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professional professional

Smeggypants
Posted 09/09/2011 - 09:38 Link
cardiff_gareth wrote:
Honoured to have my name listed

Me right now - I currently have 2 sides to my 'work' photography 1) portraits and 2) creative art
Portraits: home/on location portraits - individual/group/family
Creative Art: I work as a freelance photographer for a company called Graham & Brown who work as the middle man for companies like Monsoon, Next, B&Q, Wilkinsons etc. My images have so far been accepted and in print for B&Q and Wilkinsons

I'd say I'm more semi pro as the money I make isn't my 'bread and butter' monthly pay but more of a top up

Also flattered, honoured and humbled to be on jeff0000's list

I have no desire to be a professional photographer. IMO as soon as you take photographs for money you are owned by the clients. I do not want to be enslaved by that. When I press the shutter I want to do it because I feel the image will be be artistically nice and not becuase it will be commercially successful. I value my shutter pressing freedom.

I respect that other snappers are happy to snap for money. It's just not something that I personally feel comfortable with.

Recently I've been contacted by several peeps who have liked some of my pics and have asked if they could buy them. The fact that someone is willing to pay for something I've created is very very flattering indeed.

That willingness to pay was more than enough reward for me. I replied to them and said they were welcome to have them for free.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
gartmore
Posted 09/09/2011 - 10:05 Link
I certainly dont feel 'enslaved' or 'owned by clients'!

I'd like to think that brides, for example, come to me because they like what I do; they will have ideas and that is always to be welcomed. What Lemmy said earlier about pesonality is so important you have to be in charge of the situation marshalling 100 people but with humour and charm, you can't behave like a nazi or wander around in a catatonic trance.

Another client of mine is a loudspeaker manufacturer and I can't tell you just how techically demanding it is to photograph endless black boxes each with six or seven black textures that all have to be rendered accurately. Demanding yes but also incredibly satisfying getting it right. You wouldn't want to see them on here though, ok if you insist, link.

Another part of being professional is having the knowledge to undertake new jobs without having done them before and doing them well although I would draw the line at bats in flight.

Oh, and then there is the boring stuff like professional indemnity and public liability insurance.

But the most important thing is never screwing up and delivering consistently good results no matter what the circumstances. At a wedding on Wednesday I shot 312 pictures, every one a keeper, over a twelve hour period using three studio flash heads and one on-camera flash carrying two bodies, six lenses plus the usual stands and reflectors and so on, the pictures are now online and their will be another two meetings with the clients to approve album layouts and so on with many hours spent in PP and preparing book layouts. I do find it difficult to see how a 'weekend warrior', as Professional Photographer magazine likes to call them, can provide that level of service on top of a regular job then still have time to drum up more business and keep books and records up to HMRC standards, I'm sure the WWs declare their earnings don't they?
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Edited by gartmore: 09/09/2011 - 10:18
jeff0000
Posted 09/09/2011 - 10:30 Link
its good to here from most of you and thank you all 2 but it would be good to here your picks of pentax photographer so who is your top 5 ?????
playing firm but fair all the way
gartmore
Posted 09/09/2011 - 10:43 Link
jeff0000 wrote:
its good to here from most of you and thank you all 2 but it would be good to here your picks of pentax photographer so who is your top 5 ?????

My top 5 Pentax users, not in any order, are Don McCullin, Jane Bown, David Bailey, Sam Haskins and Diane Arbus
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Blythman
Posted 09/09/2011 - 10:46 Link
If someone receives payment for photography, then they are a professional. Doesn't matter if its full time or part time.

I've considered going the weekend warrior route. Having seen the photographs taken by some full timers, I think it is enough to say there are good and poor photographers and full ot part-time is not the distinguishing factor.

If I did become a WW then tax, NI, and Insurance would all be paid. Not sure all full timers declare all earnings, but the full timers don't mention that
Alan


PPG
Flickr
johnriley
Posted 09/09/2011 - 10:48 Link
I can answer for myself Alan, all sales and costs are duly noted, profit declared and tax fully paid. No dodging means clear accounts, a clear mind and restful sleep....
Best regards, John
gartmore
Posted 09/09/2011 - 11:06 Link
No one wants to experience a tax inspection, I had one which lasted a very stressful 14 months. They started looking for £14,000 with 14 days to pay. Eventually they settled for £268 because I couldn't find a part time cleaners NI number. All caused by someone who worked for us not declaring all their earnings. As John says better a restful sleep.
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Dodge69
Posted 09/09/2011 - 11:24 Link
Smeggypants wrote:


That willingness to pay was more than enough reward for me. I replied to them and said they were welcome to have them for free.

Now that's a real artist IMHO
Pentax pour des images riches en détails!
Blythman
Posted 09/09/2011 - 11:44 Link
johnriley wrote:
I can answer for myself Alan, all sales and costs are duly noted, profit declared and tax fully paid. No dodging means clear accounts, a clear mind and restful sleep....

Wasn't casting aspersions towards any individuals John
Alan


PPG
Flickr
Anvh
Posted 09/09/2011 - 14:39 Link
gartmore wrote:
jeff0000 wrote:
its good to here from most of you and thank you all 2 but it would be good to here your picks of pentax photographer so who is your top 5 ?????

My top 5 Pentax users, not in any order, are Don McCullin, Jane Bown, David Bailey, Sam Haskins and Diane Arbus

I wonder if we could make a top 10... i really don't know many known pro's that work with Pentax.
The only one i can add to your list is Nobuyoshi Araki, but if you like his photos is another thing though

He has some very nice work though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2N1vhlqonM&feature=related
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
jeff0000
Posted 09/09/2011 - 15:42 Link
sory i mean on this site lol but its all good to know lol
playing firm but fair all the way
gartmore
Posted 09/09/2011 - 16:39 Link
Oh well, nobody then...

Only kidding, but I'm not going to say because pictures, I'm afraid, dont tell the whole story as someone already mentioned.

Stefan, a good one. I didn't know he was a Pentax user. I think Cecil Beaton may have been one too.
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Edited by gartmore: 09/09/2011 - 16:40
Anvh
Posted 09/09/2011 - 16:54 Link
He really is and still is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCnG7r-0oEk&feature=related
Not sure what other pentax camera's he has.
I believe a Pentax LX but ain't sure though.

Cecil Beaton, first time hearing about her

Came across the name Todd Hido, he use a 6x7.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg98qwI2Mio
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Edited by Anvh: 09/09/2011 - 17:00
Anvh
Posted 09/09/2011 - 18:38 Link
Algernon wrote:
How about Helena Christensen link

She is surely in the list of most beautiful pentax users
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
DrOrloff
Posted 09/09/2011 - 22:00 Link
johnriley wrote:
Fair enough, so what do the photographers on the list think? Do you think you could be professional photographers? Do you want to be?

Firstly, thanks for the commendation Jeff, which I in no way deserve. I'm glad you enjoy my pictures, I'm still very much learning how to take a decent one. I haven't been doing this very long but i do think I've moved on from beginner to the intermediate category, and I've drawn a lot of inspiration from this forum. There are many way better photographers than me here.

To the question, could I be a professional photographer? I doubt it, not in my current situation. Do you want to be? Hell yeah, to earn a living from something that I'm obsessed by, not half, but it's not a realistic option. In particular I would need a niche but I enjoy photographing everything that moves and everything that doesn't so it wouldn't suit my jack of all trades master of none approach. If I knew then what I know now I would have tried to make a career from it somehow, but that's a bit late.

It would be nice to even make a few bob to buy some shiny new limited lenses, but that's difficult. There are just so many outstanding images in cyberworld. In terms of image quality I think the distinction between amateur and professional is entirely irrelevant. There are many who are prepared to sell their images for very little. Look at the recent approach by American Express to Aliengrove - there is an expectation that even major companies can get something for nothing/very little. I've done pretty well in a few competitions of late but the prizes are still pocket money and each time the competition is the whole world, not easy. I'll just keep plodding on in the hope of getting a money shot one day, as everyone does.

As to choosing five photographers from this forum, in no particular order:

Jaromir Hron
Gary Hickin
Mark Littlejohn (portfolio sadly deleted!)
Adrian Krajewski (not here for long but left some quite brilliant glimpses)
Axel Luther (I'm not so keen on some of the HDR looks but I am always mightily impressed by the level of detail in the shots and technical precision)

There are many more who I admire for one reason or another and whose standard I aspire to.

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