Wait, hmm... I'm surprised that this has not been done yet? Or maybe it was... I tried checking it, last photography-related thread was in 2014, or something.
Anyway, Photography - the humble beginnings of those pinhole cameras and light boxes, to film-based cameras, to digital cameras, and finally to smartphones as of now. Changes are very good that if you have a phone (even a flip phone), you have definitely snapped a photo before. It's like an intermediate medium like that quote that I kinda made myself. I like writing, and I am not the one to denounce or jab at it, but sometimes... nothing describes it precisely and accurately like a picture does.
With that out of the way, a couple of talking points from yours truly.
- Do you do part-time photography, or full-time? Hobby, Amateur, or Professional?
- What kind of equipment do you use? Perhaps the earliest camera you have, or the latest one, either one, tell us more!
- Share some shots, of course!
As for myself, my interest in photography began around perhaps 2013-2014. Back then, smartphones are hitting the market even more than ever, and the tech specs and number wars mostly include the one bragging points - the camera. I got myself Nokia's Lumia 1020, which I still have it even to this day for some shots here and there. The 34/38 MP shots, along with the digital negatives (DNGs) that came later, are some of the best features, but the icing on the cake has to be the manual system. This is possibly the best phone (at its time) that allows you to control the white balance, ISO, shutter speed, exposure, etc. (more about the terms here!). So this was already an entry for me into the world of photography.
However, it would have probably went wayyyy back; in 2010, my family went beyond a simple digital camera, and bought a Nikon D5100, for better family shots, and to keep those memories in sharper detail. It is great to shoot with, but back then, I wasn't really interested. However, come end of 2015, I really started to take it as a hobby, with the camera now more or less mine - I used it alone when I am walking around a garden, and my family and I still use it for our group shots, or those memorable moments. It has followed me to Burma, Hong Kong (in 2017), and it's been my best friend for 8 years and counting. I have no intention of replacing my DSLR until it breaks one day.
Earliest equipment? I don't know, there was this little digital camera that is operated by AA batteries. I forgot the name of it.
Short novel aside, I am still doing photography as a hobby! For this holiday, I'm still walking around Singapore, visiting gardens, amusement parks, museums, and my D5100 would more or less there be with me all the way. I also recently bought a tripod, after the previous two broke due to age, and... let's say cheaper quality.
Current equipment? Aforementioned Nikon D5100, with Tamron's 18-200mm all-in-one lens, because for a hobbyist, a single lens is more than enough. Adobe Lightroom for edits.
Here's a shot that I have most recently took last Friday:
A month ago or so, at Botanical Gardens Singapore:
From a year or two ago, at ArtScience Museum:
I do it all for non-profit, of course! I just love the idea of taking photos, and to share with you people. ^^
For the time being, I unfortunately can't show or post any photos about Burma yet, reason being: I am a bit lazy to trawl through my files, and also because most of them would give away my relative homes.