I’m probably going to catch some heat from this but the beauty of being “more mature” means that I can freely speak my mind within reason, of course. I’ve noticed quite a few photographers who claim they are “professional photographers” because they host a workshop on occasion or do a fashion shoot and publish their work in editorials that aren’t all that popular. While that is a wonderful way to get started and I applaud you, if you’ve rarely, if ever, received compensation, you aren’t a professional photographer. There are many exceptions, of course. A professional photographer may have to get a day job when their finances demand it but for those who do this on the side lines, you aren’t a professional. As a professional photographer, I not only spend my time shooting and editing, I spend an immense amount of time engaging with my clients and potential clients. There is marketing, blogging, financials to go over, a quarterly ROI to review, new product lines to look into, the list goes on. It’s what I do sometimes 7 days a week. It’s what other professional photographers do 7 days a week. It’s a lot of work and it’s how we pay the bills and put a little money away for the future. Sometimes, it’s all we do. For those starting out, keep doing what you’re doing. Keep getting published to add that to your “resume” but please don’t keep labeling yourself as a professional photographer. You can be a great photographer and still be a hobbyist. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! I know many amazing photographers who are doctors, lawyers, waiters, but they simply don’t plan on doing it for a living. My point is, those in my industry work so very hard and sometimes it’s a little sad to see the word “professional photographer” be used so loosely. Happy Saturday, everyone.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 10:11:28 +0000
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