I got a Nikon Camera...........

While I have no dispute with any of your theory, (in fact, it is quite sound), in my particular case, there really was no room for both the darkroom and a double bed. If I wanted her to stay, and I did, this really was the only way to make a reasonable bed to lie in. And she has rarely complained about 'nothing to wear'. She does take an awfully long time to get ready to go out, though.

It depends on how you approach the subject. My only interest in 'photography' arose simply as a means of recording oscilloscope traces when testing an amplifier I'd designed in the early seventies.

I tried making a simple 'camera' made up from a cardboard box with a simple lens casting the image straight onto photo printing paper which I swiftly cast aside for a nice Kodak Retinette 1A. This was soon followed by a Zenit B which lent itself nicely to the task of capturing oscillograms.

After that, I took to the more mainstream photographic pursuits (people, places and intricate objects -eg, that Kodak Retinette 1A in bits and pieces as I stripped it right down and (to my great surprise) successfully rebuilt).

I took sufficient interest to read books and magazines on the subject and learn the art of being a competent photographer as well as learning all about the basics of optics and photo-chemistry.

As with all such 'hobbies' (involving technology and technique), I was hooked and took some pride in my efforts at taking the best photos I could in otherwise impossible 'available light' situations, avoiding as much as possible the use of atmosphere destroying flash lighting.

The photographers' skills are still valid with today's digital cameras but I can't help feeling that modern digital photography has cheapened this activity somewhat as a hobbyist pursuit.