My (First) Cameras

My grandparents gave me my very first camera. It was grey and red plastic (looking very cool for me at the age of 10) and even had a red neck strap. They gave me my little red camera before I left for my first trip to France as an exchange student. I went to Lyon where there is a beautiful shell garden. I must have used half of my film there! At that age I hated photographs with people in them. I was all about the landscapes and a person would only ruin the scene for me. I remember shouting at people (just my family members...not strangers) to get out of the way. Looking back at my early photos I now cringe at how dreadfully boring they are! Oh, how times have changed! Now-a-day's if my lens isn't pointing at a person I struggle to snap the photo.

{WingsUnfurled}

My first digital camera was silver and the lens projected out from the body (again, looking very cool lol). My favourite digital point & shot camera was definitely my light blue CASIO Exilim S600. I LOVED it! Tragically, in my first year of university I managed to get some sand stuck into it and then one day it stopped turning on even though it was fully charged. So sad :( I somehow managed to survive for two years without a camera! Crazy!!

After my second year of university I got myself a summer job and I used my first pay-cheque to buy a camping backpack and a Casio Exilim Z1050! I bought it on Amazon (where I buy most things) and I couldn't wait for it to arrive! For two years this little camera accompanied me everywhere and I mean everywhere! My friends sounded like broken records — "Are you taking photos again?" "Are you videoing?" "Put down the camera!"

My husband walking me home with my new camera
(I got to carry the camera - he got to carry the box)!

It was not until this summer (August 2011) that my relationship with photography became more serious and I realised it was time to upgrade. It was The Twisted Tale photo shoot that opened my eyes to my love of photography. The weekend after that photo shoot I purchased my first DSLR. I found it for sale locally on Gumtree. It was a Sony A200 and I brought my husband along with me to pick it up just in case the seller was a psycho. Thankfully, everything went smoothly. I handed over £220 and I got to walk home snapping photos left and right. That evening I started advertising for models and make-up artists and a week later I was on my second photo shoot — this time it was all mine!

Now, a couple months later and here I am with my own wedding photography business!! I'm absolutely loving photography more than ever and I'm having so much fun learning from experts via the internet, YouTube videos and all that jazz. I've managed to book a few weddings (I'm so excited!), a couple weeks ago I survived my first engagement party, and I have been contacted by BRIDES magazine (they want to feature me in their Jan/Feb '12 issue CD directory as their exclusive 'Scottish' photographer!!!)!!! It's still a bit surreal.

So, this week I realised it was time to upgrade cameras once more. My Sony A200 is getting swung around to take on the role of 'back-up camera' and I'm welcoming in my new (pre-loved) Canon EOS 5D Mark II!! I've also spent my entire day today (and yesterday...and the day before that) researching lenses and accessories. I decided to buy the camera body and the lenses separately to save money. My big debate was over zooms & prime lenses. I wanted the flexibility of the telephoto lenses but I also wanted the quality and artistic challenge of the prime lenses. While debating over this decision I had a great interview by Chase Jarvis with Jasmine Star playing in the background. Somehow it helped make the solution clearer and I went for all prime lenses. I'll upgrade to zoomey ones once I have a bit more money but in the mean time I'm really excited to challenge myself with fixed focus lenses.

Ek! I can't wait until they arrive. Apparently they could be here in 3 days or in 12! How cruel!

Jasmine Star Blog - Lenses

xoxo

Chamonix