Hobbyist vs Pro

OK, I want someone to tell me if they know how to spot a hobbyist photographer as opposed to a pro. No, it is not the camera bodies that they have. No, it isn't the glass that they have or how much of it they do have. It isn't even the kind or number of memory cards that they have with them.

Does anyone know how to spot a hobbyist as opposed to a pro photograper?

Pros sell images?

I don't know that you can really spot them, because It's very easy for a novice like me to get the same equipment as a pro. All you really need is money

But I believe that what seperates the pros from eveyone else is getting consistant correct exposure, composition, and overall just knowing exactly how to get that image from your mind into the camera. Not really things you can spot tho...

Oh! If they throw their equipment around like its nothing, and have tons of dings, dents, and scratches. That could definatly be a sign their equipment is just a tool to get them paid.

You may have hit one way to tell for sure!
A pro will watch everything that's happening, maybe move his feet a bit to one side or the other, take an "insurance" shot, watch some more, take a quick shot to the right or left, watch...
A hobbyist probably is shooting everything in sight! But then, some pros do that too.

I just have to ask: Why do you need to know?

I am not sure if this is purile, facile or both! Pro = makes a living/gets paid, hobyist does not. What is to spot?
N

The thing that differentiates a hobbyiest photographer from a pro is the number of batteries that he carries!

I went to see my nephew play football for the first time Friday night. I took my new super, duper camera. I ran out of battery with about 10 minutes to go in the 4th quarter.

Needless to say, I put the 10% off coupon that appeared in my email from Buy.com today to good use and a second battery is on its way.

I guess that makes me a pro, then. I carry ten batteries...

The long and the short of it if you wish an accurate definition of the term Professional Photographer.

I felt so bad, because I went to the game with my camera to try and talk my father into not taking back his 300D. He is thinking about taking it back so he can use the money for something else, but he really wants a camera. I hated it when I ran out of battery. He just laughed.

The pros have press passes. And like ghaleon109 mentioned, their equipment looks like it's got some mileage on it.

knee pads, duct tape, monopods over shoulder

I was thinking about this hobby vs pro thing the other day actually. We've had this discussion many times on these photography forums. I haven't been taking that many photos lately, but instead last weekend I picked up pencil and paper to draw.

I'm not bad at drawing, I know that. In fact, if my hands want it I can be very good. After showing my latest drawings to a few friends someone said I'm an artist. That made me think; how often do we refer to someone who paints/sculpt/draw as a "hobby artist" vs a "pro artist"? We plainly call them an artist (at least that I could think of!) Why do we have a need to define ourselves as "hobby" vs "pro" photographers?

Just being philosophical. lol

Claire, you make a good point. Considering the way that this thread has gone, I probably should have named it "Smart vs Stupid" photographer. I would fit in the latter category since I ran out of battery and did not have a backup.

Since the joke thread got turned in a serious direction anyway...

Selling images doesn't mark a pro. There are some pros who do not sell images (thought they may not last long in the business), and there are many amateurs who do sell images at least occasionally.

The origin of the word "professional" is obvious, when you think about it. A professional is one who "professes" to be in the business of doing something. It has nothing to do with skill, quality, payment, or even number of batteries, heh, heh. Those things may well make the difference between successful professional and unsuccessful professionals, of course. There are lots of professionals who do mediocre work and make ends meet manning the camera store counter as their day job. (There are even some superb photographers in that category.)

I prefer the term "commercial" for a photographer who expects to be paid for his or her work. That removes a lot of the quality baggage that associates with "professional". Any commercial photographer knows, by experience, to bring enough batteries, because running out of battery instantly stops the flow of revenue and ends the commercial transaction.

There are certainly many amateurs and hobbyists who are better photographers than some who hang out a shingle. Unlike commercial photographers, amateurs don't have to work efficiently and can afford to spend as much time and money as they choose to achieve their goals.

Rick "always happy to wax pedantic on the subject of terminology, and who has four batteries and two chargers for his one DSLR" Denney