Full time professional photographer

Dealing with some clients will always be a challenge, some people have it in them to negotiate everything they do in life. I leave room to negotiate everything, these days setting rock solid take it or leave it fees and contracts is the sure road to unemployment. I'm not saying give it away, and as long as a potential client feels like they are getting a deal you'll usually end up with the work. A couple months ago I posted trying to work out a deal with FOX sports over pictures, they did finally agree to what I wanted and more, but they stretched out the paperwork to the point I came close to telling them to forget the payment. For two weeks straight I got emails from different people asking for more information, fill this form out, send us this, we need your bank info for a wire payment, the bank info doesn't match the invoice that doesn't match the legal papers.

Just when I thought I finally got everything done, along comes another form, that didn't even apply to me, but I had to sign it saying that the form doesn't apply to me. In the mean time, I wait for payment.

The BS side of photography is there for everyone, we all deal with it. The only time I turn down work is if I absolutely can't change the time, or am double booked, which happened a few years ago, it seemed that every job I was being offered had a conflict with another. Nothing more frustrating. But you just deal with it.
 
I rarely ever had a client who I took photos of, they paid me, thanked me, and that was that.

I can't think of an instance where it hasn't ended like that.
 
Wow, I love these debates as most like to feel that profession equals skill or vice versa, but sadly it doesn't.

I have seen thousands of amateurs who take amazing images, and I've seen plenty of pros who don't. In the business of photography, it isn't always about amazing images.

You can be the best there ever was, but if you cannot deliver what the client wants, when they want and how they want, you won't be in business very long....

Just because someone can make their living with a camera doesn't automatically make them a great photographer (I am the perfect example of that). Business skills outweigh photography skills every day.

When you make your living with a camera, there are far more hours spent doing business than there are taking pictures.

Here is why I love this debate. The answer to the question is quite easy when you swap out some terms, then it becomes clear.

I own a really nice camera, does that make me a professional photographer?
I own a really nice hammer, does that make me a professional carpenter?

I can take pretty pictures, does that make me a professional photographer?
I can install a toilet, does that make me a professional plumber?

The guy down the street paid me to take his picture, does that make me a professional photographer?
The guy down the street paid me to tune up his car, does that make me a professional mechanic?

I spend my week working as a photographer, but on the weekends I race my car, does that make me a professional race car driver?
I spend my week working (insert what you like here), but on weekends I take pictures, does that make a professional photographer?

In the end, the IRS and various government entities will classify what you do for a living versus what you do as a hobby.... The debate however will last forever on the internet....
 

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