stuart416

Congratulations on your coming retirement. I retired in June of 2015. The first thing I did was replace my photography equipment. I had stopped taking recreational pictures due to working on an advanced degree and other commitments. I now have a Canon 70D and 80D as well as a variety of lenses from macro to super telephoto. I have been working as a photo volunteer at a local animal shelter. We are also planning a few trips for photography. Consider it a hobby or avocation. There are no rules. Just go enjoy yourself.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Been retired from the banking business for 8 years. Never looked back. Bought some refurbished cameras and lenses and now I follow my 8 year old grandson in his various sporting endeavors, ice hockey, soccer, lacrosse, and this year basketball. Love it.

wbauknight Loc: Buda, TX

When I retired I upgraded my equipment to satisfy my desires to capture better RAW images and took a Lightroom instruction course (twice) to start processing my images and catalog them so I could find and process them at my leisure. I had taken RAW for years before retirement and had saved the images on disks as Raw. I downloaded them into Lightroom and began organizing them. That consisted of over 18,000 images. This took about 6 months but what an education!!! Now I consider myself proficient at it and am now starting to learn Photoshop for some things I can't do with Lightroom. Thouroghly enjoying learning and processing. Hope you will enjoy the "process" too. Shoot only Raw save as Raw In non-destructive program so you can redo any of your best as the softwares improve. You will not be sorry. I am not!! Do only what you enjoy!!

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

Congratulations on your retirement. As you venture into your photography hobby consider adding off-camera flash for additional enjoyment. This website and group will help keep your interest and make your journey more interesting and fun!

http://www.facebook.com/groups/speedlightfundamentals/

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Congratulations, and now you start the really fun part of your life! I've been into photography since 12 years old and I retired in 2002 and moved to FL where my kids and grandkids are. I've upgraded from film equipment to all digital and photograph mostly flora and fauna(plenty of that here) and , of course family portraits and events. I had a job since I was 16 years old so not having a work schedule anymore is the best part of retirement.

This website is one of the best places to be for displaying ones photos and learning tips and methods on photography. The inspiration and encouragement from the many members here motivate me to take pictures and post often. I peruse this site every morning and communicate with members who are like family to me!

It is good for your health to be active and have interests in retirement, and I can't think of a better activity than photography in your retirement.

Al Freeedman

Retired 13 years ago at 70 years old. Was a professional photographer (among other things). Sold all my pro equipment to KEH,
and took a 10 year vacation from photography. Back in as a hobby with mostly Canon equipment, (some Sigma & Tamron glass).

captain AL

cmcaroffino Loc: Sebring, FL

I have been retired several years and live in a 55+ community with a very active volunteer program of activities. I am asked to photograph a lot of events, have put on slide shows, taught photography classes, done the photography for several directories, done family sittings, pet sittings, etc so it has been an enjoyable and active part of my retirement. There are so many different aspects to photography there is always something new to learn.

HallowedHill Loc: Chattanooga, TN

I'll be 69 in March and stopped practicing law 12 years ago. Went back to school and earned another degree and still work 3 days a week in the new field. But, on the other four days I have stepped up my photography. Re did my equipment, but then I tend to keep a camera 10 plus years or until it stops working. Also spend time processing shots from years ago with my round-tuit! When it stops being fun, which I don't anticipate, I'll find something else to do. The keys for me: avoid gas and don't let it become an obsession. Good luck and ALWAYS have fun and do what you enjoy.

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

Go to bed early and get up early. Live the day, enjoy the morning light, take photos! That's my plan anyway.

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

im retired 1 1/2 yrs ago now.
working w digital photos has been an ongoing learning process...
i bet you will enjoy having the time to spend...

we have been traveling a lot also.. helps bring fresh material to your camera.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

ince retiring at age 71 Photography and travel has been my life, More fun, and freedom. BTW I will be 79 in a week

fourg1b2006 Loc: Long Island New York

Congratulations on your retirement. Now you can devote a lot more time to photography.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'm seeing a pattern here. Are employed people that much in a rush that they have to shoot only JPEGs? Perhaps because some of the first photographs I've ever made were with a 4x5" View Camera, I worked slowly to begin with. Even today I shoot slowly and methodically, film or no film. I'll shoot digitally for 8 hours and shoot less that 100 captures. Also I enjoy using Photoshop.

I can't give you a before and after answer because technically I am not retired yet, age 63. But since I've been unemployed so long that I just stopped looking for employment. So it is like I've been retired for a dozen years. I bought my first DSLR in 2009 so having more free time has renewed my interest in photography. For many years prior my film equipment just sat unused. So having more time helps. But the evolution of my shooting style and techniques employed has more, much more to do with taking classes, and shooting more for fun. At one time, 1980-83 I was employed doing photography, but a very specific use of 8x10" sheet film. Involved no artistic creativity. The job was interesting for other reasons. But I rarely did any pleasure photography even though this work was at a place of beauty that huge numbers of photographers flock to from all over.

MarciaES

I retired from teaching elementary school in 2007. Back then I didn't have time for photography except when we went somewhere in the summer. Now I keep a camera in the car all the time because you never know when an opportunity will arise. I spend so much more time now on it. I often go out in my back yard (6 acres) and find lots of things to shoot -- deer, fox, birds, etc. I'm working on Lightroom and have time to watch YouTube videos on it and how to take better pictures. Every morning at breakfast, instead of rushing around to get to school, I read UHH!

Gunner3451

I have been retired since 2013 military veteran I have gotten back into photography I own Nikon D7100 camera and loving it this camera takes amazing photo some of my photo are within my family and groups of friends mostly I take photo of wildlife from anything deer's to hummingbirds flowers and etc. cant get enough good thing about retirement is you have all the time in the world to enjoy the passion which I so much do.