Are You a REAL Photographer?

I don't know who the culprit was but someone on Twitter recently tweeted, "To be a real photographer you also need to be a business person." Consider the quotation marks loosely applied. It might not be an exact quote but it's fairly close.

I doubt the quote was intended to dis avocational photographers--In fact, I'm sure it wasn't meant that way--but it had that effect nonetheless. Some people shrugged, others were a bit taken back, while still others were fairly pissed! The quote was perceived, by those who took exception to it, as meaning only professional photographers, i.e., those who make all or part of their living from photography, are "real" photographers.

Just so ya know, I absolutely do NOT subscribe to that belief. If I've ever posted anything on this blog that, in any way, seemed to infer that I believe only professional shooters are "real" photographers, I can assure you I didn't mean it to appear that way and my wording must have been the result of a "momentary lapse of reason" or, at the time I wrote such words, I was "comfortably numb." (© Pink Floyd)

Thanks to the internet, we all have the equal ability to view the work of pro shooters as well as photo-hobbyists-- From those just starting out to seasoned photographers. I don't know about you but, often enough, I see work from hobbyists that wows the shit out of me! Not only does some of that work wildly impress me, it makes me wish I could shoot as well as more than a few of those hobbyists are able to shoot.

Rather than dwell on this subject, I'll let you read another blogger's thoughts about it. He dwells way better than I dwell, leastwise, when it comes to dwelling on this "real photographer" stuff.

To read Vancouver photographer David duChemin's blog, "Pixelated Image," and his most excellent take on this subject, CLICK HERE.

BTW, David seems like a really smart, unpretentious, and grounded guy In spite of the French heritage his last name seems to indicate.

LOL

Sorry! That was a little inside joke. I'm friends with a few (from-France) French photographers, some of whom read this blog, and I couldn't resist... Right, mon frères?

The golden-sepia-toned pretty girl at the top is Missy shot in my (former) studio about 3 or 4 years ago. I don't know why I've lately been dredging up pics from the past. I've certainly shot enough new stuff. Go figure, right?