What is YOUR definition of a Professional Photographer?

[Actor]

Professional Definition | Definition of Professional at Dictionary.com

"–noun
10. a person who belongs to one of the professions, esp. one of the learned professions.

Within the original meaning of the word (one who professes, or makes claim to, special knowledge or skill) there were only three professions:

1. Medicine.
2. The Clergy.
3. The Military.

Everyone else just worked for a living.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Professional Definition | Definition of Professional at Dictionary.com

"–noun
10. a person who belongs to one of the professions, esp. one of the learned professions.

Within the original meaning of the word (one who professes, or makes claim to, special knowledge or skill) there were only three professions:

1. Medicine.
2. The Clergy.
3. The Military.

Everyone else just worked for a living.

Well, now I know why we are in such serious trouble. :lmao:

 

[STOFFEL]

I would say that someone that earns enough to live from photography would be professional, a professional is a person in a profession that requires certain types of skilled work requiring formal training or education. In western nations, such as the United States.

 

[Joves]

BTW are astronomers photographers? Does the 200 inch Mt Polomar instrument count as a camera?

Why yes some are. The Palomar is just a big mirror lens.

 

[DennyCrane]

If I were forced to make a definition, I'd say if you earn more than half of your income doing a particular thing... be it selling pictures or being employed as a photographer, or painting pictures, or building computers for sale... you're a professional in your chosen field.

It gets gray when you look at a great picture and can say "That's a professional picture!" or had an amateur friend take pictures at Gramma and Grampa's 50th anniversary and people said "He was SO professional!". It can mean a lot of things.

 

[mrdemin]

I would say a pro photographer is one that makes money off of it... I also think anyone that can take wonderful pictures but does it as a hobby for himself is professional (very good) AT photography.

 

[manaheim]

Guys...


Anyone who comes up with "their interpretation"... or "their definition"... whether explicit or implied... don't you see? This is just what it is... your opinion... your interpretation.

It's meaningless. Either we have an accepted definition for something, or we don't. If we don't, then we have all this meaningless bickering over something that really has zero meaning and just leads to other people being offended because by your definition they didn't land into the particular bucket where they wanted to be.

WHY anyone gets upset over what some other random person on the net says about their qualifications based upon some defintion is beyond me, but that aside...

Please, everyone... drop this.

 

[usayit]

Ask Noah...

Noah Webster that is...

 

[bennielou]

Cloud and Manaheim, I'm going to completely start shooting weddings with a rubber chicken. I'll send pics.

 

[manaheim]

Cloud and Manaheim, I'm going to completely start shooting weddings with a rubber chicken. I'll send pics.

That sounds VERY professional.

 

[kkamin]

I think it's a valid question that requires contemplation. There are commercial photography guilds that require a certain amount of your income to come from your photography profession in order to qualify, along with quality work and business ethics. I think the standard is that more than 50% of your income comes from photography. Does that mean you are good? No. Do people who make no money take better pictures than 'professionals'? Yes, sometimes.

But I think there is credit to be given to someone who is placing a substantial amount of their time and resources into an occupation and a professional practice.

 

[Forkie]

I don't believe it is just someone who makes their living selling their photographs. I think that someone also needs to be considered an "expert" in their field to be a professional.

 

[Kerbouchard]

My definition would be a bit more mundane...

A business license, a tax ID, insurance, and paying clients makes one a professional photographer.

A pharmacist and a drug dealer both sell drugs. One is a professional. The other is a criminal.

 

[12sndsgood]

im searching for a rubber chicken. i at least want to look professional even if im not.

 

[bazooka]

Are we talking about professional noun, or professional adjective? Because there are professionals who aren't professional and amateurs/hobbyists who are.... And Rubber Chicken ftw.