Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thursday, Thursday, November 26, 1998, Bud Cook wrote: > I was talking about the inference that you have to be a professional > to have any credence in the art/hobby/career called photography. I guess I just > got fed up with the phrase *just an amateur*. IMHO, those of us who are > amateurs are as passionate about photography as most pros and (perhaps) some of > us just might be competent as well Bud, I totally agree with you. To say that you have to be a "pro", whatever the hell that is, to have any credence is foolish. Just because some one does not make their living with photography does not make them less of a photographer. Heck those of you who do photography for fun probably get more enjoyment from it that many of us who do it for a living. Just like anything else there are days when being a photographer becomes a job. Many times I find myself on shoots where it is work, not a lot of fun, challenging, but the fun is not there. Fortunately over the past year I have been working to position myself so that these type of shoots are rare and now I mostly enjoy working again. Plus when you are *just an amateur* you don't have someone breathing down your neck about how you lit something, how the composition worked, deadlines, the knowledge that your reputation is on the line EVERY time you go on a job. Screw up once and you loose a client, no excuses. Broken camera, too damn bad you still loose the client in many cases. They think that if they are paying you XXXX a day then you ought to get the image come hell or high water. You *amateurs* do it because you want to and because you find it fun. Heck some *just an amateur* people I know are quite good, better than a lot of *pros* I know. Heck some *pros* I know I wonder how in the heck they get work. Have a good Thanksgiving. I gotta get back to sanding/painting my ceiling...JOY JOY JOY!! Best regards, Harrison McClary http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto preview my book: http://www.volmania.com mailto:hmcclary@earthlink.net Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have film.