Photography
Taking pictures keeps me sane
I have been taking pictures since the 1970's, my first serious camera was a Halina Paulette Electric, a 35mm compact camera.
When i started working i upgraded the Halina for a Canon FTb 35mm SLR which was a manual exposure camera with a battery which only supplied the meter so if it went flat i could still use the camera and estimate the exposure.
My first real camera
In 1985 i even had a spell as a professional photographer when i was using Nikon Cameras. I had plenty of work with Weddings, Portraits, Social, Advertising and even some Legal work but i had a problem getting paid for the work i had done, so this only lasted about 6 months before i had to take a job in electronics to pay the bills.
I find it more rewarding to take pictures as an amateur, you are not constrained by the requirements of a client and are free to express yourself as you see fit, plus you don't have to chase anyone for money. I gave up shooting people in the 1980's, i now prefer to photograph landscapes, architecture, railways and animals.
I enjoy taking photographs because not only does it get me out of the house, even if it is a local walk or to a place i have never been before, i get immersed in the subject and i can forget about all the mundane things in life. Especially if i am in nature hunting for animals to shoot, then when i get home i try to make the pictures look the same as i saw them in my head, which doesn't always work, my camera doesn't see the world as i see it!.
I am not naturally an artistic person, i was an Engineer before retiring so sometimes i find it difficult to separate the technical aspect of photography from the artistic so this has given me a new challenge, it is one thing to produce a sharp, well exposed photograph and something entirely different to produce a pleasing picture.
There has always been a great debate as to which camera system is best, but i think it is irrelevant which manufacturer you choose, they all have good and bad points and it is only down to personal preference. Whichever camera you choose will be out of date within a year, and a lot of people will be endlessly trying to keep up with the latest and greatest technology, most photographers suffer from GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
My modern version of the Halina
For the record i now use the Olympus micro four thirds mirrorless compact system, it suits my needs as it is small and light and i am perfectly happy with the results it produces.
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