haiz. showed the pics to his friends(the models) and they just kept very quiet, could feel that they didnt think much of my pics. haiz.

will keep on trying. :embrass:

dude. haha. you're not alone...

 

[ABT]

Since 87, I'm been using my niece's P&S (can't recall the make/model). It's pretty good for those candid and no nonsense shots. It's just a way of enjoying the moments. Then in 1994, decided to buy my own, a Minolta Dynax 500si, which still resides comfortably in my dry cabinet. A good camera I must say but at that time didn't take photography seriously. Just wanna have fun in taking pictures.

In 2001, decided to jump into the digital bandwagon, bought a Canon G2. Tremendously, it actually gave photography a whole new meaning to me. Enjoy it very much but again didn't go much into the fundamentals of photography. Just shoot Auto. :bsmilie:

Then in late 2004, splurge on a Nikon D70. This is when my photography journey actually starts. I'm still learning and still enjoying...:thumbsup:

 

[pangzzz]

hello guys... nice to see that many of you are willing to share your experiences and insights into this matter. but i'm very curious to know, although using a 35mm film(which i am) will definetly make me more aware:bigeyes: and careful about getting the settings and composition right before clicking shutter, will getting a DSLR actually accelerate or even be a better tool in learning photography?

the fast review time of the DSLR seems enticing, but then it may be a double-edged sword as well(may just anyhow shoot since u can always delete the pics on the memory card. heh)... Do intend to get a DSLR, but not anytime soon. haha what's your take on this?

 

[Andry]

it all depends on individual
since u dun start with digital, u won't "anyhow shoot"
quick reviewing is the biggest thing u gain over film. I will personally say, quick reviewing make things easier.
With digital, experimenting is more effective and less costy. U try 1 setting u get the result after a few second (not true result as in the camera lcd sometimes does not show accurate color).
another thing is postprocessing (which people tend to overuse). It's like make up. Poor picture can be touched up just like not so beautiful girl can adjust her image through make up. ... Again it's up to individual, to me make up is make up... I use make up to make a good picture better ... rather than to change a bad picture into a good fake one... (well, if one can ... then he/she is a PS talent ... ) ....

Color and sharpness of film is :thumbsup: :thumbsup: , on the other hand ....

well it's hard to listen to people since it's very objective i guess. If u dun wanna get a dslr can try some prosummer ...
Give it a try and see for yourself ....
My uncle who shoot film for a living fell in love with the nikon D100 and almost shifted to digital
I personally know quite a few people who switched back to film after giving dslr a try, though.

a newbie 2cent pls

 

[MotoNik]

I started shooting in 1973, my first camera is a plastic camera that uses 120 film and it used flash bulb. It look like a SLR, anyone remember this camera? it was very cheap. Shot many B&W with it. Next was a Seagull TLR, a Yashica FX-3, Contax 139 and a few Nikons. Just got in DSLR last year.

 

[synapseman]

First time shooting (I presume) a wedding? I think you're being a little hard on yourself, lah.

As many have pointed out, photography is one of those things that's easy to pick up, but takes a lifetime to master. Well, maybe for most of us, even a lifetime may not be enough. But that don't mean we stop trying. I've been shooting since '88, and I still consider myself "OK" only. Nothing great. But it doesn't stop me from enjoying myself. My very first wedding shots were quite terrible, I think. Head cut off, arms missing, distractions in the background, foreground, left, right and centre.

Get the basics down right first. Get yourself one (and just one) good book on photography and stick with it as if it were a (insert name of holy book). Then experiment, ask yourself why you like a particular shot, or why you don't.

Look at the works of others. Don't overwhelm yourself with the technical aspects of the shot, exposure settings, etc. Just appreciate the images for its artistic content, and draw inspiration from them. Photography is an art, and much of it, you go by feeling.

Just chill, man. Takes time. Take pics, have fun.

 

[Skye Tan]

6 years as a photographer (+ learning)
2 year as a fashion photographer.

I don't think time can justify you as being a better photographer. U can be more experienced, but it doesn't equate to being a better photographer.

It's a matter of your mindset and your spirit of excellence. It's about leaving your comfort zone, in seek of things u do not quite understand at your present moment. Because in principal, u can only improve if u realise what u are doing at the moment is not really good enough. So start demanding more from yourself then i'm sure u will improve.

 

[imouyang]

Started shooting when i joined my JC's photog society in start of 04... Finally got my DSLR in Mar 06 and my 2nd lens, 16-35 (first lens was the kit)... Still struggling with photoraphy i should say despite the good gear(some say good la but i just find it expensive)... Getting critique every time and learning... Haha... I am in love with photog~!