Cameras in My Life

I started thinking earlier this month about how my photography passion as developed over the years. My very first camera was a 110mm camera that was given to me around 5th grade. I loved snapping pictures of whatever struck my fancy at the time. They were alway dark, a little blurry, and never interesting.

At some point during the years between elementary school and high school, mom got a Pentax K1000. I loved messing around with it. Then as a sophomore in high school I took the black and white photography class offered at my school. Mom generously allowed me to use her camera for this class. This is where I really started to understand composition and art of photography. And I loved working in the dark room. It was magical.

I was all set my junior year of high school to take the color photography class and be a year book photographer. And then we moved. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

At my new school my senior year of high school I joined the yearbook staff and was able to use my photography and dark room skills once again. I enjoyed it so much that I remember trading assignments with other students in the class... they wrote my copy and I took their pictures.

College photography was a series of borrowed cameras for trips and events. I remained cameraless until I moved to Japan after college. When I arrived the gal I was replacing asked if I had a camera. I told here that I didn't and she graciously left her point and shoot camera for me. I don't even remember what kind it was. But it took great memory snapshots for me.

Fast forward three years and I was living in Alaska. Living in such breathtaking scenery drove me to make my first camera purchase for myself. A Canon Rebel G. This simple slr camera took such great pictures, I couldn't stop taking pictures. I was a regular at my favorite camera shop. And I was spending quite a lot of money on film and developing. But it was worth it to me to do something I loved.

I started hearing about digital slr's and I was intrigued. Especially when I heard that canon had a dslr that could used film lenses. Having purchased a zoom lens (that still remains my favorite lens) the idea of going digital and yet use my lenses was very motivating. So in 2004 I purchased the Canon Digital Rebel 300D. I liked the digital convience and cheaper developing costs, but it has never wowed me like my film camera. But I have continued to take pictures and build up my accessories knowing that one day I will get a better DSLR as they develop newer technology.

As I make plans to go to photography school I have been researching and dreaming of my new camera. Canon just released their newest DSLR in September... the 40D. I believe that this will be the next camera for me.