You are always going to be relevant and never obsolete as long as you have the pride you so obviously have in your skill and your well earned photographic proficiency. The price of the camera, or paint brush, or guitar or any other artistic tool, that one uses has nothing to do with their ability or the intelligence they possess and ability to create.
I will be attacked by some here for remarking that every time a new Nikon is released it's like the circus came to town. The reality is that at the end of the show people who choose not to participate in the circus are still creating amazing images with classically great Nikon, and other brand, bodies and lenses including some that are older than the daughter you mentioned. Just keep releasing your shutter and ignore the show in the center ring.
Love of photography is the primary tool required to create interesting photographs. There may be a few people here who could tell what camera Steve Perry used for his best images if you put them all up in one gallery but I doubt it's possible. You only see the effort applied, not the camera brand or model, in great photographers work because the tools are mostly irrelevant in the hands of an expert.
A talented photographer can teach anyone to take great images with any properly working camera with any brand name or price range but buying the most expensive tech will never make an undedicated, unskilled photographer who doesn't put in the time a talented, or interesting, photographer. The price someone pays for their camera will never make their work interesting. The price of great photography is measured in time and effort and has nothing to do with the creator's credit limit or bank account balance.
I think the key is to just skip the distractions and let the product release fans have fun doing their thing while you continue to enjoy something that nobody can buy. Your enjoyment, pride and love of the art. Without your hands to hold it and brain to operate it, any camera ever made or marketed takes exactly the same image as a rock.
It works that way because cameras don't compose or expose images. Photographers do. You can't buy native intelligence, learned skills, dedication and hard-earned experience.
Enjoy reality.
You already possess all the tools you need to create great images for the rest of your life.
I will be attacked by some here for remarking that every time a new Nikon is released it's like the circus came to town. The reality is that at the end of the show people who choose not to participate in the circus are still creating amazing images with classically great Nikon, and other brand, bodies and lenses including some that are older than the daughter you mentioned. Just keep releasing your shutter and ignore the show in the center ring.
Love of photography is the primary tool required to create interesting photographs. There may be a few people here who could tell what camera Steve Perry used for his best images if you put them all up in one gallery but I doubt it's possible. You only see the effort applied, not the camera brand or model, in great photographers work because the tools are mostly irrelevant in the hands of an expert.
A talented photographer can teach anyone to take great images with any properly working camera with any brand name or price range but buying the most expensive tech will never make an undedicated, unskilled photographer who doesn't put in the time a talented, or interesting, photographer. The price someone pays for their camera will never make their work interesting. The price of great photography is measured in time and effort and has nothing to do with the creator's credit limit or bank account balance.
I think the key is to just skip the distractions and let the product release fans have fun doing their thing while you continue to enjoy something that nobody can buy. Your enjoyment, pride and love of the art. Without your hands to hold it and brain to operate it, any camera ever made or marketed takes exactly the same image as a rock.
It works that way because cameras don't compose or expose images. Photographers do. You can't buy native intelligence, learned skills, dedication and hard-earned experience.
Enjoy reality.
You already possess all the tools you need to create great images for the rest of your life.
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