Comments on: A Question of Definition

By: tim sabore

tim sabore — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:49:59 +0000

Just a tiny bit late but here is my comment…I think the use of the word “real” could mean experience. You can not be a photographer if you can not use your camera. It takes experience to work the controls quickly and cleanly. It takes experience to understand the rules of composition and it takes experience to understand when to break the rules. Some times intentions are not enough (amateur vs. professional, love vs. paycheck). When the photographer has experience, he can forget about the operation stuff with the camera controls and concentrate on the task at hand: making acceptable images. A “real photographer” is experienced and competent. A novice is not.
Just my take on this great post. Thanks.
PS-the real question: Should a photographer be called a craftsman if he has never been in a “real” darkroom? I believe you can’t call yourself a photographer if you don’t understand the art and CRAFT of photography. And no, digital imagery is not photography.

By: Elle

Elle — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:56:28 +0000

I LOVE THIS!

And you know it’s not just in photography….I love all art forms including photography, writing, pencil drawing, design….and so 20 years ago I chose Interior Design to take in college.

I quit after 2 years, I was discouraged by the ELITISM of our professors and teachers who had this annoying attitude that their student minions would never understand or achieve the greatness and superiority of their craft…EVER. No I will never understand that attitude about anything or anyone and have tried to remember that throughout my career. I decided to make something of myself in another profession after travelling the world following my “failure” at design school. It pays me well enough and though mostly some could only get here with a minimum of a college or university degree, I strived to be a success in my chosen industry despite my lack of formal schooling.

Flash forward to the present and the birth of my first child my passion for photography reignited. I was taking pictures like CRAZY! And not just of babies…everything. Eventually, got myself a nice entry level DSLR and took a course and only 6 months later people asking me to take their pictures and they will pay me!! Certainly I am elated to hear this at the same time I feel this anxiety of “do I deserve this??” and “but I am not a professional”. Here we go again…that old thing following me around again.

I came across this blog today and I am SOOOOO happy to have read this. For one, it reminds me to stay grounded, and helps me to keep putting one foot in front of the next…keep taking pictures, don’t forget the passion for being creative and recognize my talent for what it is, and that if I have this talent I have a reponsibility to share it with people so that this art form doesn’t become dull and boring.

Afterall, where would MUSIC be if we didn’t have these “so-called musicians” that entertain people and in dark jazzy joints in front of small crowds, inspiring FUTURE musicians with their cutting edge sounds.

In every art form, someone has to be out there in the field, just for the passion of doing it…keepin’ it alive, and keepin’ it real.

By: derrickottenbreit.ca » Calling yourself a “professional photographer” is really a matter of definition.

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:15:37 +0000

[...] I love and admire and encourage photographers who do this for a living. But so as not to be ambiguous, it needs to be understood that your art is not legitimized by how much money you make at it, if any. There are plenty of photographers of mediocre ability who make a living at this. There are many photographers who pay to do it, and subsidize their art by working as dentists, doctors, janitors, teachers, who are exceptional. To deny that they too are photographers merely because they choose not to sell their work, is not only ridiculous it’s offensive. (more…) [...]

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:41:59 +0000

Yea! I’m a photographer! I’ll leave it to the professionals to professionally hash out what makes a professional. Making $.03 on a print? Then I’m a pro (let’s see if the land lord will take an art print as this months payment).

By: Tim Camuso

Tim Camuso — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:29:48 +0000

I could not have said it better myself. Thank you from one photographer to another.

By: Kevin Van Lierop » What’s a REAL Photographer?

Kevin Van Lierop » What’s a REAL Photographer? — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:36:22 +0000

[...] or not someone is a ‘real’ photographer”. For a follow up article by duChemin CLICK HERE. Bourne’s comments are worth a read in my opinion, even if they are short and concise, as I [...]

By: Paul Illes

Paul Illes — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:26:39 +0000

I just came from a board That justifies any criticism with the claim that they have lots of clients who love their style of photography. I got so tired of that excuse that I ranted about it and “negative space” that I finally got knocked off the board. I don’t blame them. It had come to the point where entire threads were discussing me instead of photography. I’m sure you have heard about it.

By: Curtis Jordan

Curtis Jordan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:07:04 +0000

Wow, this is should seriously find its way into a couple of photography magazines! Great article! I absolutely love photography and for the time and money that I put into it, I’d be quite offended if someone suggested I wasn’t a photographer because I make my living in another profession.
To Don Rice (above) “Every time you trip the shutter, you are taking a test.” – epic. I think I’m going to put that quote on the back of my contact card. ^_^
Thanks David, I’m looking forward to reading your book.

By: Nik

Nik — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:15:46 +0000

Incredible article. Thank you for affirming what I feel I’ve been saying to several people for a long time now. Confidence in what you do is so important to expression, and the people who say such negative all-inclusive things about photography are just trying to knock others down.

By: Larry Larsen

Larry Larsen — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:33:47 +0000

David, You really nailed the elitist attitude of “professional photographers” with this quote:
“……the condescension of a so-called professional who doesn’t want you in the club. That kind of exclusivism is a harm to the craft and a denial of the prime mover in art: passion.”
I just completed a trip to Morocco with a travel photographer who is the epitome of the type that you are talking about. I hope that everyone reads your post and your book, WTF. It stresses the importance of having a personal relationship with the environment and its inhabitants both as an artist and a fellow human being.
Thanks so much for expressing these thoughts.