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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Photowyzard" data-source="post: 796310" data-attributes="member: 8344">OK, lets start at the beginning with a brief history....  Part II started photography in high school.  A friend showed me how cool it was to develop a B&W print.  It was like heroin (not that I would know, but you get the idea), I was instantly hooked.  I had to learn to do that.I built my own darkroom in my parents home and spent more hours than I care to admit developing film and printing images.  Photography became a passion, mostly because I found it relaxing.  I photographed anything and everything and my biggest thrill was being published in Photolife magazine on a series of concert photography images I submitted of the rockstars of the day. My equipment then was a Pentax MX, 200mm, 85mm, 50mm and 24mm.  Loved it.  I really wanted to buy a Nikon, but couldn't afford the outlay of cash.  At the time, I was working in a local camera store part time and saving my money to help pay for the private high school I went to and then University Tuition.I dropped out of serious photography for a decade as I got busy with business and other activities like Golf (82 hdcp), Rock Climbing and some other stuff.  However, I still took pictures, only with a cheesy pocket camera (Olympus Sylus) because I was too lazy to haul around my heavier gear.  It served me well over the years I just wanted snaps.I eventually got bitten by the artistic photobug again and decided to go digital.  This time, I wanted a Nikon.  I didn't do much research other than I didn't want to get into swapping lenses like I used to and opted for a Nikon Coolpix 5700.  When it worked, it was a terrific camera.  However, it was a piece of garbage that almost turned me completely off photography.  Thanks to good Nikon Canada customer service and a tenacious rep who work me hard and convinced me to stay with Nikon, I purchased the Nikon D90.  My second epiphany!I was simply delighted with the new technology.  The D90 is a tank and delivered the goods.  I took thousands of great images with the D90, some of them you see posted here.  The D90 helped me get my skills back and develop some new ones.  In the past, I took images of anything and everything.  Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I went looking for Photography forums to entertain me and help me grow.  I found <a href="http://www.PlanetNikon.com" target="_blank">PlanetNikon.com</a>, my current "home base" if you will.  It is a great forum, very similar to Nikonites but a different flavour.  Some fantastic people on there who really helped me along.  If you are like me, chances are you frequent more than one forum anyway and you would be surprised what you can learn from the guys there.  A truly great bunch.  Check it out, it too is free to join.I then discovered Nikonites and enjoy this place equally as much.  As with any forum, it will take a little time to get to know the key players.  So far, I think the group here is also an excellent bunch and I hope to get to know many of you much better over time.Currently, Photography is my prime hobby.  I use it to relax and enjoy nature and leave the stresses of the day behind me.  It is also developing into a social thing as my typical "haunts" are all frequented by other hobbyists whom I tend to meet on a regular basis to discuss nature, photography and techniques.  I have learned an awful lot from other photographers.  If I can impart any wisdom to anyone who has read this far, get out, meet up with other photographers and don't be afraid to ask questions.  I am lucky to have met excellent people who willingly shared their knowledge and as a result, I have learned about birds, their habits, where they nest, hunt for food etc and where they hang out.  This is half the battle in getting a good image...knowing what to look for and where to find one!Between the forums and the locals, my technique and knowledge base has grown exponentially and my enjoyment level has grown to the point of passion.  Another pass time I enjoy related to photography is attending trade shows and listening to Pros talk about their experiences.  I have been enthralled by Combat Photographers, Sports Photographers and other photography experts.  I have learned from each seminar I have attended and highly recommend you get out to shows, if you get the opportunity.In a nut shell, that is a little bit about me.  On my next BLOG post I will talk about what I typically do when I go out to shoot some pictures of the wildlife around me.The image below was taken this morning on one of my typical outings.  It is my favourite of the day.<img src="http://nikonites.com/gallery/files/8/3/4/4/d800-bc-night-heron_a.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

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