Do Photographers Ever Retire?

[R Mutt]

This thought just came to me.

I think I'll die with the camera in hand. That is if they still have cameras when that time comes and they haven't been replaced by some computer chip that connects to your eyeball or something that captures images by thought or such thing.

Any photogs out there saving for a time that they won't have to photograph anymore?

[awad]

im hoping there will be a time in my life where i'll have assistants carrying and setting up my lights for me, however, im with you. im shooting til the end.

[cskn0125]

I will hopefully do the same as both of you.

[Croasdail]

My grandfather who was a freelance photojournalist for several world wide publications shot until a few months before he died - at 87. He never was a big one on bringing tons of stuff - most of what he shot was done with rangefinder camera. He didn't call it work, he just referred to it as experiencing life and recording it along the way. To say he is my role model would be an understatement.

[PhotosGuy]

I'll be semi-retired forever. ;)

[tcphoto1]

I hope that I never feel the need to retire. Perhaps be more selective of the jobs that I shoot, but I love what I do and the variety of subjects keeps it interesting. There's a lot to be said of how Richard Avedon passed, on assignment doing what he does best... shooting beautiful images.

[Jon, The Elder]

Do Photographers Ever Retire?

Yup...every night between 9:30 and 10:00

[chtgrubbs]

The ones who are excellent businessmen do. The others never accumulate enough money to retire.

[delhi]

i would teach instead of retire. a good way to impart experience to the next gen. of shooters. and yes, i will never accumulate enough money anyways.

[Spiral Photo]

I may someday retire the career, but never the hobby.

[Anke]

I don't think I ever will, my brain is constantly looking for photographs 24/7 whether I have my camera in hand or not

[Spiral Photo]

I do have to admit, though, that it would be cool if there was a way to decipher the impulses in our optic nerves into an electrical signal that can be digitized. I've never been able to get images in a video camera, for example, as steady as I can see them with my own eyes. An excellent way to photograph the world truly the way you see it.

[Croasdail]

The ones who are excellent businessmen do. The others never accumulate enough money to retire.

That is so backwards. Those who love photography never retire regardless of the money they have. My grandfather was very thrifty, and upon his passing left his 3 boys enough that should they have choosen they would not have had to work another real day in their lives, and two of them have taken that option. He had a side life as a chemist (what he was classically trained in) and invented stuff for he golf industry - and that is where he made his nest egg. Really, if your in photography as a way to get enough money to retire... find a better career. This is not the short path to retirement.

[milleker]

We don't die, we just stop developing.

I've also seen..

We don't die, we just lose focus.

[Mike R]

I'll just fade away, like my old color prints.

[delhi]

We don't die, we just lose focus.

Just get new lens.... ;)

[coreypolis]

2 words: Gary Fong

[Fade2]

RETIRE? ha when I retire i'll become a full time photographer lol

[calicokat]

Lifetime for me :)

[milleker]

Thats the truth. I'm not ready to quit my day job.

RETIRE? ha when I retire i'll become a full time photographer lol

[bieber]

Maybe when I retire I'll start taking photograph for money?

[chtgrubbs]

That is so backwards. Those who love photography never retire regardless of the money they have. My grandfather was very thrifty, and upon his passing left his 3 boys enough that should they have choosen they would not have had to work another real day in their lives, and two of them have taken that option. He had a side life as a chemist (what he was classically trained in) and invented stuff for he golf industry - and that is where he made his nest egg. Really, if your in photography as a way to get enough money to retire... find a better career. This is not the short path to retirement.

Being retired means no longer having to do photography for money. If you are a successful photographic businessman you will have managed your career so that you have enough money. Photography isn't a path to early retirement, but if you are 68 and HAVE to keep shooting weddings every weekend in order to eat, you are surely not going to enjoy photography.

[CanonLaw]

Maybe when I retire I'll start taking photograph for money?
That's my plan at least!

[WilliamL]

Oh I'm afraid I'll retire someday... the day they close the lid on me... haha.. to me photography is not a job.. even thro it is hard work... to me it's a passion...