In a nutshell:
The world around us as viewed through your lens.

Tell me more!
Living in the Facebook, MySpace and Bebo generation means that outdoors photography can become a natural extension of many other outdoor pastimes. Capturing a rare bird on camera, a stunning view whilst hiking or proof you really did spend a weekend in the bush with only your tent for company, photography can create memories for life as well as impressing your mates with your exploits! Digital cameras have opened up the world of photography as you can actually frame the scene you want to shoot beforehand, with the power to immediately delete any ropey shots at your fingertips.  

The stuff you need
These days, most people tend to have own some sort of digital camera whether it is attached to their phone (a high quality 8 mega pixel camera is not uncommon) or a stand alone digital camera. Although you may be initially limited in your range of images, it is a fairly inexpensive way to try out the hobby and see if you want to pursue it further. SLR cameras using traditional film and interchangeable lenses are often the camera of choice for keen enthusiasts, but these are also now available in digital versions, combining technology with the advantage of lenses and filters. There are many books about photography available to read but one of the best ways to learn is to read your camera manual inside out and practice, practice, practice!     

Cool things you can do
Once you have the hang of the basics, you may wish to join a club or take a course to learn about different photography techniques. Meeting other people who have knowledge and experience can prove to be a useful sounding board when it comes to answering beginners questions, as they have probably been there and wondered that themselves! You can move onto specialist subjects such as underwater or cave photography which will require different types of equipment and specialist knowledge about how to achieve the best results. Developing photos from a traditional film in your own darkroom can add another string to your bow and you may find that your hobby could lead to a brand new career.