Pro or no?

KIPAX said:
read the OP .. its not a debate about pr photogrpahers.. he wants somehtign to use on his website and doesnt know how to term himself so he asked in here... the only thing wrong with that is people getting the wrong end of the stick :)
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SHE wants something ;)

Anyway, the 'about me' section of the Xarra's website contains a paragraph of description, so whether she calls herself a pro or amateur 'tog does seem a little irrelevant if she's posting a few qualifying sentences too. I'd just go with 'photographer.'
 
KIPAX said:
read the OP .. its not a debate about pr photogrpahers.. he wants somehtign to use on his website and doesnt know how to term himself so he asked in here... the only thing wrong with that is people getting the wrong end of the stick :)
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I was responding to the debate which came after the OP, or at least the potential debate ;)
 
Nifkin said:
What's the 'normal' route?
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a) take several years and many rejections
b) be a famous tog to get a book done purely on your photos - or at least not get the attribution of your name, and only your name, on the cover.
c) I got absolute control over my layout - I believe most people don't for novels, etc.
d) get commissioned

I don't think going up to the commissioning editor at a pulbisher and saying 'look what I've done, people like it, will you publish it? Oh, and give me an advance...' is generally the way it's done... :P
 
EdinburghGary said:
Some think you need to be full time. Some think you simply need to earn a few bob. Then you get those assholes who are all "ooooh let's sit on the fence and feel the love....."...AKA ME.

:D
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I have to say, going into Waterstones or WHS and going 'mine!' and grinning inanly and stroking the cover and flicking through it and trying to resist pointing it out to people browsing is worth a hell of a lot of money to me!
 
Xarra said:
I have to say, going into Waterstones or WHS and going 'mine!' and grinning inanly and stroking the cover and flicking through it and trying to resist pointing it out to people browsing is worth a hell of a lot of money to me!
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You need to do a book signing, and then get a stalker come and punch you in the face....instant fame :D
 
Xarra said:
a) take several years and many rejections
b) be a famous tog to get a book done purely on your photos - or at least not get the attribution of your name, and only your name, on the cover.
c) I got absolute control over my layout - I believe most people don't for novels, etc.
d) get commissioned

I don't think going up to the commissioning editor at a pulbisher and saying 'look what I've done, people like it, will you publish it? Oh, and give me an advance...' is generally the way it's done... :P
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I'm sorry; my only point with the post you were responding to was there really isn't one particular 'route' or doctrine one must follow when trying to establish yourself in a creative industry or medium. I certainly don't think your 'route' to getting published was that unusual; I've known a couple of writers who've ended up being published in exactly the same way, with no previous exposure. OK, they didn't get published on first submission (more like the second or third, IIRC), but they eventually 'got lucky' and did get published in the end. One of them has had three or four books published, but he still has a day job, and doesn't call himself a professional writer.

I've noticed a few pros have posted on this thread. I, myself, am far from a pro, but I was lucky to be asked to take production stills for an independent feature film that was being shot in London last month. My stuff will eventually end up being used in the film's marketing, and I will get a credit in the bumph and the end titles. However, I really couldn't care less what they decide to call me, except to say that, seeing as that was only one job, and didn't pay me enough to support myself (yep, still at my day job), I certainly wouldn't dream of labelling myself a 'pro', because one success does not a pro make, and it would make me feel ridiculously pretentious, and my friends wouldn't let me live it down :lol:

At Waterstones, is it? I'll hop to the one at Piccadilly after work (they're bound to have it) and have a flick through! :D
 
lmao haha, should get all of us to do that one after the other, he will be black and blue after.

EdinburghGary said:
You need to do a book signing, and then get a stalker come and punch you in the face....instant fame :D
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if you actually do it full time i guess pro
lots of hammer chewers sell their stuff but dont rely on the income to pay the rent
 
Sophotogenic said:
So basically if any lackey sells a £3 print they can class themselves as a pro?
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Depends if that £3 makes up 100% of the lackey's income, that seems quite unlikely.
Of course if the lackey sells 300 £3 prints a week and that meets their financial commitments and they feel no need to do anything else for money then yep, pro.
 
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