So when are you too old?

canoned wrote in post #12567246
I'm 58 and my wife is 56. I usually carry a minimum of 2 cameras with flashes and a small bag with extra cards, batteries, etc. When I was 21 I stayed till the end of the reception, now I struggle to stay till 10:00. I've had a heart attack in 2006 and I have a disease where my back and neck is fusing into 1 solid stiff rod, but I still keep plugging away. Down to about 18 weddings a year from 40+ when I was young.

My wife usually has 1 camera with her. It kicks her butt also. She has bad knees and hips. But we both keep active all day, always moving, averaging 1500 images per wedding.

The thing that concerns me more than the physical aspects of wedding photography, is how much longer are young couples going to want 2 old folks shooting there wedding. We are current and young at heart, but I think our age is what is limiting our bookings. That, and the fact that there is at least a dozen new young photographers getting in the biz every year here it T-town. Charging rock bottom prices and taking all the pictures at weird angles.

Ed & Diane

I hear you Ed and I have the same fears. I am 52 and every wedding kills me when I do an 11 hour shift. At the moment I can still do the job and I believe I still have the photo talent that gets the clients but you are right, the youngsters are muscling in with their wacky ideas and cheap deals.

I try not to do weddings as much, since my Fibromyalgia is such a painful daily struggle, the only time I will do a full wedding is if I have an assistant now, I am laid up in bed most of the time now and I am only 43.

I'm 63 and the shooting doesn't bother me at all, except for my feet aching some. It's all the damn time looking at the monitor, makes my eyes hurt. If I had someone to do that, I could shoot every day.

I'm 71 and an amateur shooting on-court traveling basketball of my 3 grandsons. It's not as stressful as weddings, but still a lot of action. As long as it's fun, keep doing it !!!

whuband wrote in post #12603973
I'm 63 and the shooting doesn't bother me at all, except for my feet aching some. It's all the damn time looking at the monitor, makes my eyes hurt. If I had someone to do that, I could shoot every day.

Get yourself a pair of "computer glasses". These are glasses that focus your eyes 2-3' in front of you. Makes a huge difference.

jcolman wrote in post #12605368
Get yourself a pair of "computer glasses". These are glasses that focus your eyes 2-3' in front of you. Makes a huge difference.

Thanks, I made an appointment just last week. I hope it helps.

whuband wrote in post #12603973
I'm 63 and the shooting doesn't bother me at all, except for my feet aching some. It's all the damn time looking at the monitor, makes my eyes hurt. If I had someone to do that, I could shoot every day.

I'm 27 and my eyes hurt after editing, too. I think for me it comes from Lasik that I had not too long ago. I find a nice nap after a few hours of editing takes care of it.

I'm 61 and have been at it for over 30 years. I'll admit to dragging at the end of the day but boy do I sleep well!! As long as clients still feel the quality of my work is there, I'll keep shooting.
I think as you grow older, the number of weddings per year falls off. I can no longer do 70+ weddings a year like when I was younger but I'm still at it and (from what I hear) still turning out quality stuff.
"Still in the game"!!