Your beard is a professional.

I have a full time job and sell via galleries. A "pro" photographer told me recently that I should leave the paid work to the guys who do photography full time. Well, I told her that if they are struggling and don't like competition, tough, its like a "struggling/starving artist/musician", if they are starving they must be crap.

Well said!!

well said !

Nice!

What's the 'soul' he's referring to?

Name names!!

Whole discussion is about the word "pro" and what does it mean. Well I am not native english speaker but I know that pro is derived from professional which is derived from profession. That implies to me, that if photography is your profession and you make a living with it you are pro. It doees not implies if you are bad or good. It has nothing to do with it.

2021

@bretdhogan so true man

I know lots of so-called "pros" who get paid, but can't take a decent pic. So whenever someone asks me, "Are you a professional?"I usually answer, "Oh no, I'm much better than that!"

In my experience, pros know how to solve problems, amateurs don't...which is exactly what you said...and what others have said for ages.

Can't be more correct :)

I think the real discussion here is "Passion" vs. Profession, because skill has nothing to do with it. If you're not getting paid, it's a hobby/interest/ passion. One reason "prostitution" is commonly viewed as one of the world's oldest "professions", though technically it couldn't be better than a tie, as the other person "became" a professional as well (even in a barter system) the minute the exchange was cumplete. OOPS! Freudian slip lol.

Used? BTW, you can act in a professional manor, but that's not what he's talking about here.

Professional: 1. a person engaged or qualified in a profession. // This is just one definition, bt, a definition indeed...

who really cares? maybe we should start an industry body who does a full analysis of you and can certify whether or not you're professional, and you get a pretty badge and a gold star?

I strongly disagree with this. Over time the word has been given a new meaning, but really... If it's your profession, you are a professional.

In the grand scheme of things, who gives a s☆☆☆? The ego gets caught up in labels.

certainly professionals mean business. They're about seriousness and deliverance of what their customers want. Their gear, their attitude and their paychecks go all hand to hand. Amateurs are ppl who have a basic camera and do photos of butterflies, sunsets etc.

Well, amateur means you are not getting paid, pro means you are. I think you mean a "good" photographer... who may be an amateur or pro, or a bad photographer, who may be amateur or pro. A pro photographer may take amateurish photos, which makes him a bad photographer.

@bretdhogan Thats exactly what I say lol

yes you can, gay used to mean happy

if you make 60% of your total income a year you're a pro, that simple. at least says the irs.

You can't change the definition of a word. Strikes of pomposity and snobbery.

Get a 70-200mm f2.8 and you're pro. At least looking like one.

Actually, people often learn the hard way just how UNprofessional their photographer is. Making a buck is the shallowest definition.

@euphrein Ahem, I think you mean lacking knowledge of English vocabulary...

the most common claim from male between the age of 18 ~ 30 "Oh my... would you look at all the gears i have!! i am a photographer (please date me)" Composition is beyond a dog's vomit. The way they process an image looks like kindergarten kid trying to paint Mona Lisa. I had a chance to recruit for my friend's company and there were a lot of posers wasted our time. Interviewed and looked at 48 "local photographers" portfolios, out of those 48, only 3 were actually photographers.