p.2 #1 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
Wiki - A professional is a person who is engaged in a certain activity, or occupation, for gain or compensation as means of livelihood; such as a permanent career, not as an amateur or pastime
I am a professional photographer, and get paid well enough to enjoy a high quality of life, and spend at least a month away in an exotic location. This year I intend to go away for three months, paid for by my photography during the rest of the year.
p.2 #3 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
Nikon_14 wrote:
While working in photography FT, I'm taking classes PT at a local university. My impression is that you are right- everyone is expected to work for free, and be perfectly happy with living in a tiny apartment driving a vehicle that resembles a golf cart.
Not sure why or where this mentality came from for so many people. I live pretty comfortable and love what I do too.
Honestly, I dont see the point of doing something for a career if I cant have a nice house, nice car and go on vacation every year. When I can't have and do all of that then it is time to find a new profession.
p.2 #4 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
warrenjrphotog wrote:
You don't need to make money to be a pro and there are plenty of non paid professional photographers in this part of the forum.
Not to mention for me photography is more than just a hobby but that does not mean I need to get paid.
I agree. there are tons of awesome photographers who shoot for the love of it. One day when I retire from making a lot of money doing what I love, I will just shoot for the love of it.
but then again, I may never retire since I love to make money doing what I love
p.2 #5 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
This is highly dependent on location.
paparazzinick wrote:
Not sure why or where this mentality came from for so many people. I live pretty comfortable and love what I do too.
Honestly, I dont see the point of doing something for a career if I cant have a nice house, nice car and go on vacation every year. When I can't have and do all of that then it is time to find a new profession.
p.2 #6 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
cineski wrote:
This is highly dependent on location.
I get what you're saying. There is a new crop that came up where I live that act like they are lady gag or some shit like that. When I talk to other vendors at weddings and some brides that come to me for pregnancy photos after they get married, they all say how they hated those certain photographers. I had one DJ really open up to me a few weeks ago. He is one of the best in PGH and does 40+ weddings a year. he isnt cheap either. He told me all the dirt on the new crop of people and even some old heads too. Just how obnoxious they are, not really that great and a lot don't know what they are doing either. Just so sad. And those people are charging what I charge or more. They are really giving it to the bride in the ass. I just shot a new mom and her 3 month old. She told me how her photographer sucked, the photos were ok but she was too much in to her self and not in to the bride. She boasted all over her site that she is about the client and blah blah blah then the wedding comes and the bride said it seemed like the photographer was shooting for someone else and not for the bride. Such a damn shame it has come to this.
I though some of those photographers were decent and had good personalities. They just put on a good show until the wedding day comes and they blow it. but by then it is too late for the bride to change her mind and she is now stuck with a shitty situation.
As for the other people. HA Yea apparently our society was ruined by shitty smart phone photos and clients are ok with getting a bunch of shitty photos if a few look good. What ever happened to delivering a few hundred awesome photos?
p.2 #7 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
paparazzinick wrote:
I get what you're saying. There is a new crop that came up where I live that act like they are lady gag or some shit like that. When I talk to other vendors at weddings and some brides that come to me for pregnancy photos after they get married, they all say how they hated those certain photographers. I had one DJ really open up to me a few weeks ago. He is one of the best in PGH and does 40+ weddings a year. he isnt cheap either. He told me all the dirt on the new crop of people and even some old heads too. Just how obnoxious they are, not really that great and a lot don't know what they are doing either. Just so sad. And those people are charging what I charge or more. They are really giving it to the bride in the ass. I just shot a new mom and her 3 month old. She told me how her photographer sucked, the photos were ok but she was too much in to her self and not in to the bride. She boasted all over her site that she is about the client and blah blah blah then the wedding comes and the bride said it seemed like the photographer was shooting for someone else and not for the bride. Such a damn shame it has come to this.
I though some of those photographers were decent and had good personalities. They just put on a good show until the wedding day comes and they blow it. but by then it is too late for the bride to change her mind and she is now stuck with a shitty situation.
As for the other people. HA Yea apparently our society was ruined by shitty smart phone photos and clients are ok with getting a bunch of shitty photos if a few look good. What ever happened to delivering a few hundred awesome photos?
Completely agree! I feel that if a photographer is great, he/she can simply show his/her photos and have people go "wow." Nowadays, too many people think that having a high MP phone or DSLR makes them a photographer. Not too many know the rule of thirds, or even how to use A/S/ISO. But I also think that it is on the person hiring a photographer to do their research. We have google nowadays. If one were looking for a good wedding photographer, they should spend at least 10-20 hours of research on it with google. It's not hard to find great wedding photos and compare them to the photographers you're considering.
The problem is that a lot of people are not willing to pay the $4,000 or more for a real good photographer, and then those bad photographers say "I can do the same thing for $2,000," and the couple hires them. That's when things go all shitty. I would actually blame the people hiring the photographers on not doing due diligence in research. There are always going to be horrible or self-absorbed and self-called photographers, but I'm sure most of us on FredMiranda wouldn't hire them as a good number of us can tell what's good and what's bad. It's all a simple matter of education.
The best way to stop all that would maybe be a single organization that certifies photographers for certain events or different photography. It would work if anyone who wants entry is recommended by a well-known pro, or pays $300-500 for a pro or two in the organization to come by and watch them shoot, observe their pictures, and ask them questions. I mean, if you're a real pro and this organization worked that way, what's $300-500 if you know you're good enough to get in? Will also keep the self-absorbed out. And have different tiers and categories, like "Wedding Photographer [large groups]," "Weddings [2nd shooter]," "Portraits [black & white]," etc. so photographers talented in several areas can have it all on their webpage. Maybe the ideals are too high, but it would work if enough professionals (the type who own their own businesses and are already highly recommended almost every time by clients) bought into it.
I know I definitely would not get in right now (even with what I think is a respectable gear list [in signature] for wedding/event photography), but it would be something I can aspire to eventually.
p.2 #8 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
paparazzinick wrote:
Not sure why or where this mentality came from for so many people. I live pretty comfortable and love what I do too.
Honestly, I don't see the point of doing something for a career if I cant have a nice house, nice car and go on vacation every year. When I can't have and do all of that then it is time to find a new profession.
Some people don't enjoy working with large groups of people and I find weddings boring because so many people shoot them and so many people share the same style not to mention I find the whole event boring for the most part.
I have yet to see a wedding photographer that did not share the same style as another photographer.......
I guess that I like to shoot whats in my minds eye vs shooting what just about everyone else shoots (weddings) not to mention that I find the whole venue and event of weddings to be boring but to each their own.
Anyone can become a great wedding photographer with a little bit of work and marketing but shooting what you really see in your minds eye surpasses how much money wedding photography might pay which is why I don't shoot it.
I'd rather shoot what I truly love even if it means living a basic simple life style with a simple home as I also believe that money is not that important beyond a certain point as long as I'm able to do what I love (I am).
Also, there are multiple definitions for the word professional.
This is the one that I was referring to and most refer to.
p.2 #12 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
warrenjrphotog wrote:
There are multiple definitions for every word out there.
Deal with it.
There are professional's for all kinds of things that don't get paid yet to not call them professional would be ignorant.
Ignorant...All righty,...you can parse the definitions to fit what you want, but the definitions I saw all mentioned "vocation" or "occupation" or "paid".
I know a lot of professionals and all get paid for their professional (except for my cousin who "digs wells" in Africa, he's a nonprofit volunteer, his choice) work. Most if not all are also experts...I also know some expert marksmen, woodworkers, singers and designers who are not professionals because it is their hobby or passion but not their job or vocation...
I don't usually step into this argument but fell for it this time. It makes no difference to anyone.
p.2 #13 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
warrenjrphotog wrote:
You don't need to make money to be a pro and there are plenty of non paid professional photographers in this part of the forum.
Not to mention for me photography is more than just a hobby but that does not mean I need to get paid.
I have no idea where you are trying to place yourself in the photo world but my measure of a pro is a FT photographer who earns at least 80% of their income from selling photo services.
To me that means making enough money to be a solid member of the middle to upper middle class socio-economic group. That depends on where you live.
I find very little romance in living on Ramen noodles and coffee when I really would like to make a house payment, own a car and take 3-5 weeks off a year. Fortunately, I am able to make enough for the latter by earning 100% from photography.
As for Cineski's original post; I wish there was a double "like" button on this forum.
p.2 #14 · To those considering a glamorous career in photography...
halie wrote:
Having been a professional dishwasher at the age of 15, I find this hard to believe. My experience was to be the first to work, the last to go home, the worst job, the lowest pay and the least respect of anyone in the restaurant. But at least I made $3.25 an hour.
Yeah but I guess it's steady in that you know you can always find work heh. So it maybe awful compared to PJ, but maybe more stable heh.
