Greetings from the Midwest

[phish537]

Greetings everyone. I'm Ted. I live in Indiana. I'm 24.

First off, suffice it to say that I'm a true beginner when it comes to photography. I think it's an absolutely beautiful form of art and like all other forms, I didn't get the gene. With school being such a joy and all [sarcasm], I don't have a lot of time to devote to anything, but I love being outdoors, I absolutely love to travel, and so I think photography would be a wonderful fit for me.

I purchased a Sony alpha-100 DSLR last year and have used it on and off. Yesterday, on whim, I made my first analog purchase. I bought a Minolta x-370 with four lenses that appear to be in decent shape. I need to make a run into town and purchase a new battery and some film, but I'm excited to start experimenting.

Maybe when I have some free time I'll take a class. I'm curious to learn how others became proficient [e.g., an influential person, a class, parents, significant others, savants, etc.]

Hope everyone has a lovely Saturday.

Cheers,
Ted :wave:

 

[KEK]

Ted welcome from another midwesterner (chicago area)

I can't say as i'm very proficient at the moment but i started reading books and have learned alot from this site. At some point i'd like to take some class instruction.

A member of this site J. Brunner has some you tube videos on developing film and other things that might help also.

Kevin

 

[Vincent Brady]

Ted
From my own experiences most people I've met are self taught with a little help along the way. But with the www you can be in touch with someone everyday. Welcome to APUG.

Cheers
TEX

 

[papagene]

Ted - welcome to APUG from western Massachusetts. I am self-taught... asked a lot of questions of friends back before internet access. Then just exposed a lot of film and made a lot of prints. Still learning!

gene

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Ted,

Hi from a fellow Hoosier. What part of Indiana are you in?

 

[BWGirl]

Welcome! This is a good place to start learning! There are also many sites where you can learn the basics of focusing, shutter speed, and other cool things. But when it comes to developing B&W film, or making slides, or doing color film, this is the place to be!

 

[phish537]

Thanks to everyone who said hello!

It's nice to hear that people are self-taught (there's still hope for me yet!)

Another question I thought of: do you guys generally prefer analog > digital exclusively? in some media but not others? just as a hobby? etc.

Chris, I'm currently in Indianapolis, but I've lived elsewhere in the state. How's Ft. Fun? [name I learned for it at tennis camp as a kid]

Cheers,
Ted

 

[Konical]

Good Afternoon, Ted,

Welcome about 250 miles WSW of you in your neighboring state. Learning: Trial and error, with emphasis on the "error."

Konical

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Hello from Richmond Va! I'm sure you'll love the Minolta X-370.

Jeff

 

[Chazzy]

Welcome! I'm three hours north of you, in South Bend. I got started in photography by taking the family cameras along with me on school trips. Then my brother gave me an Argus C3 that I could call my own, and the adventure began in earnest. This was all back in the sixties and early seventies.

 

[bdial]

Welcome from a native Hoosier, now living in New Hampshire.

 

[mooseontheloose]

Hi Ted -- APUG is a great place to learn whatever you need to get you started.

I started getting serious about my photography when I was about 26 or 27, and since I was in Japan at the time, relied on books shipped over from North America to teach me what I needed to know. When I eventually came back to Canada I took a basic black and white darkroom class which helped, but the real learning curve started when I was able to spend several days a week in the darkroom, rather than two hours once a week. I've also done a few workshops (one day to a week) which were great for giving me the confidence and/or inspiration to try new techniques. Although I'm far from proficient, I think the best way to become proficient is to shoot, shoot, shoot, and print, print, print. I started with colour neg, to colour slide, and now I shoot black and white. Although I learned quite a lot with colour (and that was the only way to go since I didn't have a darkroom), I've learned more by developing and printing my own negatives, than by any other process.

 

[phish537]

It was great to hear about all of your beginnings! Thanks to everyone for the input.

Especially nice to hear from all the Hoosiers! Go Big Red, er, Crimson.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Welcome to the forum. And that X370 is a great camera within a very modular system. You're gonna love it.

 

[dlin]

Hi Ted.

I live in Zionsville, IN- just northwest of Indy. Welcome to APUG and the wonderful world of analog photography. If you want to get together some time to go shooting or work in the darkroom, drop me a note.

All the best,
Daniel

 

[pnance]

Hi Ted

Check out indianaphotographicsociety.com. More fine art photography people.

Paul