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I am a retiree and an amateur photographer and happily participate in the Photography Forum. Just happened upon this one. Won't post any photos here. However, I wanted to respond to this last question of other ways retirees can use the habit of taking photos to make their life easier.
I recently read a tip somewhere of photos you should take and keep on your cell phone. One was to take a photo of where you parked when going somewhere to help you locate your car later. Another was to have photos on your phone of the labels of all your medications. This could prove very helpful when you have an emergency or visit a new doctor where you have to fill out forms and lists all your meds and may not remember the details.
If you've acquired a collection of something and now need to part with it for financial reasons or because you have to move into a much smaller place, you could take photos of the collection before you pack it up or get rid of it. I once collected penguins and penguin-related items. I still have a handful of the smaller pieces but have photographs of the larger collection I had prior to my moving sale. The photos make me smile and take up hardly any space at all.
I've used my cell phone camera to take photos of damage when I had an accident with my car in Costco's parking lot and was able to send them right away to my insurance agent.
If I think of more reasons, I'll return and share them.
Those ideas are perfect suggestions on this thread. Thanks!
I love photography, but I would disagree about it being an inexpensive hobby. It can start that way if you use a cellphone or inexpensive point and shoot camera. With a bit of experience it becomes readily apparent that you need a basic level of equipment to achieve decent results. That can mean several hundred dollars for a DSLR camera, several lenses that could each cost more than the camera, carrying cases, tripod, and other accessories. A basic setup can quickly grow to several thousand dollars in equipment.
times that by two if your spouse likes it too. boy don't we know about the expense of gear. we spent 5 figures since i won the money in the contest on re-doing our 6 year old stuff.
jrkliny lets remember to try and hook up at the planting fields sometime.
times that by two if your spouse likes it too. boy don't we know about the expense of gear. we spent 5 figures since i won the money in the contest on re-doing our 6 year old stuff.
jrkliny lets remember to try and hook up at the planting fields sometime.
Yes we need to try. I am going to have a real busy time soon. I have a tentative date at the end of the month for house closing, then I need to do some fixing and renovations. I hope to have that done in time for beginning to travel again beginning in the late Fall. Oh, I am buying a printer and want to start to learn printing. BH has the Epson 3880 on sale. I suspect that model is about to be replaced, but it is tried and true with inexpensive, high quality third party inks. Anyway, it is just another $1k plus another $500 for paper and supplies to get started.
I have been posting a lot on my webpage (Special Places Photography). That is also getting to the point of needing some pruning and organization. I am glad I only do this for fun.
A lot of people never get beyond photography as inexpensive. It can indeed grow to mega bucks but then is it a hobby? I doubt it. Most retirees don't turn pro. They don't use $900 tripods like mine for multiple thousand dollar lenses like mine or weather proof all terrain bodies like mine. Expensive is a relative term. People see my tools as expensive. I see medium format digital as expensive with 50k camera bodies without lenses and sometimes up to 3-4 of them with hanging on ones shoulder at the same time ready for what ever comes up next. My SIL shoots only the pocket pistol and is most happy. $79
Check out Cone or Inkjetfly inks. I hear nothing but good and the cost is about 1/3 of the Epson price. Cone is supposed to be identical and from the same bulk Chinese supplier that Epson uses. Interesting how we pay a lot of money for name brand and then find that the name brand is made in China. I will have to see. If I do a moderate amount of printing I may stick with Epson and not have to refill special cartridges.
I certainly hope I do not have your issues. In the past I have had pretty good success with even the cheapie Epson printers.
BTW, are you still working? I usually have been hitting Planting Fields on a Thursday afternoon.
I love photography, but I would disagree about it being an inexpensive hobby. It can start that way if you use a cellphone or inexpensive point and shoot camera. With a bit of experience it becomes readily apparent that you need a basic level of equipment to achieve decent results. That can mean several hundred dollars for a DSLR camera, several lenses that could each cost more than the camera, carrying cases, tripod, and other accessories. A basic setup can quickly grow to several thousand dollars in equipment.
I agree to the point that once some people get hooked on photography, they want to have fancier toys and be able to get better and better shots. I actually have some DSLRs and fancy lenses but prefer to take most of my photos with my $499 Canon that's somewhere in between a point and shoot and a DSLR. I think there are people in the Photography forum who'd agree that I take some very nice photos with that.
To enjoy photography as a retiree, you do not HAVE to invest in fancy or expensive equipment. I think some of you folks might actually be discouraging some of those retirees who may be on more of a fixed income than you rather than encouraging them to try something new and fun. Just my two cents.
I agree to the point that once some people get hooked on photography, they want to have fancier toys and be able to get better and better shots. I actually have some DSLRs and fancy lenses but prefer to take most of my photos with my $499 Canon that's somewhere in between a point and shoot and a DSLR. I think there are people in the Photography forum who'd agree that I take some very nice photos with that.
To enjoy photography as a retiree, you do not HAVE to invest in fancy or expensive equipment. I think some of you folks might actually be discouraging some of those retirees who may be on more of a fixed income than you rather than encouraging them to try something new and fun. Just my two cents.
Totally agree. Love my not too expensive Canon DSLR and my wife loves her little Sony. We're perfectly happy with how they record what's important to us. That's what counts, not how much we spend on equipment.
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