Professional, amateur and interesting photos.

[sjones]

How folks want to identify themselves is up to them, but if someone told me that they were a photographer, I’m conditioned to initially assume that they do this for a living. Likewise, when asked if I am a photographer, my first-thing-that-comes-to-mind response is no, I’m just a hobbyist. A photographer, maybe, but with a qualifier (someone once asked me if I was an “avid photographer”; that sounded good).

This said, the Vivian Maier example brings up an interesting angle, since I do consider her a photographer, not just enthusiast, although it was not a source of income for her. So sort of like a posthumous photographer if owing to dogma, but I’ll avoid such pedantry, since it’s getting silly.

As others have stressed, actual quality is not determined by titles, whereby an amateur photographer can prove better than a professional (with the issue of subjectivity duly noted). So in the end, the semantical matter is a flexible one.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

If a stranger walks up to you and asks “are you a photographer?” it’s probably best to ask that person “why do you ask?”.

If they say something along the lines of “I hate photographers and if you are one prepare to die” then you should respond with a hearty “nope, I’m no photographer, not me, no way”.

On the other hand, if they say something like “I love photographers! If you are one I’d love to buy you a drink”. Well then respond as you like

Anyway, it’s always best to establish a stranger's motivation before providing any personal information.

Have a nice day,
Mike

 

[farlymac]

I rarely get asked if I'm a photographer. The question usually is "Do you work for the county?". They could give a rats patootie about the equipment I'm using, or that I might be a professional. But on that rare occasion where they really think I'm doing it for the money, I tell them it's just something I like to do.


PF

 

[Ko.Fe.]

With VM been all over in this thread...
I do recommend not only watch documentary about her, but listen and process it. She wanted to be in photography as business or circles, at least.
But she couldn't, for obvious (if you watch and get the message) reasons.

Was she photographer, yes, does it applies for regular person in normal circumstances we are talking about here, no.

Were here any recognized good photographers "after words"? Not only her. But it is not what I was asking about.

If you really need to call names, Fred Herzog. Or Viktor Kolar. If you good enough and able to make some connections...

Personally and first of all, I'm not good enough...

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

I wear camera every time I am outside. And I am getting asked if I am photographer. I was published, interviewed, recognized by my name and won contest. But I am not paid for my photos. Can I answer “yes”?

I honestly don't understand. Of course you are a photographer. But what does being published, being interviewed, name recognition, winning contests, or being paid have to do with it?

 

[David Hughes]

It’s not that ‘professional’ and ‘amateur’ have lost their meaning, it’s to do with people using the words incorrectly:

Amateur:
noun
1 a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid basis
2 a person who is contemptibly inept at a particular activity.

adjective
1 engaging or engaged in without payment; non-professional
2 done in an inept or unskilful way.

Professional
noun
1 a person engaged or qualified in a profession
2 a person engaged in a specified activity, especially a sport, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime
3 a person competent or skilled in a particular activity.

adjective
1 relating to or belonging to a profession: worthy of or appropriate to a professional person; competent, skilful, or assured
2 engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as an amateur
3 habitually making a feature of a particular activity or attribute.

But this shows how the meaning has been lost.

It's possible to be both amateur and professional at the same time (like me) because I don't do it for money but I do it brilliantly ;-)

And there are others who are both amateur and professional at the same time because they do it badly and are paid for it.

So I'll stick to it being a hobby, fttb.

But in my little world only architects, medics and lawyers are professional because if they screw up they can be stopped from doing it by their professional body. Whereas a photographer can legally start snapping away within minutes of coming out of prison...

Regards, David

 

[leicapixie]

I am a photographer.
I was a Photojournalist doing 'exciting things'
but also.School kids, weddings, Families and Publicity..Advertising, Fashion.
I always have a camera, not necessarily my Leica M's ,Nikons Pentax..
I love really small cameras, starting orig. Olympus Pen-S to now Tiny Digital.

I need to document each day!
I have gone on shoots with some of the world's top photographers..
Magnum,etc, but for sheer joy of photography,
be it on streets or doing Landscapes out in the Bush.
Landscapes in a certain country anything but safe..
I was usually piggy in middle as I carried no weapon..i.e Pistol..

I am retired but still shoot all the time.

 

[css9450]

With VM been all over in this thread...

Was she photographer, yes, does it applies for regular person in normal circumstances we are talking about here, no.

Why not?
.....

 

[airfrogusmc]

My profession is photography and has been for over 35 years. My hobby is photography (personal work) and I have had some moderate success with my personal work or hobby but not enough to give my family any standard of living.

So I would say in the work that really keeps me going and feeds my soul I am an amateur. In the work that feeds the family I am a professional. They are two different worlds. My professional work is usually a calibration with other visual professionals and is always in the end the clients. My hobby, my personal work or you could say my amateur work is all mine. It is what has kept me from burning out all these years.

I do pro work to pay the bills feed the family and pay for my hobby. Not unlike someone that goes to work at whatever job and has photography as a hobby. Only difference is my job is also my hobby.

A great quote by Weston. I don't hate the professional work like he did though.

"When money enters in, - then, for a price, I become a liar, - and a good one I can be whether with pencil or subtle lighting or viewpoint. I hate it all, but so do I support not only my family, but my own work." - Edward Weston

 

[Godfrey]

I like making photographs and have since I was eight years old. I work hard at it. My photographs are in many ways completely unlike the photographs I see my friends making, and in some ways the same. Over the course of my life I've created and/or worked at several businesses producing photographs. At times, I've claimed all of my earned income from my photographs and the consequential licenses, print sales, etc, that I've sold from their making. I've studied photography by participating in classes, workshops, and exhibition events. Many people know of my photographs, and I've published a couple of books of photographs over the years.

I don't consider myself a "photographer" in these contexts in any way other than as analogy to the way that I consider myself a chef because I can cook reasonably nice tasting food. The fact that I've categorized myself as Photographer from time to time for tax purposes, for the purpose of billing a client, etc, etc, is completely irrelevant in my perspective; that's a mechanical requirement of the machine used in making an income and living as part of today's human society.

I consider myself a photographer because I'm interested in, study, and practice both the art and the science of Photography as part of my life's works.

G

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I just call myself a keen amateur photographer if asked. I have earned precisely two medium sized cornish pasties when I gave this print to the owner of the pasty shop in Plymouth whose little dog this was. I'm not sure that qualifies me as a professional!

 

[Pál_K]

.... My wife gets shots with her iPhone that make me cringe considering the amount of money I have invested in equipment...some of them are that good.
...
Technology, to a degree, has become the great equalizer. When I was making a living at photography, there was a distinct 'dividing line' between the general public and a pro. It was (I like to believe) fairly easy to see. I was able to do things with a camera and film that presented as a level of expertise. There was a degree of knowledge and precision required. Pro grade equipment was required. There was study, trial and error, and rigor applied to the process. I am mainly talking about the technical aspects of photography here, not the innate talent one may have in their 'eye'.

To illustrate, the sheer volume of amazing images on photo sharing sites is astounding. Is it that EVERYONE got better? No. Technology got better, and the layman doesn't really know the difference. In the past, there may have been just as many amazing compositions that were otherwise ruined by poor exposure, bad film emulsion or wrong film choice, lousy equipment, whatever.
...

These are excellent observations. They are true. Yet somehow I feel that a person's photography knowledge and skill should count for something - it should manifest itself somehow.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Many old pro were pro enough if they could get it in focus and expose, print is right.
iPhones left them jobless. And here is nothing wrong with it. Trade was replaced by software and electronics.
I realized it by myself. People I knew called me if something was done wrong and they want to document it. Driveway pavement, new hardwood. I would come and take pictures.
Now they are taking these pictures by themselves. Even at parties. Nobody needs my pictures two months later. They are taking it instantly.
The only reason why they would accept my pictures if they are better. Not technically, but photography wise.
This what happened with many old style pros. In focus and well exposed doesn't cut the slack and dough anymore.