Introduce yourself!

MichaelTheMaven
Contributor

I thought this would be a good thread for everyone to come in and tell a little about yourself, especially as the forum is just getting started.

 

My name is Michael Andrew, but I go by Michael The Maven. I have been a Canon shooter for almost 10 years now and I LOVE Canon gear. 

 

I started off primarily as a portrait and wedding photorgapher, after a few years of working as a videographer in the wedding industry in Alabama. For the past 5 years, I have run a free online photography school for beginning Canon shooters and have have produced several Canon training videos, many clips of which can be seen on Youtube. I am intimiately familiar with the following Canon gear:

 

Canon Rebel XSi

Canon Rebel T1i

Canon Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T3i

Canon Rebel T4i

Canon 40D

Canon 50D

Canon 60D

Canon 5D

Canon 7D

Canon 5Dii

Canon 5Diii

 

Canon Speedlite 430, 580 Ex, Exii

Canon Speedlite 600

 

I look forward to meeting everyone and sharing my knowledge with you if I can help!

 

Michael

141 REPLIES 141

vander
Contributor

Hi, I'm new here and I can say that this is a very interesting community filled with people of the same interest. I love to be here!

AvengerC
Contributor

Hi Guys,

I'm Priyadarshan from Sri Lanka. Bought my first 2nd hand DSLR for my youtube channel. I make tech, Computer videos and also Getting started with the basics. you can check my content here (www.youtube.com/pcguidelk)

 

My Gear is - Canon 650D + Kit Lens

ChrisPBacon
Enthusiast

There certainly is a lot of very knowledgeable people in this community, and those I’ve had contact with have been very helpful.

 

I’m Chris, new to the website and have been a long-time Canon fan: started with the F-1, purchased to learn photography in 2 years of university classes.

 

i am a professional pilot, and fly the 747 worldwide: I’ve been to 71 different countries, including island nations, flown about 23 million miles in my career. I’m also a professional writer; trained as a scientist; work as a volunteer at an observatory.

 

While I’m not new to photography, I’ve only owned a DSLR for about 4 years: I purchased a used EOS 7D and was a bit overwhelmed at first (and this comes from someone who owned an EOS-1V).  I’ve taken several dozen Canon classes offered in Californis In order to get the most out of my camera — now, cameras.

 

Photography is a passion of mine: always looking for the perfect sunrise, sunset, cloud formation, lightning display; comet, moonrise, landscape, architectural photo waiting to be framed, composed, and photographed.

 

 

Chris P. Bacon
F-1; AE-1; EOS 1V, EOS-1D X Mark III, 5D Mk IV, 6D, 6D Mk II, 7D, and 7D Mk II; scads of Canon, Zeiss, and Sigma lenses.

Dear CrisPbacon,

Gotta Love that.

Welcome to this site and your photo journey.  Alot of noobs and ole pro's on here.  For learning your camera and other great stuff, Ive found CreateLive.com to be a great source with some excellent classes and variety of instructors to get a good feel, plus they stream live so you can catch them for free if you have the time that day (on a layover).   Theres Lots of great ideas, we all learn differently.  Hope that is a good source 4 U

.  I started to be a pilot until our plane caught on fire at 250ft after take off.  Glad for ppl like you who plowed thru. 

You'll pick this stuff up fast, it just takes a lot of practice, trial and error, and allowing others to give honest feedback on your photos.  (dont count on any moderators piping in on here tho unless its a pro quality shot)

Best wishes, looking fwd to seeing some photos of your locations you get to see on a regular.

regards

Liz

Hi, Liz.

 

Thanks for your suggestion: I’ll check the course out.

 

DSLRs are a bit overwhelming and while I’ve become familiar enough with the different Canon cameras I have, every once in a while I’m at a loss to explain the unexpected.  These cameras have so many more options to get the great photo!  I love it!

 

Engine fire? At 250’ on takeoff?  Every pilot’s nightmare!  Obviously it was handled correctly — you’re here! — but that’s a very traumatic experience for any pilot, no matter how long you’ve been at it. I’ve had a few moments that have given me pause to consider if I really wanted to do this for a living: had the oil line rupture at 480’ AGL on takeoff from Ft. Yukon, AK flying a fully-loaded single-engine aircraft;  three months later, I had an electrical fire while IMC, carrying a patient on a medevac, much too early on a frigid winter’s night. You keep your wits about you while thinking how to make it through the problem, and once you’re on the ground, that’s the time for the knees to get wobbly and feel a bit uncertain about your choice of occupation.

 

Again, thanks for your suggestion.

 

Chris

Chris P. Bacon
F-1; AE-1; EOS 1V, EOS-1D X Mark III, 5D Mk IV, 6D, 6D Mk II, 7D, and 7D Mk II; scads of Canon, Zeiss, and Sigma lenses.

Wrote back a long note and took too long and disappeared.

You have many opportunites to find a source that suits you to learn it all.  You'll get it, keep your enthusiasm.  Can be overwhelming, but so is flying.

Surely youll be  a pro in no time.

I thank God for ppl like you with neves of steel.

Best wishes

Nerves of steel; knees of jelly.

 

Thanks for the encouragement: last night was a disaster, photographically speaking.

Chris P. Bacon
F-1; AE-1; EOS 1V, EOS-1D X Mark III, 5D Mk IV, 6D, 6D Mk II, 7D, and 7D Mk II; scads of Canon, Zeiss, and Sigma lenses.

May I offer a suggestion that is really helping me?  Im real new at th is too, on my 2nd dslr.

CreateLive has classes on almost every camera out there.  John Greengo (Canon photographer/ instructor, also work/s/ed for Canon) is excellent at going thru EVERY setting on your camera and explaining in detail each function.  He offers different scenarios/ different conditions and how to maneuver the settings on the go.  Once I knew what the settings did and how to work it, my stress level decreased, esp when out on an excursion (of sorts) or events you want to catch, and your under pressure to get it right.  

Its like learning CPR every yr, once you know it, and practice it, becomes automatic without needing to stop and think...get more stressed and start messing up etc....Surely we have all been there.

 

If you can handle the kind of stress of engine failure during a transport flight, you WILL get this.  Those disasters will make you better at it b.c now you will investigate what it was that went haywire.  (we're stil talking photos not flight) lol  we hope anyway.

 

I did transports for a month.  I was not the pilot, but the caregiver.  That alone is stressful, esp if patient not stable.  You had engine/ electric issues on top of an already stressful situation.  All I can say is....Nerves of steel....Nobody sees the jelly knees or the knots in your stomach (lucky for us)

Hey everyone!

I’m Saurabh. I’m 27 years old, and I’m a native Indian. I work as an SEO Consultant in an IT firm and a Part-time blogger

 

I’m happy to be here at Canon Community,

shane
Contributor

Hi Everyone.

 

My name is Shane, I live in Las Vegas, and I have a Canon Rebel XTi that I've had for years.  My primary interest is nature photography.

 

I'm looking forward to learning from everyone here.

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