"Our new director of photography, David Griffin, and assistant director Susan Smith are making a much stronger push than we have in the past to identify young, emerging talent. They're not necessarily age-specific either. Often, photo- graphers start to find their traction in their fifties."
—Chris Johns
Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic magazine
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(Thanks to Gary Brown for this)
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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.
Featured Comment by Edie Howe, crotchety old curmudgeon of 50 for two years now: "I'm heading to Google to find out their email addresses. Right after I have a nap. If I don't forget. Damn, what's this string tied to my finger for, again? Hey, you damn kids get the hell off my lawn!"
There's hope for me yet!
Richard, Age 24.
Posted by: Richard P | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 07:22 PM
Encouraging, given that I didn't learn what ISO, focal length, or f-stop meant until I was 40, seven years ago. So finding traction in my 50s sounds about right.
Posted by: Steve Jones | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 07:27 PM
Quick, someone tell Kirk Tuck.
:)
Posted by: Bill M | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 07:29 PM
Sheesh, I hope I don't have to wait until my fifties to gain traction. If so these next fifteen years are gonna be rough.
Posted by: Chad Thompson | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 07:48 PM
Woohoo! As someone who has always carried a camera but didn't take up professional photography until almost 40...
Posted by: Amie aka MammaLoves | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 07:58 PM
"You're only as old as you feel" applies to talent as well ... ;-)
Posted by: Dave Kosiur | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 08:08 PM
Great, because I hit the half century mark next week.
Posted by: Mike Shwarts | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 09:17 PM
Sweet. There's hope for me yet. I just have to wait ten years.
Posted by: Marty | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 09:33 PM
Time to put on my photographic snow tires.
Posted by: John Krumm | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 09:52 PM
I had traction. Then I hit some mud and spun out. Now I just wallow in mediocrity.
Posted by: Eric Rose | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 10:06 PM
"Often, photographers start to find their traction in their fifties."
Just when you've given up all hope you might find signs of intelligent life here on Earth folks like David and Susan give us encouragment. :)
Thus said above comment should have said "new" emerging talent instead of young. Just sayin'.
Posted by: MJFerron | Tuesday, 01 November 2011 at 10:37 PM
I'm north of 50! Now that I have a herniated disc, I'm in top form [sarcasm]. My photos are pretty good, except I can't see them without bifocals.
Posted by: Bob Rosinsky | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 12:03 AM
That's certainly an encouraging quote for the fellows who work day jobs harboring hopes of eventually scoring an assignment from Geographic.
But the reality is that Geographic assignments often require time, physical, and personal commitments that are far beyond most 50+ year-olds. (Many would wind up in traction.) And the "Geographic" style that's become so strongly typed in the magazine, while generally visually engaging and informative, may be quite confining for many more broadly accomplished photographers.
Posted by: Kenneth Tanaka | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 01:10 AM
I just figure that I'm a 20 year old with 35 years of experience, having survived more dumb things than a 20 year old could imagine.
One thing I have got to say though, in photography it's easy to lose your chops if you stop for a year or two. It's just as bad as playing a musical instrument, not at all like riding a bicycle.
Posted by: hugh crawford | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 01:51 AM
As with everything, "it depends".
http://m.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/10/20/081020fa_fact_gladwell
Posted by: CN | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 02:06 AM
Coming up to 77 and still enjoying 'snapping' and you never stop learning 'old photogs never die, just go out of focus'
Posted by: Reg Paley | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 06:57 AM
That paragraph was one of the more confusing that I've read in awhile. "young, emerging" parsing with "not age specific" OBTW - send all your traction my way - 2nd big snow storm in a month here in Colorado
Posted by: Ernie Nitka | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 10:38 AM
Ernie,
I believe the quote comes from a spoken interview. Chris probably realized what he'd said and then thought to correct it. Writing affords more opportunity for consistent clarity than speaking....
Mike
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 10:54 AM
Hell. Only 18 months to go.
Posted by: Bruce Appelbaum | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 01:22 PM
"Writing affords more opportunity for consistent clarity than speaking...."
That's easy for you to say
Erm...write
Posted by: sean | Wednesday, 02 November 2011 at 03:03 PM
Traction has never been an issue with me. My mum told me I was on the move pre-birth...no hanging around till I was fifty for a bit of movement.
Posted by: Dennis Huteson | Thursday, 03 November 2011 at 06:03 AM