Photography When you decide that you are professional

[Jack]

That's good topic to talk,

When you decide that you had learnt a lot to consider yourself a professional photographer. Or after how many years? Do you also like to share ideas and techniques with others and helping them to develop skills?

 

[Tina Boes]

I think one way to see yourself as a professional is if you are earning income from your work. If people are hiring you, and if you advertise yourself that way, then you could be called a professional.
Now, having said that, just because you are getting paid doesn't mean it's quality work or professional. You must understand your equipment, your subject matter, lighting etc. and the expected results not just shoot and hope for the best. You have to be able to anticipate in advance how that shot is going to be, and adjust things for what you or the client wants, such as DOF, lighting, subject placement, perspective, etc. etc. If you don't have the experience to understand these things, you can't really be a "professional" by definition......In my humble opinion.

 

[Jack]

I think one way to see yourself as a professional is if you are earning income from your work. If people are hiring you, and if you advertise yourself that way, then you could be called a professional.
Now, having said that, just because you are getting paid doesn't mean it's quality work or professional. You must understand your equipment, your subject matter, lighting etc. and the expected results not just shoot and hope for the best. You have to be able to anticipate in advance how that shot is going to be, and adjust things for what you or the client wants, such as DOF, lighting, subject placement, perspective, etc. etc. If you don't have the experience to understand these things, you can't really be a "professional" by definition......In my humble opinion.

I totally agree with everything said here by you Tina Boes. I also would like to add some having an expensive professional equipment doesn't make automatically the person professional. I wouldn't call myself as professional, me to be at that level will require years of learning and practicing.

I also think that is not necessarily need to earn money from photography to consider the person a professional. Maybe some people are doing it as a hobby at professional level?

 

[Helix_2648]

I would make it dependent on the feedback that you get from others. Of course if you get money for your work as well, but the feedback is more important from my point of view.

If everyone loves your pictures and comment them you might say that you're a professional.

 

[Guest 1012]

When you make money. It's simple as that. When you make money and the general feedback is positive, then that's it.

 

[Jack]

When you make money. It's simple as that. When you make money and the general feedback is positive, then that's it.

Some people do make money, but they still consider that as a hobby rather than a proper job. I think there are a lot of people with expensive equipment and still believe that they are professionals, when they are not.

 

[Jack]

I would make it dependent on the feedback that you get from others. Of course if you get money for your work as well, but the feedback is more important from my point of view.

If everyone loves your pictures and comment them you might say that you're a professional.

Agree with you, the feedback from others are more important than money. But then it's very hard to get someone's feedback on your images, as most people nowadays just leaving likes on images, not a proper feedback unfortunately.