I’ve actually been a photographer since I was 10 years old. At that age, there was really no such thing as a digital camera… or at least nothing we could afford or anything attainable. My dad had an old Pentax Film SLR that he had used when he was a teenager and had collected a number of lenses and filters. My dad showed me how to focus it, and sent me off on my own. So I started playing around with my dad’s old camera. I wish I had scanned the photos, but I don’t have them anymore.

I eventually bought an Olympus C-3030Zoom. I can’t believe 3 MP seemed like a lot at the time! It was an old school digital camera but actually quite cutting edge for the time. I even bought a couple filters for it. I decided to start a photo journal site and post my digital photos and did this for the next 4 years. Here are some of my photos with the Olympus:

In 2005 I finally bit the bullet and bought a digital SLR. I bought a Nikon D50 with the kit lens, a 70-300 zoom lens, and a number of filters. I eventually bought an underwater housing for it in 2007 (to take surfing and scuba photos with it). Some of my favourite photos were taken with this camera:

Finally, last September my D50 died and I bought my Nikon D80, which I love. Here are some recent photos:

Now that I’ve started blogging again, it’s tempting to make it a photo journal — but I don’t think I will this time. I am, however, only be using my photos on this site, unless otherwise credited. I’ve been debating whether or not lug my DSLR around with me everywhere, for the purposes of taking photos for my blog. I love my compact Canon camera, but is it enough for the average reader? Do people expect high quality photos all the time?

So what do you think… to lug my DSLR around, or not to lug?

In other news, my dear friend Jessica Whidden has her birthday today. Jess and I first met last year when I went to City Sports Physiotherapy. Snowboarding had torn up my knees and generally messed up my body, and Jessica put me all back together. She’s a registered massage therapist, and her sports massage is serious business. She also happens to be a super mom… she’s an amazing skier and a hardcore snowboarder, pretty much a professional rugby player, extremely intelligent, and also gorgeous. Not to mention that she’s a mother, working pretty much full time, and also in school for acupuncture and even doing her yoga teacher certification. Holy crap, if only all of us could be like her. Love you Jess, and thanks for healing me on a regular basis.