The last 12 months

Hi all - just thought I'd share how things have moved on for me since acquiring my now very-used K20d at the end of April last year.

Got it for my 40th as I couldn't afford a sports car or a hot blonde! I've worked from scratch with it, learning as I went.

I joined a local photo website who supply one of the local papers as an affiliate, initially doing pics of our local footy team. This led on to more sports shots, then local news stories, covering sports tournaments and being paid for photos being printed as well as commission sales on the website and weekend-jobs for the paper.

I've put out a few on a website set up with foliopic and sold 2 prints from there, got photo of the week in a couple of papers and made a local oil suppliers' calendar for 2010.

After a couple of nightclub outings, I have a meeting this Thursday with the management of our largest local club to be their club photographer for the summer. I have done 2 family portrait shoots, and a charity set-up shoot for their brochure (7 under-5's - ouch!).

I knew I would enjoy this hobby (and hobby it is as I still work full-time), but never dreamed of the satisfaction it has given me (as well as a tidy sum of added income which has already paid for the camera and lenses) nor the satisfaction its given the people of who I have taken the shots and got them printed.

Things are good, I have plans for a fast lens now, and hope to continue as things go into next year!

I hope that other "new" users are getting as much out of it as I am - I feel very lucky to have chosen such a sturdy, useable and flexible piece of kit -

Well done Pentax - and thank you!!

Nice to hear a good news story now and again - congratulations and I hope photography brings you many more happy years.

I think everyone's jealous.

The K20D seems to have been a good choice for you. And you have certainly managed well. Wonder if a sports car or a hot blonde could provide such satisfaction.