Since I was a teenager I always loved taking photos, but in those days a digital camera didn’t exist. We still had the cameras with film, and developing photos wasn’t cheap either. Back then you couldn’t check your photos straight away after taking them, and I didn’t want to take the risk of spending all that money on failed photos, because believe me, that happened more often than I wanted! 

Remember the anticipation of waiting until the photos were developed (it could take up to a week!!), only to find out that your finger was over the lens and you ruined half of your pictures?!! So many photos, so many fingers!

My first time using a real camera

This was during my career as a hairdresser. I had to stay on top of the newest hair trends, so every now and then I had to go to a training outside of the salon. During training I had to photograph the newest hairstyles, so I could show them to my colleagues. My father had this amazing Minolta camera and he lent it to me so I could get some good photos. I had no idea how to use it, but figured I just had to aim it at the object and press the button. And it worked! The quality wasn’t great, but it felt amazing having a camera around my neck.

And then came the smartphone! I made sure to buy one with a good camera and took pictures of almost everything! I still do! And they turn out quite well, if I say so myself! I can’t pick a favorite thing to photograph, because there is beauty to find in (almost) anything.

In August last year, just before my 40th birthday, I finally decided to take a photography course. Never really had a hobby before, why not start one now? So I enrolled myself in an online course and bought my first real camera! A Sony A6000 with a 18-200 lens. 

This camera is special to me because I bought it with my fathers inheritance money. Whenever I go out with my camera, it feels like he is always with me. A very comforting thought. Because of work, I had to pause my course for a couple of months, but I’m slowly easing my way back into it, and can’t wait to get back out there and start using it again.

There is still so much to learn, but you have to start somewhere!

I added a few of the first photos I took with my camera. Check them out below!

What is your favorite thing to photograph? Share it in the comment section below.