What makes a photographer serious about photography?

[tunalegs]

Some people have rather interesting ideas about what makes a photographer "serious", and I think it might make an interesting conversation. I'm wondering if there will be a general consensus or if people will get hung up on petty details about what constitutes serious photography.

Rather than ask some leading questions, I think I'll leave this open ended. What makes a photograph, or a photographer, serious to you?

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Boy, this is an invitation to a food fight if there ever was one, LOL.

I anxiously await the mayhem from the self serious.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

One who gets noticed and published.

 

[Bill Clark]

Because humans are social creatures and have the desire to express themselves, some with photography.

 

[aizan]

if you're serious about photography, you think it's important to do what you're doing for some reason or another. not sure what else you're driving at.

 

[giganova]

What makes a photographer serious about photography?

That's easy:

1. You have a Leica. The more collectable, the more serious you are as a photographer.
2. You take photos of your Leica all the time, preferably with a vintage watch, a fountain pen, and a cup of espresso.
3. You rub into everyone's face that the Leica has the softest shutter release ("music to my ears!") and that your Noctilux gives the best bokeh.
4. You sigh and walk away if someone asks what bokeh is.
5. You tell everyone that you see in black & white.
6. You lie to everyone that you have a wet dark room and only enlarge on fiber paper.
7. You consider buying a salt mine to store your photos for eternity.
8. You cry when you see someone take an iPhone selfie.
9. You wear a "Shoot film not bullets" button.
10. You sport a tan photographer's vest and have dark rimmed glasses.
11. You tell party guests anecdotes about your best friend Henri Cartier-Bresson and how you inspired him "to get our more and shoot".
12. You tell people that you only flip burgers as research for your next photo project.
13. When asked "What's your best photo?" you tell a story how your photo has saved the life of a poor Afghan girl.
14. You constantly complain about your (imaginary) editor.
15. You scream at people "Act naturally!"

 

[zian]

Seriously?

 

[brennanphotoguy]

That's easy:

1. You have a Leica. The more collectable, the more serious you are as a photographer.
2. You take photos of your Leica all the time, preferably with a vintage watch, a fountain pen, and a cup of espresso.
3. You rub into everyone's face that the Leica has the softest shutter release ("music to my ears!") and that your Noctilux gives the best bokeh.
4. You sigh and walk away if someone asks what bokeh is.
5. You tell everyone that you see in black & white.
6. You lie to everyone that you have a wet dark room and only enlarge on fiber paper.
7. You consider buying a salt mine to store your photos for eternity.
8. You cry when you see someone take an iPhone selfie.
9. You wear a "Shoot film not bullets" button.
10. You sport a tan photographer's vest and have dark rimmed glasses.
11. You tell party guests anecdotes about your best friend Henri Cartier-Bresson and how you inspired him "to get our more and shoot".
12. You tell people that you only flip burgers as research for your next photo project.
13. When asked "What's your best photo?" you tell a story how your photo has saved the life of a poor Afghan girl.
14. You constantly complain about your (imaginary) editor.
15. You scream at people "Act naturally!"

16. You like to refer to the (few) marks on your camera as battle scars and insist they all have a story.

 

[johannielscom]

nice list but no.

I'd argue that serious photographers are photographing all the time, even when their camera is at home. Can't be helped really. Bitten by the bug in the truest sense of the word.

This ongoing internal deliberation on contrast, perspective, composition, focus, OOF, decisive moments and what have you, that never can be stopped even if you want to, in my opinion is a prerequisite for any photographer to be considered 'serious'.

By that time you eat, sleep and breathe photography. Wear it like a suit.
I know of a few folks like that only. Myself, I dabble in photography, like most of us here. That's fine though.

 

[michaelwj]

You are serious when you go into debt to buy a Leica 🙂

 

[giganova]

You are serious when Leica has alienated you 😉

 

[finguanzo]

It depends, film or digital.?

 

[giganova]

If you're serious about photography, you won't be reading this because you'd either be out shooting or editing your photos.

 

[zuiko85]

Not a clue. If you viewed my photos you would know that for sure.

 

[michaelwj]

I don't think I know how to be serious?

 

[Godfrey]

You are a serious photographer when you study and practice the technology, craft, and aesthetics of making photographs with the full intensity of will, depth of focus, and passionate emotion that you are capable of applying to any endeavor.

You are an accomplished serious photographer when your finished photographs meet the standards that such study and practice implies, and meet whatever goals you have in making them on a consistent basis.

G

 

[Richard G]

Your light meter app is on the fist page of your home screen.
You forget that your phone also has a camera.
Your wife is overheard to say "Couldn't you come out just once without a camera?"
You have an external finder.
You have a lens hood on all your lenses.
You have no case for the camera.
Your camera strap is not the same brand as the camera.
You have a hand held light meter.
You have more than one hand held light meter.
You finally bought a Baranck with a collapsible 50 to put in your coat pocket when leaving the house with your wife.
You have nearly been run over taking a photograph.
You take photos in the rain.
Your friends don't expect to see an easy electronic version of one of your photos.
You know more of the neighbours than your wife, even though neither of you walks a dog.
Your wife discovers that you have all these pals who don't seem to know what your day job is.

 

[pechelman]

Who cares what anyone else thinks.

For those who arent making a living from it, if you enjoy it that should be enough, just like any other hobby or activity.

 

[emraphoto]

When you realize that the hustle involved with making money from photography is getting in the way of your photography

 

[pyeh]

Giganova, wonderful list.
But to modify KoFe's idea, and to extend Grumpypants Roger Hicks's notion, serious photographers WANT to get noticed and published/exhibited.