Because in my experience of about sixty years in photography they are mostly barely competent photographers, and anybody these days who owns an entry level D.S.L.R. considers themselves one, and in my book "self advertisement is no recommendation" and talk's cheap.It's a more accurate description for me that hoarder/collector or gear whore.
We don't all have to be artists, but why not if our pursuit in photography is mostly artistic?
Then "professional" and "wedding photographer" and "photojournalist' and "journalist" should have gone along with "artist."
What about photographers who make sandwiches at Subway? They are sandwich artists.
And people who drink alcohol to excess are " piss artists". Professional photographers, wedding photographers,and photojournalist are not by definition artists, but craftsman,or artisans.Then "professional" and "wedding photographer" and "photojournalist' and "journalist" should have gone along with "artist."
What about photographers who make sandwiches at Subway? They are sandwich artists.
My humble opinion in the matter is that it's pretentious to call yourself an artist. It's better to call yourself a photographer.
Not to me. But I live in a region and in a community that is thick with folks who make art and consider themselves artists. It's just a job description basically. Individuals may or may not be pretentious about it. The art may or may not be great. That's the way it goes. If someone will hate me for it without knowing me or what I do that is their problem, seems prejudicial to me.
My humble opinion in the matter is that it's pretentious to call yourself an artist. It's better to call yourself a photographer.
Yes, I do judge, and I'm not ashamed of it either. (People judge all the time, but just don't like to admit it).
And in my judgmental ways I think calling yourself an artist is pretentious. Why? To be an artist assumes a high degree of skill, that you are very good at what you do. To be the judge of your own skill and deem it very high and to therefore call yourself an artist is - pretentious (to present yourself to be more impressive than you maybe really are).
'Photographer', 'Painter', 'Sculptor', etc is simply more honest and to the point, and doesn't sound like anything other than exactly what one does to express.
I would agree, as others should judge if you are worthy of that title.
It's not when you call yourself an "artist", it's when Artists call you one.
It does?
I don't think so. "Artist" is a noun, not an adjective. By itself it says nothing about whether one is claiming to be a good artist or a bad one (or anywhere in between.)
I think this comes up WRT photography over the notion that photography has to rise to some undefined but better-than-common level to be "art" otherwise it isn't. I'm not so sure of that. I've seen some pretty awful art that I still admit is "art" just bad art. This is as true of photography as it is any other art form.
Not all photography is done for "artistic" (meaning, for me here anyway, "self expressive") purposes, but when it is, it is art, even if it is not GOOD art.
"Art" is just a more general term than "photographer" "sculptor" "painter" and so on, just as "musician" is more general than "guitarist."
For the curious:
Merriam-Webster's definition of "artist":
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artist
They say "noun".
Find a dictionary.
Uncharacteristically snarky Thomas - I guess this is a real sore spot with you. But ok:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/artist
art·ist
[ahr-tist] Show IPA
noun
1.
a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2.
a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor.
3.
a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.
4.
a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
5.
a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
You seem to be using primarily meaning #5. I think of it as mostly meaning #1, or 2 when photography is included, which I think by now it should be.
I had a print in an art show last month. My print was actually the only piece in the (one day) show that sold. I don't claim that makes me a GOOD photographer or even an "artist" much less a good one but what does one put in an art show? "Objects with pretension to art?"
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