What's next for you?

Up until this year, photography has been a source of income for me since the late 1960s. Due to the recent economic conditions, the death of my wife, and recent changes in my health, I am seriously considering retiring from photography.
 
I've been evaluating. I have a ton of gear that just sits here waiting to be sold, but I hate selling things, so it all just sits here. I really need to get on it though. I've been culling around the house too. Too much stuff. I'm sure the garbageman doesn't like pulling up seeing the pile. Lol.

I am planning future projects. I was right in the middle of one when the pandemic hit. I had never made so many satifying images in such a short time, then bam. Getting the momentum back will be difficult so I am not really planning on it. If it happens, it happens. Won't be the first project that got the door slammed in it's face due to circumstances. This pandemic is going to last a long time, so I've been thinking about what else to do. I might pick up a monorail and do some still life images. I have one project I've thought about for years. I have another I can do over the winter that I was planning on doing last winter but the aforementioned project on fire took over. Street/Urban photography is pretty much shot at this point. Shame really.

I really should be printing. I normally only print in the winter since I don't like going in the darkroom when the sun is out. In the summer that only leaves an hour or two so it isn't worth it. Lots of time in the winter though. Getting old projects printed should be a priority. I've found once they get printed they take on their own life, but of course nothing happens if it doesn't get done.

I just bought a really small super 8 camera too, so that is something to explore. I already have a really good one, but I am lazy and it is heavy so I never carry it. I have some ideas for that. I'll probably end up buying a Chamonix as well if I decide to do the one project, and I should pick up a monorail just to have one around.

I might try to come up with a project for Cyanotypes too. A year and a half ago I got stuck in and pretty much wrapped my head around the process and how to really produce quality prints. Like other things I do, if I can't make them at least as good as the other work out there I won't do them, unless I just want to do them for fun. I think I have those down to the point where they are, but I don't have a lot of images that go well with the process.

The biggest issue these days though is motivation. It is hard to get things done with the current world. Pandemic, political and econonic upheaval, social strife. Kinda depressing!
 
jsrockit said:
I have to ask... for you lucky (and seemingly happily) retired guys that spend a lot of time photographing ... is it the process of getting out there and doing more important than doing something with the end result?

Note: this is not criticism. It's a curiosity only as I only photography because I love the process of making the photos most, but still I have to feel like I am doing something with the results (at this point in my life).
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For me its getting out there and doing something .
I take a lot of stuff effectively for other people so I guess that is the objective rather than it being just personal work although on one level its all personal work .
 
Print more using online services.

May shift to developing using a lab rather than DIY.

Maybe selling some gear to clear the decks a bit, so I can buy something else I don't really need and probably won't use.

Experiment with cropping, composition, and flash.
 
Always working on some photography related project. For myself the project itself is the fun. When one is done and the next one is in progress I might only shoot 5-10 shots with a homemade contraption then be fully engrossed with the next project.
Using a lot of photo paper as negatives these days. The darkroom (a windowless laundry room) requirements for paper negatives are minimal and can take place under safelight.
Paper is cheap, also a consideration, and results can be had in 30 minutes if so desired.
 
I lost my job at the end of 2019 and had already planned on drifting through the first half of 2020 in order to do stuff I never seemed to find the time for when work + commute took 60 hours/week of my time. Even before the pandemic, most of my plans were deliberately unambitious: I figured I'd see if "The good old days" could mine for the taking if I could just slow down enough to appreciate them! And in a way, the pandemic made this easier by curtailing things would have been distractions, such as what to do, visit or acquire.

During the most restricted parts of lockdown, I was completely immersed in a dawn-to-dusk project of scanning film, figuring out dates and locations and making it all accessible in Lightroom. There was much I hadn't seen in decades. In cases where the negatives weren't available, I made high resolution scans of prints, and I extended this to include all manner of random bits of souvenir paper I had accumulated during overseas trips such as this:

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And more recently, I've been selling less-used stuff on eBay, and treating the product photos as it's own photo project. Besides the immediate utility value of the photos in helping me maximize sale prices, they serve as a reminder of where I've been and a reminder to myself of the appeal that drew me to these things in the first place:

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And simply sitting around binging on Netflix or playing computer games has it's own charms, especially after years of a busier lifestyle when such idle time felt somehow wrong.
 
jsrockit said:
I have to ask... for you lucky (and seemingly happily) retired guys that spend a lot of time photographing ... is it the process of getting out there and doing more important than doing something with the end result?
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They are all one and the same to me, or so closely bonded that they cannot be separated. My goal is to publicly convey information about unique cultures that are of special interest to me. Photography just seems to be the best communication medium for me. Since I only photograph topics that are special interest to me, being there is as enjoyable as photographing it. I do make effort at having my results seen both in exhibits as well as on-line since my goal is not accomplished if no one sees it. I have chosen to refuse any payment for assignments, prints, or reproduction fees as I fear being influenced by general marketability, not what I believe needs to be done. (not a hell of a lot of money involved anyway). I am generous at sharing my work for any non-commercial purposes.

I did the same thing on weekends and vacations before I retired. Being a Jekyll and Hyde helped me cope with my day job back then.
 
End result or process?

Really, it's the whole thing.

Photography is a big part of my life, something I do almost every day. It's so well integrated into my daily activities, I don't even think about it anymore--I just do it like breathing. Since retiring, I shoot more, print more and think about it more.
 
Dogman said:
End result or process?
Really, it's the whole thing.
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Well, of course, but I meant once you have those prints, books, etc... what are you doing with them? For some, it is enough just to photograph and enjoy it personally (and with friends and family). For others, they want to do something with the photos outside of their own personal world. Some, just keep it to themselves.
 
jsrockit said:
For some, it is enough just to photograph and enjoy it personally (and with friends and family). For others, they want to do something with the photos outside of their own personal world. Some, just keep it to themselves.
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Ah .... I see what you mean .
I have no inclination to do anything with my photos outside of my immediate circle .
For the equestrian stuff that`s about 600 people .
Other than posting here , Instagram and Flickr that`s the extent of my interest .
I do know photographers who just keep to themselves totally .... that seems reasonably common.
 
jsrockit said:
Well, of course, but I meant once you have those prints, books, etc... what are you doing with them? For some, it is enough just to photograph and enjoy it personally (and with friends and family). For others, they want to do something with the photos outside of their own personal world. Some, just keep it to themselves.
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The book I am working on will have a print run of 100 and will be a legacy gift to family and friends. It will not available for purchase. My business career tells me that trying to market it to the general public is a losing proposition. But those I want to have one will get one.

My first book was the same. That worked out well. Wanting to make it available to the general public, it is essentially available on line for free. http://bobmichaels.org/Cuba_intro.htm

Everything included in my current book is also available to the public via my website just in bits and pieces. The reason for printing is for decades down the road those I want to have it can pull out something tangible.
 
Bob Michaels said:
The book I am working on will have a print run of 100 and will be a legacy gift to family and friends. It will not available for purchase. My business career tells me that trying to market it to the general public is a losing proposition. But those I want to have one will get one.

My first book was the same. That worked out well. Wanting to make it available to the general public, it is essentially available on line for free. http://bobmichaels.org/Cuba_intro.htm

Everything included in my current book is also available to the public via my website just in bits and pieces. The reason for printing is for decades down the road those I want to have it can pull out something tangible.
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This sums up my approach too. I've searched out affordable ways to make books (and even zines) for this same reason (one was actually your suggestion). I have one very small (and very new) publisher who wants to do a book with me, but we are talking a very small publisher. It's ok... I like them and they approached me. At least it isn't my money for once. By the way, I always make my own personal books for the same reason as you.
 
Lots of great responses here.

Nothing too exciting on my end but when the lockdown started I got serious about sending out what was in need of repair. In a few weeks time I'll have everything back, and working!

Solidarity to all.
 
jsrockit said:
..... I have one very small (and very new) publisher who wants to do a book with me, but we are talking a very small publisher. It's ok... I like them and they approached me. ......
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John: Good luck. It should work. My experience is that printers and printing presses are just like photographers and cameras. It ain't the hardware.

edit: I believe proofs are essential if you are doing more than a one copy print on demand such as Blurb. I followed their color space requirements to the letter when I printed my first book with Edition One. I did not have to tweak any of the actual photos as their proofs matched my prints exactly. But, the proof was still worthwhile as I discovered two typos in my text that I was so happy were not in the actual 200 copy print run.
 
narsuitus said:
Up until this year, photography has been a source of income for me since the late 1960s. Due to the recent economic conditions, the death of my wife, and recent changes in my health, I am seriously considering retiring from photography.
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I'm very sorry to hear this about your wife. How is your health right now?

With so many changes ongoing, the state of flux brings a kind of flexibility about the future. We can shape the path we will take, and I trust that the choices we make will bring a better future.
 
narsuitus said:
When I almost passed out during a wedding, I got the message that I could no longer fulfill commitments to future weddings.
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Sorry to hear that .
As we get older we need to make those adjustments in life and learn to love what we`re still able to do .

That`s the tough bit isn`t it .
All the best
 
Calzone said:
John,

In 4 more years I will be at full retirement age of 66 years 8 months. Covid-19 and FED zero interest rate policies seem to have expedited both leaving NYC, buying a home in Beacon, and the possibility of retiring earlier than planned as a possibility.

Seems like Zero Interest rate policy is making funding pensions almost impossible because of a lack of safe returns. New York State this month I have heard is offering "buyouts" to "de-risk" and get rid of pension liabilities. I can see me getting offered a buyout, but because of my long life expectenctcy the pension is better for me.

The city we know and love is gone, and it is a bit as if we flipped a switch and it is NYC of the middle seventies. Anyone that can leave is leaving. The suburbs are the place everyone that can is relocating.

The new epidemic here in NYC will be homelessness because eventually either the banks or land lords will take a loss. A recent headline is that there are over 14K vacant apartments alone in Madhattan. About one family a week has been moving out of my luxury building of 40 units.

Midtown office space is said to be only 10% occupency. No need for office space when working remotely is the the way forward. There is no-return.

I'm trying to protect "Maggie" who already is 67. She wants out too. Like I said, it is a very different city... Pretty much I have her locked down. Shootings have occured within a block of my apartment.

I choose not to photograph suffering and sadness, instead I print.

So photographically I have been printing books of my work. These are one-offs and expand on my "book of proofs" except the new image size is 13.3x20 inches on 17x24 sheet. I also added a thin acid free cover sheet to protect the pages. This book is very impressive and I designed it so that the book cleverly fits in a stock museum box. Clearly this is a fine art book.

The next stage would be to absorb the costs of printing out limited editions. The editions would be small in number, and of course I learned to keep Artist Proofs just in case something good happens...

I see what "Maggie" has to do. All the compromise to handle an audience. Selfish as it sounds, I'm cool with not sharing my work or never really putting it out there, but maybe I'll try to promote myself online.

I have a distaste for galleries, and all the "gatekeepers."

Anyways my work I did for myself, and it took a while to discover that the reason for all my manical shooting was to have a sense of home when I leave NYC which seems soon, even hough I likely will perform a long commute for as long as I can.

This home I will be going to will homefully help me attain my full lifespan of 106 years. My dad who was poor, illiterate, and was an illegal immigrant lived till 94. I did a test and even though I'm 62 1/2 (cronological) my biological age is only 39.

It is really interesting about how at my present age it has become like back in High School where I wondered about the future and what lays ahead, and the long term outlook and planning required to think out about what I might do over the next 4 or 4 and a half decades.

I realize and am thankful that back in the seventies in art school I made the decision to get a day job and not pursue being a fine artist and the life of struggle that goes along with that. I made the right choice, and now I don't have to please anyone but myself, my work does not have to be commodified, and my creativity does not have to be compromised.

Cal
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You would be an interesting guy to have a beer with.
 
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