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Author Topic: At what point do we become 'photographers'?  (Read 11156 times)

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WarrenPrice

« Reply #25 on: August 05, 2013, 15:39 »
-1
Why make it so complex... of course you are a cook. 
The question didn't really stipulate "professional."  I think Ansel Adams was a photographer long before his stuff started selling.

If you cook, you're a cook.  Maybe not a chef, but I bet you do create your own recipes.

Reminds me of the age-old argument about "runners" and "Joggers."  Many runners are offended by being referred to as a jogger.  Even after completing a marathon, they are referred to as a jogger.
I suppose either is correct or incorrect.  I guess it is in the mind of the beholder?   ??? :-\

« Last Edit: August 05, 2013, 15:45 by WarrenPrice »


« Reply #26 on: August 05, 2013, 16:21 »
0
hmm ..... I was being a bit provocative (I hope) but maybe the "self described" point is fair if someones says they are a photographer who am I or anyone to judge - I may have an opinion that they are a poor photographer or if I have a bad meal I would say it was cooked by a bad chef but I wouldn't say a chef didn't cook it.

tab62

« Reply #27 on: August 05, 2013, 17:32 »
0
This is getting interesting- I remember one time be inventoried as 'Non-Professional' while working as the network administrator for the U.S. Attorney's office in Northern Texas. I was told that since I was not an attorney I was Non-Professional. Yet, I had my bachelor degree in Computer Science and my Microsoft Certification in Networks.  :-\

« Reply #28 on: August 05, 2013, 18:05 »
-4
One quick addition to my previous response.
If you contribute to ALL top tier agencies you
are a professional photographer. Both SS and
Istock have very standards to become one of
their contributers. In my opinion, if your agencies
comprise of bottom, middle and perhaps DT,
you are a "photographer". 
 

tab62

« Reply #29 on: August 05, 2013, 18:17 »
+2
"One quick addition to my previous response.
If you contribute to ALL top tier agencies you
are a professional photographer. Both SS and
Istock have very standards to become one of
their contributers. In my opinion, if your agencies
comprise of bottom, middle and perhaps DT,
you are a "photographer". "

Me first! If you have not been accepted and graduated from Yuri's boot camp than you are not a professional photographer... 8)


 

« Reply #30 on: August 05, 2013, 22:08 »
0
And then (taking an Outside In approach), there is the question of how the world at large, or at least our immediate community, "see" us.  Hugely relevant in my opinion because otherwise whatever we call ourselves is in our own vacuum  ;)

Ron

« Reply #31 on: August 06, 2013, 02:37 »
+3
One quick addition to my previous response.
If you contribute to ALL top tier agencies you
are a professional photographer. Both SS and
Istock have very standards to become one of
their contributers. In my opinion, if your agencies
comprise of bottom, middle and perhaps DT,
you are a "photographer".

I submit to the top 4 agencies, well I dropped DT, but I am far from being a pro. It has nothing to do with the agencies you submit to

Donvanstaden

« Reply #32 on: August 06, 2013, 04:56 »
+1
A photographer is someone who takes photographs... simple

So my 3 year old daughter takes picture with my ipad sometimes.... is she a photographer?

« Reply #33 on: August 06, 2013, 06:08 »
0
there two important words that I believe we are misunderstanding in this topic: professional and photographer

when a big chunk of your income comes from an activity you are considered a professional even if you work only half an hour per year

being a photographer doesn't mean you need to earn anything with your pictures, you can be a hobbyist and that doesn't make you less photographer, same goes with gear, photography for me is the feeling that you cannot control and need to frame exactly what you have in mind (composition, lighting, etc) and keep that memory forever and the subject doesn't really matter, can be your newborn, a street, a landscape or even the most ridiculous thing but it needs to shine for you (I never waste a single shutter click if I don't feel it)

we could say that studying the all history of photography including the most famous photographers and technics as a part of being a photographer but I guess that is another story

WarrenPrice

« Reply #34 on: August 06, 2013, 07:40 »
+1
Are we agreeing, Luis?  I must be wrong.   ;D

Donvanstaden

« Reply #35 on: August 06, 2013, 07:47 »
+1
there two important words that I believe we are misunderstanding in this topic: professional and photographer

when a big chunk of your income comes from an activity you are considered a professional even if you work only half an hour per year

being a photographer doesn't mean you need to earn anything with your pictures, you can be a hobbyist and that doesn't make you less photographer, same goes with gear, photography for me is the feeling that you cannot control and need to frame exactly what you have in mind (composition, lighting, etc) and keep that memory forever and the subject doesn't really matter, can be your newborn, a street, a landscape or even the most ridiculous thing but it needs to shine for you (I never waste a single shutter click if I don't feel it)

we could say that studying the all history of photography including the most famous photographers and technics as a part of being a photographer but I guess that is another story


Noun

S: (n) photographer, lensman (someone who takes photographs professionally)

« Reply #36 on: August 06, 2013, 07:53 »
0
painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

WarrenPrice

« Reply #37 on: August 06, 2013, 08:56 »
+1
there two important words that I believe we are misunderstanding in this topic: professional and photographer

when a big chunk of your income comes from an activity you are considered a professional even if you work only half an hour per year

being a photographer doesn't mean you need to earn anything with your pictures, you can be a hobbyist and that doesn't make you less photographer, same goes with gear, photography for me is the feeling that you cannot control and need to frame exactly what you have in mind (composition, lighting, etc) and keep that memory forever and the subject doesn't really matter, can be your newborn, a street, a landscape or even the most ridiculous thing but it needs to shine for you (I never waste a single shutter click if I don't feel it)

we could say that studying the all history of photography including the most famous photographers and technics as a part of being a photographer but I guess that is another story


Noun

S: (n) photographer, lensman (someone who takes photographs professionally)


photographer [fəˈtɒgrəfə]
n
(Business / Professions) a person who takes photographs, either as a hobby or a profession

Senseless argument.  Not even our dictionaries agree.   ::)

« Reply #38 on: August 06, 2013, 09:55 »
+1
painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

.....And fool them into handing over everything from Dollars to Albanian Leks for the privelege of owning a piece of it.

« Reply #39 on: August 06, 2013, 14:26 »
+1
Ron. You're absolutely right. This topic has prompted me to self-examine my skills.  Am I a "professional photographer" or a "photographer"? I have been a professional videographer for many years. Many will think ..........well, he's a pro video shooter, it'll be easy to adapt to photography...................the two skills have no comparison except composition. A photo is one single frame. Many of you can take a very difficult subject and because of your skill level and knowledge create a masterpiece. It was not one "lucky shot" but a difficult subject that you ALWAYS adapt to. I am just beginning. I'm with SS and DT and others. The learning curve is huge. It's what I love about this discipline. There is so much to learn. I know I will never stop learning......thanks again Ron for a simple response to my comment that provided complete personal clarification.

« Reply #40 on: August 06, 2013, 15:32 »
0
Thinking about it, my comments in threads like these tend to be facetious when other people are trying to be serious - but I can't help feeling agitated when people put labels or titles on other people. Perhaps because in my Corporate life I've met plenty of people called Managers or Directors who couldn't manage a pedallo hire business at the seaside or direct an old lady to a coffee shop even if it was right behind them.

Likewise, there are photographers/artists out there who are professional (in that they earn a living from it) but they really ought to be labelled as sales professionals, given their skills in bamboozling clients into paying hard cash for shoddy workmanship.

But what do I know - i would never have thought of slicing a cow in half and shoving it in an aquarium.

lisafx

« Reply #41 on: August 06, 2013, 20:10 »
+1

Me first! If you have not been accepted and graduated from Yuri's boot camp than you are not a professional photographer... 8)

LOL!  Thanks for a welcome laugh ;D

lisafx

« Reply #42 on: August 06, 2013, 20:13 »
0
painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

My goal is to get someone to look at my stuff and say "Here's some cash".  ;)

OM

« Reply #43 on: August 10, 2013, 19:46 »
+1
painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

My goal is to get someone to look at my stuff and say "Here's some cash".  ;)

Yup! The 'I'm not a photographer guy' is only writing what he writes to get 'photographers' attention so that he can sell you a training video.....he's a marketing guy! Wanna learn about light and zones and that sort of stuff, get Ansel Adams book, "The Negative" and read it. Super cheap, used, cos no-one reads books these days.  ;)

« Reply #44 on: August 11, 2013, 10:26 »
+2
He sounds like a whiny little girl (I had a worse word here) to me.

I make enough money in photography to support my family with a decent annual income. That makes me a professional, even though I use crop frame cameras for everything. I'll consider using a medium format camera if I ever decide to make billboards.

You don't have to be famous or rich to be professional. There are plenty of us middle class photogs around who are just as professional.

Uncle Pete

« Reply #45 on: August 13, 2013, 23:01 »
0
What? A drive by posting. OP has dropped his link on us and delivered the message and now turned and went away?

painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

My goal is to get someone to look at my stuff and say "Here's some cash".  ;)

Yup! The 'I'm not a photographer guy' is only writing what he writes to get 'photographers' attention so that he can sell you a training video.....he's a marketing guy! Wanna learn about light and zones and that sort of stuff, get Ansel Adams book, "The Negative" and read it. Super cheap, used, cos no-one reads books these days.  ;)

« Reply #46 on: August 14, 2013, 01:08 »
0
For myself, I considered myself a photographer when I could envision an image and then create the lighting, set the camera and compose the shot that would realize my vision.

I considered myself a professional when my photography business reached the break-even point.

I do not yet consider myself a Fine Artist but it is a goal I am working towards.  I will consider that I have reached it when I can envision an image that represents a concept I feel strongly about and then realize that image to successfully communicate that concept.

To pursue these goals, I have and continue to complete educational activities (both formal and informal) and practice, practice, practice.

« Reply #47 on: August 14, 2013, 06:55 »
0
we become just a 'photographer' when we buy our Nokia 41mp cell/camera phone   ;)


ps-

After mentioning so much about this phone I had stupid dream that someone bought on for my birthday! I woke up in cold sweat thinking it was real!

Chalk one up for Yuri.  His brain washing is starting to work!! :P

« Reply #48 on: September 20, 2013, 02:02 »
0
painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

My goal is to get someone to look at my stuff and say "Here's some cash".  ;)

That's the most professional attitude in the whole silly thread. Well done!

lisafx

« Reply #49 on: September 20, 2013, 12:55 »
+1
painter, photographer, potter or whatever.  The goal is to get someone to look at your stuff and mutter, geez this dude is a real artist!

My goal is to get someone to look at my stuff and say "Here's some cash".  ;)

That's the most professional attitude in the whole silly thread. Well done!

;D


 

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