Whats a professional photographer?
- Thread starter Vass
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POAH
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:shake: oh dear
Lensflare
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They have looked at introducing a standard for photography practisioners in the past and enforcement is the problem. There are so many people out there with camera kit that it would be impossible to police.
There is the British Institute for Professional Photography (BIPP) which works with colleges to try to ensure a certain standard of competence. They have recognised levels within the Institute too:
Associate - means you have paid a sub and are working towards your first level of Professional qualification.
Licentiate - the first level of professional qualification. It shows a level of competency expected from someone working as a photographer. It gives a prospective client some kind of assurance of standard of work.
Associate - A more advanced level of skill and so a prospective client could expect a high level of quality of work from someone withthis qualification.
Fellow - a highly skilled and highly respected person in the industry.
I got to Associate level, but gave it up about 15 years ago because I saw no actual gain for it. It is a vanity badge and the annual exhibition panels (competition) are no more than a mutual back slapping exercise. I saw through this after I got a couple of golds and silvers.
For private clients, letters and membership can help to give some peace of mind that the person is a bona fide photographer with a degree of reputation and some kind of come back for them. It does not mean someone without can't equally be as good.
I was an ABIPP for some years, just because I dropped my membership and along with it gave up the right to use those letters (the qualification only stands whilst you pay your subs!) it didn't make my photography suddenly worse. The knowledge, inspiration, photographic skill set weren't sucked out of my brain because I didn't write a cheque. I stood on my reputation, and still do. I no longer find a need to belong to a "Professional Body" and certainly haven't lost work as a result - but equally I bet there are many who have got work because they DID belong and had letters after their name.
In reality, you stand or fall by the work you produce. You are only as good as your last job.
There is the British Institute for Professional Photography (BIPP) which works with colleges to try to ensure a certain standard of competence. They have recognised levels within the Institute too:
Associate - means you have paid a sub and are working towards your first level of Professional qualification.
Licentiate - the first level of professional qualification. It shows a level of competency expected from someone working as a photographer. It gives a prospective client some kind of assurance of standard of work.
Associate - A more advanced level of skill and so a prospective client could expect a high level of quality of work from someone withthis qualification.
Fellow - a highly skilled and highly respected person in the industry.
I got to Associate level, but gave it up about 15 years ago because I saw no actual gain for it. It is a vanity badge and the annual exhibition panels (competition) are no more than a mutual back slapping exercise. I saw through this after I got a couple of golds and silvers.
For private clients, letters and membership can help to give some peace of mind that the person is a bona fide photographer with a degree of reputation and some kind of come back for them. It does not mean someone without can't equally be as good.
I was an ABIPP for some years, just because I dropped my membership and along with it gave up the right to use those letters (the qualification only stands whilst you pay your subs!) it didn't make my photography suddenly worse. The knowledge, inspiration, photographic skill set weren't sucked out of my brain because I didn't write a cheque. I stood on my reputation, and still do. I no longer find a need to belong to a "Professional Body" and certainly haven't lost work as a result - but equally I bet there are many who have got work because they DID belong and had letters after their name.
In reality, you stand or fall by the work you produce. You are only as good as your last job.
jon ryan
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To be honest, I think only qualified thread-answerers should be allowed to post. Without proper regulation, we shall continue to see thread after thread descend into puerile name-calling and ad-hom attacks that do not address the central debate.
This must be stopped.
Thread answers (which are to be subjected to scrutiny for proper English usage and grammar, with exceptions for non-English native speakers, the mentally challenged, and Nikon users) will be scrutinised for relevant content, and will only be passed if the writer is a Licentiate of the Organisation Of Thread Answerers and Setters.
You are invited to apply by sending a cheque or money order for £50 to the above address.
This must be stopped.
Thread answers (which are to be subjected to scrutiny for proper English usage and grammar, with exceptions for non-English native speakers, the mentally challenged, and Nikon users) will be scrutinised for relevant content, and will only be passed if the writer is a Licentiate of the Organisation Of Thread Answerers and Setters.
You are invited to apply by sending a cheque or money order for £50 to the above address.
Richard King
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this is all a load of tosh
The industry encompasses people who shoot the off portrait of a baby, through to photographers that that go to the Artic for months on end and shoot pictures of wildlife under the ice. lets not forget the commercial, landscape, medical, forensic, architectural, still life, product, glamour photographers too. On top of that we have out and out artists. If we start talking about standards, where do we begin to draw a line?
Professional simply means "behaves in a professional manner" and "earns money from"
The industry encompasses people who shoot the off portrait of a baby, through to photographers that that go to the Artic for months on end and shoot pictures of wildlife under the ice. lets not forget the commercial, landscape, medical, forensic, architectural, still life, product, glamour photographers too. On top of that we have out and out artists. If we start talking about standards, where do we begin to draw a line?
Professional simply means "behaves in a professional manner" and "earns money from"