What to do after retirement??

Asking for some "what to do after retirement" feedback/ideas/suggest​ions.

I'm not one to sit around but at the same time after 41 years at the same company, I'm done actually working. My hobby/passion is Photography mostly Landscapes as we do travel quite often.

I do plan on checking around locally to see what I might be able to do as far as Volunteering through Photography but I also wanted some thoughts in regards to this idea....

Since I have very little Studio experience and really no experience in posing someone, I was wondering if I could do Head Shots. Head Shots for free to start off with, just to get/gain experience. Not for big companies, not for lines of executives but just possibly for those who might need an update shot or single owners of small business?? It would actually benefit us both, me in practice and experience and them for free. Or possibly something for schools, school photos, sports? With retirement, I'll have plenty of money to live comfortably so this whole thing is not about money but just to gain experience, knowledge and using my hobby to keep busy.

Thoughts?

Good topic !!
I may be in the same boat in the imaginable future, so am interested to see the brainstorming.

The other associated interest I have is in conservation - a real win would be able to combine that and photography.
I know in the USA, Audubon has a volunteer program. I visited Corkscrew Swamp in Florida and the 'trail' was staffed by volunteers. How cool would that be !

Travel and go see landscapes you've not seen and photograph them.

Branch into astrophotography and photograph the heavens from home all day/night.

Very best,

dhornick wrote in post #18953785
I do plan on checking around locally to see what I might be able to do as far as Volunteering through Photography but I also wanted some thoughts in regards to this idea....

Many nonprofits publish newsletters for their members. These often include photos to illustrate what the organization does. Volunteers packing grocery bags at the food bank's warehouse, pets that were (or need to be) placed in new homes, construction of buildings and ribbon-cutting ceremonies . . .

Do you have a room in the house that you can convert into studio? You can photograph all your friends, relatives, kids, etc. Holidays, special events... Learning different studio techniques, branching out into video and video editing.

artsf wrote in post #18953808
Do you have a room in the house that you can convert into studio? You can photograph all your friends, relatives, kids, etc. Holidays, special events... Learning different studio techniques, branching out into video and video editing.

Yes I do have a room. And, pretty much do all the family now. But yes, all these have been and are my thoughts.

Instead of going with a studio, how's about combining the two? Become the guy with awesome portrait pictures of people in cool environments. You got the time to figure out good spots and the best moments to do the shots?

High school proms, graduations, etc.

Get to clickin’ and get good.

I'm entering "retirement" now. What that means to me is doing a lot more volunteer work and shrinking my paid work to a level that I will be able to sustain for a good while longer.

My wife has given me the front part of our home to convert to a permanent professional studio and working space. The open living room/dining room space will become a small, super efficient studio (just large enough for small nuclear family groups) with room for sales and makeup. The front powder room will be a dressing room, and another front-side room will be office/printing space. (In return, I'll have to get our back patio screened in for her this spring.)

I'm not going to do any more shooting on the street or other public locations, but I'm moderately willing to go to homes and other spaces controlled by clients. But not cheap, because going on location with enough equipment to do what I do is physically taxing.

What to do after retirement??

Anything I bloody well like,best thing I ever did,the dog likes it too.

Habitat for Humanity loves having photos taken of their build projects and the families that will move in, great way to combine charitable causes with photography.

John from PA wrote in post #18954063
High school proms, graduations, etc.

Kids in school never get enough decent pics. So I shot local volleyball tournaments...
St. Louis vs. Breckenridge Volleyball District Tournament 11/7/2008
And gave them a poster...
V-ball poster

After about 5 years of shooting weddings (about 5 a year) and events I concluded I just down right hate shooting people. I have never liked like posing them. It feels too much like work and takes the hobby fun out of it. Shooting a sporting event, etc is a little different. I enjoyed that but it was always a favor for a friend. I don't get many opportunities. A friend asked me to do some shots of his sons band this summer. I did it for a case of beer. I didn't enjoy it at all. The beer was good. I told him if he didn't like them I'd give him the empty cans back

A little off topic. I was looking for something meaningful to do in my retirement. Once or sometimes twice a week I'm a volunteer driver for our provinces cancer care program. We transport people to their appointments and back home. I leave photography for fun.

Permit me to brag a little. One of my last major shoots a few years ago. My goddaughters sister's grad. Now she is in her last year of training to be a radiologist.

This is my goddaughter doing a car insurance fraud commercial. She is in her second year of education. Sorry. Go caught up in a proud moment.

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=f_MDiMijeSQ