What is a professional photographer (Page 7): G) Someone that has taken a perfectly fun hobby and turned in into a pain in the butt job.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

crazydaddio wrote:

A) Someone who gets paid by ( a non-relative :-)
B) Photography is main source of income
C) Is registered as such...
D) Has taken course and has madskillz workflow
E) Some/all of the above
F) other criteria

Probably been debated before but it keeps coming up in my circle of pro/semi-pro/enthusiast/wannabe friends.

My answer leans toward A) or B)

G) Someone that has taken a perfectly fun hobby and turned in into a pain in the butt job.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

aellman wrote:

I cannot believe anyone cares about this.

I'd bet more people found the discussion more interesting than they did your comment.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

pstar wrote:

Probably will tick lots of you off . Just cuz you get paid or have thousands in pro equipment or been to school don't make you a pro . Your ability to access a situation and make the right decision to properly expose a photo is what separates amature from professional now don't cook me too hard cuz this is my opinion of a pro . And believe me after 29 years I am still learning so smile when I an voting for F

I am with you pstar... I love how the " Elitists " love to make fun of and denigrate anyone who is not part of whatever club they think they are in... Your KEY quote was " assessing a situation and making the right decision. Has NOTHING to do as to how many bodies and lenses they have or how many photos they have sold.

mikewskier Loc: NE Florida

boberic wrote:

I think that anyone who earns a living as a photographer is a pro. But that definition says nothing about the quality of the work. There is also something called a semi-pro. I don't know how to define that, becuse I don.t know what a semi-living is.

a photographer that drives over the road? Long haul

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

crazydaddio wrote:

A) Someone who gets paid by ( a non-relative :-)
B) Photography is main source of income
C) Is registered as such...
D) Has taken course and has madskillz workflow
E) Some/all of the above
F) other criteria

Probably been debated before but it keeps coming up in my circle of pro/semi-pro/enthusiast/wannabe friends.

My answer leans toward A) or B)

"B & C" I feel to be considered as a Professional Photographer the person would need to have a business license and should be making all or most of their income (50%+) from paid photography jobs. I would still consider a photographer to be a Professional even if he/she is retired from the business and no longer shoots for a living since their professional knowledge and skills are still there.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

PixelStan77 wrote:

Answer is B with some credentials of experience/education.

No education or anything else required.
Just the main source of income.
It is a profession with no education or certification barrier required.
Just buy a camera and if you can make most of your income by snapping photos you are just as much of a pro as some one who wasted money on college etc. In fact the non-educated must have the talent inherent required to be successful as no amount of college can give you the talent.
You either have it or you don;t If you don't you buy cameras and become a pixel peeper and get the latest camera to look cool in public.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

crazydaddio wrote:

A) Someone who gets paid by ( a non-relative :-)
B) Photography is main source of income
C) Is registered as such...
D) Has taken course and has madskillz workflow
E) Some/all of the above
F) other criteria

Probably been debated before but it keeps coming up in my circle of pro/semi-pro/enthusiast/wannabe friends.

My answer leans toward A) or B)

B. Although it is nice to have skills acquired through training and/or certifications, it is not necessary! The very best are mostly self-taught.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Awhile back there was a post indicating that a "pro" was someone who derived at least 60% of their income from photography.

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

The answer is one of the few photographers good enough to make a living from this precarious endeavour.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

crazydaddio wrote:

A) Someone who gets paid by ( a non-relative :-)
B) Photography is main source of income
C) Is registered as such...
D) Has taken course and has madskillz workflow
E) Some/all of the above
F) other criteria

Probably been debated before but it keeps coming up in my circle of pro/semi-pro/enthusiast/wannabe friends.

My answer leans toward A) or B)

What is D?

Per Wikipedia:
Shaquan Ian Lewis,[1][2] (born June 2, 1974) also known as Skillz, or Mad Skillz is an American rapper

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

burkphoto wrote:

B. Although it is nice to have skills acquired through training and/or certifications, it is not necessary! The very best are mostly self-taught.

zoomphoto Loc: Seattle, WA USA

It's a word that has been used and abused so much that it has lost its credibility. What's a professional grade pick-up truck?

pstar

Thank you Mr.Bob

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

Architect1776 wrote:

You either have it or you don;t

So I guess I might as well quit studying since I don't 'have it'.
No way to learn, according to you.

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

zoomphoto wrote:

It's a word that has been used and abused so much that it has lost its credibility. What's a professional grade pick-up truck?

I'm pretty sure Ford says it a Ford, on their ad.s