too old?

[brians]

fifteen years or so ago I photographed weddings on a regular basis using

medium format camera equipment on a stroboframe, etc etc.

 

I've been a casual photographer these past years doing some minor publishings

but nothing serious or as a source of income.

 

I am nearing forty and considering a move back to doing weddings on a regular

basis...plans are five this year and over the next few years double up

annually.

 

With review of the photojournalistic styles I've been excited to get back into

it and do more creatively when compared to the formals I was used to shooting

in the past; especially now that I am completely digital.

 

One concern, I am not in my early twenties anymore and don't want to take on

more than I can handle...I remember being up on my feet most all day but with

enough sitdown time between events of the day to rest up a little.

 

What should I expect and better yet should I reconsider these plans?

 

thanx

[doug_buffington]

Too old? Forty is not too old for anything! It sounds like the physical nature of wedding

photography won't get you but be careful of the mental outlook if you're already thinking

you're too old. If you have the passion and desire age won't make a difference. And if there

is a difference being 40 might be an advantage.

[timcorridan]

your not even 40 yet, and your asking if your too old??? you might be then. only you can answer this question. ive only done a half dozen weddings, but i know that it is as hard as any "on your feet all day" type of job. tim-43

[timcorridan]

p.s. i work 48 hours a week, standing on a concrete floor as a costco bakery supervisor. is it hard? sure. its a livin...

[brians]

Thanx for the response -- I was actually thinking that at my age now I can work better with the Bride and Groom ...when I was 20 I was quite young and more times than not the bride and groom were older so instructing formals was sometimes difficult.

[annealmasy]

Wow, I hope you're not too old! I'm only 24, and I plan to make shooting my life's work! If I

have to retire at 40 I'll be screwed!

 

Good luck!

[Gary Naka]

As long as you understand the business side of it...GO FOR IT.

 

I beat you by 10+ years :-(

 

You just need to work and equip differently (smarter) than a 20 year old.

 

What I mean by this is, when I was in college I could carry a FULL Nikon kit (2 bodies + 4 lenses + film + flash + misc) all day w/o problem...not any more. Select your gear for weight reduction w/o too much compromise on quality. The following are some examples, but bear in mind that weight is only one factor to consider and has to be balanced againt the shooting requirements.

 

Camera; Nikon D70 vs D2 series. Now I know why my cousin liked his Olympus OM1 vs my Nikon-F. Same with the lenses, that 70-200VR is great, but it comes at a cost WEIGHT. A set of primes might be significantly lighter than the equivalent fast zooms. But 2 zooms might be lighter than 4 primes.

 

Flash; shoe mount vs Lumedyne or Norman packs. AA battery technology has come a LONG way from the days when 500ma NiCad was the best AA batteries. You still need a HV pack for fast recycle, but you can attach it when you need the speed and remove it for other times. You just don't have the power of the pack flashes. But there are pros shooting wedding with only shoe mount flashes.

 

Bag #1; get one with wheels, like this one http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail.php?Case=1510. So much easier when you have to walk a ways from your car to the site. The only reason I mention the Pelican is you need to be able to lock the case and then lock the case to something so it won't be stolen.

 

Bag #2; Carrying the gear, rather than an over the shoulder bag, consider one of the belt systems, where you have a belt with a suspender with detachable pockets for your gear. This is a lot easier on your back than a heavy bag on one shoulder. I plan to get one in the near future.

 

Tripod; my Bogen 3021 is too heavy for me to carry very far. Although strapped to the wheeled case it will be OK. I have a 3001 for carrying around. Shorter and less steady, but a heck lighter. The carbon fiber tripod will get you steady with lightness, but at a $ cost. And watch the heads, some like the Bogen 3047 are HEAVY.

 

Shoes; good looking soft soled shoes. Lot easier on the feet vs hard leather. And quieter in places with hard floors.

 

Go to the gym and get yourself into shape, primarily your back and legs. Go slowly so you don't get hurt. You are not working on strength so much as stamina, endurance and general fitness.

 

Get yourself a young assistant that can do the heavy work for you. A high school or college photo student is a perfect candidate.

 

Be observant, there are times and places where you can pause to rest...DO IT.

 

gud luk

Gary

[Gary Naka]

This is the waist belt system I was thinking of

 

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_products.html

[todd frederick]

Brian,

 

I started photographing weddings seriously at 50, and I still get referrals. I am photographing a wedding on July 8th, and it's a big wedding.

 

At your point in life, you have many years left to do excellent wedding photography. You are young!

 

My next wedding, on the 8th, may be my last, simply due to normal aging issues. It's very tiring! I must accept reality. I'm now 64.

 

I am now doing home family portraits, small weddings, and lots of artsie photography, but the really big weddings I leave to young bucks (and gals) like you.

 

Go for it, and give us updates.

 

Blessings. Todd

[al_kaplan1]

Pick and choose your weddings. There are plenty of smaller shorter weddings, often second marriages, where things aren't as hectic. Consider the possibility of going back to working with a couple of relatively lightweight film cameras with 35 and 85 or 90mm fast lenses instead of a big DSLR with a huge heavy zoom.

[fotografz]

Hire an assistant.

[errol young]

I shoot weddings with 2 d70 bodies, one with the kid lens and the other with the 50mm 1.8. The second camera is usually in a bag on my sholder. Bracket and flash on the first but outside no bracket.

 

Tele Zoom in the car. I have used it only a few times as well as a cheap 28-80 as a back up for the kit lens.

 

The bag has CF cards but I usually get the whole affair on the 2gs in the camera.

 

I need a backup to the SB800 but am using the built in flashes now.

 

There is an extra battery for the camera in the bag as well as 5 AA's for the flash.

 

Light and more than adequate for most affairs.

 

Errol

[mikestryinagain]

I turn 50 this year, and Im turning up the heat to finally do the one thing I should have done long ago. But I battle this thought almost every day, is there enough time to do this? Well, matters not - Im going to rock and roll this thing. Just hitting 40, crank it up and go for it!!!

[picturesque]

Are you too old at 40? No, not unless you are extremely out of shape anyway or have some debilitating physical problem. You should exercise common sense, though, and give your body a break when you can. Sit when you can, drink plenty of fluids, eat if you feel faint, sensible shoes, etc. Know yourself and what it takes to keep your body going.

[JohnWebster]

I am 59 and plan on doing weddings for another ten years! I ride a Schwinn Airdyne exercise bicycle 3 times a week for 60 minutes each time and lift weights two days a week so I have as much endurance as the young couples I photograph. Good custom-fit orthodic inserts in my shoes are a god-send. All my equipment is on my person--a Canon 10D 50mm 1.8 around my neck, 20D 18-55 lens on flash bracket with Vivitar 283 (vari-power module)with Armato battery taped to bracket. Nothing is on my shoulder and only a small case on my belt for flash cards and extra camera battery. Loving wedding photography does not mean you have to work yourself to death, only work smarter than the young bucks who think they need to take the whole camera store to the event and frazzle themselves trying to figure out what to use. Proper planning with the bride and groom reduces stress, manages expectations beforehand, and allows for a confident, alert, and joyful interaction. Go for it and goodluck.

[jurmellies]

Just get yourself a good telezoom, then you don't have to walk al that much ;)

[kelly_flanigan1]

As the teenage girl next door says <I>" Long time ago, back in the nineties"</i>

[david_bain1]

Too old is an attitude of mind. My mother's 82 but she's been old since she was 40. At 58 I'm looking for weddings after a ten year layoff. I've had time to remember all the fun and forget all the aggravation!

 

I will, of course travel light as always and won't stand if I can sit.

[steve_levine]

You should be in good physical shape at any age, for wedding work. It is rather demanding, and quite often one runs all day even at a small wedding.

 

 

Not to discourage anyone, but right now the market is saturated with "start ups" that are "completely digital". And most of the pros I know, leapt without looking into digtal. And found themselves to be "just another digital shooter". Their film work was great, and they distinguished themselves. Digital "homogenized" them into mediocrity, at least in my opinion.

 

 

As far as brides only wanting to hire "edgy" looking, 20 year old bohemian "artiste photo journalists", you are on your on your own here. You might try some piercings and a few dozen tatoos?

[fotografz]

LOL ! I love this thread.

 

"Sit when ever you can?"

 

I see someone I'm paying $500. an hour to photograph my wedding sitting on their rump

and I am NOT a happy camper. We NEVER sit still ... we are ready even when eating, and

rarely both eat at the same time.

 

"work smarter than the young bucks who think they need to take the whole camera store

to the event and frazzle themselves trying to figure out what to use."

 

I take what the job calls for, which is the whole camera store sometimes. The client hired

me to get the all the shots, not just the ones that are convenient for me. Toting a huge

300/2.8L IS may be a bit more difficult when added to everything else, but if the alter is a

football field away, it is a necessity not a luxury IMO. If I need a 20mm to get the whole

church exterior in I don't want to be standing there with a 35mm.

 

"As far as brides only wanting to hire "edgy" looking, 20 year old bohemian "artiste photo

journalists"

 

Don't know who said that in this thread, but it's horse manure. That describes 50% of my

clients and in most cases I am at least twice as old as they are (which is a LOT older than

you are Brian). The work is what does the talking.

 

"Now that I'm completely digital ..."

 

Join the ever growing crowd Brian. In fact half that "crowd" will be at your weddings and go

by our favorite nick name " Uncle Bob". At saturdays wedding, Uncle Bob was sporting a

Nikon D200 and a fist full of fast lenses. He worked the wedding like it was his gig ... then

proceeded to give me some advice : -)

 

Too bad you didn't keep that MF gear. It may have helped separate you from the digital

crowd ... wich reminds me of the old Volkswagen and clown gag ... they just keep on

coming each with their digital camera in hand

[houstonphotographics]

Check this out. A photographer friend of mine back that I consider my "mentor" worked 30 years in an industry completely unrelated to photography at all, whilst building up his client base on the weekends. After 7yrs of doing this, he decided to pursue his love full time. He made this transition well after the age of 50.

[brians]

Thanx everyone for the great answers ... as a friend just reminded of, I never even considered age when it comes to lugging a 500mm f/4, a 100-400 f/4, some bodies, flash heads, Gitzo and Wimberley, etc. all over the place to catch pix of nature. I can do that for days straight without a second thought.

Still all great advice - especially the working out bit, I do need to do that.

I never even considered the 20 year artsie tattood and pierced fellow in competition...no worry from me, I know I am good. Well at least I was good when shooting MF, I have some weddings coming up where I am shadowing a prime while acting as second to help rebuild my portfolio so we will see how the transition to digital flows.

 

Thanx again,

Brian

[todd frederick]

"Sit when ever you can?"

 

That's interesting. When I worked for a studio, I did a wedding with the studio owner, and I was running all over the place photographing anything and everything trying to impress her with my enthusiasm. She simple told me to Sit down, advising me that I didn't have to photography constantly...just what was important.

 

Some weddings cry for two shooters, like the one coming up this Saturday. Great couple, but logistically difficult. I can be in two places at once!

 

Al's correct. Pick smaller events, which is what I plan to do.

[wedding-photography-denver]

Hi Brian,

 

I am in the age bracket you are. I spend the whole day on my feet, period. Not sure if this helps, but you need to work out some and rest well the day before the big ones (10 hours).

 

Best, D.

[Jim_Tardio]

<i>i work 48 hours a week, standing on a concrete floor as a costco bakery supervisor.</i>

<p>

Thank you, Tim. Costco's cinnamon rolls are the best!