What got you into photography?

what level your at, pro, amatuer etc etc.
serious amateur
your first SLR
Many moons ago - Argus C3,then years later,nikon fe,F2as, dropped it for about 25 years and picked it up again 4 months ago

Age of first interest
First interest - at the age of 10, I was sponsered in the soapbox derby by a man and his wife that were pros and had a portrait studio, being fatherless,We developed a long friendship,( Ray and Nell Orr from Lubbock Texas, I would spend time at their studio, He had his darkroom in basement and I was hooked by seeing what they could do and the process.

things that kept you motivated
after having kids that were involved in sports and a daughter that was a cheerleader, that was all I needed .

and most importantly, what got you into photography, after dropping it 20 odd years ago, my grandson playing sports rekindled my interest, Gosh it has come so far and I have a lot to catch up on, but the enjoyment of something coming out the way you want it to IS PRICELESS

Level

* Amateur aspiring to be a serious amateur

Your first SLR?

* XS

Age of first interest in DSLR

* 42

Things that kept you motivated?

* I love gadgets and kids. I am enjoying being able to capture moments that I couldn't before.


What got you into photography?

* Lost P&S and wanted to be able to capture my kids as they get old enough to play sports etc.

I'm a passionate amateur and learning more with every shot.
I started out a few years back with a Canon A620 point and shoot just because I love to just take pictures of everything and anything. A lot of my shots where pretty good as far as framing and composition but where just lacking something. I love taking pictures of the kids too and always said when we took them to the studio (if you want to call it that) in Target that with a few backdrops and a sweet camera I could do this. Ha ha well...
...my wife took me seriously (I was) and tried to set me up this year for Christmas and got me a Nikon D90 (she tried) I soon had it exchanged for the 50D and quickly amassed the gear in my signature. I am hooked for life!
What does and probably will always keep me motivated is my love for still life, landscapes, and wildlife. All three are in abundance and I am always on the lookout for my next shot. My wife didn't know what she was in for when she got me started down this path and now with tax season here I bet she wishes she didn't If you check out my Flicker link in my signature I am open to comments & constructive criticism.

what level your at, pro, amatuer etc etc.
Amateur/hobbyist.

your first SLR
Minolta X-700, purchased in 1984.

Age of first interest
Can't really say. I've been interested in photography since I was a young kid, albeit pretty casually (point-and-shooter). First experience with an SLR was in high school graphic arts class in the 70's. I shot 35mm SLR with the Minolta until things went digital, then had a long series of digital P&S and "bridge" cameras until I bought the 50D last year.

things that kept you motivated
The enjoyment of photography itself; capturing/documenting moments; and occasionally catching something that's truly breathtaking.

and most importantly, what got you into photography.
At first it was documenting the memories from our family vacations, activities, etc. As cliche as it may sound, what spurred me to go beyond that and get into more "artsy" photography was when I discovered Ansel Adams and saw some of his work. Since then I've been inspired by many others, and it drives me to keep shooting and trying to improve.

what level your at, pro, amateur etc etc.
I don't like giving myself a label. I have had a picture printed in a newspaper and on their website, but I have never sold anything and people don't hire me to shoot them. I do this for fun and not money.

First SLR
My first one that I owned was a Canon Rebel G. Then I moved up to the A2E. Now I'm shooting digital on my XSI. I stayed with Canon since I already had a couple of lenses. Although they were cheap enough, I could have switched to Nikon and never looked back.

Age of first interest
Sometime as a kid. My dad had a Minolta SLR that he used to let me use a lot. I can't remember how old I was, but under 10.

Things that kept you motivated
I did this when I started to exercise a lot. While I was out walking, I'd see lots of interesting things to shoot. That is my motivation, to get out and walk long distances while taking pictures. Seeing new things, as well. And, as always, learning all I can about everything to do with my camera and photography.

What got you into photography
I've always wanted to learn how to use a camera that wasn't a p&s. Just curiosity of how things work. I signed up for a photography class in college, which is when I bought my first SLR. (Good marketing by Canon back then. They had Andre Agassi advertising the Rebel G, so I bought it. I never even heard of Nikon until afterward. That's how much I knew about cameras.) After a few months of taking pictures, I upgraded to the A2E. I probably didn't need it, but it had the eye focusing in it so I had to upgrade. (That was the only reason! lol)

When my photography class was over, I retired the cameras and lenses. I liked doing all of the development and printing myself, but it was too expensive for me to build a darkroom. Once digital came out, I picked up an XSI. It sat in my closet for about 6 months before I got the drive and started to really use it. Now I can't put it down.

I wanted to be as cool as my Hero(ine) Nic Davel

what level your at, pro, amatuer etc ?
Immature-Hobbyist; now getting ready to purchase my first DSLR.

your first SLR?
Canon A1.

Age of first interest?
I was young and unstable... now I’m old and shaky!

What got you into Photography?
I was a young engineer working in a part of the world which offered few social or recreational opportunities. These circumstances led me to look for a hobby that would help take my mind off the undesirable location I lived in. Photography was immensely helpful in getting me through ten-years of that unpleasant solitude.

Things that kept you motivated?
VACATIONS!!! About every six-months I would head-off to a new foreign land and do my best to photographically record the adventure.