[6-18] "When did you start?"

A question I get often: "when did you start?"

Also phrased as, "so what got you interested?"

I've improvised responses, and because i am asked often enough, I have ideas cobbled to create answers that reflect the depth of the question without taking too much time. I cannot go into languid detail—there are important other things to talk about. it is best to avoid conversations about my life; I want them to say what they want to say, what gives them satisfaction; facts about our lives seem to lead to judgements.

(1) "Ever since I was little, when I went camping with my parents, I gravitated towards photography. I liked holding the camera, visiting national parks and taking pictures of the animals that crossed the road."

That's a bit long.

(2) "I did a bit of photography in college, a lot of travel photography when my parents took me and my brother traveling in the summer."

That's a bit too personal, in the sense it leads to questions about my family.

(3) "It's a deep passion and intense hobby. I can't explain why but I have always enjoyed it, since I was about eight or nine years old, and my photographic interests have changed significantly over the years."

Ha, I put a number on my age, people like this. This is okay: I liked photography as soon as I could hold a camera; I do not remember the exact year. Love at first sight? I still remember how much I liked it, especially the mechanism of the shutter release.