Thought I would ask to get a feel for the photographers here

So ive setup a poll, are you a Pro, a Semi Pro or Hobbyist

By Pro I mean does you livelihood depend on your shots, by Semi Pro I mean do you sell your shots, and hobbyist you do it for the enjoyment & fun

Just curious thats all :)

These days it's a passion (i.e. hobby) for me. Used to be semi-pro until the market dropped out (Ulster had a lenghty cease-fire and NME. Sounds and Melody Maker sent their own photographers over).

I too am a hobbyist, I originally got the bug after a trip to San Fran and a drive through Lake Tahoe and Death Valley and I was really impressed with some of the shots I had taken on a rather cheap Fuji Finepix A101 1.3 megapixel camera :)

After that a chance came up to buy a Canon D30 with some lenses and flash guns, so i bought it but never really learnt it until owning it for a few years and using it on the Green Box mode :rolleyes:

I am still learning and sometimes its weeks and weeks before I get the camera out again to take shots, other times I wont put it down for weeks

Mostly taking lots of pictures of nothing really, more trying to experiment and learn

Hobbyist:thumb: all for my pleasure.started just before my daughter was born.had a sony compact but soon got the bug now got canon 400D.been doing alot of landscape/buildings.got a thing for black and white so trying my hand at that.i've now got to get my head around photoshop:wonder:

Due to personal events affecting my life recently, I haven't been able to get out to do any photography. I have a wee collection of pics I've taken over the last few years here: Photography by Alwyn Greer (http://www.alwyngreer.com)

As we've been discussing in the other threads, it's the person behind the camera who makes the shots, the quality of the gear affects the quality of the shots (and I'm mostly talking about enlargements past A3). The main thing to do Sonic is to get out there, learn and most importantly ENJOY yourself. Reading Hoppy's "Understanding Photography" thread is a great place to start and if you have any questions we're all here to help answer them.

Strictly hobbyist but have been paid to take and been paid for taken.
Published a couple of times as well.

I'd like do some proper training and give it a go semi or full pro but time, career, family and economic commitments won't allow it just yet.

Never done anything else. Had my first set of sports pictures published aged 18 in a specialist sports magazine, local newspaper staff photographer and now agency photographer.

Not sure I could do anything else anyway.

Gareth

Some fantastic shots Alwyn

I do try and get out when I can, family & work commitments means I don't get to shoot as much or as varied as I could

I have read Richards thread and have a couple of books too which Im still reading (Understanding Exposure and Scott Kelby's CS3 for Photographers) and spent quite a large amount of time over on photography on the net Canon Forums

Having a newborn son has been good practise for me too, lots of low light and flash too, Ive done a few gigs too which was a really good learning curve and the number of keepers on the second gig had dramatically improved, which means I am learning

It's all positive then Sonic -- let us see some of your work here too, even baby shots!

Here are some of the threads I have posted shots on over the time I have been on here

the Gig shots were taken with a Canon D30, the Lightbox and Baby shots taken with a Canon 30D :)

My PP work is still an area I need to improve on, the Gig shots had virtually no PP other than the odd crop and white balance


http://bbs.scoobynet.com/photography-360/586038-1st-attempt-gig-photography.html

http://bbs.scoobynet.com/photography-360/588077-another-gig-tonight.html

http://bbs.scoobynet.com/photography-360/630455-tried-shot-moon-tonight.html

http://bbs.scoobynet.com/photography-360/630294-my-diy-lightbox.html

http://bbs.scoobynet.com/photography-360/654213-2-minutes-old-counting.html

Always welcome any CC as I know it will help me improve more :)

Some really nice shots in there Sonic! Well done! I lked the lightbox shots a lot but some of the gig shots are really good too! Bravo.

Addicted, but stuck at hobby level. Not been doing this for long tho.

If only the day job didn't take up so much of existance, maybe progressing to the next level up would be achievable!

I haven't found time to put more photos in my galleries, so you have probably seen these few on here already (http://www.flickr.com/photos/missy_c/show/with/2237805936/).

I've put myself down as semi-pro as I earn a little writing for photo mags, sometimes shooting a photo or two. Usually technical stuff. But I'm 90% hobbyist. Can I have my own section in the poll please? :lol1: :D

Richard.

I am a hobbyist with a couple of assignments for the local community newspaper. Actually, I would like to stay at hobbyist level because I strongly belive that this allows me to shoot more freely. If I were semi-pro or even pro, I would probably have to focus on a specific area like weddings or portraits (to make some money). Unfortunately, these two areas are the ones I have the least of interest. So, it's all good to be a hobbyist. :)

Pro - well that's what it says on my business cards.....and photos do (eventually!) pay all my bills (albeit usually along with the words I supply at the same time to go with the feature)

Nice work Alwyn & Christine:thumb: Some of those look very familiar ;) It's about time I got myself a decent website and processed the gigabytes of pics which 'just need a bit of work in Photoshop' :rolleyes:

CharlieWhiskey (http://www.web-photographers.com/sites.asp?id=27&gallery=1)

I'm definitely a hobbyist. I have had some of mine published recently, but they are work ones so although I was being paid at the time I'm hardly a pro.

I did breifly run the photo department in British Rail Research many years ago but it shut down. With video I've worked with broadcast quality kit in the rail industry for several years working with ex BBC cameramen.

If only I had more time to concentrate on it...

This thread illustrates perfectly the wealth of talent that "hobbyist" photographers possess. The are some great pictures on Alwyn, Sonic, CW and missyc's links, not forgetting the many other pictures posted by the majority of SN snappers in the competitions and for c&c, and the distinction between hobbyist and pro has nothing to do with quality (technically and artistically).

I'm lucky in that I get paid to take photographs, and it seems from a number of comments that being a "pro" is something that as a photographer you should aspire to. Trust me, its not necessary. I've been a pro all my working life and take thousands of pictures a month - most of which mean nothing to me. I'm currently taking a breather from sorting through over 2000 pics for a client taken at a 2 day conference, most of which will never see the light of day and certainly won't be mounted on the wall in a gallery. However, the client is delighted with the job I did for them over the two days and it pays well - thats where I get satisfaction, in doing the job well and keeping the client happy (so they will use us again) - if I get some good "photographs" out of it as well, then even better.

Photography as a "hobby" and taking pictures for my own pleasure doesn't exist, thats what you lose when you take pics everyday. Of course I've taken pictures I'm really pleased with, and in situations that "hobbyist" photographers could never have access to, but thats all part of doing the job well.

I've had at least a dozen pictures published in national newspapers in the last few weeks, including 2 front pages, but all I and the agency are concerned about is making sure we get paid for it. Of course, its great to see your picture published (ask anyone who has had some photographs used), its even better if your name is bylined, but (and this is mercenary), I'd rather see my name (or the agency name) on the cheque than on the picture.

Perhaps its slightly different for me as I'm always having to take photographs that fullfill the clients requirements, they may not be stunning photographs, BUT they WILL BE the best photographs possible given the brief, and that will ensure we continue to survive as pro photographers.

I'm not in the postion of just taking photographs that I like and then convincing people they are worth buying, gallery type photography if you like - I probably wouldn't make much money at all that way.

What I'm getting at is that being pro isn't the 'holy grail' of being a photographer. Enjoy taking photographs, don't get bogged down in geeky technical comparisons with lenses/camera/accessories, enjoy sharing your experiences and photographs with other like mined people and if you manage to take 1 or 2 fantastic pictures a year then even better. Thats why I enjoy browsing the SN photo forum.

Final thought - if you were to think of the work of any of the famous photographers I will guarantee that its always the same 1 or 2 images that will immediately spring to mind. What happened to the 10's of thousands of other photographs they took in their working career ?

Happy snapping

Gareth

I guess I'd sit somewhere between Pro and Semi Pro - I get paid reasonably well for taking pictures, and I pick up qute a few commissions on top of the regular stuff, but it's not what I actually do for a living. The challenge will be when I run out of normal contract work and "have to" make photography pay properly.

The thing is, while it's really nice to know that you're getting paid for doing something you enjoy, it actually, for me at least, sucks some of the pleasure out knowing that I have a deadline, that there are some shots I absolutely have to get and that perhaps I can't afford to take the creative risks that I'd like to take until I know I've got everything. And because my windows of opportunity are limited in what I normally shoot (motorcycle racing) then I find myself restricted to what I'd call straightforward record shots instead of being able to really experiment. Perhaps as I get better and more confident with what I'm doing I'll be able to get the money shots in the can quicker and then be able to play.

Rereading Gareth's post above, I think he hit it on the head where he says Perhaps its slightly different for me as I'm always having to take photographs that fullfill the clients requirements, they may not be stunning photographs, BUT they WILL BE the best photographs possible given the brief, and that will ensure we continue to survive as pro photographers.

I'm not in the postion of just taking photographs that I like and then convincing people they are worth buying, gallery type photography if you like - I probably wouldn't make much money at all that way.


But it's a great way to spend time. And shedloads of money, of course. Which is a different thread entirely...

SB

This thread illustrates perfectly the wealth of talent that "hobbyist" photographers possess. The are some great pictures on Alwyn, Sonic, CW and missyc's links, not forgetting the many other pictures posted by the majority of SN snappers in the competitions and for c&c, and the distinction between hobbyist and pro has nothing to do with quality (technically and artistically).

I'm lucky in that I get paid to take photographs, and it seems from a number of comments that being a "pro" is something that as a photographer you should aspire to. Trust me, its not necessary. I've been a pro all my working life and take thousands of pictures a month - most of which mean nothing to me. I'm currently taking a breather from sorting through over 2000 pics for a client taken at a 2 day conference, most of which will never see the light of day and certainly won't be mounted on the wall in a gallery. However, the client is delighted with the job I did for them over the two days and it pays well - thats where I get satisfaction, in doing the job well and keeping the client happy (so they will use us again) - if I get some good "photographs" out of it as well, then even better.

Photography as a "hobby" and taking pictures for my own pleasure doesn't exist, thats what you lose when you take pics everyday. Of course I've taken pictures I'm really pleased with, and in situations that "hobbyist" photographers could never have access to, but thats all part of doing the job well.

I've had at least a dozen pictures published in national newspapers in the last few weeks, including 2 front pages, but all I and the agency are concerned about is making sure we get paid for it. Of course, its great to see your picture published (ask anyone who has had some photographs used), its even better if your name is bylined, but (and this is mercenary), I'd rather see my name (or the agency name) on the cheque than on the picture.

Perhaps its slightly different for me as I'm always having to take photographs that fullfill the clients requirements, they may not be stunning photographs, BUT they WILL BE the best photographs possible given the brief, and that will ensure we continue to survive as pro photographers.

I'm not in the postion of just taking photographs that I like and then convincing people they are worth buying, gallery type photography if you like - I probably wouldn't make much money at all that way.

What I'm getting at is that being pro isn't the 'holy grail' of being a photographer. Enjoy taking photographs, don't get bogged down in geeky technical comparisons with lenses/camera/accessories, enjoy sharing your experiences and photographs with other like mined people and if you manage to take 1 or 2 fantastic pictures a year then even better. Thats why I enjoy browsing the SN photo forum.

Final thought - if you were to think of the work of any of the famous photographers I will guarantee that its always the same 1 or 2 images that will immediately spring to mind. What happened to the 10's of thousands of other photographs they took in their working career ?

Happy snapping

Gareth
wise words mate:thumb:

Hobby for me. I've had the 40D for about a month now and have got over 500 shots. Really getting into taking pictures and it is so easy with the DSLR to rack off 100 pics at a time. Now the missus has got the Pretty Polly contract i've been trying to take some shots that look professional to add to her portfolio

What do you think??
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/scottyparker/IMG_0351.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/scottyparker/IMG_0429.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/scottyparker/IMG_0317.jpg

Some great replies folks

One thing that I think Gareth has picked up on, and also SB has mentioned too, in that quite often I have seen images that have been taken with folks looking for C&C and quite a number of people pull them apart as it isn't what they would have done (crop too tight, not eneough, PP overdone etc etc) and alomst every time the answer has been well its what the client WANTED, and they are happy with them and have approved and purchased them

That is the key thing, if the client is happy then its a job well done

I can also appreciated for those taking shots for a living, that taking shots for pleasure becomes a thing of the past, a bit like me with Computers as its my job and its certainly no pleasure spending my own time rebuilding my own PC etc anymore :)

I enjoy taking pictures, probably more so because I am not doing it day in, day out, I have spells where I ont put the camera down for weeks on end, and then times when it stays packed away for weeks on end

Hobbyist, a very slow hobby all the same, wish I had more time :( very frustrating.

Still 3 weeks in Oz as of next Saturday a week in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, then driving up to Brisbane stopping off along the way in various places, and 4 days on Hamilton Island should give me plenty time and different vista's to practise with :)

Some great replies folks

One thing that I think Gareth has picked up on, and also SB has mentioned too, in that quite often I have seen images that have been taken with folks looking for C&C and quite a number of people pull them apart as it isn't what they would have done (crop too tight, not eneough, PP overdone etc etc) and alomst every time the answer has been well its what the client WANTED, and they are happy with them and have approved and purchased them

That is the key thing, if the client is happy then its a job well done

I can also appreciated for those taking shots for a living, that taking shots for pleasure becomes a thing of the past, a bit like me with Computers as its my job and its certainly no pleasure spending my own time rebuilding my own PC etc anymore :)

I enjoy taking pictures, probably more so because I am not doing it day in, day out, I have spells where I ont put the camera down for weeks on end, and then times when it stays packed away for weeks on end

I have to agree with a lot you say Sonic, when I first started (with my DSLR) and posted my entries for the comps they were pretty crap, my enthusiasm for my new toy took over and I needed to learn an awful lot and still do.

Having read some of the comments passed on others work I wouldn't post anything in here until i'm completely happy with it, so that wont be happening for a long long time, without wishing to be flamed there is a certain snootyness in this forum from those that have been doing this for a long time, and it puts you right off posting any pics, they need to remember they started out one day and not everyone has the "eye" straight away and for many of us it is a hobby and not a profession !!

But on the upside of the elitism you get some very good tips and see some great idea's that inspire you to try similar.

So remember go easy on the hobbyists, even the sh*tty ones like me :thumb:

That is the key thing, if the client is happy then its a job well done



As a "hobbyist" then you are your own client, you will take photographs that interest yourself and mean something to you. You may ask others for opinions and advice, but ultimately it matters not bit if you get a few negative reponses - if you are pleased with the result then job done.

If its a slightly soft, slightly underexposed photo of your child playing in the garden which captures something special to you, I may criticize it technically as it means nothing to me - you may have a 16x12 framed on the wall.

Gareth

Gareth and SB, thanks for giving your thoughts from the Pro perspective :)

It's all too easy to imagine that the grass is greener on the other side, and how great it would be to earn a shilling or two for what as Hobbyists we so enjoy doing! Quite different to photography being your main job/source of income and being bound by client requirements which more than likely stunts creativity to some degree! I understand that angle

I'd just like to have more time to devote to photography and take it from there.... but TIME is what's lacking :(

I dont personally think there is any snootyness or eliteism on here, there certainly is on some of the other fourms I visit

I think with here a lot of people have raised the bar, meaning better shots and a level for some of us to aim for

I raised a similar question on here some time ago as I felt I could no longer enter the photo competitions as we started to allow PP, now once the reasonings behind the PP came to light (from the thread I started) I realised I then had to raise my bar and get learning PP as it really is a requirement in the digital age, and only replaces the darkroom of days gone by, I still have a long way to go in the PP arena, but I am learning and getting there slowly :)

Agreed again Gareth, there are shots I have taken that to me have captured the moment, and I know full well they are technically rubbish, but they are my shots and I like them

The reults of the poll are interesting in that the majority of us are indeed hobbyists with varying degrees

I did mean to add a 4th option in the poll for hobyyists who get paid work, or have sold work

I know where you are coming from Gareth and Sonic. I used to build websites and got a great deal of pleasure from doing so. Now I do it professionally I have no interest whatsoever in doing it once the working day is over...

Having read some of the comments passed on others work I wouldn't post anything in here until i'm completely happy with it, so that wont be happening for a long long time, without wishing to be flamed there is a certain snootyness in this forum from those that have been doing this for a long time, and it puts you right off posting any pics, they need to remember they started out one day and not everyone has the "eye" straight away and for many of us it is a hobby and not a profession !!

But on the upside of the elitism you get some very good tips and see some great idea's that inspire you to try similar.

So remember go easy on the hobbyists, even the sh*tty ones like me :thumb:

Sorry mate, I have to disagree (I'm not going to flame you :)). I have never seen any comments made to ridicule or put down the work of anyone who has posted pics on this forum, whatever standard of photographer they are. There is no such thing as a perfect photograph, as everything is down to the interpretation of the person viewing it.

The majority of photographers post pics to share with others and get feedback, some of that may point out something in the photograph which could be improved, but I've never seen any post deriding someones work.

If someone posts a picture wanting constructive advice, you can't do that without being critical.

I post fewer pics on here than most regulars, but I'd certainly expect some criticism of the pics if I did - I certainly wouldn't see it as being "snooty".

If you really feel that way, then I feel very sorry that members of the group may feel the same way - it goes against everything I mentioned in my earlier comment, and the attitude of experienced and, in my case, Pro photographers.

Sometimes however we all hear things we may not like or agree with.

Gareth

I think sometimes there is too much emphasis on creating "art" or executing something technically perfect. Not that I ever did it but I gave up on that a good while ago and now just try to occasionally capture life as I go through it.
I'm not looking for a technical challenge or anything with artistic merit, just something to look at now and again or when I'm old and have lost it that will prompt a memory or two.
Doesn't mean I don't want to take better photos but I no longer pursue it through buying endless gear or manuals that I never really read.

Happy snappy and proud of it! :D

Despite my best efforts its a hobby. Had a few used, but still have to see a penny from photography.