What defines a "professional" photographer

P

pjl

Senior Member
Wise choice on the car camera!

Professional; yet another word that has been bastardized/twisted down the recent years.
In a number of ways, it's gone in to the realm of corporate buzz words tossed out during a Regal Green 6 Sigma management conference.

American Heritage dictionary says:
Comes from the word 'profess'.

v.:
1. To affirm openly, declare or claim.
2. To make a pretense of.
3. To claim skill or knowledge of.
4. To affirm belief in.
5. To receive into a religious order.
Derivation: Latin; pro - fateri = pro: 'forth, in public'. fateri: 'to acknowledge, confess'.

I think your 'pro' for the soccer shoot was running under def. 2, with a hot air blast of 1.
Under the guise of just knowing he had the skill and knowledge (3)...

Pick your fav def of 'profess', add 'ional' to it and there ya have it!
A "Pro"!!!
Make a biznez card and you're golden!

As an aside; I got my own cross post going.
I was typing an answer to the 'Ethics' thread while it was being closed...lol.
Check out how I handled a 'pro' at a wedding at the end of the ethics thread.
 
Last edited:
M

maxview

New member
What makes a photographer proffesional

What in your view makes a photographer proffesional?
I mean is it going out and buying the best equitment that you dont no how to use lol :p
Ive done many shoots for friends/family and a few sports events mainly horse jumping,but i dont consider myself a pro.
After all we are all unique and we all have our own idea what a profesional photo should look like.
i think there are many ppl that are point and shot photographers,but then theres another group that think about lighting,background,composition etc ... are these ppl pro,s :rolleyes:
or are the photographers selling over priced portraits and charge the earth the 1,s calling them selfs pro.
I think we are all pro and unique as we all have our own insight as to what a photograph should look like;)
 
L

LensWork

Senior Member
Re: What makes a photographer proffesional

This question is certain to garner much debate!

From the online dictionary of Merriam-Webster:

Definition of PROFESSIONAL

1
a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace

2
a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer> b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier> c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>

3
: following a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot>


Dictionary definition aside, a professional photographer, in my opinion, is one that earns the majority of their income from taking pictures, AND whose images are a product of their own creativity/vision AND conducts themselves in a manner that reflects positively upon the profession. I have known more than one "professional" photographer that was a horses a _ _ . To me those individuals, while earning 100% of their income from taking pictures, were not true professionals. Also, the individual that shoots predetermined poses, with predetermined lighting, exposure, etc. like most of those at a department store portrait studio, or theme parks, are not in my mind professional photographers. It takes more than just pressing a shutter release button and collecting a paycheck to do so to be considered a professional. I know "amateurs" that can take better photos than many who earn a living doing it, act in a professional manner, and even occasionally shoot a wedding, portrait, etc. for monetary compensation; yet photography is a sideline to their full-time job, so I do not classify these individuals as professionals.

One last thought: it is not the camera that makes one a professional; it is the person using the camera, whether it be a D3X, or a Holga, that determines if they are a professional.
 
Last edited:
M

Merc

Senior Member
Re: What makes a photographer proffesional

If you earn money at it, then you are a Pro. (Full or semi)

Being a Pro does not mean that you are "Good" I have seen some amazing ammateurs and some really %$£" Pro's.
 
E

Essence of Imagery

New member
Re: What makes a photographer proffesional

LensWork said:
...it is the person using the camera, whether it be a D3X, or a Holga, that determines if they are a professional.
Click to expand...

What about the wedding guest holding the D3X, waiting until you've posed the group, then firing off a spray and pray 8-10 frames from the position of right behind your tripod?
I think I'm going to write a line in my contract that forbids DSLR's from the formals/b&g time.
 
Browncoat

Browncoat

Senior Member
Moderator note: This thread has been merged with the original discussion thread. Please use the search feature before creating duplicate topics.

:cool:
 
J

johnwartjr

Senior Member
In response to your original dilemma (since that thread is now closed)...

In the 90s, I did a lot of sports photography for the 'family' business. We did soccer, baseball, tee ball, basketball, football, pretty much anything.

I did group photos, and must say that learning how to pose a group is not something you pick up overnight.

There was always a parent on at least one team through the day who wanted to shoot their own picture over my shoulder.

Now, I didn't have much choice in the matter, obviously I couldn't tell them to go away, it's a free world, I'm on public property, etc.

I found the best thing to do was to ask the parents to wait until I was done, and tell them I'd make sure the group stayed posed until everyone got what they wanted.

Did that cost us a few print sales? I imagine so. But, if you have some way to tell them 'no' and tick them off, they aren't likely to buy a print anyways.
Did it keep distractions to a minimum so the paying customers got the best photos possible? Yes.

Too many photographers have 'attitudes'. You only get one trip around this crazy world, well, maybe Pete (and my father in law, very similar story there!) got lucky and got another - but it's pointless to get all bent out of shape over some parent shooting a photo over your shoulder. It isn't going to change a thing!

We always took the angle of quality photos at reasonable prices - we could've sold more, we could've pushed customers to buy more, we could've charged more.. but we made enough to pay the crew and support the family.
 
T

theregsy

Senior Member
Professional for me is much more than money. As others have posted many of us have encountered so called professional photographers that are a complete nightmare, poor attitude, poor personal skills, poor results. To me to be a professional you have to do so much more than make money. When I am working as an amateur or a freelance I am polite, will take the time to explain who I am and what I am doing, even take a little time (if possible) to take the occaisional shot for someone with their camera, it costs nothing to be polite if you claim to be a pro you should act like one.
The comments about kit always make me laugh, if I won the lottery and bought a Hassleblad then rolled up to the next festival with it I would be no better a phtographer than I am now :) Kit is all well and good but there are people on here who are better photographers than I am, and no matter what kit I had access to they would be both technically and artistically. That gives me something to aim for LOL. But I digress I have seen people charged for 'professional' pictures that I would be ashamed to give away.
Happy shooting to you all :)
 
M

M.Hinch

Senior Member
Re: What makes a photographer proffesional

I myself would define a professional photographer as someone willing to share there knowledge and experiences with others.

Michael
 
Top