In my mind I'm still 40 and capable of carrying a hundred pound pack over a mile portage. In reality I'm not that far away from retirement age, had an artificial hip put in 18 months ago and am recovering from a really bad case of tennis elbow. The area I live in is rugged and primitive; a younger photographer's playground. My body accepts this, my mind doesn't!
I don't want to sound like I'm singing the blues, rather facing a reality. In the time I have been on NPN a number of the older photographers have made allusions to ageing and their work, the trail that has suddenly gotten longer or steeper etc.
Recently I heard an interview with one of my now retired former instructors at college. He told how he had stopped taking landscapes and turned his attention to tulips.
So you similarly ageing boomer photographers, what changes are you making to your work, style or subject selection to accommodate Mother Nature.
Cheers,
Dave
Posted by Mark Windom on April 27, 2008 at 6:47 PM
1. Find a solution for your tennis elbow, for example either a change in technique or a different racquet (such as Volkl). Tennis is a great way to stay in shape which helps fight those aches and pains that come with the combination of older age and hiking with a pack. I play about 3 times/week and find it to be very helpful.
2. Lighten your load as much as possible. I abandoned the image quality you get with LF and MF and went with a much lighter and more portable digital system. My stock agency still seems happy with the image quality so that's all I really care about anyway.
3. Cut your backpack trips to a night or two and go with a friend. This cuts down on the weight you both carry by sharing a tent, dividing up the food, etc. I leave the stove and cookware behind and carry the bare minimum in food and accessories to make it as easy on my back as possible. Carry a water filter rather than packing in a bunch of water.
4. Start doing some tabletop stuff....much easier than busting up some steep trail.
The heck with the heavy pack you have to sling off and on to get to your gear or the bag hanging from one shoulder. Both are sure-fire appointments with the chyro or back sergeon, while a gear belt distributes your gear evenly around your waist within easy reach.
Pace!
Slow down and wait for your shots once in a while. No need to be up early and late days on end. Sleep in now and then and go watch the sunset from the deck of a good restaurant.
Salud!
Posted by Dan Borzynski on April 27, 2008 at 7:40 PM
First, never admit that you are getting old, even if you are.
Assuming that the hip replacement will allow you to do so, get into a fitness program. Do anything as long as it is something. Especially work on the core muscles (abdominals, back and whatever else is down there). A lot of wear and tear on the body comes from trying to get other muscle groups to do what those parts should be doing. Do this even it means time away from the photography.
Lighten the load in the bag. Take your most heavily used lens, and one other lens. Go from two camera bodies to one. Two cameras are great to have, but unless your income depends on it, leave one at home, or in the motel room, or in the car (if you are comfortable with that). I wouldn't advocate having one body on a long trip, but maybe one at a time in the bag. Money permitting, mayby look into a carbon fiber tripod.
Try to convince your camera buddies to switch to your brand, and borrow their gear.
Tabletop photography also has some advantages, especially when it is just too nasty outside. You'll also learn some new shooting and lighting skills.
LOL interesting. Knee pads and elbow pads I must get a set of elbow pads and try them out. Since around 35 - 40 and being into macro, I find its actually taking its toll on the joints.
I refuse to go to a Dslr. After 35 years of shooting Slr's and all the macro gear under the sun for Canon and Nikon, I will not go back to a full system, ever again. Just a personal thing. Can I shoot as high res as you guy's nope and I'm happy about that So I've cut down what I do use.
Change, well have I ever and thats actually NPN's fault, but in a good way. I now concentrate on software and actually take shots (some pretty lousy) with what I can do with the images afterwards. So thats been a huge difference and one I just love. Its been very successful and I owe NPN a lot for that. Thats actually made me realise what physical things can do and how you can change it around to a large extent. Not everyones cup of tea, but it suits me.
Anyway, fascinating thread and good reading so far. An excellent set of questions.
Danny.
Posted by Mike Maples on April 27, 2008 at 8:25 PM
I am lucky enough that older age has brought with it more disposable income. I have upgraded to all CF tripods and monopods, lighter ballheads, a 500mm f/4 instead of my favorite 400mm f/2.8, DX lenses when they make sense, smaller packs that force me to select my load carefully...all to lighten the final package. In fact, once you get past the "purist" vs "techno" position, the latest gadgets and technologies just make getting the same results a bit easier on us older folk
Then there is "pace". I try to plan ahead and make sure I have time to enjoy the hike and take my time. I fully expect to cover less ground and prioritize my efforts. If you want to stay happy then don't expect too much. I had to learn this during my last several high altitude trips! It also helps to have a focus to the trip but remain flexible for targets of opportunity along the way.
I have also increased my efforts close to home. I always liked macro photography and it opens a whole universe of opportunities right at your feet but arthritis in my spine limits my "low level" work. I'm thinking about an angle finder! I also have several set-ups right here at home so I can walk just 20 feet and take bird photos.
And never underestimate the power of chemistry Go see your Doctor and let him or her know what your interests are and what limitations you are experiencing. After a thorough checking over and an MRI, I had an epidural before one of our Colorado trips and was completely pain free for over a month!
I can surely relate to the aging and retirement side of things overall. I have been retired about a year and a half now and pushing the heck out of the big 60. I guess there is the need in many cases that require change, and then the need not to change. Having severly broken my ankle 5 years ago it has never recovered properly. Totally not sure if it was all age related or the severity that has never allowed the complete recovery. As a result, yes I did have to change. The limitations are based upon total distances with full load of either MF or LF equipment. I use to do 4 to 8 milers round trip, these days, realistically it is 2 to 4 milers at best round trip. However, back to the need not to change. That would be choice of gear. I'm a long time film shooter and find that it meets my style of shooting best. For the folks that trek back into the back country a lot I'm sure the best approach would no doubt be a super light weight DSLR package.
LOL, M8tess, the padded cell is full, Stan's taken over that spare space
All the best Cindy and yep, this is one fascinating thread for us..............16yr olds to read
Danny.
Posted by Don George on April 27, 2008 at 10:42 PM
David,,,Understand your position. I used to think 65 was old guess what after arriving there I think 85 might be old I have two disk out in the upper back one fractured and one ruptured. I've been through two cancer surgery's and I can't wait to get back to Yellowstone next month. Your mental state is critical to getting through these times. DON"T think old!
As the saying goes your only as old as you think you are.
Now I have made some changes in the way I do things many of them suggested in other post. I traded my Minolta 600 f4 for a Canon 500 f4 which was good for many reasons.
Bought a carbon tripod and I don't do over night wilderness trips any longer. I still hike day trips but take along a younger guy if I can find one to carry the water etc.
I still do 3-4 day shoots but I have a great matress in the back of my Van which is very comfortable and dry. I also bought a camping trailor that I tow for 2-3 week outings that has all the comforts of home.
If there is a TV in your house, get rid of it. Say no to junk foods, which are the poison of our generation! Then, just get out there and do as much as you can do and a bit more...It is amazing what opportunities open up by simply having the will to be there. Savor each moment.
Posted by David Senesac on April 28, 2008 at 12:12 AM
Sooner or later age catches up with the best of us. None of will live to see 150 years of age. Zero. All of us age and any of us that have reached 40 increasingly understand how each year is further downhill. So even though I still can do many things few of my peers can maybe due to genetics and my life history, eventually that will change too. Galen Rowell was still out and about adventuring into his early 60s. This last summer I made 8 backpacking trips including some some into brutal offtrail areas I relish.
Today the thought of reaching 60 doesn't scare me the way I once thought it might. But I am still afraid of reaching 70 or 80 years of age because I see peers around me degenerating and know my number is going to come up too. I don't want to ever be limited to adventures at city gardens looking at tulips or sitting on city park benches watching pigeons. And if it did, I would hang up the camera gear. Fortunately I still have such a vast knowledge of uniquely interesting roadside walk to subjects in our natural lands, that such a fate won't occur as long as I can afford the gas.
...David
Spring 2008 Wildflower Trip Chronicles
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2008/spring_2008_p0.html
I'm 66, and the best thing I have done to adjust to aging and stay active is to once again take up yoga.
After just eight months, the improvements in my strength, flexibility, and balance are significant. My back spasms and achilles tendon problems are gone. Note: finding a highly skilled yoga teacher is crucial. These days there are many who lack the expertise, patience, and wisdom to be the right fit for an older person.
Combine yoga (or pilates or circuit training, etc.) with an aerobic activity like Nordic walking (or just plain walking at a good pace), and/or XC skiing in season, or cycling, and photography in the field should remain a pleasure for years.
I think as long as you can go any distance you should. Just go the distance you can do twice. I've seen friends who quite because they thought it was too much because of age, long before their ability gave way.
There are plenty of scenes still to be had even when you can't go much further than 100 yards from the car so that should get you well into your 80's.
Just splurged for a used CF tripod because I literally can't carry a heavy one. Use all IS lenses, except for my old 500 which is permanently on a tripod and within reach of shooting waterfowl off my porch in Canada. Luckily my health has remained good, but time constraints raising grandkids has put the damper on my time shooting. I have planted every flower imaginable that grows in my "zone" in the yard, trees that make nice perches for the local birds, and learning many new things to do via the computer. Keeping busy and scheduling more art shows to display the newly printed pictures I've taken over the years. Just had a one man art show... displayed 30 framed 16 x 20 pictures and sold every one! All-in-all enjoying retirement even with the restrictions.
Having achieved 61 and looking forward to 81, my latest concession was to not carry the backpack with more stuff than I would need, and use a photo vest. I just returned from a 3 day photo shoot with the CSNP group in northern Arkansas. I found that I could leave a long lens at the house and only carry my body/wide angle along with a macro. The macro and spare batteries went into the vest along with a bottle of water. I have a sling on the tripod that allows me to carry it over my shoulder. Life is to short to carry all I own when I go on a shoot. If I want another lens - I just find something else to shoot with what I have with me. It's amazing what you can find to shoot when you limit yourself to observing what is around you and within the limits of the equipment you have on hand. Life is good - don't complicate it with to much stuff....
Hmmm... ok going public with this. When I was 12 or so I climbed Mt Whitney - my first fourteener California style. Wonderful experience! I have driven to the top of Pikes Peak, also cool, tried doing Mt Evans, also in a car but got clobered by another driver coming down. So, I have this thing for fourteeners and I have decided I am going to spend my 60th bd on top of a fourteener I can't drive too! That will be August 15, 2010 and you are all invited!!! So other than getting healthy and losing a .. well some weight, I am not changing anything about shooting.
John
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on April 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Hey, John, August 15th is my wife's birthday! For her 50th we climbed Half Dome (cable-route). I was certain she would stop at the cables, but she kept going! Then I was certain we would need a helicopter to get her down - but she made it! I told her we'd do Half Dome again for her 60th in 2012 and I'll definitely remember to pack a birthday cake this time.
For your consideration, I'd highly recommend Mt Sneffels as your birthday fourteener. If you can get to the end of the 4WD trail into Yankee Boy Basin, it's a relatively short sprint to the top. Let us know, we might join you.
If you achieved reasonably good fitness in your younger years (and I think you have) and maintained it then that will carry over into your senior years. I do plenty of walking and my work is of the physical sort which keeps me on my feet as well. I look forward to hiking the mountain trails again soon. The trick is to pace yourself. We slow down with age but we get where we want to go Years ago I met an 80 year old hiker in Banff, around Morraine Lake, who took twice as long to complete the trail. But he made it and he was an inspiration to me ever since. And when I am out shooting nature I tend to forget the physical effort that accommodates that.
Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Posted by Marc Dilley on April 29, 2008 at 10:22 AM
My solution, in order of importance:
1. Keep on training hard, live healthy.
2. Lighten the load as much as possible. Take only what you really need.
3. Take care of your joints.
4. Choose your parents carefully.
Me again, David. I thought I'd report back with a "user report."
My wife and I just finished a job keeping pace with 25 teams of teens and their handlers. The shoot was four 16+ hour days in venues including trains, tour ships, marine aquarium, hotels, cafeterias, auditoriums, classrooms, hikes and hyjinx in all places between. Shooting was indoors and out, large venues and small, rain and snow, bright light and low light, natural light, artificial light and strobe.
Basically we ran at a very high pace with very little sleep for four days, and all our gear had to be on our bodies at all times. We've done this kind of thing for years, but after all, we're now in our late 50's.
Best summary is to sleep and eat as often and as well as you can, resting at every opportunity however brief. But mostly, keep your gear and handling system lean, light and svelte. We each carry an ultrawide zoom, a midrange zoom and a long zoom covering a range from 10mm to 200mm along with our D2X bodies and a single SB-800 strobe with off-camera cable.
The zooms are key to lightening the load, and a belt system is best for distributing the weight evenly and getting it off our shoulders while keeping all gear at our fingertips. A carbon fiber tripod apiece finished off our kits, though they stayed in our vehicle except when we moved indoors.
We're both fit, but after that experience we're both feeling our age a bit. Next time I think I'll switch out the midrange and long zooms for a single 18-200 in a nod to further weight savings.
There's no doubt I've got hip replacements waiting somewhere in the future, but even so the belt system rather than a bag or pack has proven key to back health on protracted shoots.
I think I'll take another nap now. Recovery is ongoing.
Can I identify! I was running the photographic component for the recent Arctic Winter Games. Fourteen hour days for two weeks. We picked four youngsters from around the Territory and equipped and mentored them. I'm pleased to say, despite their youth, they hit the wall before I did!
The most common theme in the responses is maintaining physical strength and mental stamina. It didn't occur to me until after reading such responses that cabin fever may have come into play. The latter half of the winter has been quite bitter with a couple of weeks ranging in the -50C to -60C (-60F-70F) range. No inclination what so ever to test the D2X battery life under those conditions! Winter has been quite tenacious in not surrendering to spring, -25C until a couple of days ago, and even with our first rainfall of the season yesterday, the ski planes are still landing on the ice.
One of the alterations I've made to my shooting was to buy a lightweight sled so the hound can pull the equipment. Before howls of outrage from animal lovers, she is a sled dog. Now she needs to be trained that photography and not chasing squirrels is the priority.
While the equipment is kept to a minimum, wide angle, medium and long zoom, the belts you mention seem a good idea over the existing pack. In researching them the best two systems I have come across are Lowepro and another called ThinkTank. Perhaps you or one of the other members might have a recommendation.
Posted by Roger Rouch on April 29, 2008 at 4:08 PM
There was an article several months ago in the Rocky Mountain News about a fellow in his 60's who had had something like 16 joint replacements. He had some sort of disease and several of the joints had been done twice. He was challenging himself with climbing 14er's. I don't remember how many he had done and some he had redone. It was very inspring, but I don't think the guy hung around eating pizza and watching NFL in his free time.
I'm thinking that in the next five years there will be a point and shoot that will equal the resolution of my old 12 pound Pentax 645 system and hope I can still afford gas to go places. I definately carry lighter equipment and am more gentle on my joints than years ago and do some low impact (biking, swimming, yoga) excersize almost daily to keep me going. In the last few months I've lost 10 pounds of ugly fat without cutting off my head. This was much cheaper than buying the most recent lightweight Gitzo.
Taking walks or hikes in the woods is more important to me than photography, and I see enough old timers in their 60's, 70's and even eighties out on the trails to be encouraging. But there's always the genetics thing that's the wild card.
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on April 29, 2008 at 6:42 PM
Dave, regarding Think Tank vs. Lowepro:
I have the Think Tank system and have been very happy.
Well designed and constructed. Very flexible in how much or how little you buy.
All the modules are weather sealed and have rain covers - but my experience has only be in a light rain.
I'm sure Lowepro offers similar quality. I doubt you can go wrong with either.
Looking at their site, I see they have a new "Skin" design.
These are unpadded vs. their old lightly padded modules.
I don't have any experience with these.
Posted by Curtis Knight on April 30, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Hi David,
I think that I'll actually soon be going the opposite direction from most folks my age at least for a few years. I just turned 47 and had a complete knee replacement a year ago this week. In fact a year ago today I came home from the hospital. I'll be having the other knee done this coming November.
Over the last 5-6 years I have almost completely given up hiking due to prematurely worn out knee joints. ("Primary Osteoarthritis"). I haven't been able to hike longer than 2 or 3 miles for so many years I don't remember the last 10 mile day I did. But by this time next year, I'll be hitting the longer trails again for a few years. When my wife and I first met in 2001, we went hiking almost every other weekend. Now we rarely get out in the woods together.
I've found myself shooting more flowers, and area surrounding the old Vernonia mill pond. I pretty much limit myself to pulling off on wide spots in the logging roads to work a section of creek near the road. To borrow a term from the hunters in my family, I do a lot of "road hunting". I often have to sacrifice equipment flexibility by carrying only one lens, and a polarizer, leaving behind most of my gear to take a hike. I could probably go farther if I took more pain killers, but too much codeine just makes me groggy and a lot less enthusiastic about my photography.
So the bottom line for me is, I actually expect to increase my activity in my 50's rather than slow down. I'll be making up for a lot of lost time in the mountains. If I play my cards right, I might even get into good enough shape to keep up with ol' Adamus for a year or two... yeah, well, I guess that's really pushin' it, but hey, I can dream.
Seriously though, most people dread their 50's. Well I am so much looking forward to them, I can taste it! I'll finally be able to take those long hikes again, and I might even do some backpacking if I can find someone willing to coach me a little. My first order of business will be Dog Mountain Trail in the Columbia River Gorge. It's a grueling 5 miler that climbs relentlessly. It has kicked my ass 4 times. I've never made it past about the 3 mile mark. Well the next time I try it, I'll be making it to the top.
Ok, I'll chime in as a "youngster" at 54. I've got a boatload of equipment sitting behind me as I write this in two large bags (no, I am not in the two large bags, thank you). That equipment tends to stay there while I carry my "go" bag with me - it is in front of my desk. I carry a long zoom, a medium zoom,a short zoom, a macro, one flash, one body, and assorted smaller items in this bag. I find I use two lenses regularly. Most shots are natural light. So, I could really pair things down. There's a benbo in the room and a heavy gitzo and a monopod which live in my truck. I mostly shoot handheld. At least I'm not carrying them myself! My concession to age is that I leave the boatbag behind and carry the camera bag. I work on boats.
I've had a disc removed, a hernia fixed, and I guess a few other ailments not worth mentioning. I learned a long time ago to realize the goal and look down and get there step by step. All of a sudden I am there and it doesn't seem to take as much out of me.
Now I have some kind of foot pains that my wife says is due to walking around barefoot on our hardwood floors. I suppose not being able to walk would cause some severe limitations, but I am sure there are worse off folks than me getting to wonderful places. Yet, I still run up stairs two steps at a time as I have done since a boy. I believe I will still just keep plodding right along and continue to shoot until I die.
Interestingly, no one has mentioned the concessions one must make to failing eyesight as one gets older. I have heard of many folks now having to trust their autofocus systems now when the used to go all manual. Then I read about the guy who has had soft focus issues on his D200 which he has proven to be the camera (not lenses or technique) while Nikon is still giving him the run-around. Now THAT's scary about getting old!!
I'm hooked on the Tamrac belt system David. The pouches probably aren't as finely designed as ThinkTank, but they integrate as add-ons to my other Tamrac bags. I seldom use their belt, though my wife raves about hers. Of course, she has a waist to hang it on, while mine threatens to fall down around my ankles at every turn. Instead, I usually hang mine on the belt in my pants.
BTW- David brought up sled dogs, I heartily agree with his idea, provided the squirrel issue can be resolved. I'll make another venture into the animal kingdom and point out that I've found nothing better than the belt pouches for gear carry on horseback.
Discussion
25 repliesI don't want to sound like I'm singing the blues, rather facing a reality. In the time I have been on NPN a number of the older photographers have made allusions to ageing and their work, the trail that has suddenly gotten longer or steeper etc.
Recently I heard an interview with one of my now retired former instructors at college. He told how he had stopped taking landscapes and turned his attention to tulips.
So you similarly ageing boomer photographers, what changes are you making to your work, style or subject selection to accommodate Mother Nature.
Cheers,
Dave
2. Lighten your load as much as possible. I abandoned the image quality you get with LF and MF and went with a much lighter and more portable digital system. My stock agency still seems happy with the image quality so that's all I really care about anyway.
3. Cut your backpack trips to a night or two and go with a friend. This cuts down on the weight you both carry by sharing a tent, dividing up the food, etc. I leave the stove and cookware behind and carry the bare minimum in food and accessories to make it as easy on my back as possible. Carry a water filter rather than packing in a bunch of water.
4. Start doing some tabletop stuff....much easier than busting up some steep trail.
Bless those wheeled camera and equipment cases.
Belts!
The heck with the heavy pack you have to sling off and on to get to your gear or the bag hanging from one shoulder. Both are sure-fire appointments with the chyro or back sergeon, while a gear belt distributes your gear evenly around your waist within easy reach.
Pace!
Slow down and wait for your shots once in a while. No need to be up early and late days on end. Sleep in now and then and go watch the sunset from the deck of a good restaurant.
Salud!
Assuming that the hip replacement will allow you to do so, get into a fitness program. Do anything as long as it is something. Especially work on the core muscles (abdominals, back and whatever else is down there). A lot of wear and tear on the body comes from trying to get other muscle groups to do what those parts should be doing. Do this even it means time away from the photography.
Lighten the load in the bag. Take your most heavily used lens, and one other lens. Go from two camera bodies to one. Two cameras are great to have, but unless your income depends on it, leave one at home, or in the motel room, or in the car (if you are comfortable with that). I wouldn't advocate having one body on a long trip, but maybe one at a time in the bag. Money permitting, mayby look into a carbon fiber tripod.
Try to convince your camera buddies to switch to your brand, and borrow their gear.
Tabletop photography also has some advantages, especially when it is just too nasty outside. You'll also learn some new shooting and lighting skills.
And last, enjoy the opportunities you do have.
I refuse to go to a Dslr. After 35 years of shooting Slr's and all the macro gear under the sun for Canon and Nikon, I will not go back to a full system, ever again. Just a personal thing. Can I shoot as high res as you guy's nope and I'm happy about that
Change, well have I ever and thats actually NPN's fault, but in a good way. I now concentrate on software and actually take shots (some pretty lousy) with what I can do with the images afterwards. So thats been a huge difference and one I just love. Its been very successful and I owe NPN a lot for that. Thats actually made me realise what physical things can do and how you can change it around to a large extent. Not everyones cup of tea, but it suits me.
Anyway, fascinating thread and good reading so far. An excellent set of questions.
Danny.
Then there is "pace". I try to plan ahead and make sure I have time to enjoy the hike and take my time. I fully expect to cover less ground and prioritize my efforts. If you want to stay happy then don't expect too much. I had to learn this during my last several high altitude trips! It also helps to have a focus to the trip but remain flexible for targets of opportunity along the way.
I have also increased my efforts close to home. I always liked macro photography and it opens a whole universe of opportunities right at your feet but arthritis in my spine limits my "low level" work. I'm thinking about an angle finder! I also have several set-ups right here at home so I can walk just 20 feet and take bird photos.
And never underestimate the power of chemistry
All the best Cindy and yep, this is one fascinating thread for us..............16yr olds to read
Danny.
As the saying goes your only as old as you think you are.
Now I have made some changes in the way I do things many of them suggested in other post. I traded my Minolta 600 f4 for a Canon 500 f4 which was good for many reasons.
Bought a carbon tripod and I don't do over night wilderness trips any longer. I still hike day trips but take along a younger guy if I can find one to carry the water etc.
I still do 3-4 day shoots but I have a great matress in the back of my Van which is very comfortable and dry. I also bought a camping trailor that I tow for 2-3 week outings that has all the comforts of home.
Hang in there buddy life has just begun
Today the thought of reaching 60 doesn't scare me the way I once thought it might. But I am still afraid of reaching 70 or 80 years of age because I see peers around me degenerating and know my number is going to come up too. I don't want to ever be limited to adventures at city gardens looking at tulips or sitting on city park benches watching pigeons. And if it did, I would hang up the camera gear. Fortunately I still have such a vast knowledge of uniquely interesting roadside walk to subjects in our natural lands, that such a fate won't occur as long as I can afford the gas.
...David
Spring 2008 Wildflower Trip Chronicles
http://www.davidsenesac.com/Spring_2008/spring_2008_p0.html
After just eight months, the improvements in my strength, flexibility, and balance are significant. My back spasms and achilles tendon problems are gone. Note: finding a highly skilled yoga teacher is crucial. These days there are many who lack the expertise, patience, and wisdom to be the right fit for an older person.
Combine yoga (or pilates or circuit training, etc.) with an aerobic activity like Nordic walking (or just plain walking at a good pace), and/or XC skiing in season, or cycling, and photography in the field should remain a pleasure for years.
Brent.
There are plenty of scenes still to be had even when you can't go much further than 100 yards from the car so that should get you well into your 80's.
John
For your consideration, I'd highly recommend Mt Sneffels as your birthday fourteener. If you can get to the end of the 4WD trail into Yankee Boy Basin, it's a relatively short sprint to the top. Let us know, we might join you.
Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
1. Keep on training hard, live healthy.
2. Lighten the load as much as possible. Take only what you really need.
3. Take care of your joints.
4. Choose your parents carefully.
My wife and I just finished a job keeping pace with 25 teams of teens and their handlers. The shoot was four 16+ hour days in venues including trains, tour ships, marine aquarium, hotels, cafeterias, auditoriums, classrooms, hikes and hyjinx in all places between. Shooting was indoors and out, large venues and small, rain and snow, bright light and low light, natural light, artificial light and strobe.
Basically we ran at a very high pace with very little sleep for four days, and all our gear had to be on our bodies at all times. We've done this kind of thing for years, but after all, we're now in our late 50's.
Best summary is to sleep and eat as often and as well as you can, resting at every opportunity however brief. But mostly, keep your gear and handling system lean, light and svelte. We each carry an ultrawide zoom, a midrange zoom and a long zoom covering a range from 10mm to 200mm along with our D2X bodies and a single SB-800 strobe with off-camera cable.
The zooms are key to lightening the load, and a belt system is best for distributing the weight evenly and getting it off our shoulders while keeping all gear at our fingertips. A carbon fiber tripod apiece finished off our kits, though they stayed in our vehicle except when we moved indoors.
We're both fit, but after that experience we're both feeling our age a bit. Next time I think I'll switch out the midrange and long zooms for a single 18-200 in a nod to further weight savings.
There's no doubt I've got hip replacements waiting somewhere in the future, but even so the belt system rather than a bag or pack has proven key to back health on protracted shoots.
I think I'll take another nap now. Recovery is ongoing.
Can I identify! I was running the photographic component for the recent Arctic Winter Games. Fourteen hour days for two weeks. We picked four youngsters from around the Territory and equipped and mentored them. I'm pleased to say, despite their youth, they hit the wall before I did!
The most common theme in the responses is maintaining physical strength and mental stamina. It didn't occur to me until after reading such responses that cabin fever may have come into play. The latter half of the winter has been quite bitter with a couple of weeks ranging in the -50C to -60C (-60F-70F) range. No inclination what so ever to test the D2X battery life under those conditions! Winter has been quite tenacious in not surrendering to spring, -25C until a couple of days ago, and even with our first rainfall of the season yesterday, the ski planes are still landing on the ice.
One of the alterations I've made to my shooting was to buy a lightweight sled so the hound can pull the equipment. Before howls of outrage from animal lovers, she is a sled dog. Now she needs to be trained that photography and not chasing squirrels is the priority.
While the equipment is kept to a minimum, wide angle, medium and long zoom, the belts you mention seem a good idea over the existing pack. In researching them the best two systems I have come across are Lowepro and another called ThinkTank. Perhaps you or one of the other members might have a recommendation.
I'm thinking that in the next five years there will be a point and shoot that will equal the resolution of my old 12 pound Pentax 645 system and hope I can still afford gas to go places. I definately carry lighter equipment and am more gentle on my joints than years ago and do some low impact (biking, swimming, yoga) excersize almost daily to keep me going. In the last few months I've lost 10 pounds of ugly fat without cutting off my head. This was much cheaper than buying the most recent lightweight Gitzo.
Taking walks or hikes in the woods is more important to me than photography, and I see enough old timers in their 60's, 70's and even eighties out on the trails to be encouraging. But there's always the genetics thing that's the wild card.
I have the Think Tank system and have been very happy.
Well designed and constructed. Very flexible in how much or how little you buy.
All the modules are weather sealed and have rain covers - but my experience has only be in a light rain.
I'm sure Lowepro offers similar quality. I doubt you can go wrong with either.
http://www.thinktankphoto.com
Looking at their site, I see they have a new "Skin" design.
These are unpadded vs. their old lightly padded modules.
I don't have any experience with these.
I think that I'll actually soon be going the opposite direction from most folks my age at least for a few years. I just turned 47 and had a complete knee replacement a year ago this week. In fact a year ago today I came home from the hospital. I'll be having the other knee done this coming November.
Over the last 5-6 years I have almost completely given up hiking due to prematurely worn out knee joints. ("Primary Osteoarthritis"). I haven't been able to hike longer than 2 or 3 miles for so many years I don't remember the last 10 mile day I did. But by this time next year, I'll be hitting the longer trails again for a few years. When my wife and I first met in 2001, we went hiking almost every other weekend. Now we rarely get out in the woods together.
I've found myself shooting more flowers, and area surrounding the old Vernonia mill pond. I pretty much limit myself to pulling off on wide spots in the logging roads to work a section of creek near the road. To borrow a term from the hunters in my family, I do a lot of "road hunting". I often have to sacrifice equipment flexibility by carrying only one lens, and a polarizer, leaving behind most of my gear to take a hike. I could probably go farther if I took more pain killers, but too much codeine just makes me groggy and a lot less enthusiastic about my photography.
So the bottom line for me is, I actually expect to increase my activity in my 50's rather than slow down. I'll be making up for a lot of lost time in the mountains. If I play my cards right, I might even get into good enough shape to keep up with ol' Adamus for a year or two... yeah, well, I guess that's really pushin' it, but hey, I can dream.
Seriously though, most people dread their 50's. Well I am so much looking forward to them, I can taste it! I'll finally be able to take those long hikes again, and I might even do some backpacking if I can find someone willing to coach me a little. My first order of business will be Dog Mountain Trail in the Columbia River Gorge. It's a grueling 5 miler that climbs relentlessly. It has kicked my ass 4 times. I've never made it past about the 3 mile mark. Well the next time I try it, I'll be making it to the top.
I've had a disc removed, a hernia fixed, and I guess a few other ailments not worth mentioning. I learned a long time ago to realize the goal and look down and get there step by step. All of a sudden I am there and it doesn't seem to take as much out of me.
Now I have some kind of foot pains that my wife says is due to walking around barefoot on our hardwood floors. I suppose not being able to walk would cause some severe limitations, but I am sure there are worse off folks than me getting to wonderful places. Yet, I still run up stairs two steps at a time as I have done since a boy. I believe I will still just keep plodding right along and continue to shoot until I die.
Interestingly, no one has mentioned the concessions one must make to failing eyesight as one gets older. I have heard of many folks now having to trust their autofocus systems now when the used to go all manual. Then I read about the guy who has had soft focus issues on his D200 which he has proven to be the camera (not lenses or technique) while Nikon is still giving him the run-around. Now THAT's scary about getting old!!
Troup
I'm hooked on the Tamrac belt system David. The pouches probably aren't as finely designed as ThinkTank, but they integrate as add-ons to my other Tamrac bags. I seldom use their belt, though my wife raves about hers. Of course, she has a waist to hang it on, while mine threatens to fall down around my ankles at every turn. Instead, I usually hang mine on the belt in my pants.
BTW- David brought up sled dogs, I heartily agree with his idea, provided the squirrel issue can be resolved. I'll make another venture into the animal kingdom and point out that I've found nothing better than the belt pouches for gear carry on horseback.