Is This Possible!?

[RottnBullies]

I know this Is going to be a stupid question, and I probably spend too

much time flicking through RedBubble But Is It possible for one to pick up

their first dslr and 4 months down the track call themselves a professional

photographic artist!

I know nothing about photography so can't really judge, but I just find It all little

too much to believe, this person has now published a book with some of their artwork.

They don't even use a pro camera, but I'm not sure If that makes any difference,

I would think though that pros use pretty good gear. Anyways looking at so many

other artists out there, this persons work Isn't that great IMO that Is, but hey what would I know, would the pros here care

to maybe answer this silly one for me

[tlc]

I am by no means professional but I guess it is in the eye of the beholder, if people like the style and are willing to pay money for a piece of art then I guess that makes it feesable, but to say pro after 4 months, mmmm I'll leave that the experts to judge. Do you have a link to some of the "pro" work??

[RottnBullies]

Um yes I do, but I won't link It here as I wouldn't feel good about it

I will say however that I don't normally dig too deep Into profiles but this certain

person has copied a few of my works and put their own spin on it to make

It their own and well that was enough to give me a bad taste In the mouth

about them so to speak

But I guess as you say beauty In the eyes of the beholder

[tlc]

Well thats just down right nasty, do you mean actually taken your pics or used your ideas? I agree with JS, maybe watermark across your shots so they are harder to be copied!

[Kirislin]

If they really are making a living selling their own photos then they're a professional.......I suppose.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Kirislin

[RottnBullies]

No, not my actual pics more the concept and Ideas of them, Including

my T-Shirts too

It's stopped for now, but I have got copyright stuff written on my page and

they're protected I guess as much as can be. But yeah I thought It was rude too.

[persephone]

this certain

person has copied a few of my works and put their own spin on it to make

It their own

and that can be reported to redbubble!

[Ashanali]

Professional simply means that they make the majority of their income from what they are doing, so even if the person's work is crap, if that's where the majority of their income comes from, they are technically, "professional".

[kja]

Basically, "professional" is just a word that anyone can use.

I don't make the majority of my income from photography but I do consider myself a professional.

"Professional" to me encompasses far more than making an income (though that is a part of it, too): conduct, ability to meet & exceed client needs/expectations, ability to be consistent, holding appropriate insurances, documentation etc, continuing education in the field, continuing to grow & excel and a whole lot else.

[RottnBullies]

Basically, "professional" is just a word that anyone can use.

I don't make the majority of my income from photography but I do consider myself a professional.

"Professional" to me encompasses far more than making an income (though that is a part of it, too): conduct, ability to meet & exceed client needs/expectations, ability to be consistent, holding appropriate insurances, documentation etc, continuing education in the field, continuing to grow & excel and a whole lot else.

Thanks for the reply's all.

I agree with what you've said Kja, I'd like to think that It's a little more than just making money from It too

[Ashanali]

I totally 100% agree about what is SHOULD mean, but I am talking about what it really means.

[~*Shell*~]

Basically, "professional" is just a word that anyone can use.

I don't make the majority of my income from photography but I do consider myself a professional.

"Professional" to me encompasses far more than making an income (though that is a part of it, too): conduct, ability to meet & exceed client needs/expectations, ability to be consistent, holding appropriate insurances, documentation etc, continuing education in the field, continuing to grow & excel and a whole lot else.

I agree with kja!

I have made a bit of money from my photography (i've had to get an ABN because of it) but i by no means consider myself a professional. My equipment is mostly amateur and I would never claim to be a professional photographer - I'm just not good enough to have that title, though it would be nice one day I regularly get asked to be the paid photographer at different events (weddings, conferences, baby showers and christenings etc) but turn them down. i tell people I'm happy to bring my camera with me and get some shots but if they want good photography, to hire a professional.

I got asked to do a wedding a couple of weeks ago (later on in the year) by some friends with next to no budget for their wedding. I turned them down (saying they should get a professional) but told them I would bring my camera with me - they then asked another friend who has only just bought an SLR who is going to be their "professional" photographer. They are going to pay their other friend to shoot and their friend only has a canon 1000d camera with the kit lenses - they still shoot on auto and don't understand aperture, iso or shutter speed That friend is now having a business card made up so they look more professional at the wedding and then they're planning on handing cards out to get more business.

I just wouldn't feel right accepting money as a professional when i didn't have the skills or the equipment to back it up - things like weddings are "once" events and I wouldn't want to upset people with sub-standard photography. Apparently that's not a feeling that's shared by a lot of people.

[huga]

Oh god Shell. That's going to end in tears.

[Guest Tess32]

I think most of the RB type of photographers simply mean "I charge for my photography" and this makes them professional.

[Ashanali]

gremlins

Edited March 22, 2010 by Ashanali

[Ashanali]

more gremlins

Edited March 22, 2010 by Ashanali

[Ashanali]

I think you're missing the point.

In an ideal world, it would be as kja says and that is how many in the industry would like it to be. However the term 'professional' unfortunately doesn't encompass what we would like, just what 'is'.

It's like this idiot photographer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js7RzcdDcMs

There is no way in the world that the photographer should be shooting. Her work is hideous and she doesn't have any idea what her gear does or how to use it. The bride wins the case and it is lovely to see a poor quality photographer have strips torn off them HOWEVER I have to consider the bride is an idiot.

She looked at crap, she booked crap, she ended up with crap.

Is the photographer high quality? no

Is she deriving the majority of her income from photography enabling her to call herself 'professional'? yes (although she is now out of business for obvious reasons).

How many times do you see people becoming fans of the work of photographers on facebook then look at the work they have there and see how bad it is? Yet there are people out there who will still say, "wow, that's an awesome shot. It should be in a magazine"

One man's junk another man's treasure.

kja and Shell, yep, in an ideal world your definition of 'professional' would be the epitome. However it just isn't so... good work or bad, the woman can technically term herself

professional if that's her income.

[rubiton]

As kja said - if you derive an income from selling photos (or photographic work) you can call yourself professional. Now whether your work is of a good standard well thats up for debate. Basing it on a 'majority income' is silly since many like me that specialise in a particular area could not live off the income from photography but we are professional photographers.

However would expect as kja said for professionals to have the registered business name, ABN, the required insurance, and have professional standards in how they conduct business. In a perfect world you expect their work to be of a high standard and know how to make the best of the working environment but well thats a judement call for the customer I guess.

[~*Shell*~]

That's just craziness. I can't believe someone would agree to be the main photographer and take payment for it when they don't know what they're doing. As an owner of a 1000D I can guarantee you the camera does not have the capacity for high quality wedding photography if any of the pictures need to be taken inside, especially if you don't have a fantastic flash and prime lenses. You can't even go above ISO 200 in low light if you want to avoid noise in the photos when they're enlarged. It's a total disaster waiting to happen, particularly given the person doesn't know how to adjust the camera manually for the best result.

That's my thoughts exactly - even with the 450d I wouldn't go over ISO 200 because I hate the amount of noise the camera produces at that level. I'm looking at getting a 7D in the near future and even then I wouldn't shoot at a wedding as the main photographer. Some things you just can't stuff up and wedding photography is one of them!

I have a speedlite (the 580EX II) and by then i will have a few good lenses that will hopefully get some good shots but if I was to compare my equipment to someone like Ashanali or kja, I would get laughed at!

[Ashanali]

if I was to compare my equipment to someone like Ashanali or kja, I would get laughed at!

It's not the equipment. It's how you use it and what you do with it when you reach the equipment's limitations.

The stuff that I just won the award for, it was shot on a 40D with an 18-55mm kit lens. Nothing fancy.

I still shoot on a 40D most of the time because I refuse to buy another 5D mark II with it's focussing and colour issues... so I have to wait for a 5D mark III or wait until Nikon pay me to switch over ( yeah, as it that will happen.) No point stepping down to a 7D with a cropped frame either.

You would shudder if you knew the gear I used to shoot weddings on...