Almost everyone has taken a photograph. However, only a small number of people can lay claim to the title "professional photographer." Because some people get compensated for photographs while holding down other careers, the line between amateur and professional can often be hazy. The defining line between the two is generally whether a person receives the bulk of his income from photography or merely earns money on the side.
Compensation
Many amateur photographers are paid little or nothing for their work. Often, an amateur will simply take pictures to show friends, hang in their house or post online. In some cases, an amateur photographer may receive prizes for his work or sell his photographs to periodicals or stock image companies. However, unless the person receives the bulk of his income from photography, he cannot be considered a professional photographer.
Marketing
Another difference between amateurs and professionals is marketing. Amateur photographers generally do not market themselves to clients, as they are not running a business. Professional photographers, by contract, generally must spend part of their income advertising their skills and seeking out new business. This can include taking out ads in periodicals and assembling a portfolio of their past work to speople interested in hiring them for paid work.
Pleasure vs. Business
Another difference between amateurs and professionals is the type of work they accept. Because he is not relying on his work to support himself, an amateur will often only accept work that interests him or which he feels he would benefit from in a way other than financially. Professional photographers seldom have the luxury of declining work that they dislike, as they must also pay the bills.
Skills
The final difference between amateur and professional photographers is the skill with which they use the camera. While some amateurs can operate their equipment at a professional level, all professionals are able to produce images that consistently satisfy a client's needs. In addition, professionals are able to produce these images faster than amateurs so as to satisfy deadlines set by paying customers. Amateurs do not generally work under these same pressures.
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