You don't have any year on your scale for me. I am a retired photojournalist, work for 35 years with a major metro paper. Photography has been my life, I know no other form of work. I can tell a picture before I put the view finder before my eye.

Whats my secret? Observe the light on your subject, play with the light, understand the light. If you were to walk a 360 degree circle around your subject, (in some cases you can't do that) but if you can you might be able to see 360 photos. Makes no differents if its B&W or color. These are the things I look for no matter if I am shooting a person, scene, wedding, sporting event or a still life. I have all my life trained my eye to see it, and let the camera, record.

He, I have a damn good wood working shop, I go to when I want the world to go away.