Are You A Professional?

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Wow. Good stuff, Brett.</p>

[dougityb]

<p>Rashed, the meaning of your English is getting through and is understandable. </p>

<p>To me, being a "professional" means nothing more than using photography to make money in order to eat, be clothed, have a place to sleep, raise a family, etc. Being a pro is all about making money by getting paid for your photography. That's the definition.</p>

<p>There are many, many skilled photographers who make amazing photographs, but they can't sell, or they're filled with self-doubt and don't believe their work is good enough for people to buy. Or, maybe they just do it for fun, and make their money by being doctors, or teachers, or librarians, or any other kind of work.</p>

<p>And there are photographers whose work is poor, or maybe just average, but they convince buyers to buy their photography because they're good at selling, or because everyone likes them. I've heard a phrase about a good seller that goes like this: "He could sell refrigerators to Eskimos," the idea being that Eskimos, who live in the frozen arctic, don't need refrigerators, but the good seller could sell them one because he is so good at selling. A possible translation for your area might be "he could sell sand to a Bedouin."</p>

<p>And then there are those who make outstanding photographs, and who also have a good sense for business, and know what their photography is worth. These are the true professionals, although, by definition, they share the title of "professional" with those whose work is bad, but who can still sell it.</p>

 

[rashed]

<p>Thank you my friend, I know my father always made a lot of money out of the portrait work he used to do for so many important people, it was not his main income but he did so.</p>

<p >I love photography and I like to keep it as a hobby so I do not lose interest in it one day, so far I had to sell 6 of my photographs during our Nagoya UV. Expedition, but I had to, not I wanted to.</p>

<p >I pray for the success of all photographers, the good ones or the average ones to have a successful return out of this media as I do have respect for all, while I will remain doing photography for myself interest and also to share them with my friends not just on internet net but also in different Expeditions and other events.</p>

<p >Father is also one of the first 4 formers of Qatar Photographic <strong>Society</strong> and I am also a member there now, I meet a lot of friends, many of them do photography for return income, I also do not blame them, here every one like to have the best, that why they pay a lot for the tools.</p>

<p >I am also not shy to share my simple images with my friends, that why I post them on photo.net, I know on this site there are so many nice photographers and very nice human people and gentle, like you.</p>

<p >I appreciate your answer to my post my friend, thank you a lot for it and I am looking forward to learn more photography from the people like you to add to my academic study.</p>

<p >Thank you my friend and wishing you all of the best.</p>

 

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Thanks for the realistic glimpse into the pro world, Doug.</p>

<p>Also congrats on the POW.</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Ian, that's encouraging to hear.</p>

<p>What type of work do you do?</p>

[brucecahn]

<p>Calvin: Rewarding is an ambiguous word. I did make a living from it full time. But not as good a living as I had hoped. Big city, lots of customers, lots of competition too. Every year the art schools graduated new classes and hundreds of guys moved to NY from out of town to become photographers. The only way to keep really busy was to charge competitive prices (competitive means low) and advertise a lot. I had to do all the darkroom work and retouching to earn enough income.</p>

[whoz_the_man_huh]

<p>Oh, I see. Thanks for the elaboration, Bruce.</p>

[peter_ferling]

<p>Rashed has made a point, and even though I think it's a little harsh to consider profit for photography as not pro or somehow evil... I do get his intentions, and Doug addressed that already. But to clarify and make valid, attached is shot of my studio and the current job on the table.</p><div></div>

[peter_ferling]

<p>Just to make a point, commercial photography can be art (see below). As I first posted. You have to love photography, as that's what gets you through tough times.</p><div></div>

[rashed]

<p>Dear <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=4001186">Peter Ferling</a>, with such a studio set up, there is no question that you are in a position of a pro. if this is the meaning of being a Pro. is making money out of your work, this is a great set up.<br>

I was just not convinsed that some one as a snap shooter with very poor quality result in this media can call himself a Pro., for the sake showing himself in the community of serious photographers, by all means a Pro. images if there are any posted here or some where else where we could see them, those images will reflect the person capabilities of having commands on producing and selling his photographs.<br />Thank you my friend and wishing you all of the best.</p>

[rashed]

<p>This is my personnel studio at home and I also maintain a full conversional dark room, father still keeping his own studio at home also.</p>