Am I too old to learn photography?

Someone online recently asked me, “Is 28 too old to learn photography?” My answer was “No - not at all. Why? Because a person never, ever truly ‘finishes’ learning photography.”

I’m 62 and I am still learning photography; I dabbled in photography as a teenager, got away from photography as a young adult, then experienced a resurgence of interest and got serious about photography 26 years ago. Photography is a lifelong quest and learning experience.

If you truly love photography, it will morph into a lifestyle; see Sam Abell: The Photographic Life: Sam Abell, Leah Bendavid-Val: 9780847824960: Amazon.com: Books

28 may be too late to become the next LeBron James but photography does not require the strength, endurance and physical profile that becoming an MVP in the NBA requires. Becoming a successful and skilled photographer does require commitment, time, effort and the ability to work through disappointment and frustration, but anyone who has reasonably good vision, the ability to think creatively and makes up their mind to become a successful photographer can do it.

One of the most important things to never forget is this: Being a “successful” photographer is not defined by how much money you make using your camera.

Everyone has their own ideas about what constitutes success. As for me personally -

Success in photography is defined by:

1.) How much enjoyment, relaxation, satisfaction, accomplishment, fulfillment and purpose does photography bring into my life? And -

2.) How much enjoyment, satisfaction, beauty, relevance and meaning does my photography bring into the lives of others? And -

3.) Does my photography serve a higher purpose by helping others and/or making the world a better place in some way - even if only in a small way?

For those who truly love photography, it’s about way more than sweaty pieces of paper with engravings of dead U.S. presidents on the front.