Do you need a certain quality of equipment to be a professional?

[Baaaark]

Lets say you have a Canon XT 350D, or a Nikon D70, and do strobist-style shots, and your whole setup was under a grand.

Does that make you less entitled to charge normal price for your work? I am mostly thinking on one hand that its about the product, not the process. But, at the same time, doesn't a photographer owe it to the person paying to use a setup which can compete with his peers and competition?

BTW, this is not about me. I have no DSLR or strobes. I just am asking a question, that's all. Besides, I wouldn't charge for my work yet, its not there.

 

[inTempus]

To answer the question in your subject line: No

Being a professional is about your capabilities, not what equipment you own. I own top of the line professional gear, but I'm not embarrassed to say I'm a complete amateur.

I have worked with true pros in that they could look at the exact same subject I'm looking at and take a picture worthy of framing while what I captured from the same scene was nothing more than a snapshot.

I know a guy who owns a very successful wedding photography studio (3 offices around the Chicagoland area). He shoots with a Canon Rebel. He just recently, like 3 weeks ago, bought his very first Canon 1Ds Mark II used because the guy he bought it from was practically giving it away. He didn't know much about the camera body, nor did he really care. He's far more comfortable with his Rebel right now, and his work is quite good.

Heck, I bet Ken Rockwell could take a picture worthy of hanging in the Louvre with a Poloroid instamatic camera.

 

[ANDS!]

Wow you got a real hard on for Ken dont you?

 

[inTempus]

Wow you got a real hard on for Ken dont you?

It's a joke man. He's the Chuck Norris of the photography world.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Being a professional really has nothing to do with equipment. Professionals use what gets the job done. It's alot more then just f-stops and shutter speeds.

 

[kundalini]

So, you're just curious, eh?'

This is the time to do your own research then. If you bother to use the search function, there is literally a ton of threads on wedding photography, who's a professional, what should I charge, it's not the equipment it's the photographer..... and a whole host of information. You might want to take that approach first.

Apparently it's a pretty hot button here. I'm just sayin'............

 

[paulpippin29]

Interesting question/topic indeed.

I think a truly gifted, talented photographer, could take excellent pics with a point and shoot in natural light I doubt you run across to many photographers using point and shoots that actually charge, but ya never know I suppose.

I can only speak from my small experiences... but I personally have never charged. I have a Canon XSI with the kit lense at the moment, will probably have that lense for a while longer, however... all of the local girls that I've had the pleasure of photographing have loved the results, though they are not photographically inclined, nor do they desire to be, not to mention that they really don't have any expectations, perhaps due to the fact that the pictures are free. This is all about to change however, as I feel I've made it to a level where I can charge something, not alot, but something.

I can say this though...

If I and another photographer go out and take the same exact photo of the same exact subject, at the same time of day, but he's got a 5d with an L series lense, his images is going to look better, period. I've seen what the 5d can do, along with what the much nicer lenses are capable of, and even a simple snapshot looks unbelievable.

So, while I personally don't think a 5D with an L series lense would be a must have setup in order to charge someone, it sure would be nice to provide the customer that kind of quality

 

[Baaaark]

So, you're just curious, eh?'

This is the time to do your own research then. If you bother to use the search function, there is literally a ton of threads on wedding photography, who's a professional, what should I charge, it's not the equipment it's the photographer..... and a whole host of information. You might want to take that approach first.

Apparently it's a pretty hot button here. I'm just sayin'............

Thanks, but I'd rather start my own. Besides, I have looked around. But its impossible to know too much.

 

[Baaaark]

Interesting question/topic indeed.

I think a truly gifted, talented photographer, could take excellent pics with a point and shoot in natural light I doubt you run across to many photographers using point and shoots that actually charge, but ya never know I suppose.

I can only speak from my small experiences... but I personally have never charged. I have a Canon XSI with the kit lense at the moment, will probably have that lense for a while longer, however... all of the local girls that I've had the pleasure of photographing have loved the results, though they are not photographically inclined, nor do they desire to be, not to mention that they really don't have any expectations, perhaps due to the fact that the pictures are free. This is all about to change however, as I feel I've made it to a level where I can charge something, not alot, but something.

I can say this though...

If I and another photographer go out and take the same exact photo of the same exact subject, at the same time of day, but he's got a 5d with an L series lense, his images is going to look better, period. I've seen what the 5d can do, along with what the much nicer lenses are capable of, and even a simple snapshot looks unbelievable.

So, while I personally don't think a 5D with an L series lense would be a must have setup in order to charge someone, it sure would be nice to provide the customer that kind of quality

Exactly. So, does that higher quality allow you (morally) to charge more for your work? That was my question. You are giving a better product, but if the customer is satisfied equally either way, then why charge a different fee?

Maybe I'm trying to ask if you charge based on you and your peer's opinion of quality, or your customer's satisfaction.

 

[manaheim]

I, for one, am glad... yes GLAD.

Glad... to know that someone has dared to crack open this much ignored topic that is so deeply and desperately in need of serious analysis.

Too long has it been that this serious and plaguing question has gone without appropriate attention by the members of TPF and the photography community as a whole.

After all... what is a professional? Clearly there must be a definition for this person... this man among men... this pinacle of virtues which so few men or women could ever possibly hope to meet. This set of virtuosity must be defined... for the greater good of man... life... liberty... and all things great.

Thank you, Baaaaaaark, thank you. You grace us with your lack of willingness to search. Clearly it must be discussed! Thank you. I cannot possibly thank you enough.

Thank you!

When you're done here, could you please also post several additional much-needed topics... please let me suggest a few as clearly only you are brave enough to broach them...

1. Which sucks more? Canon or Nikon?
2. I have no clue what I'm doing and I'm going to shoot a wedding. Is this a good idea?
3. What camera should I buy?
4. Should I buy a Mac or a PC for my photography?
5. Does Amiga roxxors the boxxors? Or should I buy a Mac?
6. Smell this... does this smell like **** to you?

Thank you, Baaaaark.

Thank you.

 

[Baaaark]

I for one am glad... yes GLAD.

Glad to know that someone has dared to crack open this much ignored topic that is so deeply and desperately in need of serious analysis.

Too long has it been that this serious plaguing question has gone without serious attention by the members of TPF and the photography community as a whole.

After all... what is a professional? Clearly there must be a definition for this person... this man among men... this pinacle of virtues which so few men or women could ever possibly hope to meet. This set of virtuosity must be defined... for the greater good of man... life... liberty... and all things great.

Thank you, Baaaaaaark, thank you. You grace us with your lack of willingness to search. Clearly it must be discussed! Thank you. I cannot possibly thank you enough.

Thank you!

When you're done here, could you please also post several additional much-needed topics... please let me suggest a few as clearly only you are brave enough to broach them...

1. Which sucks more? Canon or Nikon?
2. I have no clue what I'm doing and I'm going to shoot a wedding. Is this a good idea?
3. What camera should I buy?
4. Smell this... does this smell like **** to you?

Thank you, Baaaaark.

Thank you.

LOL... you are funny!

The great thing about a discussion on a message board is, no matter how lame or cliche, or how many times the same crap has been posted, you don't HAVE to participate. If reposting the same discussions were an issue, or frowned upon, mods would delete the duplicates. Likewise, it will become apparent whether or not other people are interested, based on how many posts the thread gets. If everyone felt the same way as you, it would sink to the bottom, never being responded to.

I believe if you adopted a more direct, assertive tone, instead of using a sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone, you would have a much warmer reception, not only on here but in all facets of your life. This is not a knock, this is a serious suggestion from someone who used to act this same way.

 

[KmH]

EDIT. I was to late but I agree with Manaheim

 

[paulpippin29]

Well, here's how I would see things Baaaark (going back to the original topic)

If I were a professional photographer, actually making my living solely from it, and I had a nice studio that customers could come to, with all the lights, and my dream 5D with several nice L series lenses... I more than likely would charge more simply due to my overhead, unless I was fortunate enough to own every inch of the studio, from the building to all the equipment stored within.

Morally speaking, I have no issues with charging someone because even at the level I'm at now, which is maybe, and I do mean maybe, slightly over beginner, perhaps blending into intermdiate... taking 250, 300 or more pics at a time in all sorts of different ways, then having to come back home and load each one up individually with Photoshop for PP, it becomes a very tedious thing to do. I love doing it, and certainly am not complaining about it, but making money for doing it would be fantastic.

Would I, however, charge a customer according to the equipment that I had, I don't believe so. If I can give good results, I'll charge according to those results only.

 

[B Kennedy]

I'm just wondering what type of equipment it takes to make you a professional wedding photographer:lmao:

 

[manaheim]

LOL... you are funny!

The great thing about a discussion on a message board is, no matter how lame or cliche, or how many times the same crap has been posted, you don't HAVE to participate. If reposting the same discussions were an issue, or frowned upon, mods would delete the duplicates. Likewise, it will become apparent whether or not other people are interested, based on how many posts the thread gets. If everyone felt the same way as you, it would sink to the bottom, never being responded to.

meh... I dunno that it's an issue, exactly... but I guarantee you'll get a response. This topic is almost unavoidably going to spiral into a spitting match between the usual group of people who feel threatened in one way or another by one group or another using the term "professional".

The problem with this is that it generates a lot of bad blood around here, and I see a lot of people get VERY quickly chased off the forums because of it... I, for one, think this is really irksome... particularly since a lot of the time most of the spitting is being done by the relative newbies, and since almost invariably the folks who get chased off get angry at those folks and condemn the entire community as hostile jerks based off of a few greenwoods going off on them.

Interested? Of course people will be interested. It's controversial like a bunch of the other suggested threads I mentioned. And like many controversial topics... it's heated, emotional, tends to not have a reasonable answer that all parties will accept, and makes everyone feel like utter ****.

If you happen to think it's necessary to drag everyone through that again, I suppose that's your right, but I will be here to poke fun at you for doing it.

I believe if you adopted a more direct, assertive tone, instead of using a sarcastic, passive-aggressive tone, you would have a much warmer reception, not only on here but in all facets of your life. This is not a knock, this is a serious suggestion from someone who used to act this same way.

You presume to know my modus operandi, not only on this forum, but in my entire life... based off of a single post here on TPF? That's hysterical. That's quite an analysis. A Mighty One indeed.

I prefer to stick to my sarcastic jokes. They're more fun and good natured than visciously tongue lashing newbies for insisting on re-hashing overly loaded and negative topics over and over again.

To each their own, I suppose.

EDIT. I was to late but I agree with Manaheim

hahaha... when I hit the quote button on your post it said "^^^^ +1". I was DEEPLY confused when I saw this in my message. That was too funny.