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NikonJeff wrote:
OMG - David... It's "DWF the sequel"... It never ceases to amaze me that someone has to bring this question up knowing that all it does it cause grief, anguish, hurt, passion, stupidity and eventually a locked thread.
It seems that some photographers have this on their sleeve and proclaim it to be the final word - I've been shooting wedding professionally for 16 years and in my day job I'm a full time certified, trained and well paid FSE (Field Service Engineer). Oddly we don't call ourselves professionals, but it is one of my two professions.
I cannot join NPS even though I've had a DBA since 1994, a sales tax ID since 1994, have 16 years worth of income statements, insurance since 1994, belong to PPA and have close to $40k in "Professional" Nikon equipment. I also go to one or more workshops or seminars (read training) every year and have actual photography classes that I've attended in high school and community college.
Am I a professional photographer? My clients think so, the state of New York and the IRS are happy to take my money and my self employment tax. I work just as hard on my second profession as I do for my other profession and I have passion for both.
I agree that there are people picking up a DSLR and calling themselves "professionals" that have no business being out there - no more than I see people offering their service as computer experts that should've never picked up a screwdriver.
There are also professional photographers that do this for their sole income and they pale in comparison to some of the weekend warriors that are out there for the love of it and some extra $$$ - why is that? Did they loose their passion or did they never have what it takes to begin with?
I'm fortunate in that I work a full 40 hours a week as a FSE and I also work 20-26 weekends a year at my second profession which in Upstate NY I consider wedding season to be April 1st to November 1st (which turns out to be 31 weekends this year). My clients seem to like my work as most of my business is referrals, I charge a good amount for my services (about the median in my area) - not $2000 but not $5000 either...
I wish things had turned out different for me and I was a full time photographer but that wasn't in the cards in 1983 when I was accepted to NESOP in Boston. My dad was a high school teacher making $20k back then so photography school was out of the question.
I'm fortunate to have a wife that asked me what I regretted not doing before I got married and not only allowed me to start a business based on that dream but encourages me every day to do more. I can't stand the thought that someone has a problem accepting me as a "professional" photographer because I don't do this "full time"... You're right, I work one and a half full time jobs, and raise 2 kids, and pay a mortgage, and mow my lawn, and do housework, and take my son to Cub Scouts, and my daughter to Girl Scouts, and go camping with them when I'm not working on a weekend.
So I guess what I'm getting at is - get over it! You as a full time "professional" photographer have my dream job, relish it, enjoy it, but for God's sake don't tear down what little bit of my dream that I can have - or anyone else's for that matter. Find something constructive to do with your negative energy or insecurity - volunteer at a soup kitchen or an animal shelter... It's humbling to see what others don't have whether it's material or simply a missed opportunity.
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Jeff, I think by most definitions, you'd be classified a "professional" in any field, by virtually any definition of the word. The only distinction seems to be here in the FM forums, but a few (and sometimes not that good  ) folks who seem to only care about tearing things down (the "demo crowd"), as opposed to building things up. We seem to be getting all caught up in semantics - maybe we should give the "demo crowd" a new definition - the semantic professional . . . 
It doesn't matter what anyone here thinks - this IS the internet after all . . . .
Keep shooting (and making money at it . . .!)
Cheers,
John
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