Who actually on TPF is a paid working professional photographer?

[imagemaker46]

I have been working as a full time professional photographer making all my income from a camera for over 35 years. I have never played weekend photographer while using a full time job as the sole source of income. I know amateurs that have great skills but are also smart enough to know they couldn't cut it as a full time photographer. I wouldn't throw away a steady pay cheque to wade into the pro photo world these days, I also wouldn't just stick photographer or photography after my name and pretend to be a professional, but then I respect the business I work in, and the other professionals.

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[cgipson1]

I have students who come in and say they are a pro now cause they just got paid for taking photos

That is the definition of a professional. Somebody who makes a profit with their work.

Funny.. I don't call myself a professional! And yet I still do take an occasional paid job.. although I turn down more than I take. Sometimes I do free work... at least from a money standpoint, but take a receipt for a charitable tax write off instead. Does that count? I also get the occasional request for a print... and I charge a fair rate for those! Does that count?

I think we really need to redefine the term "Professional Photographer" based on reality, instead of just whether someone gets paid $50 for a 3 hour session and 500 photos on a cd!

Maybe we should include the factors that a successful photography business has.. such as knowing their CODB, and charging more than that! Having liability insurance, a business license (or equivalent), a professional means of advertising such as a website, paid ads (Craigslist and Facebook don't count), a strong, loyal clientele, a body of work that deserves the title PROFESSIONAL, membership in Professional Organizations, etc, etc! I am sure there are many other factors that a true professional will have as part of their business. I don't think just earning few bucks, really makes a person a professional!

[imagemaker46]

I have students who come in and say they are a pro now cause they just got paid for taking photos

That is the definition of a professional. Somebody who makes a profit with their work.

Funny.. I don't call myself a professional! And yet I still do take an occasional paid job.. although I turn down more than I take. Sometimes I do free work... at least from a money standpoint, but take a receipt for a charitable tax write off instead. Does that count? I also get the occasional request for a print... and I charge a fair rate for those! Does that count?

I think we really need to redefine the term "Professional Photographer" based on reality, instead of just whether someone gets paid $50 for a 3 hour session and 500 photos on a cd!

Maybe we should include the factors that a successful photography business has.. such as knowing their CODB, and charging more than that! Having liability insurance, a business license (or equivalent), a professional means of advertising such as a website, paid ads (Craigslist and Facebook don't count), a strong, loyal clientele, a body of work that deserves the title PROFESSIONAL, membership in Professional Organizations, etc, etc! I am sure there are many other factors that a true professional will have as part of their business. I don't think just earning few bucks, really makes a person a professional!

Thank you.

[Bitter Jeweler]

I have students who come in and say they are a pro now cause they just got paid for taking photos

That is the definition of a professional. Somebody who makes a profit with their work.

Funny.. I don't call myself a professional! And yet I still do take an occasional paid job.. although I turn down more than I take. Sometimes I do free work... at least from a money standpoint, but take a receipt for a charitable tax write off instead. Does that count? I also get the occasional request for a print... and I charge a fair rate for those! Does that count?

I think we really need to redefine the term "Professional Photographer" based on reality, instead of just whether someone gets paid $50 for a 3 hour session and 500 photos on a cd!

Maybe we should include the factors that a successful photography business has.. such as knowing their CODB, and charging more than that! Having liability insurance, a business license (or equivalent), a professional means of advertising such as a website, paid ads (Craigslist and Facebook don't count), a strong, loyal clientele, a body of work that deserves the title PROFESSIONAL, membership in Professional Organizations, etc, etc! I am sure there are many other factors that a true professional will have as part of their business. I don't think just earning few bucks, really makes a person a professional!

I think this was fairly concise as to who the OP was asking about:

Someone who is a paid working professional without other means of income. Not a person who just makes side money here and there...

Maybe this thread will continue without having yet another "what defines a professional" debate?




*bah*



Who am I kidding?

[vipgraphx]

Yeah not looking to have a another long argument about opinion and or debates. Just wondering who does this stuff for a living on here. There is no hidden agenda or deeper read between the lines thing going on.Just a simple who is a working paid professional who makes their 100% income with a camera.

[tirediron]

Huh... haven't seen this one in what... three, four months?

[480sparky]

Yeah not looking to have a another long argument about opinion and or debates. Just wondering who does this stuff for a living on here. There is no hidden agenda or deeper read between the lines thing going on.Just a simple who is a working paid professional who makes their 100% income with a camera.

Perhaps the question should be more like, "Who pays their mortgage/rent, car payments, pays thier utilities, puts food on the table, and saves for their kid's college with photography?"

[cgipson1]

Maybe this thread will continue without having yet another "what defines a professional" debate?

*bah*



Who am I kidding?

It would be nice! However.. we do need to get away from the PAID = PROFESSIONAL then! It is no longer a valid way of determining a professional... hence my response to Crollo! No intent to start an argument, or another interminable debate with no real outcome!

[cgipson1]

Yeah not looking to have a another long argument about opinion and or debates. Just wondering who does this stuff for a living on here. There is no hidden agenda or deeper read between the lines thing going on.Just a simple who is a working paid professional who makes their 100% income with a camera.

Perhaps the question should be more like, "Who pays their mortgage/rent, car payments, pays thier utilities, puts food on the table, and saves for their kid's college with photography?"

Better! Much better!

[vipgraphx]

Yeah not looking to have a another long argument about opinion and or debates. Just wondering who does this stuff for a living on here. There is no hidden agenda or deeper read between the lines thing going on.Just a simple who is a working paid professional who makes their 100% income with a camera.

Perhaps the question should be more like, "Who pays their mortgage/rent, car payments, pays thier utilities, puts food on the table, and saves for their kid's college with photography?"

Umm I don't know maybe its just me but isn't that 100% income with photography? Or are you saying in addition to your normal job you use photography to "HELP" with mortgage/rent, car payments, pays thier utilities, puts food on the table, and saves for their kid's college because that can open a whole other door with all the folks that many call "bestbuy pros" with a face book account.......you think?????


I was fine with the original question of who is an actual working paid professional photographer and I still think it should stand this way. I am curious who here is doing this for a living and who is just a hobbyist. Out of all the post thus far I think there has been just a few that are or have been.

Curious to know what the sites ratio is to hobbyist vs paid professional and there should not be any grey areas for people to slip through. Its a very simple question.

[sleist]

Why do you want to know?

I've seen people who make a living at this whose work is not close to the caliber where their opinion of my work would mean anything to me what so ever.
I've seen "hobbyists" who make me want to throw away my camera.

I make a living outside of photography.
I currently pay for my NAS by selling my work.
That works for me, but it isn't what most would call professional.

[vipgraphx]

Why do you want to know?

.

Why not?

[O|||||||O]

Maybe this thread will continue without having yet another "what defines a professional" debate?

*bah*



Who am I kidding?

It would be nice! However.. we do need to get away from the PAID = PROFESSIONAL then! It is no longer a valid way of determining a professional... hence my response to Crollo! No intent to start an argument, or another interminable debate with no real outcoume!

I don't think it's so much that we should get away from paid = professional, but we probably should get away from professional = good.


edit
Every industry has it hacks. The poeple who are just good enough to go under the radar and not get fired. I don't dispute that they are "professionals" (even if they don't act like it), but I wouldn't say that they were good at what they do.

On the other hand, it does take a lot of work to be consistantly mediocre and keep getting away with it.

[sleist]

Why do you want to know?

.

Why not?

I don't disagree that there might be reasons why someone would want to know this. I wanted to know YOUR reasons.
Why does this matter to you?

[spacefuzz]

Shouldnt it just be who has professional level work? I could care less if Steve shot his friends wedding for $200, I only care about the quality of the work.


to answer your question I make (very little) money off my landscape photography but I do occasionally do aircraft photo shoots at work. That hourly rate is VERY good for a photographer.