When did you start calling yourself a Photographer?

Akki14

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This question has been on my mind for a while now. At what point do you start calling yourself a photographer? At what point do you feel like you are one? Do you introduce yourself as a photographer or would only do so if you made money from it? Or is it based on public perceptions?

I've not sold any prints but photography takes up a good chunk of my time. I suppose my "real" job title would be housewife but when the majority of my time is spend either shooting or in some form of processing, should I start saying "Hi, I'm a photographer"?

Do you need to have an ethos/theme/set project to be, in your opinion, a photographer?

I suppose part of the questioning is on a personal level for myself but I'm very interested in people's opinions/answers on the matter as well. Should be interesting and thought provoking I'm surprised it hasn't come up before but I did google and check and couldn't find anything on this topic on APUG.
 

IloveTLRs

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I don't make any money from my photographs, so I don't introduce myself as a photographer. If I did I think people would ask me who I work for, what I shoot, etc. I just say my hobby is photography.

After I started collecting cameras, film, hanging out on photo forums, shooting on weekends and spending my free time thinking about cameras, I started calling myself a photographer.
 

Ian Grant

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At the age of 2 I called myself a photographer, I shot a lot of images, unfortunately I was never allowed any film

I'd guess I became a serious photographer at school, aged about 15/16 selling a few prints to local newspapers and magazines. Since then I've always been involved in Photography, both full-time & also part-time.

Ian
 

MurrayMinchin

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Back in high school I told people I was going to be an artist. When they asked what kind, I'd say one who photographed Nature scenes and sold in art galleries. This was before I'd ever heard of Weston, Adams, or any other photographer who was actually doing it. Speed forward 30 years and now when people ask me, "Aren't you a Postie?" I say, "No. I'm the nature photography guy who works at the Post Office ."

Selling is no barometer of who is or isn't a photographer anyways. Maybe you're like me and don't need 'fame', but quietly keep adding to your body of work. One day, when there's time to properly invest in it, I'll trot them out for the world to see. Until then I get to scratch the itch when and how I want unburdened by the pressure of maintaining sales, and am free to wander down any path that intrigues me. So even though I'm not selling right now, or even posting stuff here on APUG, I'm very much a photographer!

Murray
 

Fintan

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I know a photographer and visual artist in London called Heather, she makes the most amazing cyanotypes and really cool polaroid images.
 

catem

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Go for it. I don't think it's to do with money - housewives don't get paid either, after all. I think it's how you see yourself and how you value what you do. Also how committed you are to it.
 

Wilcoxson David L.

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I never really considered myself a real photographer until I became a photographer for the U.S. Air Force. I enjoyed it as a hobby for quite a while before then and had taken a number of advanced photography courses in school but until I did it for the military, I still considered myself a hobbiest/amatuer. Somehow doing photography as a full-time vocation changed things. Now, I'm retired from the military and have gone back to hobbiest/amatuer but still a real photographer nonetheless.
 

Bill Mobbs

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Fintan said:
I know a photographer and visual artist in London called Heather, she makes the most amazing cyanotypes and really cool polaroid images.
Click to expand...

I'm joining with Fintan............It is Heather the photographer!
 

AZLF

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I've not looked but I imagine the definition of the word "photographer" would define the term as "one who practices the craft or art of photography". I doubt whether one is paid or not gets into the mix.
 

Claire Senft

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Usually when I am distressed enough to talk to myself I use much nastier language than to call myself a photographer. I tell all others that I am a professional retiree.
 

arigram

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When people started asking what the hell I "do".
I don't like to call myself anything, but sometimes I am forced to use the titles "journalist", "photographer", "artist". I am me. I am not a profession. So, I use it just to get people off my back and maybe give me some money too.
 

Aurum

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I'm a professional chemist who isn't a good enough artist to paint or draw, so my artform is photography
 

yardkat

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I have a really hard time calling/thinking of myself a photographer, and I don't know if it's the professional vs amateur barrier or not. If someone asks me if I'm a photographer, I usually say no, I just have a couple cameras. I don't want to disparage what "real" photographers do by lumping myself in with them. Yet I don't have trouble calling myself a knitter, or a gardener. And I'm kind of a crappy gardener. It must be the money issue, or maybe because there are so many different aspects to photography, or some level of artistic attainment that's out of reach. Huh.
Interesting question.
 

Miskuss

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Am I a photographer?

Well Heather, I just looked at a few of your prints. I would definitely call you a photographer. But I understand your dilemma. I struggled for years with that title, photographer. It's all I ever wanted to be, but never knew if I was. Maybe because everybody is a photographer, especially today with digital technologies in cameras,cell phones, computers etc. But early on when I was working on assembly lines in factories I would go off at night or weekends and photograph, process and print. Why making images was so important to me, I know not. I just had to do it.
Eventually I quit the factory work and went to take a 4 year degree program in Photography, but back then in 1995 it was photo, video, film, sound, digital imaging etc. The digital age was just beginning to eclipse traditional silver based photography. I stuck it out for two years and quit.
I moved to Labrador a sub arctic climate and began to work in photo and video mostly in the capacity of a journalist but also a doc film maker, and when it was slow I worked in Community TV, the library, even drove the garbage truck to make a bit of scratch.
Now I work for the Dept of National Defence as a photographer, it says that on my biz card and I answer the phone "Photo Ted speaking" Mostly I do high speed photography in blast trials and weapons testing, shooting up to 60,000 frames per second with exposure times as short as 1 millisecond, I provide After Action Reviews for police military fire fighters ems in video and stills, I shoot photo essays, I shoot grip and grins, long term service awards etc., I get paid handsomely every two weeks. But after 4 years at this job I do not own a single image. I wonder if it is worth it?
Last spring I took a Magnum workshop with Larry Towell. He has never had a straight job in his life, never flipped a burger in hamburger joint, never worked the assembly line, but he owns every image he ever shot and history will record that.
Maybe Heather your not sure if you're a photographer but what you have is yours and from where I sit, That is a lot.
 

BradS

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Sometimes when I'm out shooting with the Crown Graphic, people ask
"Are you a photographer?"

I kinda chuckle and tell 'em
"No, I have mortgage to pay and a family to feed. I'm a mathematician."
 
OP
OP

Akki14

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Yeah I'm definately in a similar place as you there. Except I'm a crocheter I think it is the professional-that-gets-paid vs amateur barrier but even calling myself amateur photographer is a bit ... strange feeling. :confused: Maybe I don't feel like I've "earned" it as a badge.

I understand professionals have a different opinion of being a Photographer. I think I thought the same way when I was at art school, when you get too serious it sucks the fun and joy out of it rapidly.

Fintan, Bill, anyone else who posts while I'm typing this, thank you for your kind words It does mean a lot to me as usually I only get 2-3 comments on my work at most and that's all I know about public opinion on my work. I guess it adds up and there is a silence percentage as well.

Miskuss - Wow you have an awesome sounding job. Cool exploding things! Kind of sucks you don't get any rights though I still admire you for your work though.
 

catem

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Akki14 said:
Maybe I don't feel like I've "earned" it as a badge.
Click to expand...


I think it can help just to say it to yourself a bit (and of course you are a photographer!). Also ...you can always be a photographer as well as something else, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Not such a big deal. I also find it can be annoying having to define myself as anything, or feeling I have to... Feedback and recognition from other people everyone needs - it would probably be a lifetime quest, for most people, not to need it but ....we shouldn't let how others see our work define what we feel about what we do (and ultimately, about who we are).
 
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Vaughn

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I did not worry about such things as labels until others started to call me a photographer. Since a lot of my life revolves around photography, it seems an accurate enough description. There are a lot of other labels attached to this package of bones...use to be mule-packer, wilderness ranger, wildland firefighter, ranger, et al. The label "dad" is pretty neat, too.

Vaughn
 

mooseontheloose

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Heather, I've had the same dilemma as you.

I think it's hard for most people to distinguish between seeing what they do to earn a living as THE way to define themselves, as opposed to the things they do for themselves and who they are for other people. I'm an ESL instructor by trade, but it's not how I see myself in the greater scheme of things. I now tend to define myself as a photographer, even though I don't get paid to do it. I look at the world through a photographer's eyes and although those eyes have been in development for a while, it's only in this past year that I've realized that being a photographer is what really defines me and my place in the world, even if no one ever sees my photographs.

That being said, when I have someone come up to me and ask me if I'm a photographer (usually happens when I've got the tripod set up or am using my TLR) , I still have a problem saying yes, because I know they'll take that to mean I'm a professional. Not that that's a bad thing, but I think there are plenty of REAL (amateur) photographers in the world who follow professional standards for themselves, even though they are not getting paid for it.
 

yardkat

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"Except I'm a crocheter"

Yay for fiber arts! Are you on Ravelry? If you are, find me...I'm yardkat on ravelry as well.

You have a lovely portfolio, you are definitely a photographer, and an artist as well.
Julie
 

Chuck_P

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I always just say that photography is my hobby. When I'm setting up my 4x5 and "doing my thing", I certainly feel like a photographer.
 
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