I am a photographer who is aging and I have first-hand experience of the changes that occur as you get older. The physical changes are the most obvious but there are related psychological changes. Despite these changes due to aging, I believe we have the ability to adapt to these changes.
I’ve been a photographer for over 50 years but I did not make my living from photography although I was an adjunct instructor in photography for 14 years. I consider myself a “fine-art” photographer and naturally my experience is from that perspective.
Let’s begin with physical changes as you age. I will address three areas: mobility, strength, and vision. First, I encourage all photographers to exercise and keep in the best condition that is appropriate for them. Start when you are young and keep working at it. I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been able to maintain my health into my 70’s but it is not easy and it does take discipline. I do some form of exercise daily consisting of either walking, running or light weight resistance lifting. You should design a routine that fits your abilities. View it as a lifetime commitment. Despite my exercise routine, I have experienced the impact of aging as it relates to photography.
For my style of photography, I do a lot of squatting and bending. Sometimes I lie of the ground or stand on a step ladder for a better and more interesting angle. I have noticed that I am not as nimble nor as flexible as I was when younger. I can still get up off the floor but it is not a graceful thing. Balance is more challenging now when on a step ladder trying to get that special shot. The solution is to stay upright and stay off ladders. This is easier said than done because the photographer in me does not want to miss a potential image.
I have also recently started to notice the weight of my camera bag on my shoulder. I use a quality camera bag and I don’t carry a lot of equipment but the bag seems to get heavier each year. My primary equipment is a full-frame DSLR and an old fixed lens medium format rangefinder film camera. When I want to lighten the load, I switch to smaller lighter compact cameras but I do compromise some quality and flexibility.
Vision is essential for a photographer and is impacted with age. For many years, I used manual focus cameras and did not need glasses. I started using autofocus cameras when there was some degradation in my vision and I started wearing glasses. Thanks to advances in medical science, conditions like cataracts can be corrected and other eye problems can be treated. In my case, I have an eye with a cloudy cornea caused by a disease. My vision in that eye is very poor and my depth perception is limited. I see the world as flat instead on in 3-D. Perfect for 2-D photography. I recommend that everyone see an ophthalmologist on a regular basis so that potentially serious eyes issues can be detected early and any necessary treatment implemented.
Let’s take a look at psychological changes that can affect an aging photographer. For me, motivation seems to have decreased with age. I don’t have the “gung-ho” attitude that a younger me possessed. I used to feel guilty if I didn’t arrange photo sessions with models on a regular basis and I constantly sought out interesting locations and I was driven to find something worthy to photograph. I worked with models on a frequent basis and spent days in the darkroom processing and printing the negatives. I am still an active photographer but my output, which has always been somewhat limited has been reduced further.
Creativity is another important psychological attribute which can fluctuate throughout your life and that becomes even more elusive with age. It doesn’t disappear but for me the flashes of creativity aren’t as frequent. I have spent a lot of time thinking and writing about creativity over the years. For instance, I wrote the following:
“Creativity is a fickle thing. It comes and goes. It is elusive. As a photographer, I have learned to embrace the times creativity is with me and endure the periods when it is absent. There is no way to predict its emergence or its subsequent submergence back into the murky waters of the mind. Sometimes I do not know when I am in a highly creative period until it is over. Unfortunately, I do know when my creativity goes in hiding. This is when frustration sets in and I wonder if I have lost my ability to create photographs. But even in these times, I will continue to forge ahead and photograph with the hope that something will bubble to the surface. I sometimes wish I knew where creativity went to hide and could recall it with a photographic magic spell.”
As I age, I question my skills and ability as a photographer. I have always had some self-doubt which is probably a normal thing but it seems such thinking increases with age. Are my best days passed? I hope not. I continue to pursue the elusive images and keep hoping there will be a creative breakthrough. Plus, I keep surprising myself with new images which keeps me motivated.
Related to diminished skills is a diminished memory or at least one that does not work as good as it used to. I find as I age that I need to reinforce my memory on camera operation and photographic software usage. I sometimes forget a function on my camera and have to go to the camera manual. Part of this might be due to the overly complicated options available on the modern cameras but I also realize that I cannot recall something that I should know. The same goes for computer photo processing programs. I find that I have to keep my workflow streamlined and simple. I may not be using the latest digital techniques but I still produce excellent prints.
As an aging photographer, adaptation is essential. I still like to use film but I do not print in a darkroom. My solution is that I develop film in a bathroom and then digitally scan the negatives and finally digitally process the scanned images and print them on a digital printer.
Aging is a fact of life. I have tried to address some of the changes that I have been facing as a photographer. On the physical side, I highlighted mobility, strength and vision. On the psychological side, I focused on motivation, creativity, self-doubt and memory.
I think that by recognizing your limitations you can make adjustments and adapt to these changes. Photography can be beneficial to you both physically and psychologically. There is no reason you cannot experience a rewarding photography experience throughout your lifetime. Keeping a positive attitude is essential and creating exceptional images is the goal.
“Nude Behind Screen” All images copyrighted
Sleeping Mind Photography 