I first began dabbling in photography about 8 years ago, as a hobby and a way to tap into something creative and artistic. After graduating from some basic bridge cameras, I eventually decided to commit to a Canon DSLR. At the time, an entry-level DSLR with lenses, etc. was still relatively expensive and as photography was just a hobby it wasn't an easily justifiable expense, but in retrospect, it was one of the best purchases that I ever made.