donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

First he says. "The UV is just a mechanical prophylactic, it doesn't do anything optically today."

Then he says:
I'm the laziest guy around, and I only put on a polarizer when I need it, and then it comes right off and I put the UV filter back on
I guess it is "do as I say not as I do".
I am a retired 55 year professional photographer that has finally reached the very Happy position of Amature. Doing what I want without the very snobby attitude of The Professional.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

I agree completely, Swamp Gator. What a pile of useless crap.

pigpen

I'm certainly not a pro, but I do put my equipment through a work out. Anyone who shoots wildlife or landscapes has probably been in a situation where they were concerned about their equipment. I don't want a shot that everybody has access to. On my last trip to the UP, there was a nice wooden walkway leading to a beautiful waterfall, but everybody had that shot. I climbed over the fence, slid 30 yds down a wet, muddy, steep hill, then stood in freezing water almost to my knees. There has been more than one time where I had to think quickly and decide whether I was hitting the tree, or my camera was. I baby my equipment. Last summer, I was setting up for a different waterfall. My wife looked at my camera on the tripod and said, "When did you get a new lens?!!" This was my oldest lens, I've had it almost 10 years. That link that he posted to show the condition of his friend's equipment, doesn't prove to me that he's a pro, it proves he treats his equipment like crap.

Now, this might have been a point he was trying to make. When you're a pro, and someone else is paying for all of your equipment (must be nice), then you can be reckless to make sure you get the shot. The guys on the sidelines at pro football games, for instance. As the action gets closer to them, they drop the $12,000 lens they have on a monopod, so they can quickly get to the camera around their neck that has a shorter lens. I remember watching a film put together by National Geographic. They showed a NG photographer that they just picked up from some camp in the middle of nowhere. He was in the backseat alone, except his equipment. He had maybe 4 different L lenses, when combined in price, could buy a house in many parts of this country. These things were beat up! Muddy, chipping paint, etc... So, either this guy had all of his equipment bought for him, he is paid $500,000 a year, or (more likely) it was supplied free by Canon as advertisement.

Bottom line. If someone else paid for all of my equipment, it would look a hell of a lot different than it does.

Martys Loc: Lubec, Maine

Years ago if your cameras black paint was well worn away from use,.....called brassing,........it was a sought after look signifying a professional persona.

I am not a big fan of the word professional,....conjurs up to to many assumptions and attitudes from users and observers as well,...and about both of them as well.

Another thing, when others place that professional label on you ,.they also place assumptions on you about your behavior and every word you utter,....so now you become judged on your interaction with those who collect you/ or reject you.......instead of that talent you originally possess.

Sometimes people expect a certain protocol behavior or attitudes from so called professionals.
Attention is going to be thrusted upon the professional,... behavior attitude is assumed,.. many believing their own pro PR hype,...take on delusions of grandeur,...to complete the illusion.

We all do something well within whatever personal interest we pursue.
If inclined and business oriented many can marketing their skills profitably,....so be it and why not.

Just my thoughts.

NOTLguy Loc: Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

I think the writer of this article must have a real inferiority complex, who is more interested in impressing perfect strangers than enjoying his hobby or concentrating on developing his business.

I can admit to using a back pack on a regular basis. I find that when I'm shooting landscapes and wild life, I switch my lenses, and sometimes filters frequently.

Yes, I have a Canon 5D Mk2 and use a mid range zoom (24-105 L IS) as my primary "walk around" lens, but carry my 16-35 f2.8 L in my back pack, along with my long zoom when I'm in the field. If I'm going to a classic car meet or walking around town (Niagara on teh Lake), I will leave my back pack at home, and use my 16-35 lens as my walk around, but I don't leave them at home because I'm afraid that the "Photographic Elite" will laugh at me. I do what I consider to be convenient for me at that time.

Oh, and another reason that I guess I'm an amateur; I occasionally use my tripod when shooting in daylight. I have discovered over the years that if I want to guarantee that I get a "tack sharp" image when taking an important landscape shot, I can generally get better result when I use a tripod. I try to keep my ISO as low as possible when shooting, to achieve the best possible results (low noise), and I also tend to set my aperture at around f22, to give me the depth of field that I'm looking for. NOT that I need to justify my actions to the writer of this article, but this is why I use my tripod in daylight.

I will continue to enjoy my hobby of 30+ years, doing it "my way", without giving any further thought to what so called "professional Photographers" think about my methods, or how I look.

In my experience, True Professional Photographers don't "pee themselves when they see someone doing it wrong", they offer friendly advice and try to help the new photographer, by offering the benefit of their experience, in a non condescending way.

I will further add that I'm pleased that we have many True Professionals here at UHH, who regularly offer their advice without ridicule. Let's face it, we were all new to the hobby at one time.

amyinsparta Loc: White county, TN

Be nice! :mrgreen:

Hankwt Loc: kingsville ontario

we all have opinions i wonder what ken thinks of your and my opinions People get their undies in knots over other peoples opinions I am of the opinion that ken has opinions just as you and I have opinions. Do I sound opinionated for allowing others to have opinions ?? we all have them- both right and wrong. if ya dont like others opinions dont read or listen - because then your inclined to give YOUR opinion !!!

PhotoArtsLA Loc: Boynton Beach

Phew! I suffer from none of that... but, the idea of protective UV filters... that does not show up on a real pro's lens. Filters are ONLY to be used as needed, which is less and less in a world of variable Kelvin.

latimers7 Loc: The Goldie in Oz

Good on yer Swampy

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

The difference between a pro. photographer and a photo enthusiast is that, a pro earns and makes money for living and an enthusiast takes photo for hobby. They may have the same level of skill!
I love my hobby!

steve L Loc: Waterville Valley, New Hampshire

OK, I'll chime in on this.
Read all the comments first, then read the Rockwell piece...didn't think it was that God-awful and demeaning to most of us UHH'ers.
Yeah, there are contestable points, like backpacks (hey, I just got a new one on Thursday), AND he should have proofread it a few more times (e.g. the UV filter gaff ) as we all should do...
Great points of view from all of you...
BUT, while he uses the would 'pro' a number of times, i pretty much got the feeling it wasn't a 'pro' vs. amateur rant, but more of a 'why rookies rankle me' rant; rookies vs. seasoned vets, in baseball lingo; similar to some of the conversations / discussions here on the HOG.
BUT, hey, that's my chime in, Happy Easter everyone !

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

You mean paid baseball rookies vs paid baseball seasoned vets? You missed the point! Both of those groups are PROFESSIONALS. Unless, of course, you mean unpaid high school & college baseball rookies vs paid professional baseball players, but that analogy just falls completely apart. High school and college players never consider themselves as professionals, nor does anyone else, no matter how good they are. There is never any confusion as to who is the pro, and who is the amateur. Same applies to golf, tennis, soccer, football, etc. In fact, photography is the only activity where there is confusion as to understanding the difference between pro & amateur. K.R. is a professional writer (paid by money donations from amateurs), not a professional photographer.

Jamers Loc: Michigan

Good Marty, I like that, I too am on this trip of life, and live in a glass house :thumbup:

snogost67 Loc: dayton, montana

Hmmmm. Good thing I no longer care what others think. I have 2 backpacks , each with its own camera and lenses and I love them. I never know where my day of photography will take me and I like to be prepared. I use the straps that came with my cameras and if I so chose, I will use a tripod. My gear, my photos, my way.

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

If I want to spot an amateur all I need to do is look in a mirror.