Professionalism in Photography

Addressing the often mis-answered question: “what constitutes a professional photographer”

From the excellent Peta Pixel blog comes this extensive article on what being a professional should mean

One commonly asked (and commonly mis-answered) question on the Internet these days is around the definition of what constitutes a ‘professional photographer.’ The usual definition is that it is somebody who is shooting for pay, and deriving the majority of his or her income entirely from photography or photography related activities. I suppose in the strictest sense of the definition, that is true. However, it says nothing about professional conduct or skill.

What I’m going to attempt to do in this article is express my own views on what I believe constitutes professional behavior in photography. It is important to note, however, that this is a very personal opinion, although it is shared by many of my colleagues in all areas of the industry — both primary providers of photographic imaging, as well as supporting services and videography/cinematography.

I think, as with all things, a large amount of the confusion stems from education, or more specifically, the lack of it. If standards are not clear to photographers themselves, it becomes very difficult for the general public to have any idea of what to expect when engaging or working with a photographer. Professions are trades or crafts that have enforced standards, regulatory bodies, certification requirements and generally some sort of formal training or apprenticeship before one is able to practice independently.   Want More?

This image comes from the ShutterStoppers site which has an equally interesting article on how to choose a professional photographer…

There are very few people who don’t have access to a camera these days – even if that camera also doubles up as a phone.  With images flooding our world it’s a surprise that the photography profession remains intact or, indeed, remains at all.  However, professional photographers are more than simply happy snappers and professional photography requires skill, passion, dedication and much patience on occasion.  When choosing a professional photographer for a commercial project it’s worth understanding some of the key skills that you should consider when picking a photographer to work with…..MORE?