What is YOUR definition of a Professional Photographer?

[imagemaker46]

I define myself as a professional, have been for 35 years. I earn all my income from photography. I treat clients with respect, and always in a professional manner, I produce high quality images consistantly, pay taxes based on earned income from photography.

[TPF Sponsor]

[manaheim]

professional=paid.

period.

sell a picture for $1 and you're a pro.

[usayit]

professional=paid.

period.

sell a picture for $1 and you're a pro.

Yup... nothing to do with the quality of work.... just simply getting paid.

[Bitter Jeweler]

Where's imagemaker46 been?

[manaheim]

Bitter!!!! What have you done??!?!

[Vtec44]

You have the skills to consistently produce properly exposed, well focused, nicely composed photographs and get paid for doing it.

Darn it, just noticed the time stamp....

[Bitter Jeweler]

Bitter!!!! What have you done??!?!

It was related to another topic that was up top, so I bumped it.

[Schwettylens]

Not sure.. hoping to be one some day.

[SCraig]

Very simply, one who gets the job done on time, with the expected results, at a reasonable price, and no excuses. Anything less in unacceptable.

[Tee]

A paid person who produces consistent pleasing images (yeah- subjective, I know).

[TMichael]

Not sure.. hoping to be one some day.

Oh, I'm new around here and have been lurking. I thought you were a "pro", because I see all your pictures posted in the "professional" area here. Plus I noticed that you're usually one of the first to respond with c+c to new post.

[Schwettylens]

Not sure.. hoping to be one some day.

Oh, I'm new around here and have been lurking. I thought you were a "pro", because I see all your pictures posted in the "professional" area here. Plus I noticed that you're usually one of the first to respond with c+c to new post.

Semi Pro. I dont C+C that much anymore.

[MSnowy]

Not sure.. hoping to be one some day.

Oh, I'm new around here and have been lurking. I thought you were a "pro", because I see all your pictures posted in the "professional" area here. Plus I noticed that you're usually one of the first to respond with c+c to new post.

Semi Pro. I dont C+C that much anymore.

Does this mean you only charge half price? Maybe they should add a semi-pro section to TPF. Ha ha

[jamesbjenkins]

By definition, a "professional" in any field is one who undertakes a specialized task and completes it for monetary compensation. A professional photographer is exactly the same. In my definition, if you are hired by clients to take pictures for them, and are paid money to do it, you are a professional photographer. However, since there are so people who are part-time professional photographers, and full-time professionals in some other industry, I've always used the terms, "semi-pro" to denote those people who are paid shooters for a client, but don't do it full-time...yet (I would fall into that category), and "full-time pro" to denote those who make their full living off of their photography work.

Both types of people can rightfully call themselves professional photographers. The only purposes for trying to limit the definition to only full-time pros are either arrogance, self-promotion or (worse) a desire to deprive people of a title they're rightfully earned by being paid for their work.

[analog.universe]

I think if you make any money doing photography then you're a pro... You can be an artist and not a pro, or a pro and not an artist, or both, or neither.

Most important however is that none of these definitions mean anything at all.

Click shutter -> Be happy!