Photographically Challenged

As I write this, I am thinking about the future.
I imagine a day when I will be unable to get around like I do today due to health and age.
I am 44 as I write this, shoot with many older photographers that are quickly approaching that point.

Any advice from others as to how to overcome this sort of inevitable challenge?

Tips or ideas to continue the persuit of photography at that point.

Transition to shooting stuff that doesn't require as much "getting around"? Things that can be done around the house (backyard birding, still life/macro, water drops, smoke shooting, etc) are the first types of things that come to mind.

Kneeling down for a shot and getting up again takes a bit longer, lying down for a shot is quite easy

At only 44 years you're far too young to start worrying about old age - just go for the max right now!

I had a stroke 18 months ago, could not talk for two weeks, six months in hospital, had to learn everything again. Took my drivers licence away but I can still take photos, it's been a long hall. While I was in hospital I went to my son's wedding with a P&S because I wanted to take some photo's took one look at it and had forgotten how to use it. I live in hope never give up...

artyman wrote in post #13664484
Kneeling down for a shot and getting up again takes a bit longer, lying down for a shot is quite easy

But snoring scares the birds away, though, doesn't it?

Excluding most hereditary diseases, exercising will not only make you healthier, but it will prevent (for the most part) any of your worries. If I don't exercise I become really stiff almost overnight, (I'm 59) and 30 minutes a day on a treadmill, and a few times a week on a elliptical machine, I can (and do) what I did when I was 20. I can get by fine with 3 times per week. (I'm not overweight) Yesterday I spent 4 hours trudging along the sandy sloped riverbanks of our local river, the sand made it really hard to keep my footing, and the many, many large limbs and trees I had to step and climb over also made it all the more hard. If I didn't exercise, there is no way I could do that, well, maybe once, then they'd have to come and get me. Also, I walked in the woods the other part, and I walked 2 miles total doing this, it was hard, and later I was tired, but it didn't get the best of me, I wasn't even out of breath! heheh
I see people walking for their health all of the time, but the main thing I see is that they are walking slowly, which is better than nothing, but that is not what a person needs to do, they need to get their heart rate up, cardio, all of that stuff.
If you do this already right now, then by the time you're my age, or older, you'll be fine. When I was in my 40's, I was in my prime, (without exercising daily, my outdoor life was busy) mentally and physically, your youth will leave you if you don't exercise, real quick as you approach 50.
Now, if I bend down, my knees don't creak, my back isn't going out, (and it did for years due to lack of exercise) and the age problem at least mobility-wise, it's not a problem.
I also do sit-ups and leg presses on a Total Gym before I exercise, when I am on top of it, I do 600 leg presses, (Sometimes only 50, so I can and will slack off) and I always do 100 sit-ups. This is on an incline, so it is easier to do, and not as hard, although, it's still very hard. heheh
(I do from time to time slack off from exercising, and I get 'old' again, so I am not a health nut, just someone that wants to stick around doing what I like to do a little longer, that's all)
Really, I know how hard it is to commit, but I only wish I knew now, what I should've realized then, that staying healthy at a younger age, before it 'gets you' later.

This, along with the aforementioned posts will make it to where you shouldn't have a problem at all.

I definitely don't want to come off like I am perfect, or 'one of those' people. My back was always "going out", that is, until I started exercising, now, it does it only rarely, if I abuse it, but it was common for me to miss work due to it, I didn't realize then the power of exercising. Also, I used to smoke, (almost 40 years) and I am a type II diabetic now, but so far, I am in really good shape, anything could happen at any time from my past catching up with me, but at least I feel as though I'm making headway.

Randy

MakeMeShutter wrote in post #13663260
As I write this, I am thinking about the future.
I imagine a day when I will be unable to get around like I do today due to health and age.
I am 44 as I write this, shoot with many older photographers that are quickly approaching that point.

Any advice from others as to how to overcome this sort of inevitable challenge?

Tips or ideas to continue the persuit of photography at that point.

Thanks for the replies, I know I am not there yet when it comes to being old.
I do wake up these days with a bit less vigor.
And one never knows when the something might happen, better to be prepared!
Thanks once again,
--Shawn

MakeMeShutter wrote in post #13678822
Thanks for the replies, I know I am not there yet when it comes to being old.
I do wake up these days with a bit less vigor.
And one never knows when the something might happen, better to be prepared!
Thanks once again,
--Shawn

Heh! Shawn, believe us, 44 is waaayyy young! In fact, I didn't even start getting "up to speed" with my photography until I got my first DSLR at 55.

These days my motivation is down but it's more to life circumstances than it is from being "old" (I'm 60).

So, sure, "something might happen", but what can ya do? I've seen some POTN folks who have been hospitalized, and then they post here for advice about "creative" photo ops in the hospital!

Thanks Tony,
I need to live in the day a bit more.

I'm in my mid 60's and am a war veteran. What I learned in that moment to moment
life/death experience is to live each day to the fullest. Learn from the past,
plan for the future but live in the moment. Keep adapting as needed. When one door
closes just open another one. Simple, eh?

Stay in shape, maintain a positive attitude. Unless you've got something wrong you should be able to stay active for a long time, and if you've got something wrong take care of it now. I'm in my mid-60's and a disabled war vet. I ride a bike 6 days a week, winters if I'm stuck in the cold I ride indoors on a trainer for an hour, the rest of the year I'm outdoors. When I'm in Hawaii I swim for at least an hour every day in the ocean.

I bought my first DSLR 13 months ago, I've now just turned 48.

I know I am not as fit as I used to be, but I work at my own pace. I've recently taken to weekend walks (casual stroll) around the local wildlife reserve lakes, which has rekindled my interest in wildfowl - I'm even intending to buy a new lens this Saturday to accompany me on these walks.

Whilst I was a keen walker/hiker in my youth, I now enjoy driving ancient unsurfaced rights-of-way (in the UK) in a 4x4. Being in a mobile hide you often come accross all forms of wildlife - I watched a herd of 15 or so dear for 20 minutes once (but I'd only had the camera for a week and hadn't yet got to grips with it.

I'm going to worry about the future only when it arrives - I need to enjoy the present first.

Lawrence