How does one know?
In my line of work, I am constantly harrowed with questions of ‘if I know so-and-so’ or ‘if I have seen so-and-so’s work’ etc. The questions do arouse the curiosity in me but in more cases than one, I am left staring at photographs of a hobbyist who has a fancy DSLR but is undeniably lacking in technical knowledge, expertise and skill in the art form, which is apparent on the clicked photographs. Today with the advent of affordable to almost cheap camera mobile phones to digital cameras, just about anyone and everyone know how to photographically record an occasion, event or something that visually stimulates them. But we must note that there is a mammoth of a difference between clicking a photograph and actually ‘creating the photograph’.
Now don’t you go letting your mind wander and speculate upon my above paragraph! I see absolutely nothing wrong is being an amateur photographer or amateur-at anything for that matter. But what I do find appalling for more reasons than one is when someone who is a novice at an art form, an elementary learner or someone who simply can afford the fancy equipment begins to self-felicitate themselves with the title ‘Professional’. So really it boils down to a simple question on ‘how does one differentiate between an amateur, a professional and a hobbyist’. Because in the answer to this question lies the very nature of how the art form of photography should be treated.
We can today find everyone clicking photographs of various subjects from nature, fauna, products, events etc but then there is only one Ansel Adams or one David Ziser, and the likes right? Also why is it so that with so many fashion photographers around today, we still remember Mario Testino, Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz for their work of visually capturing the changing trend in the fashion industry? As owning a musical instrument doesn't make you a musical maestro nor does owning a camera make you a professional photographer. Because to get there, while yes you do need equipment, you also need to have passion, creative 3rd eye, thirst to learn the skill technically and more importantly you need to be able to get paid.
So for both those who are confused of their professional status and for those who would genuinely like to be able to make an educated differentiation of one from the other while in conversation with others or for that matter at the time of hiring a photographer, I've put together a basic list below to help out:
1. Photographs that earn: This is undoubtedly the most important differentiating factor. You know you have reached there when your work demands a price. It is irrelevant how costly you are because that is another debate altogether but then when your pieces of photographic art bring in the moolah; you can safely say you are a ‘professional’.
2. Photography as a time-pass: Many find solace in photography when they have nothing else to do. They want the photography business to keep them busy as long as they want to stay busy. Unlike professionals who strive constantly at growing their business and making strategic plans to do more and more paid work.
3. Just click photographs: The biggest mistake made by amateurs who never manage to reach the professional status lies in their misconception that all you need to be able to do is ‘click good photographs’. As a professional photographer you need to be able to contribute effectively in marketing, brand promotion, negotiation, administrative communication exchanges, accounting, PR and a whole lot more.
4. Professional photographers are entrepreneurs: Being an entrepreneur requires you to be able to multi task between different roles effectively and efficiently. In the business of Photography, there is much more than simply clicking photographs. You need to think and act like a businessman with a goal.
5. Room for Improvement: As a hobbyist and an amateur are content getting rave reviews from friends and close ones, they make little if not no effort to better their skill. On the contrary a professional photographer makes every effort to study the newest developments in the field of photography, study from photography inspirations and also time and again spend money to keep their photography gear updated.
That’s the difference folks!!! ;-)
Remember you won’t always get a stunning couple at the wedding altar, or the most delicious looking food or for that matter the most stylish models but then if you are a professional you get paid to use your creative skill and turn that around to be the most viable array of photographs submitted, that my friend is a professional photographer. I could go on and on, because as someone who started off with a tag of being amateur, it took me a whole lot of time and conscious effort to EARN the title of being called a professional photographer today and proudly so. Yes I did have my fair shares of free photo shoots for friends etc just to find any excuse to photograph but amateur then was a title I proudly flaunted too until I climbed the ladder up from there to semi professional and now a full time professional photographer.
So, my friends the next time you plant the title of ‘professional’ to yourself or others, do a quick rain check first and I hope this list helps!!!
