The main thing is George that you are comfortable with the camera, and you seem pleased with it.
I've been involved with photography since I left school. I got a job as a photographic assistant in the camera department of a local Co-operative supermarket in nearby Stockton.
I learned a great deal here. I purchased my very first 35mm manual camera here - a Pentax S1a. I Also bought my own black-and-white film development equipment (colour development was far too expensive at this particular time.)
The manager gave me access to all sorts of cameras, from 35mm to the very expensive Hasselblad models. He would give me assignments to go around Stockton (during work Hours!!!) and take landscape, architecture photographs in black and white and he would let me develop them.
I gained a lot of knowledge and experience here, which helped to spark my interest in photography much more.
From here I got a photographic salesman's position at a very well-known photographic chain in Middlesbrough, and furthered my knowledge.
One of the other sales persons was female, so the Manager arranged photographic classes at a local venue for members of the public to attend, and as his staff we also got to participate (we got in for free obviously.)
This gave me a grounding in portrait/glamour photography, which I used to great advantage later on in my life.
However, my main career took me down the law enforcement trail, but I was still able to pursue my hobby.
I had purchased my own studio floodlight system, which enabled me to advertise my skills and visit people's houses to do portrait work. I was now working in colour, and had to source out my film development.
I had a steady offer of children's portrait assignments and weddings. Although I have to confess, I didn't stick with the weddings side of my hobby as I felt there was too much pressure on getting the event successfully concluded. After all, you can't go back and do it again to get it right the second time around.
The glamour side of my assignments were done through my own contacts. I didn't ever need to advertise for female models.
I concentrated on the very tasteful, clothed, model sittings. I was married by this time, and all the sittings were done in our home environment, so there was no hanky-panky going on. Kathy would definitely not have approved.
I had, and still do have, a very strict code of practice for this line of photography. It makes your models feel comfortable and unthreatened.
The glamour photography was unpaid, doing it just for 'photographic' experience.
All my photography has been self-taught. I never went to college or university to study it. I think though, if I had to do it all over again I most likely would have chosen a photographic career.
All my photography nowadays is for my own personal satisfaction, and am now relishing the digital camera age.
My current camera is a Nikon Coolpix 8700, 8 mega pixel, with a 1GB memory card.
I have certain default settings on this camera, but I don't like fiddling about with all the menus if I'm in a hurry to capture a one-off shot. Usually the default settings cover the majority of situations - having buttons to select a particular setting; for example, sunsets, portraits, landscapes, close-ups, parties, snow scenes, etc. - the default setting is for portraits.
The buttons can be overridden, but as I said earlier, if it's a shot I want to get quickly then the portrait mode pretty much does a great job.
If I need to make any enhancements to correct certain lighting conditions say, then I go into my Photoshop graphics software and do a make-over there.
I now have a new subject for my photographic enjoyment - flowers. I have shared some of them with our forum members already, and I hope they like to see them.
Well, I think that's enough about me at the moment.
It would be nice to hear from any other of our members who have a passion for photography, so they can share their successes (and disasters) with us. After all, we can all learn something new. I'm still picking up useful tips and practices now, even after all this time.
Laurie.
