As an alternative view to yesterday’s popular post, there’s nothing wrong with being an amateur.
I’m an amateur soccer player, an amateur cook, an amateur skier, designer, racecar driver, and flyfisherman. And I’m happy to be an amateur at all of those things. Actually I LOVE being an amateur at all of those things – it allows me to dabble, make a ton of mistakes, goof around, drop the ball, not care when something else might be distracting me etc.
Being an amateur at those things means I can be comfortable. It’s safe. There is no fear of success or failure. In each case actually becoming a professional overnight at ANY of those things above SOUNDS fun to me, but I know enough that the process of going pro at my hobbies above does NOT sound fun. The workload is too great, the road too steep. The path sounds too damn hard and the rewards don’t outweigh the effort enough to dedicate my life to it.
Being an amateur is the opposite of going pro. Going pro is….…uncomfortable, challenging, and requires laser focus. That’s not to say it’s not incredibly rewarding, but you catch my drift. Going “amateur” is cush.
Now if you’re out there wondering if you have what it takes to be a pro photographer, dancer, chef, whatever and this thought of keeping it amateur sounds the least bit tempting – stick to being an amateur. Someone who has what takes to be a pro and wants to do it would likely never be tempted by such a proposal.
Which one are you? Be the judge for yourself.
You imply that being an amateur *isn’t* “uncomfortable, challenging” and doesn’t “require laser focus” – well, that’s certainly not always the case.
If you want to be an average amateur, sure, lay back, take it easy. If you want to be anything else, you have to go out there and experience the discomfort, do something challenging, and to do that requires focus.
So I have a question.. To go pro, do you actually have to give up your day job? what does the word pro actually mean? .. I’m not a photographer that makes my living from the craft.. but does that mean there really is no fear of success or failure for me… I actually do have clients.
I’m always trying to stretch myself, my work, my skills to be the best photographer I can be… and there are plenty of folks who say they are pro that I could probably out shoot…
I got a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do, but I guess I just struggle with the idea that if I’m not making all my income from photography I am less then someone who is… …just my random thoughts..
In reading Dave’s post, a tidal wave of thoughts and emotion struck me…I like what Dave has to say..and to add my two cents;
What exactly is the definition of “going Pro”? It’s subjective and also relative. Does being pro mean owning a photography business? Grossing a certain amount of money per year? per assignment?
If your primary clientele is Senior Portraits, well then your gross per assignment could be way less than commercial work. Are you considered the “go to” photographer in your sphere of influence? But because your sphere is smaller than say Jarvis, McNally, DuChemin…does it make you a “non pro”? Does any of “pro variables” make you less or more a Pro?
For what it’s worth, I haven’t a clue. All I know is I caught the photography bug 5 years ago and spend a considerable amount of “laser-focus” energy pursuing photography and being the best photographer I can be with what life has given me in clientele, sphere, and time. Am I a pro? Don’t know…but what I ultimately measure my success on is whether or not I made a client happy with the deliverable and I’m trying to build a business out of that model..no matter the size or importance of the client.
And it’s taking a hell of a lot longer than I thought it would…so guess what? I have to suck it up and work two jobs while I pursue this…but because I’m not immediately able to earn sole income from the photography pursuit yet makes me no less of a pro because of that fact.
So right! I have two independant jobs – software developper and photographer -, but I do them both in a professional way. To me being a pro does not mean that you earn your money from such or such business – I make part of my living from photography and the rest of my income from software engeniering -, but rather that you do your best to make the pictures your clients expect… rather than the ones you, as a free amateur, would do.
In today’s economy, being a pro or being an amateur does not mean a lot. Acting professionally does make sense. A lot of sense.
Exactly… Defining ‘pro’ is a key concept. It can mean what you do for your primary income, but it should also infer a level of quality and professionalism.
Also, the word ‘amateur’ is often misused and misunderstood. It comes from the French, ‘lover of’. Any pros that do not LOVE what they do? They are the ones saying ‘if you love what you do, don’t go pro’. We should all love it. It’s not just a marker of quality, or some stupid status label. Olympians are ‘amateurs’; think about it. How good, talented, dedicated, and passionate are they!?
The issue I have with this whole discussion is that it is dualistic. Life is not black-and-white, no matter how much we want to put things in our neat little boxes. We are not ‘either’ “Pro” or “Amateur”. There is a wide spectrum of photographers out there, and we can’t just be classified into two completely separate boxes.
Now see I have what it takes to be a pro photographer. I am not trying to sound like some young kid, who has no responsibilities. I just feel that if you want to be a Professional photographer, it should not feel like “work”
If you are going to do something that you love and that you enjoy doing, it will be enjoyable and you will benefit from it, even if you are a “Pro”.
Now I have yet to make it as a Pro photographer for National Geographic, but I will.
Honestly one day I will but I have been thrown some set backs, a recent house fire destroyed my equipment. I am currently without any gear, but that will not stop me from my ultimate dream.
I will in some instant achieve victory.
And if you’re still not sure after reading Chase’s great posts, I recommend ‘Visionmongers’ by David DuChemin. That should sort your decision.
That is a great book to see where you are at in a profession. Myself, i wanted or still want to be a professional photographer, but right now i’d rather be a professional husband, son, and friend! More rewarding in my life!!
The worst I ever felt about photography was last year while I tried to be “pro”. This year I decided to have fun. Its going much better.