2 Years Into Photography
Well I don't know if I'd call myself a photographer yet...but I've just passed my second year in photography..
I got my Nikon D70s on June 7th 2006, 2 years ago last month. I had some cameras before that, an old Olympus mju 35mm film point and shoot and I got my first digital camera in 2001 (which cost me a fortune) - the 3.2 megapixel Canon Powershot A70.
It did me well and most of my earlier pictures on this blog were from that camera.
I'd say I started photography properly when I got the D70s, before that I'd just started exploring what I could do with with the A70 and was starting to find it's limitations in terms of speed, noise at high ISO, accurate white balance and fine tuning controls. I decided against getting a bridge or prosumer camera and to go straight for a dSLR.
My choices at that time were the Canon 350D, the Olympus E-500 and the Nikon D70s.
I hardly got chance to use the camera, and had only just bought my first lens other than the kit lens (A Tamron SP90mm Di Macro Lens)...and my camera was stolen only 3 months after I'd bought it.
That was heartbreaking to say the least...by that time I'd completely gotten the photography bug though so I couldn't give up...I had a choice to make between getting the Nikon D80, which had just been released or the higher model the Nikon D200. I went for the D200 for various reasons (solid build, more accurate metering, CF card rather than SD and so on) and I have to say I've never regretted the decision.
Anyway here are a few of my personal favs I've taken in the 2 years since I've gone from complete noob to slightly less noob.
With the Nikon D70s
With the Nikon D200
I've had a stranger buy one of my pictures though, I've been published in quite a few magazines and national papers, I'll have a spread in FHM August, I've shot a major musical event and I've recently seen one of my pictures on a billboard! I've got a lot of unpublished stuff, so perhaps I'll make an effort to get it on my blog. Also of course we started Shutter Asia to expand my learning and network of photographers for outings and trips - so far it's been great!
It's a start!
I've still gotten a long way to go though, only 2 years into photography...probably another 23 years to go before I get any good 
Most things take at least 25 years to master reasonably well.
Tags: billboard, canon powershot a70, events, fashion, fhm malaysia, HDR, landscape, love photography, Music, nikon, nikon-d200, nikon-d70s, olympus mju, photographer, Photography, portraits
Follow me on Twitter 
Subscribe to RSS
Related Posts:
- DigiSniper Has Landed!
- My Lurve Affair With Photography!
- Shutter Asia Forum – Keeping Photography ALIVE!
- I Miss Those Crab Feasts…
- The Streets of Ipoh
- I’m Back from Sabah – Meet Jackie
54 Comments so far
Leave a reply
Using
Hey...hey... these are not n00b! I've had my 300D for years and still can't take a decent shot. It's now sitting at home rusting.
Using
if my "baby" get stolen like that.... tell you wat.. I will be mad for a year....
your photo shooting skill is amazing... I have lots to learn.
DSLR is my next target, I am holding the canon IXUS-55 now.
Using
wow.
i love your pictures!
it'll definitely look awesome in prints!!
Using
If you're changing a new DSLR and wanted to sell your D200, remember me. lol
Using
you're definitely a photographer and you can call yourself that bah, your pictures does the justice for you. most of us who've seen the many pictures taken by you will agree with that. Keep it up bah =)
Using
2 years and you already have so many great shots. I don't know how fast is it for people to get good in photography but your photos are just awesome.
Lots of reading of photography articles from the net eh?
Keep up those pretty photos
Using
Amazing shots...can't tell whether u only learn for 2 years only... Love ur pictures mate..
Using
wow...nice...
Using
very very nice pictures!
i wonder when i can get a dslr, my housemate got nikon d70 already.. huhu
Using
dude, those pictures are really nice! thanks for the post. like you, i'm contemplating making the jump from point and shoot direct to dslr. planning to get th d80 soon. and also, thanks for setting up shutter asia. got lots of tips from there to help make my decision to foray into digital photography.
Using
Do you print your photos yourself? I have some photographs that I have taken and would like to get printed ie panoroma an A4 size. What do you recommend? I dont want to get a printer. cos it means more stuff to look after.
Using
that is some good quality pictures u got!!! SOLID!!! KEEP IT UP!!
Using
Wow, some of pics are very nice! very artistic by they way. Keep up your good work. You will be famous soon.(^-^)
Using
Congratz ShaolinTiger! Keep it up!
I'll support you, dude!
Using
Nice post ST. Like I've mentioned before, your photos inspire me. I'm very sure that you will only get better at photography. You have the talent at spotting a "photo moment" and that is bigger than any lens or camera combo.
And you're only in it for two years!
Using
wuuuuoh!!
i love ur picture !! no matter event /concert /natural/ or fashion shoot... awesome!!
keep it up !!
u got my support !! citizen support... ekekekkekee..
Using
very very nice. great job my friend.
i'm actually looking for a DSLR. nothing prosumer, but perhaps an entry model. any recommendations?
Using
Hmm.. I'm very interested in photography too.. But i'm short of money.. Any good second-hand cameras to recon?
Using
I still haven't started photography proper yet. lol
Hmmm, that camel photo looks good ... OMGoodness, I better get a GF quick!!!!
Phew, thank goodness for some nice shots of girls in that mix! 
Using
those pictures very very nice..KEEP IT UP!! haha.. great job!^^
Using
omg those pictures.are.so.so.sooo.awesome!
my goosebumps stood up lol in a good way u know..when u see sumthing nice.
i couldn't pick a fav one because all of them are equally nice. altho im more to nature themed photos 
*thumbs up*
Using
you are a photographer. be confident!
Using
I like the sharpness of your photo. The colors and lightings are all good as well.
Using
wow. fantastic shots. and this only after two years. i hope my learning curve tilts steeper as well. my fave is the girl looking out the window. love the tone, and the way you captured the contemplative shimmer in her eye.
Using
davidlian: Slightly less noob, not complete noob heh - get out and shoot!
PenangTuaPui: Yeah I was very sad
Learn to use your Ixus fully, it's a great camera.
popjammerz: Thanks, I do like to print them it gives a very different feeling.
Simon Seow: Heh sure ok. Second hand D200 is very cheap now.
joshuaongys: Thanks boss, appreciate that
moons: Heh, reading books and practising mostly..the info online is a bit patch. I spend about RM3000 on books from Amazon US!
Superwilson: Thanks, hope I can continue to improve!
izzat: Great cam, second hand entry level dSLR is very cheap now.
howshouse: Cool, enjoy the D80, it's a great cam! D200 is very cheap now too..even a new one since D300 came out. Glad that Shutter Asia helps
Jaz: Yah I do, I'm using a Canon Pixma printer..I think most print shops should be able to do panorama up to 10". You can check those around your area, if not try the pro lab in SS2 above the 7-11.
KornyKornelius: Heh SOLID! Thanks.
xjion89: Famous I don't know, just hope I can improve
Joe Ng: Thanks!
Azmeen: Yah 2 years, maybe another 8 years I'll call myself a photographer haha...in 23 years maybe I'll be a pro!
chyu: Thanks Adeline, appreciate your suppport...maybe I come to your town and shoot you hehe.
kevin: Right now? I'd say get a D200...it's about RM2000 cheaper than when I bought mine and I have never regretted paying that much.
Jeff: Check out Shutter Asia buy and sell, can get a second hand D70s pretty cheap now.
Dabido: Exercise your camera dude!
Ginny: Thanks glad you like them all, you can see more by category on my Flickr (click Gallery link at the top).
jolene: Don't know for sure yet, I'm still a beginner I think.
Donny: Thanks
Lighting is the most important thing in photography!
steph: Thanks - keep practicing, studying and applying what you learned. I generally have a very steep learning curve as I'm a bit obsessive
Using
Really nice pics you captured! You've got talent!
Using
Great shots, ST! What camera/lens did you use?
Using
Nice pictures.....
Keep up the good work bro....
Using
tis are no ordinary pics
Using
i am just amazed, those photos are really beautiful. And well done, those picture looks lively and just touch my heart.
only person with patient and perserverance together with skills manage to take such a picture.
Using
you call those noob shots? those fantastic shots leh! anyway what a coincidence, i got my dslr at 2006 too!
Using
Congrats ST! Keep up the good works! Those are really AWESOME photography and stunning HDR photos too !! Cheers!
Using
umm, was looking around shops. dont think i can get a D200 now bro. 2nd hand?
Using
shaolin tiger at its best aah!
well,i needed 1 more year to produce pic like these in the future
Using
damn nice lo... hehe.. must learn from you d..!! hehe.. be your follower!! LOL
Using
ops, i tough you get back your D70 at the end? or this legend is fake ... ??
Using
Your pictures never fail to impress me ST. And only 2 years into dslr photography? could have had me fooled mate
Using
2 years! Congrats! You're take really good pictures, impressive! Here's to many more years! *cheers*
Using
wow yr photographs are gr8! very rich & focus oriented
Using
congrats and looking forward to see more from you
btw, D3 is lovely.
Using
simpleU: Thanks
Ranga: I just used Photoshop no camera
Krazie Fishie: Thanks, will keep on trying.
kaswira: I hope that's a good thing heh.
jess: Thanks, it does take a lot of hard work.
Darren: Heh around the same time!
Pientai: Thanks, shame the scenes in Malaysia don't suite HDR as well as the crazy skies in UK.
kevin: I think a few places still have new ones, have to hunt a bit. Second hand there's plenty around, some with really low shutter count.
Dean: Keep trying!
andrew: Haha I need to find someone to follow first
iCalvyn: Got it back...but it was rosak. Long story.
wombok: Thanks, still a long way to go though.
Nick Chhan: Cheers mate!
QuaChee: Thank you, I love clear, rich and sharp pics.
potatoe: Hehe, more will come...patience
D3 if you have one I'll poke you in the eye - it rocks!
Using
Awesome photos.
Using
Kevin Han: Thanks Kevin!
Using
Great pictures. So rich and so alive. What bout putting more details? Would love to know more about the photos i.e. place taken..the people in it..
Using
Aileen: Thanks! I've posted all of them on this blog before with descriptions and so on. If you can find the details here you can find them in Flickr (click the Gallery link at the top).
Using
Oh my ! Lovely pictures <3. Can certainly learn alot from here !
Using
Gorgeous. Bloody gorgeous- you've come a long way since the first noob pic. Do you think the camera technique develops your "eye" or your "eye" develops the camera technique?
Esoteric but completely serious question there for you.
Using
Melissa: Thanks! I still have a lot to learn too, it's a long journey.
Implosion: Yah a long way indeed, a lot of studying involved! Heh, esoteric but very relevant. It's hard to say and I think it's as much one way as it is the other..I'd say for a start you have to have some 'eye' when you start if not you'll never take good pics, well good being pictures with soul. Anyone can learn the technical parts, but if you don't have the 'eye' and the character to interact with your subjects, your pics will be sharp and clear but lifeless. I guess your technique tends to develop around your 'eye' as you may want to capture a certain scene, but can't due to lack in skills...so you develop the skills which enable to you capture it as you wish. On top of that your skills refine your 'eye' in terms of composition, appreciating light and angle of light, appreciating rule of thirds, leading lines, vanishing point, depth of field and so on plus 100's of other things you learn along the way (no horizontal lines through heads/necks in portraits, no vertical objects sticking out of heads, don't light from directly below and so on). Does that answer you somehow, or was it a bunch of rambly nonsense?
Using
You're good...
It's also fantastic that you still find time to pursue photography. I haven't had time to shoot anything not work-related.
A lot of DSLR owners seem more interested in the hardware than the art itself, so it's nice to know that you're still chugging along in a D200 while producing fantastic photos.
Keep it up!
Using
Chris Chong: Thanks, that's kind of you
Well I always try and make the time, and it always rewards me when I do - so it's worth it. Yeah Malaysia is inhabited by gearheads...they always ask me when I'm upgrading and look surprised when I say I'm not.
Using
Very nice photos! With your Nikon D200 what lens did you used Im very much interested since I am planning to get my first dslr nikon d200?
Using
nell: Different lens for different purpose
Just get an 18-70mm to start with and you'll be fine.
Using
wow, you have lotsa great photos!!
Using
uner: Thanks