Photography

Jud asks in a comment: How did you get your start as a photographer?
I could reply, "Well, I'm not really a photographer." But leaving that aside, I'll try to figure this out.
I think I first started to enjoy photography because my father did. Like many parents, my father enjoyed sharing his hobbies and interests with his kids and I was generally happy to follow in his footsteps. I wouldn't say my dad was a great photographer but he was a hobbiest and I remember him as having a basic SLR and a couple of lenses. He encouraged me by buying me nearly every camera I ever owned, starting from when I was quite young. All my early cameras were of the point and shoot type. I took pictures of my family and of scenery. I don't think any of my pictures were striking or unique in any way, just the usual people and vacation shots. Of course, I had good subjects to work with: it is hard to fault places like Yosemite and Paris, even for a novice photographer.
I think I enjoyed picture taking but kept it on the back burner because my life was too busy to do anything with it. Besides, a good camera was outside of my starving student budget. Then one day I awoke and realized I was no longer a starving student and I really wanted to learn how to use one of them SLR thingies. I didn't really know what an SLR was or meant but I knew that you needed to be able to use different lenses and change camera settings to take optimal pictures. I was very frustrated with the limitations of the point and shoot model.
So two years ago, I got my first (and only) DSLR. For a few months I didn't even use it all that much. I guess all the bells and whistles were a bit intimidating. Also my husband felt more confident with my new toy and he tended to play with it quite a bit.
Gradually I have gained a bit of confidence. Flickr and Blogging have helped because I can share my photos and realize that people like them. At first I thought everyone just was admiring the fact that I had a good camera. It really does help.
But I take a lot of pictures. Today, for example, I was downtown briefly and took a few photos. The weather was interesting and downtown Chicago is always photogenic. Carrying my camera nearly everywhere I go can be a bit of a pain. It is bulky, I don't like to check it in stores, and I feel a bit ostentatious going everywhere carrying a camera bag but I photograph what I see and hate to miss an opportunity.
I take shots everywhere. From my car window (often), from my back yard, from my neighborhood, from neighborhoods I shouldn't be in. Because of the blog, I shoot photos to fit memes and adapt photos to fit the theme I am writing about on any particular day. I chronicle my life and my travels with photos. I've even dared one or two self portraits.
I had a little pocket camera that I took places when I didn't want the big camera with me or taking pictures was too obvious (or embarrassing). Unfortunately my purse was stolen last year and I have yet to replace it. I'm waiting for a new model to come out in March.
I also read photography books and magazines (or at least look at the pictures) and try to absorb more that way. If I am photographing a lot of a particular subject, I might read up on the subject too. This makes me more informed as I take the photos.
So that's all folks. Of course, I have a fancier camera on my wish list, a few more lenses and a camera course or two but those are for the future. For now it is just me and my Rebel.