Everyone thinks they can be a pro! (RANT)

[Alleh Lindquist]

Seems I also do a lot of writing should I call myself a writer?

 

[Arch]

This is where I would disagree. If you use a camera and take photographs you are a photographer.

If you can sell those photos then you are a professional photographer.

Correct.

This is the way the world works. Photography was only for the more dedicated people who regularly enjoyed taking a few rolls of film and getting them developed... or even developing the rolls themselves.
Nowadays the consumer market is flooded with digital cameras... this makes it more accessible to people... lots of people... people who can call themselves photographers if it makes them feel better. It doesn't mean they are any good. But who is the next guy to say they are not?


What happens also, is you get a load of people doing it for a living saying that people cannot be photographers... 'because..., because,... im so much better than them!!!'.....

Personally im confident enough in my own ability to not have much of an opinion of people either way, words are just words... i think some pro portfolios are crap... i think some are amazing... i think some 'myspace kids' are brilliant... others i can't stand.

Also, you could pick the absolute worst photographer you can find who is making money off craigs list and, yes, they can call themselves professional... it is thier profession even if they are terrible.

All you can do is be safe in the knowledge that you are better than the average photographer... your not?... learn how you can be.

 

[viridari]

Correct.
What happens also, is you get a load of people doing it for a living saying that people cannot be photographers... 'because..., because,... im so much better than them!!!'.....

And ironically enough they are often overestimating themselves (not pointing fingers here but I've seen it on other sites where the loudest complainers were often the most mediocre professionals).

I'm content to stick with the dictionary definition of "photographer" and not engage in elitism or establishing a caste system by way of trying to redefine it from what the rest of the civilized English-speaking world has accepted long ago as the definition.

 

[Chiller]

Woo hoo....its official. Im happier then a fat kid in a candy shop alone. I just sold 4 photos for cash to a customer of our company...and we even printed them here. He came in...saw my book up front, went through it and picked 4 images he wanted for his office wall.
So, now Im a professional photographer working as a warehouse manager on the side.

 

[eyeye]

Just because you take photographs does not make you a photographer. It makes you someone who enjoys photography.

Actually it does :er:
pho - tog - ra - pher
noun
a person who takes photographs

 

[eyeye]

So I really don't want to get sucked into this topic. It goes on and on so. I understand people who have been working at photography a long time would be offended by people who are not committed misrepresenting the field, taking work, or just being out and out annoying.

And its human nature to try to keep the noobs out of your secret club.

But why would you let Joe with a P&S even effect you? If you are good, people who want good will come to you. If you are great, you will look even better next to Joe P&S. Joe cant bring down the quality of YOUR work. So if you are in photography for the passion and not the status, as so many claim, then why let Joe P&S even be a blip on your radar?

 

[Alleh Lindquist]

Actually it does :er:
pho - tog - ra - pher
noun
a person who takes photographs

Here is what Dictionary.com says if we are going to go to that.

pho⋅tog⋅ra⋅pher   /fəˈtɒg

rə

fər/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fuh-tog-ruh-fer] Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun a person who takes photographs, esp. one who practices photography professionally.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source



Seems you left out the second half of the definition to help your point.

They also list two more definitions from other sources...

photographer
-noun
someone who takes photographs professionally


WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source


Photographer
Pho*tog"ra*pher\, n. One who practices, or is skilled in, photography.



Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

 

[eyeye]

esp isnt always

 

[Alleh Lindquist]

Someone who plays guitar is a guitarist, someone who takes photos is a photographer. Plain and simple.

Just to poke fun at your example here is the definition of a guitarist.

guitarist
-noun
a musician who plays the guitar

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source


Now I guess we need to know what a musician is to take this all the way through.

mu⋅si⋅cian

   /myuˈzɪʃ

ən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [myoo-zish-uh

n] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1.a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
2.any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music.
Origin:
1350&#8211;1400; ME musicien < MF. See music, -ian

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.


Looks like just the act of playing a guitar does not in fact make you a "guitarist" just like the act of taking photographs does not make you a "photographer".

 

[viridari]

Looks like just the act of playing a guitar does not in fact make you a "guitarist" just like the act of taking photographs does not make you a photographer.

You did fine until this last bit. You're contradicting your own flow of logic.

What is the first (meaning the most widely accepted and used) definition of "photographer" in the same dictionary?

 

[Overread11]

esp stands for especially - ergo professional photographers are photographers.
It says nothing against others.
2 of the definitions state that it is a person who practises (in this case partakes might be the better word) the art of photography (note photography as an art means taking photographs). Ergo anyone who takes photographs is a photographer.
The middle term is not valid since we already divide people into photographers and those who earn off photography (pros)

if we're pulling dictionaries we really should only be quoting the Oxford one

 

[Chiller]

So now you guys are ruining everything. :er:There I thought I just become a professional photographer . Now I need ESP to be a photographer too. :lmao::lmao:
Maybe I will just call myself a Professional Picture Taker then. :lmao::lmao:

 

[Overread11]

Actually google says that you also have to be Dr. Joseph Golden, NOAA in order to be a photographer!
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=define%3Aphotographer&meta=

 

[eyeye]

dude. I know WAY more about photography then the button pushers at target, kiddie kandids, sears, picture people etc.

So like, who is going to administer the test I need to pass in order to be called a photographer?

 

[Overread11]

There isn't one - which is why this debate cannot end until some people realise that its not the term photographer that they are debating about but their own personal interpretation of a photographer.

Besides for art subjects its almost impossible to have defined boundaries - I mean some people like the stuff in the Tate Modern - by MY definition most of it aint art in any form, but some consider it so.
(well actually most seem to just hope that these overpriced things will someday be the early works of great artists and that by promoting and buying them they are making an investment -- hoping that the artist responcible will one day actually be good )