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Ages of Photographers - Do we have to be over 40?
You have no idea how many times I set up a meeting/shoot with someone and they expect me to be this 40 - 50 year old guy. I had this model the other day calling me sir and Mr. Baker. I understand about the respect issue, however I don't want to be called Sir and Mr. Baker just yet, or maybe never for that matter...... I am 25 years old. People have this feeling in their head that all photographers are older. It is kind of funny when people meet with me and they are shocked that I am their age, however most of the time the person feels better because they can releate to me better being of their age range. Anyway....... if you'd like/can, leave your age so I know I'm not the only 25 year old photographers on here as well as your opinion on this topic. If you are of my age, do you get the same reaction when the person just assumes that you are above 40......... I know it's a weird topic however-- I just wanted to share that all with you........thanks! Tim Sep 12 06 10:04 am Link Timothy Baker wrote: Baby Sep 12 06 10:07 am Link I get the same thing. I'm 26 and have had a number of models mention that I was a lot younger then most of the people who have shot her before. Sep 12 06 10:08 am Link Timothy Baker wrote: I know being 25 sucks but all good things take time. Sep 12 06 10:10 am Link Yes, unfortunately, you have to be over 40. Sorry. Sep 12 06 10:10 am Link Yeah, you little snot nosed brat. Quit whining! Bad news is you have to be dead, or near dead, to really be taken seriously as a photographer. (Actually, we old farts are just jealous!) Sep 12 06 10:11 am Link Most photographers I work with seem to be middle-aged. I guess they've had time to learn their craft. But I do work with the occasional young genius such as Michael Sloane. Sep 12 06 10:11 am Link People often if not nearly always try to contain you in a nice little box of control. Age is one thing that is an easy one to find something wrong with you. Art teacher who think you need to be 50 to make good art work just because they are that age but still not making anything called art. Art directors who think you need to be 22 or you will not get it. The list goes on and on. Creativity is not limited by age, well certainly not over the age of 15. Maybe not even that age. I made some great things when I was 12 that still hold up in todays world and are not dated at all. (I am a 14 year old girl helping clear the mine fields in Cambodia if you must know my age.) Sep 12 06 10:12 am Link i'm 22 and i always feel like i won't be taken seriously. Sep 12 06 10:15 am Link Crap. I'm 42. I should have been 22. I made the wrong choice. Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck next time. Sep 12 06 10:17 am Link I have grey "dread" locks and a white beard and I am younger, in most ways except pure, numerical chronological age, than most of the people I photograph. No one has called me Mr. or Sirs. Guess "I just don't get no respect"--Rodney Dangerfield. It's always humourous when I notice the models find that I am "down wid da day"--(translation=culturally current)! Sep 12 06 10:18 am Link It doesn't matter how old or young you are as long as you know what you are doing, how you wokr and most important how the final print looks. Sep 12 06 10:21 am Link ...age 59. And, older guys do rule!! It's about trust, maturity, experience, wealth, good looks, personality, character. And oh, about capability. Ya know whad I mean? Sep 12 06 10:21 am Link Hell I'm 48. Even though a long time ago I decided to refuse to grow old, my body refuses to comply and reminds me of it every fucking day! Another point, I have noticed that most talent (models, MUA's Stylist, etc ) are more likely to do TFP with the younger guys than with us old farts. I guess they see us with $$ signs! So you young pups enjoy it while you can.  Sep 12 06 10:23 am Link Timothy Baker wrote: Enjoy the respect. Sep 12 06 10:24 am Link Geeze I was a young photographer once, and I took pix of naked models then too. I still shoot with an 80-200mm zoom the only real change is in my waist line zoom from 31--36 Paul Sep 12 06 10:26 am Link isn't it that all the good ones are over 40... or is that just the gwc's??? Sep 12 06 10:27 am Link Crap, I'm only 38. Oh well. Kinda fun to refer to the "escort" as "sonny" though. As in: "Keep it in your pants sonny or it's the chipper for you!" Sep 12 06 10:33 am Link A lot of times models will say sir and Mister to let you know this is work, dont any funny ideas. Sep 12 06 10:34 am Link I'm 34 now, but started doing this (seriously) when I was about 30. One of the first models I worked with commented on how she was expecting an old man with a beard. I imagine I'll probably be 40 or so before I'm consist with the craft, though. Sep 12 06 10:38 am Link I'm 32... I have never had any problem with people thinking I'm younger than I am. I get a lot more comments on my gender than anything else...  But then, I do have a picture of myself on my profile... Sep 12 06 10:41 am Link dye your hair gray and go piss about 3 times during a shoot and you will get a reputation real quick for being old. Sep 12 06 10:43 am Link I'm 42 but I have a fake ID that says I'm 12 so I get into the movies for half price. Sep 12 06 10:43 am Link Just 48 trips around the star ! If you watch the documentary channel, you will find that "most" photographers hit there stride and produce great work later in life. I think it is because time sharpens your skills, slows your body down enough that you start doing many things in life based on smarts. In your early years, life is full of distractions. Sep 12 06 10:46 am Link I didn't have the disposable income or the spare time to do photography until I got older. Then digital started replacing film about the time I got interested. A happy circumstance (well, for me, anyway). Sep 12 06 10:46 am Link Im 25 as well. I get that a lot too, everyone just assumes that I am going to be older, shorter, and a lot heavier. Sep 12 06 10:47 am Link MAN, if you GRIND You will be known for 25 more years and the people will say, HES ONLY 50, i thought he was older? So, get used to it! LOL Sep 12 06 10:47 am Link Sep 12 06 10:51 am Link Sigh another 8 months to go then..... 39 here, but I don't look it. Most are surprised find out that I'm this age. Funny, when I was younger, that's a dreadful insult...now, it's a compliment. Sep 12 06 10:54 am Link Chip Morton wrote: Hey, I want one of those...can get the kid meals at the restraunts too! Sep 12 06 10:55 am Link I'm 26. One thing I've noticed.. so far anyway, is that I have not been able to shoot with a model older than me yet. lol The oldest one has been 13 months younger than me. Any older (than me) models wanna shoot? Edit: I also look much younger than I am to a lot of people. Sep 12 06 10:58 am Link I'm 59.....and hate it when I'm taken seriously! OH....and DON'T call me sir or mr! I envy your youth.....you probably won't believe this but aging changes your outlook on things.....hopefully for the better....but it can go the other way around too! Enjoy it while you can.....it don't last forever. BTW...I have cameras older than you....LOL Sep 12 06 10:59 am Link 27 here and I wish I'd started when I was 13! There's so much to learn... (but that's the fun part) Sep 12 06 11:06 am Link No one has commented about being surprised by my age. (I'm 29.) Most models comment on my gender and how nice and comfortable it is to work with a woman. I suspect the age thing doesn't even register compared to gender. Sep 12 06 11:07 am Link Hmmmm, I was 25 once and guess what, I was taking pictures back then. The difference was that there was no net, no digital cameras and there were a lot less of us. Girls actually took us seriously when we approced them in a mall and asked them to model. If it makes you feel any better, Hollywood and NYC put a lot of importance in youth. Younger people are thought to be more creative and it is rare that a new photographer or director breaks in much past their late 20's or mid-30's. But I understand your point. You should be judged by your work, not by your age. The net isn't NYC or La-La land. But then again, I have heard it said that when you are between 18 and 30, you are too old to be a kid but too young to be taken seriously. Good luck and I am sure you will be a great photographer. Sep 12 06 11:12 am Link I don't know what this may be worth to you, but I went to your site before I read your post. I thought you were very much older too. I was surprised by the context and age when I read the post. Sep 12 06 11:34 am Link I'm getting close to mid 30's. But I got my first part time photography job at age 16...shooting opening art galleries, meetings, events for a decent size newspaper. I don't know...when I was around 16-18 I was involved with art groups which all the other members were easily twice my age (at least, many of them retired artists etc.) so I got used to talk and act more like an older adult...I think it saved me those type remarks about my age during my early 20's. And now while I still can run 100M around 14 seconds I feel like 80 at times... At times I regret that I started to "act" mature too early... Sep 12 06 11:49 am Link If the model is capable of helping to create great images I don't care if she/he is 14 and there with the whole fam or 50+. Likewise I'm sure any model doesn't care if your a 17 year old genious or 60 and deaf dumb crippled and blind. If you come up with great images ... it's good. My experience has been this is not something you fall off the back of the truck and know how to do well. It takes 'time' to learn. Then you find out a lot of what you know is wrong and you start over. Not to mention it's 'expensive' to do it right. Another whole problem. So ...yeah! Sep 12 06 11:51 am Link I'm 32, I have only gotten the. I thought you were older speech twice.... I have gotten the. Wow you don't look like I thought you would. Speech quite a few times... Maybe they are the same thing. I used to have a picture of myself posted... But then I got more let's go have dinner or see a movie than people wanting to shoot. Sep 12 06 12:01 pm Link I am 26 ... and yes sometimes I don't get taken serioulsy. ( especially if the model is older) But others think its cool and are more comfortable with shooting. maybe the reason I don't get taken serioulsy is that I still use disposable cameras..... Sep 12 06 12:05 pm Link |
