Photography - a profession?

[Hooky]

Hello all,

I have been reading with interest, some of the recent discussions in threads about photography as a profession.

I work as a qualified psychiatric nurse.

Nursing has made the move towards professional status over the last twenty years or so, so I guess could be called a fledgling profession.

The views as to what makes a professional photographer appear to be wide ranging. Any thing from getting paid for your work - to producing consistantly high standards - to earning your living from your images.

Some of the key points to working as a nursing professional are:-

1. A period of training (in nursing it is three + years) in my day that was an apprentiship model. Now it focuses on academia.

2. Membership of a governing body - including the payment of registration fees annualy and annual proof of updating my practice.

3. Accountability for what I do (or don't do!) along with this, I am a member of a union and have public liability insurance.

4. Regular peer review of what I am doing. Both from people I work with and people I don't.

5. Regular self review (reflection) on my working practices.

Do you think that photography as a profession meets (or warrants) any similar key points - to raise its profile and increase public appreciation of the service we provide?

I class myself as someone who has made some money from my shots and am being asked more and more to take shots for other people. Do I class myself as a professional photographer? No of course I don't - I class myself as someone who can earn some extra money doing something I really enjoy

This post is in no way having a dig at the professional togs who frequent this site - it is made with the spirit of genuine interest in what others opinions are.

Cheers,

Alan

 

[Raymond Lin]

The fact of the matter is Photography is an Art, Nursing is a science (medical).

Definition of a professional - you make a living from your work, not just your beer money.

 

[CT]

With the exception of photographic jobs in the public sector and similar, where a certain level of technical ability needs to be established - no-one cares whether you have qualifications or not, you'll be judged solely on the quality of the work you produce.

 

[digitalmaniac]

Im a Driving instructor-who also has to conform to some of the restraints as you to be called a professional. Even though some think our profession is a joke.

You might be right about what you have said-but not sure the qualification aspect should be taken on board as qualifications in photography mean nothing. But to make it so you have to pass a quality control board to obtain a licence might not be a bad idea.

 

[Hooky]

The fact of the matter is Photography is an Art, Nursing is a science (medical).

Definition of a professional - you make a living from your work, not just your beer money.

IMO that is an interesting misconception of nursing and photography as well

In both areas we learn the science e.g nursing I am taught how to give an injection. Photography we learn about aperture.

The art of nursing is knowing how to put the patient at ease, tricks that you can use to lessen anxiety etc.

The art of photography is knowing when to apply a certain aperture and when to press the shutter.

 

[CT]

I did the wedding photographs for a lady photographer employed by the police and several of her tog colleagues attended the wedding too. All of them had satisfied minimum qualification requirements to get their job, and were on call 24/7 over a huge area, often being asked to work in difficult circumstances, photographing road accident scenes in the dark in all weathers with open flash etc, and were undoubtedly more than capable.

I was a bit surprised that one of them hadn't undertaken the wedding shots and said as much to them in conversation, but they all threw up their hands in horror at the very thought. This was pre digital though, and digital has without doubt removed a lot of the misgivings.

 

[fletch5]

i dont think you can compare nursing and photography, as i dont think you can work as a nurse without qualifications.

compare togs to builders and you get closer. no qualifications needed. a fair few cowboys. lots of cash in hand jobs. having qualifications doesnt mean you are good. plenty of diyers (of varying ability). everyone thinks it is easy.

(im not a builder!)

 

[StewartR]

This is an interesting subject that Hooky has raised.

I have a lot of sympathy with the concept of professionalism as described here: formal training, peer review, self review, continuous learning, etc. A few years ago I managed a software engineering team and I was utterly appalled how many people who call themselves programmers are really just bedroom hackers. We were professionals in the sense presented here and the results were very impressive - consistent delivery to time and budget, error rates 10x better than industry norms, and very low staff turnover. It took a lot of effort to get the team up the curve but it was well worth it.

At first when I saw this thread I thought the same might apply in photography. But on reflection I don't think it does. Here a few aspects of being a "professional" photographer which I think are significantly different from nursing.
* The feedback from photography is instant. If you've done a god job, you and your client can see that very quickly. (Ditto if you've done a bad job.)
* Many photographers are freelancers or self-employed.
* Many clients will be hiring a specific photographer rather than a firm.

Put these together and I think it means that as a professional photographer what really counts is the quality of your work - nothing else. Professional schemes such as those which exist in nursing or software engineering or accountancy are designed around those professions where the results of an individual's effort are harder to ascertain quickly or even at all, and so the clients or employers need some alternative form of reassurance that the end product will be sound.

Just my £0.02.

 

[Xplosion]

I'm just curious, how many forum members earn a living solely from photography? And doing what aspect of photography?

With regard to photography being a profression, it depends in what sense, can you get a profressional artist?