Do You Have What It Takes?

I'm often stopped by other photographers asking what it's like to be a pro photographer.

It seems everyone with a new camera wants to be considered a "pro" photographer. I was told by one of my former clients that she had heard of a person who received a new digital camera as a gift and now thinks she's a pro photographer. Really?

There's more to being a pro than just owning a digital SLR camera! Putting your camera on "Program" mode and taking random photos does not make you a pro. Getting paid for your work doesn't make you a pro either... at least in my opinion. Anyone can pay someone to take a photo, but that doesn't mean his/her photos are going to look good.

To be a real pro, you need to understand photography. You need to have an eye for it. You need to be able to work under pressure and to handle any lighting situation thrown at you. Just owning a digital camera does not make you a pro.

It's easy to photograph a wedding where the lighting is perfect and everyone is cooperative. But what about the weddings that have terrible backlighting or very dim lighting and nobody wants to cooperate? How easy is that?

Being a pro photographer means being able to adapt to situations. You need to know how to work with people, work with lighting, and work with your camera. And, if you get paid to do it, then that's great. But many pros keep working on their skills long after they have learned the craft. That's why so many continue to go to seminars, read various publications, and continuing their education in photography. And, they PRACTICE too!

So if you want to be a pro photographer, it takes more than just owning a nice camera. It takes hard work and dedication as well.