I've been into photography for a few years now and can take an "OK" shot... I'm right into dark portraits now and that's not everyones cup of tea, but hey... Anyway, what I'm trying to say is I've seen some "photographers" that make me cringe, displaying work thet "only a mother could love" and calling themselves "professional photographers"... I answered this question a little while back on DPS and I think I've changed my opinion now...
"Back then" I thought that it was fair to say that anyone that was using a camera and producing photos was a photographer, but now I think I'd change my opinion to "Anyone that produces photos of a quality relevant to the job they're doing"... What the hell do I mean? Well, If you're shooting a wedding, you're shooting one of the more important days of the couples life, so, it needs to be "as good as they can get"... They've hired you to capture that day - to "immortalise it in image" if you will... So, if you can't do that, don't say you can - don't charge a grand and deliver shots that my unborn child could take... (that kid will have a camera as soon as it can hold one) That's just dissapointing for the couple, demeaning for you and just horrible.
"How do you know when you're ready?" Well, what?...Rerady to go out and take photos as a "professional" ...Only you can know, you have to be totally comfortable with your camera, you have to know how to use your lights / flash units and you have to have a good level of "understanding what the client wants" ... Some wedding photographer websites that I have visited in thinking about this blog have been tragic... Seven partial sets of photos from different weddings, different people and the same photos all the way through... Nothing taking into account the different personalities of the couples, just "yes, would you stand here and do this" please... "Reading from a script wedding photography"... Sure, it's right for some people, but ugh...
"So, what makes you a professional?" Charging? Do you charge for your work? Have you done a set of portraits for someone and been paid for it? How much did you charge? Do you have business cards? A website?... See, I don't think it's down to much of this... If you're A photographer with a certain level of proficiency and that you're employed in some form or other to produce pleasing results for someone, or for yourself as an artist, using the photographic format then I'd almost certainly say you could call yourself a professional.
But really, does it matter?... What's your opinion? Are you a PRO?... Are you an amateur?
Sime
What makes YOU a "Pro photographer"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
To be considered a pro, I would think that you would need to be constantly paid for your work. If a pro photographer is any good is up to the customer to decide.
I am certainly not a pro, but that may change after this weekend. A photo of mine was accepted to be in an Art Stroll. It'll be awesome if someone likes my picture enough to spend a few bucks on it. Will that make me a professional? Probably not, but I am one step closer to actually becoming one.
I've seen "definitions" like "you're a pro if at least 50% of your income comes from photography". Well, I think that if you can live from your income, and 50% of that you make from photography, you must be doing something well.
Personally, I don't really believe in the binary amateur/professional distinction. An artist who gives his art away for free, and who has a non-photo job to fund his/her life sounds pretty "professional" to me. However, the word comes from "profession", which means it's your job, which in this case would mean the artist is "just an amateur"...
I don't have the ambition to become a professional, I just want to become a bloody good photog :)
Hi Guys, Thanks for your comments.. Some very good points to consider.
Andy - How did the weekend go?
Sybren - You already are!
:)
Sime
That means a lot to me mate :D
Post a Comment