What is the definition of a "professional" phototgrapher to you?

Question: What is the definition of a "professional" phototgrapher to you!?

Having made my living by photography only for over 30 years I do consider myself a pro, but it seems to me that the term has been used indiscriminately by others lately!. What do YOU think a Pro photographer is!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

In my opinion, anyone who earns the majority of their income from taking pictures!. Professional is not a quality seal; it's what you fill in on your income tax statement!.

Equipment, degrees, editing skills, business model, experience, conduct, even aptitude doesn't enter into it!. The clueless wedding photographer who uses a point & shoot is still a professional photographer!. Even the guy who takes your picture at the entrance of an amusement park is a professional photographer!.

In photography - as in any field - many people suck at what they do!.

In the more traditional sense of the word, a profession is "a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation" (merriam-webster)!. As such, I'm not sure photography even qualifies!. This seems like a term that should be reserved for doctors, lawyers, accountants, professors, etc!.

You and several others here are awesome at what you do!. Sincerely!. To me, this transcends "professional"!.

P!.S!. to Hairy Biker, I'm free tomorrow!Www@QuestionHome@Com

You don't have to go to a college, or take courses to be called a professional!. You've been shooting for thirty years, thus you have that extensive experience!. Which, in my eyes, makes you a ' professional photographer ', even if others don't see it that way!. However, you just can't take photos for a year, and call yourself a semi-pro/professional!. You need years of in-field experience, which i know you have!. A pro photographer has shot it all, weddings, landscapes, the whole enchilada!.
With thirty years of experience, you can ( or anyone one else with such experience) call yourself a professional photographer!.

Are you saying that people are calling themselves pro!. after just one or two years of practice!? well, you can correct them, and call them amateurs!. I call myself an amateur, i have 29 more years to go!. Because i don't intend to go to school, or anything like that!. So, until then, i'm just an amateur, far from a professional photographerWww@QuestionHome@Com

A "pro" photographer in (this new) DIGITAL ERA is the one who's getting paid to do the photos!. Professional does NOT imply quality or solid knowledge of photography, anymore!. And truly!.!.!. never did!.

PHOTOGRAPHY and PHOTOGRAPHERS in (this new) digital era has been changed!. Today photography it is open and available to anyone who can handle a digital camera!.

Information flows faster and you can learn or find hints on the internet in minutes!. No more secrets in how to do a good photo or how to manipulate the photo (post processing)!. The magic and secretive dark room tricks era is GONE!. Everything what was possible to do in the dark room you can do today in a computer!.

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Some one who regularly gets paid for taking photographs!. I don't feel that you need to make all of your money by being a photographer but you do need to get regular work and be paid for it!.

Many wedding and event photographers don't work daily as a photographer!. The nature of the business is weekends!. These people certainly would be considered professional!.

The best professional stock photographer I know also works for a software company whose products most of us use on a regular basis!. He is regularly in various photography magazines and other publications!. He does not work as a photographer everyday but no body would say he is not a professional!.

I'm not entirely sure where you draw the line but if you own your own photography business and pay taxes on it I guess you can consider yourself to be professional!. If you do one or two jobs a year and don't report the income then your not a professional!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Bang on Perki - it's someone who earns their living via photography, not someone who does it part time and uses it to supplement their income as they have a 'main job' which makes them a professional something else!

After 18 years making a living from photography nothing infuriates me more than someone saying, I'm a professional too!.!.!. and then going on to say that they work in computing or in a bank!. If I earned money part time as a gardener it would NOT make me a professional horticulturalist!

A line should be drawn between being a professional and 'professionalism' though, the latter indicating a degree of competence, bearing, thoroughness and care in delivering high quality products and service to clients!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Hairy Biker is so rude!. Just ignore him!.

A professional is a person in a profession that requires certain types of skilled work requiring formal training or education!. In western nations, such as the United States, the term commonly describes highly educated, mostly salaried workers, who enjoy considerable work autonomy, economic security, a comfortable salary, and are commonly engaged in creative and intellectually challenging work!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

someone that delivers images for money on a repeat basis to a standard considered professional for the output, so its like their job i geuss

like a studio owner, wedding shooter, newspaper staffer, frelancers, NG, et cetera,

the common thing would be they earn money in the niche they work in and their work is of professional** standard day in day out in that niche

**compire to a builder, one is a guy handy with his expensive hammer, hes good at hammering - real good,

then their is the guy who did his apprentaship for a few years or has studied building and practiced what he has learnt

so how did the deck end up!?

aWww@QuestionHome@Com

According too most of the answers that a paparazzi , and people that work for Walmart portrait studio would be consider a Pro, but I don't consider them as such!.
I would consider a pro is someone that makes a living that can master the camera,lighting,and composition !.

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Sumwun who duz it fer a living of corse Perki baby!.

Do yer want ter take a spin of ther Harley then !?!?
You a good looking womin!. Sort of bright like, yellow and blue!.
Won't need hedlights with you on ther bike!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

A professional photographer is anyone with a Nikon, regardless of which Nikon!. Other brands of cameras are sure signs of a wannabe!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

someone who has a degree in photography

or someone who has EARNED their status as a pro by the way their work is and how many people CHOOSE THEM over rookies!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would say that someone that earns enough to live from photography would be professionalWww@QuestionHome@Com

Someone who takes photos as a profession - or gets paid to take photographs!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

someone who has enough experience or talent to charge ridiculous amounts of money Www@QuestionHome@Com

A professional is someone who gets the shot every time no question and in who the client has total trust!.

Someone who has backup gear in case things break; insurance in case people trip over lighting; someone who can mould light to tell a story!. A professional charges for their work by selling image rights - they don't charge on time - they are not plumbers!.

Its a common misconception that digital has made *photography* easier!. Its made *taking pictures* easier but its no substitute for talent!. For many people digital just confirms they took a bad shot a lot quicker than waiting for it to come back from the lab!.

About 30% of my work these days is reshooting the awful job an amateur did!. The client paid peanuts and got a monkey!. Clients are fast realising that amateurs with DSLRs could just as well be them!.

Here's a fun look at 5 types of pro photographer around today:

http://www!.thephotographybiz!.com/comment!.!.!.

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