What do you class yourself as?

[theraven]

People are always on here talking about people who just like to take pictures/photos classing themselves as a professional photographer, so just curious really as to what people class themselves as?

 

[tirediron]

A guy with a camera!

 

[Derrel]

Homo sapiens, male, middle-aged, regular guy, college football fan...

 

[manaheim]

Wow this appears to be the day for starting up conversations related to "professional vs. not".

 

[theraven]

Well I saw all the conversations and the little popcorn emoticons and I have noticed a lot of comments about it, so I was just wondering, on this forum, how many people actually do class themselves as pro etc.

 

[KmH]

It depends how you define professional, amateur, hobbiest.

To me a hobbiest and an amateur are the same thing. Some amateurs pursue their hobby of photography more vigorously than others.

Some hobby photographers have expert level photography knowledge and skills, and many would be called professional photographers even if they don't sell any of their work.

 

[PixelRabbit]

An amateur pushing the limits of my gear learning what I can do with it and loving every second I have the camera in my hands

 

[DorkSterr]

hobby enthusiast

 

[amolitor]

East African Plains Ape

 

[theraven]

I would describe an amateur as someone who earns some money from their photos, maybe the odd shoot, people purchasing. And a hobbiest as someone who earns nothing, it is just a hobby. not sure if people will agree but that's my thoughts?

 

[snowbear]

The poll won't let me pick all that apply!

* Amateur
* Hobbiest
* I enjoy using my equipment and learning new techniques
* I enjoy looking at others pictures and tying to improve my own

 

[PixelRabbit]

I would describe an amateur as someone who earns some money from their photos, maybe the odd shoot, people purchasing. And a hobbiest as someone who earns nothing, it is just a hobby. not sure if people will agree but that's my thoughts?

Then by your definition I'm a hobbyist with amateur and possibly pro(ish) aspirations.

 

[theraven]

I would describe an amateur as someone who earns some money from their photos, maybe the odd shoot, people purchasing. And a hobbiest as someone who earns nothing, it is just a hobby. not sure if people will agree but that's my thoughts?

Then by your definition I'm a hobbyist with amateur and possibly pro(ish) aspirations.

Fair enough!

 

[manaheim]

There are strict dictionary definitions of all the terms mentioned in this thread. What any one of us defines this or that term as is irrelevant at best and causes confusion and angst at worst. And these topics have been discussed ad nauseum on this forum. Search for it yourself and see. Were I the god of TPF I would pretty much insta-lock any thread that even came close to this topic.

 

[imagemaker46]

Full time professional photographer for over 35 years and still trying to make a living at it, which is getting tougher every day.

In terms of people being amateurs that sell pictures, I don't consider them as professionals. They are still just amateurs that sell pictures. If we want to be honest about it all, I consider a professional one who makes his sole living income from photography with a camera. If someone works in a camera store and sells cameras he is a retail photo professional, if he shoots on the side and sells photos he is still an amateur.

You can cut and paste this tomorrow when the new thread about amateur/professional comes up.