I started taking pictures using a 110 camera when I was very young. I remember having a plastic 35mm camera. One of the ones you got for free for signing up for something or you could buy for a few dollars at any store. I took my first photography class in high school using the venerable Pentax K1000. The Pentax K1000 was an all manual 35mm SLR camera -- Manual shutter speed, aperature, focus, file loading, and film advance. You had 24 or 36 shots per roll of film, so you HAD to take good shots the first time and with a manual camera, you had to learn HOW to take good shots. We used black and white film in class. It is much easier than color to develop and print.

I took another photography class in college. I was even able to teach a 6 week workshop in the student union.

My first paid job was while I was in college. I shot the graduation of a business college that my step-father taught at.

My first digital camera was a 640 X 480 no-name point and shoot. I didn't use it much because I really wanted prints and that size file and such a cheap camera did not give good prints.