How many candles are knotched on your belt

[Rick58]

After raising an eye brow over many comments posted on the various forums, I was just curious of the ages of the different photographers TPF.

This has nothing to do with maturity, or lack of, but rather simply how it reflects your view of photography.

I'm 54 and learned my photography and darkroom work back in the very early 70's, long before computers, digital and HDR. Back then, the only altered reality was the accidental double exposure. I see what's being done today and feel really old.

 

[pgriz]

Ah, Rick, you're forgetting stuff. We also did solarization, dodging and burning, selective development, masking, adding textures, gradient filters, etc. in the darkroom. Not to mention the usual cropping, enlarging, horizon fixing, adjustment of colour balance. Continuous lighting was always there. The strobe technique evolved considerably, and learning flash photography is immesurably easier with digital, both with the tools available (radio triggers, ability to shoot in either manual or auto modes, zooming and rotatable flash heads), and due to the immediate feedback on the camera.

immediacy has a huge effect on the speed of learning, and on the satisfaction, and digital gives you that. If you are diligent and systematic, it is possible to experiment with digital in ways that would be very costly with film, as you iterate through hundreds of shots towards better and better results (all this in the same session). And in family snapshot settings, wrapping up a family event with a showing of the images taken during the event on a laptop or large screen, has become one of the rituals. And of course, CD's to all the participants.

I'm getting close to 60, and love the ease with which many things can be easily changed, even with basic editing tools. I still have most of my film equipment (but the darkroom stuff has been sold long ago), and don't miss the waiting for development or the messing around with the chemicals in the darkroom. What has NOT changed is the need to make the image interesting and compelling. Composition, lighting, posing, attention to the background and foreground detail, and thought about the final viewing experience, continue to be needed and distinguish poor from well-crafted images.

 

[Rick58]

Ah, Rick, you're fogetting stuff. We also did solarization, dodging and burning, selective development, masking, adding textures, gradient filters, etc. in the darkroom. Not to mention the usual cropping, enlarging, horizon fixing, adjustment of colour balance. Continuous lighting was always there. The strobe technique evolved considerably, and learning flash photography is immesurably easier with digital, both with the tools available (radio triggers, ability to shoot in either manual or auto modes, zooming and rotatable flash heads), and due to the immediate feedback on the camera.

immediacy has a huge effect on the speed of learning, and on the satisfaction, and digital gives you that. If you are diligent and systematic, it is possible to experiment with digital in ways that would be very costly with film, as you iterate through hundreds of shots towards better and better results (all this in the same session). And in family snapshot settings, wrapping up a family event with a showing of the images taken during the event on a laptop or large screen, has become one of the rituals. And of course, CD's to all the participants.

I'm getting close to 60, and love the ease with which many things can be easily changed, even with basic editing tools. I still have most of my film equipment (but the darkroom stuff has been sold long ago), and don't miss the waiting for development or the messing around with the chemicals in the darkroom. What has NOT changed is the need to make the image interesting and compelling. Composition, lighting, posing, attention to the background and foreground detail, and thought about the final viewing experience, continue to be needed and distinguish poor from well-crafted images.

Well, that settles it, it's me that refuses to move into the 2000's. Much of what you just said has been told to me by the man who taught ME...my 74 year old father...LOL

 

[jowensphoto]

I'm 23. My driest camera wa a 110 fisher price perfect shot lol

I've done a few apprenticeships with local photographers and worked in a few studios. The retail places didn't teach me much.

 

[AaronLLockhart]

28 here. I shoot film, but got into photography through graphic design. So, of course im a digital native.

 

[baturn]

66 next Sunday. Have to admit it seems more and more difficult for this old dog to learn new tricks. However the learning part is at least half the fun for me.

 

[480sparky]

I'm 22.......... on the metric scale.

 

[KenC]

Someone did a poll on age about six months or maybe a year ago. If you search for it you could find a lot of data. As I recall there were quite a few people in each of the age ranges.

 

[480sparky]

Someone did a poll on age about six months or maybe a year ago. If you search for it you could find a lot of data. As I recall there were quite a few people in each of the age ranges.

Yeah... some weirdo did one.

 

[Designer]

I've got you beat, Rick. I agree with the premise, but I think it may be more than simply the way youngsters look at photography. It think it is more indicative of the way they look at everything in the world. Things happen quicker, and with different technology, but still that is only part of the picture. Without casting aspersions upon the youth, I think that society in general is changing, and not always in a good way.

 

[Rick58]

I've got you beat, Rick. I agree with the premise, but I think it may be more than simply the way youngsters look at photography. It think it is more indicative of the way they look at everything in the world. Things happen quicker, and with different technology, but still that is only part of the picture. Without casting aspersions upon the youth, I think that society in general is changing, and not always in a good way.

Back in the day there was a saying "a picture doesn't lie". I'm not so sure that saying is valid today. Today it seems the image can be proceesed as far to the right, or to the left, of reality as you wish. It seems the line between "photography" and art is growing thinner and thinner. I didn't make that last statement to be bashed. I realize photography, particularly fine printing has been an "art" for many years, but when I see the results of a HDR look more like a painting then a photo, I ask myself, is that really photography or is that art.

 

[MLeeK]

This is one of the things I like about this forum. It's not a bunch of young photographers, but the concentration seems to be more in people my age or older or who have been in the business for quite a bit of time. Because of that I have actually been able to get guidance and learn things here where in other forums it has seemed that there may be a whole 5 of us with any knowledge at all and no more than what I already possess. Here? I know a little, but that's about it!
I am in the 40-something category.

I learned to shoot on film, but never did much actual darkroom work myself. I love film more and more now as I get older and get bored with my own personal shooting. I'd love to get into the darkroom, but finding a corner in my home to build one? ROFLMAO! We have a 2000SF house with 2 spare bedrooms that are full to the brim! Maybe I'll buy a shed to build a darkroom in! lol!

 

[rexbobcat]

19 as of June.

I like the option of digital or film nowadays.

I could just be one of those pretentious "photography is too accessible...cheapens the art...rawr rawr rawr" but that whole spiel goes against my own roots in photography so I'm not gonna complain. ha.

I wish I had more opportunities for actually getting somewhere with my photography in this stupid town, but it's very clique-ish. A few pretty good photographers who are too good to have anything to do with students and amateurs, and A BUNCH of "$50 for all edited photos on a CD" types. I don't like to deal with either, but I don't really have any other choices.

 

[Rick58]

@ MleeK: I hear you regarding d-room space. I have all my equipment including 2 D-2 Omega's with all the trimmings for everything from 33mm to 4x5 and all formats in between. It's been boxed for about 10 years, since I moved into the current house. I came from a dedicated d-room and can't bring myself to set up along one wall in our bedroom. Even with the wifes blessing, I look at the carpeting and bed linens and all I see is dreadful DUST!
I did the bathroom d-room drill for about 10-15 years. What a pain! So much so, it becomes easier to sit on the recliner and watch TV.
I considered a shed or garage partition, but then you have to deal with the hot, cold and humidity along with lack of running water. I even suggested moving our bed to the garage and partitioning off half of the bedroom for a dedicated space. That almost got me AND my gear to the garage for good!
One day, hopefully before digital becomes obsolete, I'll find a corner.

 

[Tuffythepug]

62....pushing hard on 63.... Been toying around with a camera for 50 years. Got kinda serious about it in the 70's and now, approaching retirement I'm getting back into it with a vengeance ! I need something to keep me occupied when I don't have to get up and go to work any more. Sill have all my old darkroom equip. in boxes. I'll be unpacking it and setting up another darkroom in the not-too-distant future. I'd like to be able to pass along the magic of film and darkroom work to a young photographer who can help keep it alive when I'm gone