'Lo!

[phatcactus]

Howdy. My name's Brian, and I'm not a photographer at all. I'm a graphic design major, but the walls of my apartment are bare, so I figure I should make some nice photos while I still have free access to a darkroom and chemicals (I graduate in a year).

I just picked up a Pentax KM from eBay, and I quite like it, although I don't find myself using the DOF-preview much, and a shutter release could replace the self-timer for my purposes, and I like the split-image focusing screen of the K1000 SE better anyhow, so I'm thinkin' I might switch in the future. Plus, it comes in brown. That's just awesome.

I also picked up two zoom lenses (one of which arrived in less-than-awesome shape [hooray for eBay!]) but I really prefer the 50mm prime, so they probably won't stay too much longer. Hopefully I'll get a nice telephoto to replace 'em.

I've also got a Mamiya C33 with an 80mm lens in the mail. I've never used any medium format stuff before, but I've always wanted to play with it. I almost went with the Kiev 60, but then I read about all the less expensive, higher-quality alternatives on this forum. We'll see if I can survive without a meter and the wysiwyg of an SLR.

So that's me. Hi.

 

[MenacingTourist]

Welcome Brian,

There are a few Graphic Designers skulking around here. I graduated about 10 years ago and have just started with semi-serious photography. I don't know why I waited so long, it seems like such a natural extension to graphic design.
While you're at school taking advantage of the darkroom you should also take advantage of the library and thier photo books. I didn't take any photos in school but I spent a lot of time in the library looking at the books. I should have taken the history of photography and at least got some credit for all that studying. Those images have really stayed with me, which is good because those books are expensive.

Alan.

 

[Carol]

Howdy Brian. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with your new purchases and at least you'll get to enjoy some darkroom work without the expense. Welcome to APUG.

 

[dr bob]

Brian: welcome from the Eastern Shore wetlands. Glad to hear you are getting into MF with the C33. I am a C330f user. I wish you well in your studies.

 

[Flotsam]

Hi Brian,
Photography is a great adjunct to Graphic design. You certainly will be called upon to incorporate phography into your designs and a having a basic knowledge will be invaluable. Also photography is a fascinating tool for examining and capturing the fundamentals of design as they exist naturally in the world around us.
Also, it's just an enjoyable and rewarding pastime .
Welcome to APUG

 

[phatcactus]

You got me spot-on, Flotsam. I can't exactly hang a magazine spread or a book jacket on the wall (not without gettin' some weird looks, at least), but I can certainly use what I've learned about design and layout and such things to compose interesting photos. The shots I took back when I was in a photography class were usually pretty much abstract (if you didn't know what they were, I mean) but I treated them like there was a subject and a hierarchy and some kind of logical flow.

For photography that I use in my designs, I've been using a very very cheap digital (shhh). Just more convenient, and it's good enough for student work.