I started out as most kids do 'having a go' with my parents camera , it had a lovely sound when you wound on the film and we still have that camera somewhere. I wonder if it would still work .
Then for a Birthday I got my first camera of my very own. Seeing modern cameras makes me realise how complicated it actually was for a child to use. You had to slip the end of the film into a slot and line up the little holes at the edge until it sat flat. Then you wound the film on a little bit but not too much . I used to have to get a grown up to do it for me as it was way too fiddly for me.
I took the usual holiday snaps , pictures of our dogs and pictures of the inside of the lens cap when I forgot to remove it. And therein lies one of the problems. I took these photos but it wasn't until the film was developed that I knew if any of them were any good or in fact if any of them had come out at all.
You either had to put the film into a Truprint envelope and send it off or take it into the local chemist and if you got it round there before 11:30am it went off & was back the next day. Yes a whole day before you could see your images . And then they came back with a new free film and you started all over again.
Usually quite a few pictures were only fit to go in the bin , something you don't have today , but you did have proper printed out pictures to stick in an album not just images on a memory card.
I can't remember what my next camera was but it was still a film one , just slightly easier to use , but still no amazing images , just snaps.
My first digital camera was a few years back now. My Brother had got one & amazed us with the fact that you could see the picture the second after you had taken it so of course I wanted one too ! I got exactly the same model as he had because I've learnt to let him work out how to use something and then he can tell me .
I learnt how to do quite a bit with that camera , indulging my passion for black & white photography and also learning how to edit out bits that weren't right , reducing red eyes and cropping to make the image look as good as it could.
I love taking natural photos especially at weddings , the little bridesmaid sucking her thumb , the pageboy picking his nose , that look the Father of the bride gives just as he walks his Daughter down the aisle. I much prefer those type of pictures to the set up , formal groups and when I have been to friends or family weddings I make sure I get an alternative set of pictures to give to them after the day. Those moments captured in time forever.
Digital cameras got more sophisticated , more pixels , a better zoom and so it was time to upgrade. Yet again the same one as my Brother had got , a Canon , my make of choice now. This camera was way better than my first and I discovered another thing that I loved.
Macro photography , zooming in on little details like the stamens in a flower or a newly opening bud , getting as close as you can. Sometimes so that you don't know what the whole item is , the detail makes a pattern all of its own.I love taking pictures of my cats& dogs noses , those little freckles and whisker spots close up , paws and claws too.
While I was shooting away with this 'point & shoot' camera my Uncle had got himself the next big thing , a DLSR camera , the sort of thing you see the paparazzi using , huge zoom lenses and all . Capable of zooming right into something and giving a crisp colourful image . These were way out of my price range but a few years have passed now and as with most things prices have come down and finally after saving hard I brought mine last week.
The 200 page online manual reads like double Dutch to me but I have mastered the basics so far and got some images that I am quite pleased with , especially ones of my cats & dogs. And then it starts......
The camera came with a basic lens as part of the package , but you soon realise that this is not where the spending ends. Already I have brought another zoom lens which is totally amazing , giving me detail I never thought I could get and on my Amazon wishlist is a tripod and an infra red remote as well as a bag for carrying all this around with me.
But it is something I enjoy and there are far worse things I could be doing and spending my money on.
If you are at a loose end one day & want to see some of my pictures please feel free to have a look at flickr.com/photos/petleg9/ xxx
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