Full or part time photography?

[photovanbeek]

Specializing in *photography* is what I meant as opposed to having a fulltime job doing something unrelated. Doing all kinds of photography (okay maybe not crime scene work) has cross over applications in other photography work. This is made obvious with photo-journatists and commercial photographers in particular.
It is usually the cross-over work that is most interesting because it can result in new techniques brought over from different photography experiences.

One reason that I enjoy wedding photography is that it employs everything I have learned in commercial, portrait, landscape, photojournalism and even product photography.

As for losing an edge in other areas, I haven't seen that happen yet but it is something to watch out for.

[photovanbeek]

[ QUOTE ]
No one can argue when you have proven your expertise with a successful panel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you have examples of such panels? It does sound interesting.

[pixel8]

Hi Andrew

Very often the Master Photographer Magazine (house journal of THE MPA) The Photographer (house journal of The Royal Photographic Society and Professional Image Maker (journal of The Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers) publish pages and pages of successful applications and I have no doubt that the PPofA magazine will probably do the same to some extent, but since the three British bodies are very World wide, you do get a feel for quality and creativity around the globe.

In 04 I won the album of the year award and five monthly competition heats in 05, at The SWPP, but was beaten in the finals by Australian Jerry Ghionis, it tells me I need to be on my toes a bit more. Don't get me wrong Ghionis is one of the leading lights in the industry, he may be speaking at WPPI this year, there is no shame in being beaten by someone of that caliber.

Entry quals are Licentiate of (name of body) Very advanced quals Associate of and Creme de la Creme Fellowship of.

It is not an ego trip it is a barometer of your skills and a way to gain press coverage, not to mention kudos, for your business when a panel is successful.

[DragonflyDM]

Although I agree that winning competitions is a great way to gain street creds, I have always hated the concept.

Competitions have really become all the rage. I even saw a wedding cake competition today on the Food channel.

I wonder if Manet would have one any competitions with his Olympia back in the day?

It is much more important to me that my clients feel the value of the work I provide as my barometer.

Of course, I don't hold much for associations and their self-determining "masters" rankings either. It is a validation issue with some people that I just don't find all that important.

I guess in business, any little accreditation you can provide a client helps-- I would rather just spend my energy towards making good photos for clients than collecting blue ribbons for my wall.

(note: this is in no way diminishing the accomplishments of those who win competitions. Just not my thing)

[pixel8]

The qualifications procedure is much more than the surface may reveal to someone who is not a member of any such body. Just about anyone can walk into a camera store, purchase an expensive camera and the very next day set themselves up as professional wedding photographers.

What the qualifications procedure does for the public is sort the wheat from the chaff, it provides a level of training in both technique and æstetics and then takes a measurement of progress, so that when a prospective buyer looks at the masters ranking (as you put it) they will have a barometer to judge by.

Lets face it if you found out the quack who was treating you for some malady or another, had no qualifications, you'd quickly want to be out of there. Well buyers of professional photography services have the same right. In fact in Europe providers of services have an obligation to seek certification and qualification in order to obtain business licenses, which is a bit better for the public than pay your thirty five bucks at city hall and away you go.

[DragonflyDM]

Well then Pixel8, where do I fall then?

I was professionally trained in (what was considered at the time) one of the best photo schools in the country. I have been trained and have trained others in photography for two decades. I teach photography at the college level. I have been published in multiple major publications and newspapers.

I am not knocking anyone's organization or the worth of their qualifications-- but apparently, I couldn't get a job in Europe because I didn't take time to join a club and get their stamp of approval.

In the 90s I was very dissapointed to find out that all I had to do to qualify for most organizations was have enough money in my checkbook. So many years, I saw NPPA and PPA stickers on people's business cards and was impressed, only to find my stickers sent in the mail when I gave them their dues.

Nowadays, I let my work and my work ethic be my qualifications, and my clients check be my blue ribbon.

[JasonAng]

what about those that do photography full time And have a full time job??