Younger members
Dec 5, 2023 09:27:44 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Do you think it is possible to attract younger members to UHH? Or is that a hopeless cause? What would it take?
I belong to a radio control airplane club and my wife belongs to an art association. Both clubs suffer the same issue: dwindling membership and few members younger than 60. Like photography, these hobbies require a considerable investment of money, effort and time to become proficient at it; something younger people don't seem able to provide. We both do public events focused on older school-age kids and twenty- to thirty-somethings with little success. We're looking for the same answers as the OP.
Dec 5, 2023 09:27:56 #
DaveyDitzer
Loc: Western PA
An Observation. a couple of years ago I gave my Nikon D5300 to my son, along with two kit lenses spanning 16mm to300 mm. I suggested that his portraits (mostly of my grandchildren) could benefit from a better perspective than "selfies" and close up shots. I also supplied a "Dummies" book to help him get started. I recently asked him if he used it. If not please return it. It came back home unused:(
Dec 5, 2023 09:31:59 #
larryepage wrote:
No. br br They would not tolerate the clad in st... (show quote)
Hopefully, those recommending reading a book first, shooting in manual first, buying an expensive pro-body DSLRinosaur first will recognize themselves and the nonsense of their 'getting started in photography' ideas repeated weekly here on these mustard pages.
Dec 5, 2023 09:41:02 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Curmudgeon is right. Many online forums have members who are "not young." I watched a video that a YouTuber posted about a trip to a train show - lots of old men. I used to go to the motorcycle show in NYC, and there were lots of old men there, too, although the younger crowd was well represented.
Come to think of it, every group I've belonged to has consisted of "mature" members.
We could take a survey of the ages of our members. I'm 79.
Come to think of it, every group I've belonged to has consisted of "mature" members.
We could take a survey of the ages of our members. I'm 79.
I would be very interested in the results of such a survey
Dec 5, 2023 09:46:44 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Do you think it is possible to attract younger members to UHH? Or is that a hopeless cause? What would it take?
Photography requires hard work and dedication. Those are traits not often associated with our younger generations. Why do you express interest in attracting new members who don't share those interests?
Dec 5, 2023 09:54:38 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Hopefully, those recommending reading a book first, shooting in manual first, buying an expensive pro-body DSLRinosaur first will recognize themselves and the nonsense of their 'getting started in photography' ideas repeated weekly here on these mustard pages.
Dec 5, 2023 10:06:59 #
gvarner
Loc: Central Oregon Coast
I have no recollection of how I found UHH. It may have been a name drop when I was at photo club or some random reference as I cruised the internet. When I do a search on FB, comments about hedgehogs pop up. Photography may be just an older person's hobby. For pros, it may just may be a niche they fall into. There’s lots of competition out there. Those are my thoughts.
Dec 5, 2023 10:25:27 #
W9OD
Loc: Wisconsin
I have a daughter and daughter-in-law that both have nice cameras one a Sony, the other a Canon. They use their iPhones. Talking about cotton tops, I am a ham radio operator, the meetings I go to, all you see is a sea of grey.
Dec 5, 2023 10:27:16 #
W9OD wrote:
I have a daughter and daughter-in-law that both have nice cameras one a Sony, the other a Canon. They use their iPhones. Talking about cotton tops, I am a ham radio operator, the meetings I go to, all you see is a sea of grey.
The same applies to hot rods. Go to a car show featuring hot rods, and you'll see lots of old people. When I was a kid, it was the teenagers who modified their cars.
Dec 5, 2023 10:42:30 #
jerryc41 wrote:
The same applies to hot rods. Go to a car show featuring hot rods, and you'll see lots of old people. When I was a kid, it was the teenagers who modified their cars.
A thing of the past now.....
Dec 5, 2023 10:43:47 #
Dec 5, 2023 11:03:20 #
Warhorse
Loc: SE Michigan
jerryc41 wrote:
The same applies to hot rods. Go to a car show featuring hot rods, and you'll see lots of old people. When I was a kid, it was the teenagers who modified their cars.
No shortage of smaller sized, souped up, loud exhaust, bass shaking car stereo's around here. Just a different generation expressing themselves in newer to us ways.
Dec 5, 2023 11:39:16 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
CHG_CANON wrote:
Hopefully, those recommending reading a book first, shooting in manual first, buying an expensive pro-body DSLRinosaur first will recognize themselves and the nonsense of their 'getting started in photography' ideas repeated weekly here on these mustard pages.
You are correct. We do none of that.
By the way...I have never advocated reading the book first. I advocate charging the battery first, then pushing buttons and turning dials. In the hands of anyone but old folks, modern cameras are quite resistant to damage or breakage from being used. We also start in some sort of automatic mode, then gradually, one parameter at a time, learn how to take control of things. We do learn about metering patterns, but not the intricacies of autofocus. Single point half-press works great. We do talk about how to move the focus point around, but few find the need.
I don't know the percent (it would be interesting to know, though), but it is obvious to me that a vast majority of members here are afraid of their cameras. My one non-negotiable is that no photographer be afraid of his camera.
Dec 5, 2023 11:41:49 #
Dec 5, 2023 11:44:35 #
larryepage wrote:
You are correct. We do none of that. br br By ... (show quote)
A few recent discussions about cameras for grandkids all include my list of 'first steps' that are seemingly determined drive away any potential interest in photography.
People are afraid of their computers, so it's logical they're terrified of their digital cameras.
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