Started back into my photography after forced retirement.

[stevethesparks]

Having had to retire after 49 years, I have dusted down my gear and have renewed my interest in portrait photography. It took a while, but have now resigned to the fact I will not be returning to work as an electrician, and must say it feels great to be free.
Just a few recent snaps.

 

[telectrix]

what camera?

 

[stevethesparks]

what camera?

Still the 5D classic with 85mm lens. Last pic with the nifty fifty. Paid £1350 for the 5D more than 10 years ago, just purchased a 2nd hand unit for £229 - unbelievable. Lens's however hold their price well.

 

[telectrix]

i use a 40D. bought for £40 as it would not boot up. soon fixed with a trick found on the internet.

 

[stevethesparks]

Final one with a slight improvement on the pose

 

[stevethesparks]

A couple more from yesterday

 

[7029 dave]

Hope you doing ok Steve, is it a hobby this photography or your new career.

 

[stevethesparks]

Hope you doing ok Steve, is it a hobby this photography or your new career.

Just a hobby mate
Something to piddle about with in my retirement

 

[buzzlightyear]

Me I'm school black & white but colour
Not my favourite. Good luck to you
Any advice pm Me.
If you can get a colour contrast perficrt
Rodney I'm sill selling the old brown camera.

 

[LukeD]

I know a lot of Professional photographers .They struggle to make money now .The wedding game is dead and too dangerous . Its hard work . Good glass is always a great investment and pays for what we loose on bodies !

 

[stevethesparks]

Last one from this session

 

[MoserV8]

Excellent images! Is that the 85 1.8 Lens? - Its an amazing lens, i love mine - very often that gets used more than anything else. 5D is a great camera and can hold its own even today, the shutter mech in those actually lasts longer than the newer MK II & MK III. With people swinging to mirrorless now, there will be some amazing value bodies crop up as the "Kit ------" abandon their "useless"5D MK II MK III & MK IV s. Its a very satisfying Interest photography - Have Fun! Insects & water were my fav subjects.

 

[stevethesparks]

Excellent images! Is that the 85 1.8 Lens? - Its an amazing lens, i love mine - very often that gets used more than anything else. 5D is a great camera and can hold its own even today, the shutter mech in those actually lasts longer than the newer MK II & MK III. With people swinging to mirrorless now, there will be some amazing value bodies crop up as the "Kit ------" abandon their "useless"5D MK II MK III & MK IV s. Its a very satisfying Interest photography - Have Fun! Insects & water were my fav subjects.

I know a lot of Professional photographers .They struggle to make money now .The wedding game is dead and too dangerous . Its hard work . Good glass is always a great investment and pays for what we loose on bodies !

 

[stevethesparks]

Multi quote gone haywire and cant edit???

I started off with the 85mm/1.8 but due to space limitation as this was done in my lounge I quickly had to revert to the 50mm/1.8. As cheap as this lens is, it can still do a pretty decent job.

I think a lot of trades can have similarities. There are some very good and successful photographers still doing weddings, at the high end of the market, I wouldn't say it was dead. You could say the same for some sparks, I was brought up on large commercial works but the last 9-10 years was satisfied being a one man band with the Domestic Installer badge, whereas some friends/colleagues are making a mint with much bigger stuff. Some still employ the likes of Tony down the pub.

I think one of the problems with photography is that since digital arrived, everyone thinks they are a pro, and fools employ them for the cheaper rate.
A big part of it still comes down to marketing and being a good businessman as well as a good photographer. I was a decent sparks, but terrible businessman.
My mindset has always been to pay for the best you can afford, unfortunately some still go the eBay route.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[stevethesparks]

5D is a great camera and can hold its own even today, the shutter mech in those actually lasts longer than the newer MK II & MK III. With people swinging to mirrorless now, there will be some amazing value bodies crop up as the "Kit ------" abandon their "useless"5D MK II MK III & MK IV s. Its a very satisfying Interest photography - Have Fun! Insects & water were my fav subjects.

My first 5D cost around £1350 many years ago, just bought a second hand one as a second camera, very good condition £229 - unreal. The lens's however hold their price.

 

[LukeD]

Multi quote gone haywire and cant edit???

I started off with the 85mm/1.8 but due to space limitation as this was done in my lounge I quickly had to revert to the 50mm/1.8. As cheap as this lens is, it can still do a pretty decent job.

I think a lot of trades can have similarities. There are some very good and successful photographers still doing weddings, at the high end of the market, I wouldn't say it was dead. You could say the same for some sparks, I was brought up on large commercial works but the last 9-10 years was satisfied being a one man band with the Domestic Installer badge, whereas some friends/colleagues are making a mint with much bigger stuff. Some still employ the likes of Tony down the pub.

I think one of the problems with photography is that since digital arrived, everyone thinks they are a pro, and fools employ them for the cheaper rate.
A big part of it still comes down to marketing and being a good businessman as well as a good photographer. I was a decent sparks, but terrible businessman.
My mindset has always been to pay for the best you can afford, unfortunately some still go the eBay route.

Thanks for the comments.

THink... Over the last 18 months , most wedding went ---- up and the dates all moved around .Then the numbers became a issue .Only x could attend etc .Then litigation .... Ive know 2 very very high end guys (Rich Indian /chinese weddings that have multiple destinations/ venues ) that have done weddings and found images STOLEN from them .And they have to work out if they can afford a legal battle. Then as you said rightly , the gear today is bloody good and you can attend a wedding where a lot of people have semi /pro gear and are not that bad. So they can offer pics for free etc. Its not a easy game . What is amazing is how bodies like G1/G2 Contax have gone from almost been worthless to now holding good prices !

 

[stevethesparks]

Good points, I hadn't equated the Covid problem into my thinking.

 

[westward10]

Ditch digital and get some film cameras much more interesting. I have never been swayed to change even though I use one at work they are just sterile and need little skill. Here are my most used cameras, with the trend to return to film the Mamiya 7II shown here is almost unattainable now and command high value.

 

[stevethesparks]

My choice years ago was Olympus (OM1 & OM2), I also dabbled with a Yashica and an old Bronica medium format camera's.
I had a darkroom with a brilliant Phillips pcs2000 enlarger and colour analyser, the most awkward part was getting the colour balance right, it took a lot of time inc washing/drying drums etc with much wasted chemicals. The best item I purchased in the later years was a deep tank processor of which totally avoided drums etc.

It was a lot of fun, but since going digital, my main interests are in studio and lighting set-ups, and digital allows much more time to do this, as well as being able to double check exposure.
Its a different world now with more effort now spent of producing printer/paper and camera profiles and getting colour correction right at the click of a button. I can now produce prints as good a standard as some of the most expensive print houses. Playing in photoshop is another part of the process to achieving the wanted end result.
I wouldn't go back to film now.

 

[westward10]

Never dabbled with colour processing just black and white, still got all the gear but it will probably never get used again unless I lived on my own.