Flickr: Walk_On

How I got into PhOtOgraphy?

Special thanks to Kyle Elias for asking me this provoking and interesting question that brought back quite a bit of memories.

Always liked phOtOgraphy since I was young, had my first film camera when I was about 8 or 9, can't remember who gave it to me though. It was a Kodak instamatic X-15F. Actually found an image of it via the internet. I still have prints of phOtOs taken from those days. Always admired my uncles' SLR cameras but was too young and they were too expensive to have one at the time.

Then in my late twenties, I got my hands on borrowed pocket digital cameras, never truly owned one myself. It was eventually my wife to be (then "Beloved" b4 marriage) who gave me two of her pocket cameras and I carried these all over. One was a Fuji and the other (I think) was a Canon (I think).

I actually had realised that I wanted to get a more advanced camera as my hobby was now becoming a lifestyle thing. In church, with friends, at family events. My Beloved wife eventually helped me purchase my first DSLR which was a Nikon D40, an entry level DSLR. This I got with the advice of Michael Ramesar who helped me allot when I wanted advice on the science of it all. I actually have to give much credit to Michael for a number of help regarding study material and equipment.

As I got my spanking new D40, I made an immediate decision never to do any wedding phOtOgraphy. This was soon short-lived when I attended a wedding a few weeks after with the simple purpose of assisting a Pastor for the event. I carried my camera just to see what I could do and since then I have done over 20something wedding events plus several corporate and other event-type jobs. My wife was my first and has been my best assistant yet, but she says that I don't pay her enough (LoL). With regards to coaching and getting more into the wedding events, I must thank both Juma BannistEr and AyindE Smith of Flowfoto for all their assistance and advice. Juma has especially given much welcomed counsel in this area and in general.

But the pinnacle of my decision to truly set my eyes on the prize was when our FlasfhPoinTT PhOtOgraphy club was given the opportunity to meet phOtOgrapher Bill Aguiton through our Biggest Support and member Robert Riley. It was Bill's statement that truly changed my value system when he said that his level of works starts at excellence.

I have worked and had FUN with some Qool people as well, such as RenaldO DeSilva, Neil Springer, Rayanne Ali, CarltOn Khan and Michael SankaR whom I have done weddings, events and just simply had some FUN times shOOting together.

I was always an artist since young so the combination works well, i.e. phOtOgraphy + art.

If anyone needs any advice, do let me know, I am always willing to help where and when I can and always willing to learn more as well.

The LORD God Almighty has truly blessed me indeed and to Him I will always be grateful for my hobby and life as an artist and phOtOgrapher, for my experiences both great and small and humbling, for my friends and family and colleagues, for my Beautiful wife Anne-Marie, but most of all for my salvation and for Christ JESUS His Son and God Himself.

19th January 2011