So how did you get started photography?

My story is that Dad gave me a Kodak folding brownie (bellows) camera when I was ~10yo, shot 120 format B&W.
I used to take the film to the local chemist and get the prints from there.

Later at high school there was a camera club that had a darkroom.
I wasted a lot of time with some mates having fun.

Once I started working I got a Pentax MX with 50/1.7 in ~1977, shot slide and printed using Cibachrome.
I got a couple of extra lenses 28/2.8 and 85-210/4 and a 1.4TC, plus a set of Cokin filters.

...
It dropped back to family / holiday happy snaps during the late 80's and 90's
...

I got into Digital around 2003 with a 3.1 MP P&S then a DSLR in late 2006.