One of the biggest myths about creativity is that it’s something you’re supposed to discover when you’re young.
We’re told stories about musicians who started playing instruments as children, photographers who picked up a camera as teenagers, and authors who wrote their first novel before they left school.
My own story couldn’t be more different.
I didn’t seriously take up photography until I was 40 years old.
Before that, I was simply someone who loved being outdoors, appreciated beautiful landscapes, and enjoyed exploring new places. Photography wasn’t part of some grand life plan. It was something I became curious about, and that curiosity slowly grew into a passion.
Fourteen years later, photography has become one of the most rewarding parts of my life.
And now, at the age of 54, I’ve achieved another ambition that sat quietly in the background for many years: I’ve self-published my first novels.
When The Light Between Us, Tracks in Time, and The Galway Girl finally became real books that people could buy and read, it felt like proof of something I’ve come to believe very strongly:
It’s never too late to start something new.
The Myth of Being “Too Old”
One of the most common reasons people give for not pursuing a creative dream is age.
“I’m too old to start.”
“I should have done it years ago.”
“I’ve missed my chance.”
The truth is that creativity doesn’t care how old you are.
The camera certainly didn’t ask for my date of birth when I bought it.
Neither did Amazon when I published my books.
The only thing creativity asks is that you begin.
Learning Never Stops
One of the things I love about photography is that there is always something new to learn.
Every trip teaches me something.
Every location presents a different challenge.
Every photograph reminds me that there is always room for improvement.
Take Cornwall, for example, one of my favourite places in the world.
I’ve visited countless times over the years, yet every trip feels different. The weather changes, the sea changes, and the light never behaves quite the way you expect it to.
I have enormous admiration for photographers who cheerfully bounce out of bed at 4 a.m. to photograph sunrise.
Unfortunately, I am not one of them.
My relationship with sunrise photography is mostly theoretical. I love the results, but I’m generally much better at admiring them after I’ve woken up.
Sunsets, on the other hand, fit perfectly with my creative schedule.
Give me a dramatic Cornish coastline, a colourful sky, and a reasonable hour of the day, and I’m a very happy photographer.
Writing has been much the same.
Every novel has taught me something new. Every character has challenged me. Every draft has forced me to become a better storyteller.
The learning never stops, and that’s one of the best parts.
The Fear of Starting
Many people dream of writing a book.
Many others dream of learning photography, painting, music, or another creative skill.
Sadly, many never begin.
They’re worried they won’t be good enough.
They’re worried they’ll make mistakes.
They’re worried about what other people might think.
I understand those fears because I’ve had them myself.
When I started photography at 40, I wasn’t an expert.
Far from it.
I made mistakes, took plenty of disappointing photographs, and spent years learning how to improve.
The same was true when I started writing.
There were many moments when I questioned whether I could actually finish a novel.
Then there were moments when I wondered whether anyone would ever read one.
But creative progress rarely comes from confidence.
It comes from persistence.
You keep showing up.
You keep learning.
You keep improving.
And eventually, one day, you realise you’re doing the thing you once only dreamed about.
Creativity Makes Life Richer
Photography has taken me to some incredible places.
It has encouraged me to explore more, look closer, and appreciate the beauty that often exists right in front of us.
Writing has given me the opportunity to tell stories that have lived in my imagination for years.
Together, these creative pursuits have added something valuable to my life.
They’ve taught me patience.
They’ve taught me curiosity.
They’ve taught me that it’s okay not to have everything figured out from the beginning.
Whether I’m standing on a Cornish cliff watching a spectacular sunset unfold over the Atlantic or sitting at my desk working on a new story, the feeling is remarkably similar.
It’s the excitement of creating something that didn’t exist before.
You Don’t Need Permission
One lesson I’ve learned over the past fourteen years is that you don’t need permission to be creative.
You don’t need a certain qualification.
You don’t need a certain age.
You don’t need to wait for the perfect moment.
You simply need to start.
If I’d waited until I felt like a proper photographer, I might never have picked up a camera.
If I’d waited until I knew everything about writing novels, I’d never have published a single book.
The truth is that nobody starts as an expert.
Every photographer begins with their first photograph.
Every author begins with their first page.
Every creative journey begins with a single step.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful that I decided to pick up a camera at 40.
I’m equally grateful that I finally decided to write and publish the stories that had been sitting in my head for years.
At 54, I’m still learning.
I’m still creating.
I’m still discovering new ideas.
And that’s perhaps the greatest thing about creativity.
There’s no finish line.
So if there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, whether it’s photography, writing, painting, music, or something completely different, don’t let age convince you it’s too late.
You might be surprised where that first step takes you.
I certainly was.
If you’ve enjoyed reading about my photography and creative journey, why not explore my novels too? My books The Light Between Us, Tracks in Time, The Galway Girl, along with the festive short stories A Christmas List of Second Chances and The Man Who Saved Christmas, are all available now in Kindle and paperback on Amazon.
SteveMcCarthyCreative #PhotographyJourney #LandscapePhotography #PhotographerLife #AuthorLife #IndieAuthor #SelfPublishedAuthor #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #CreativeLife #Creativity #NeverTooLate #FollowYourDreams #PersonalGrowth #CreativeJourney #CornwallPhotography #Cornwall #LandscapePhotographer #BookLovers #TheLightBetweenUs #TracksInTime #TheGalwayGirl
Leave a Reply