At some point in time, you decided you could make some money at photography. That’s great. Really. Photography is a cool occupation. I like it a lot and I’m glad when others discover they like it a lot, too.
At the point that you begin to accept money for your work, you have entered the realm of professional photography. Some people say it’s as soon as you make your first dollar, some people say it’s when photography brings in a majority of your income.
Now, let me depart this line of thinking for a moment and talk about CPAs. Somewhere along the line, someone decided that they would like to be an accountant. They went to school, got the proper schooling, passed whatever exam is required and now they’re a CPA. The world does not dictate how much money they need to make before they call themselves a CPA – it is what it is – they studied – they do it – they’re a CPA.
So why is it – that professional photography isn’t so clear cut? Well, because it’s not a regulated industry. It would be nice if it was, but it isn’t. So instead of determining education and skills that you need to possess before you can call yourself a professional photographer – we hold mumbo jumbo conversations about levels of income earning.
Here’s what I think. If you say you’re a professional photographer, that’s fine. I don’t care if you do it 2 hours a week, 20 hours a week or 80 hours a week. It’s not up to me to dictate and judge the requirements to give yourself that title.
I call myself a professional and I certainly don’t work at it full-time. I’m also an author, educator and book designer. I’ve got more than a few irons in the fire. I’ve also cut back on my studio hours severely so that I can help care for an elderly family member. The title of professional is mine because I’ve earned it through education and skill. Not because of how many hours a week I do or don’t devote to it. So, I’m not going to put that as a requirement on you or anyone else I come into contact with.
What I *DO* expect, is that you are as knowledgeable and educated as you can be. Measure yourself against others who you consider to be professionals. Did they buy a camera 2 weeks ago and then go into business? No, they did not. Did they go to every class they could and practiced a bunch before they hung out their sign? I’d bet a big “yes” on that one.
I’m seeing more and more newer photographers who are charging money, but saying “oh, I”m not a professional, I’m not really doing this full time” – well, we don’t make that distinction with CPAs and we’re not going to make it with you. If you charge money, you have placed yourself into the realm of “professional.” Now, it’s up to you to deserve that title.