Camera Labs

Hello,

My name is Bryan, I'm 24 and live in Manchester, England

I discovered this website through Mark Laing's youtube workshop videos and of course after looking at a few I decided to head over to this site.

In the early hours of Saturday morning something poped into my mind that made me want to look up SLR cameras, it kind of rooted back to when I was at my sisters in Ireland in October and her partners step farther came over for dinner. so my sisters partner picked up his step fathers camera and mentioned something along the lines of it's and SLR camera and I straight away for an unknown reason at the time, I had an interest and not knowing anything about SLR cameras I quickly formulated some basic logic and realised it's superiority. His step farther proceeded to to give me a short demonstration while I happily peered through the View finder and apart from the fact the view was quite dim, due to current lighting conditions at the time of day in the kitchen, it was quite dark but I still began to get excited about the concept of these cameras.
After 5 minutes of playing I knew in the back of my mind I wanted one and realised that it, in an obvious way answered my problems with any previous photo's I've taken with any other camera in the past.

I'm currently not a photographer of any kind and don't own a camera (but have owned a basic point and shoot in the past)except from the camera on my Apple iPhone, it doesn't really need to be mentioned that any photos taken on a iPhone is almost Pointless bothering and considering I can currently take a photo in just under 10 seconds, (approximately 9.9 seconds timed with a online stop watch and the picture taken to reveal the result) you may ask why bother with one at all. it's at the very least convenient and has a nice screen.

My sister has said a few times now that I take really good photo's and I should be a photographer even on the side or just do it as a hobby, even going as far saying if she wants anything photographed I can do it.

Flattered as I am I don't see my self as that much better than that average Joe but I am concious about the way I try and take photographs.

I will usually always try and take more than one shot of a situation mostly because any camera I have used doesn't get a good shot first time or the camera wobbled or I will try to get a picture of anything from more than a standard angle. lastly I will always be a bit more patient when trying to get a photo.

My Background has always been pretty much geek heaven to most people. I've always had my head inside something from a very young age, likely influenced by the fact my dad is an electrician, plumber and all round handy man. and yes I even got electrocuted as a child do to my dads carelessness of his equipment.
I've always tinkered with something, pulled it apart and put it back together. How things work has always interested me but it's always been to a particular level. I know in general how something operates and can extend that understanding a little further but I'm not an expert.

I'm currently Unemployed and skint and my current career choice is to become network engineer and I've started by studying the MCSE qualification.
going back to the start of the thread I said I began researching SLR cameras and I've be unbelievably obsessed, I have no money and wont be able to afford equipment for a long while but I'm very eager to get into this field, at this time just as a hobby but I'd certainly be interested in making some money out of it like anyone would.

from the research I've done I have picked the Cannon EOS 550D and a 18-200mm lens to start my self off in the World of DSLR photography.
I'm really interested in taking flattering pictures and something that's worth sharing.

I'd like to take this opportunity to first thank anyone who has read this entire thread, to some it might just be someone's life story in brief but it's a beginning of something special for me and it might be a long while before I can afford such gear.
Finally I'd like to thank Gordon Laing for your inspiration, I was interested before I found your videos and reviews and now I'm in complete awe at the whole world of photography.

Thanks

_________________
Bryan

The Life of Bryan!

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard Bryan.
Once you get `hooked` ther'll be no going back!

Keep your eye open for an older/cheaper Dslr when you have a bit of cash, you don't NEED to spend a fortune..........although eventually you probably will

_________________

Nikon D800E & D700 bodies + Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

Thanks for the welcoming replies.

@oldCarlos

ye that's true although I can be quite stubborn when it comes to getting some good gear, I'd prefer to wait until I can afford better than budget or mid ranged gear. of course the risk of spending alot of money on something and not using it much is there but at least I'd always have it.

I Spent over £700 on my current pc which has a AMD Quad core 9950 CPU and a Ati Radeon HD 4880 GPU with 4GB mainly for gaming but I stopped playing games as much mainly because I was always working ( up until august this year) and because lost interest a bit. but I still go back to them now n then. My PC is not with out a doubt under used since I jump to many different uses from time to time.

such uses include some video converting which I'm getting more competent with and media streaming, music, and general pc use which offers ample waiting times for tasks to be completed etc...

I wish you a warm welcome, Brian!

_________________
Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Welcome on-board Bryan! Not sure if you picked it up from my videos, but I'm also originally from your neck of the woods.

I'm really lousy at noticing accents and dialects but I did notice something. looking back at one I can now tell. that's interesting to know

maybe that's a factor that drawn me in subconsciously


Thanks

_________________
Bryan

Welcome Bryan to the Camera Labs forum! While you're saving up for your first DSLR, check out Chase Jarvis' website for some inspirational shots taken with mobile phones by people all over the world.

- Bjorn -

_________________
Street and documentary photographer | Google+ | Twitter | Tumblr

Leica M9-P (my article on Camera Labs) | Leica D-Lux 5 | 50mm Summilux

Welcome Bryan!

_________________
I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

thank you



I shall check it out, thanks

_________________
Bryan

Hey there bro. Nearly posted as you then because I'm on your PC. =D

Hi Bryan

I am also new to photography, particularly DSLR. I have researched a suitable camera for the last few months and looking back spent enough on DSLR magazines to buy a camera body, I then found Gordon's site with ALL the reviews and tutorials you could want!

I saved every penny I could and sold some pretty special stuff to get my hands on a Nikon d3100 with kit lens. I am over the moon with it and cannot put it down. I am now looking at a 55 - 200mm lens ater looking at the review.

All the best.

Bryan,
Welcome to the family!! Good luck not just on your photography, but also the MCSE I'm currently MCSE certified with NT, 2000, and the 2003 versions of the test. Also another great certification I would work towards is the CCNA or CCNP through Cisco. Even if you just go for the CCNA at first you have to re-cert every three years or step up to the next level I'm currently a CCNP and I too am unemployed working towards being self-employed. A Master's degree, Bachelor's degree, Two Associate's degrees, and the MCSE, A+, Network+, and CCNP later and I get told I'm overqualified for entry-level work but don't have enough experience for a regular position. I know what it is I just live in the wrong part of the state of Pennsylvania to get the jobs, but due to responsibilities with my family I can't move the 2-5 hours away that it would take to get the job. So I'm working on opening my own photography studio and doing web and graphic design as well. I hope that you have better luck than I did when it comes to the world of Networking and Information Technology. I wish you the best of luck in this and your photography. The people here at the forum are great and I will definitely back up Bjorn on the idea to check out Chase Jarvis and even get his Best Camera app for the iPhone.
Gunner