What makes you a "Professional" Photographer?

Is it because you have a website? You get paid for photo session? You have expensive camera gears?

I'm curious to know.

Anyways..

I don't have website, but I do have a facebook. After showing a lady some of my work on FB. She ask me if I was a professional? I told her "no", but my work is good. She said how much for a family portrait for 7-8 people. So I told her that it starts at $60 and up depending on the hours and poses and etc.

She told me that she can get it a professional photographer to do it for $45 with 200 poses.

During those 30 minutes on the phone with her, she kept talking about one of her professional photographer friend and how great he was. She would of hired him instead of me, but he's just too far away. (6 hour drive)

After the phone conversation I felt small. I felt like I just didn't want to do her photoshoot anymore because my skills are professional enough for her.

Had to vent.

In my book:

Amateur/hobbyist - not making money
Semi-pro - making some money
Pro - supporting yourself with photography

It sounds like that other guy is working way too hard for way too little and won't be a pro long for lack of food. Is he just going to bang out 200 shots and hand over a DVD with JPGs straight of the the camera for $45? I sure wouldn't expect much more than that for the price.

51% of your income is derived from photography = "Pro"

Anyone, however, can act professional.

mike_d wrote in post #15876517
In my book:

Amateur/hobbyist - not making money
Semi-pro - making some money
Pro - supporting yourself with photography

It sounds like that other guy is working way too hard for way too little and won't be a pro long for lack of food. Is he just going to bang out 200 shots and hand over a DVD with JPGs straight of the the camera for $45? I sure wouldn't expect much more than that for the price.

sounds like she's full of ****. common lowball technique

mike_d wrote in post #15876517
In my book:

Amateur/hobbyist - not making money
Semi-pro - making some money
Pro - supporting yourself with photography

It sounds like that other guy is working way too hard for way too little and won't be a pro long for lack of food. Is he just going to bang out 200 shots and hand over a DVD with JPGs straight of the the camera for $45? I sure wouldn't expect much more than that for the price.

Semi-Pro for me then. I do make decent money but not more then 51% of my income. One of my buddy told me that my memory cards were worth more then that. LOL.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #15876521
51% of your income is derived from photography = "Pro"

Anyone, however, can act professional.

Very true. I was really professional to her on the phone, but the way she talked to me just made me felt small. I know I'm better then the average shooter and take my photography seriously.

flaker wrote in post #15876536
sounds like she's full of ****. common lowball technique

Yeah I thought so too.

So what do or should I tell this lady?

People always do that, no matter what industry you're in. I always saw it when my mother had her wedding shop, people would come in and say they could get a dress cheaper at another shop so she would tell them to go there instead. Days later they came in begging her to make her dresses.

When my dad had a catering service people also said so and so could do it cheaper and they always came back, sooner or later they learn they need to pay up for quality.

kouasupra wrote in post #15876565
So what do or should I tell this lady?

You've already told her your price, what else should you tell her? She can either book you or not, it's her move next.

I don't see that you need to tell her anything else, unless there is something you feel the need to say, and I don't know what else you may have on your mind.

Your price already sounds low to me, so don't let her browbeat you into doing it cheaper, she sounds like she would be a pain to work with anyway. If she is already trying the old "I know someone cheaper but they are less convenient" line, there is a good chance that when you hand over the shots she will find something wrong with them to get a partial (or even total) refund.

My standard answer when somebody tells me they can "get it cheaper" is "hey, that sounds like a great price, if their work is good you should go to them instead of me"

You should tell her that she should have ordered the last time she spoke with you, becauseyou have raised your prices since then!

sandpiper wrote in post #15876593
If she is already trying the old "I know someone cheaper but they are less convenient" line, there is a good chance that when you hand over the shots she will find something wrong with them to get a partial (or even total) refund.

Yep. Some people are not worth the trouble.

Well, I would have only spent 2 minutes with her on the phone. It seems to me your pretty cheap yourself. If your wanting to make a living with this you might consider doing some homework and finding out what it takes to make a profit and it an'it $60 and how much time and how many poses.
But then maybe your just handing over a CD and telling the client to visit WalMart.

A Pro knows when to hang up or walk away.
A Pro has PRO on his Flickr account
It say Pro on my business card.
The battery grip makes me look professional
The White lens makes me look professional too.

I prefer to call myself a Master Photographer
When people ask, I tell them its the next level above Professional, the highest rating a Photographer can have.

sandpiper wrote in post #15876593
You've already told her your price, what else should you tell her? She can either book you or not, it's her move next.

I don't see that you need to tell her anything else, unless there is something you feel the need to say, and I don't know what else you may have on your mind.

Your price already sounds low to me, so don't let her browbeat you into doing it cheaper, she sounds like she would be a pain to work with anyway. If she is already trying the old "I know someone cheaper but they are less convenient" line, there is a good chance that when you hand over the shots she will find something wrong with them to get a partial (or even total) refund.

My standard answer when somebody tells me they can "get it cheaper" is "hey, that sounds like a great price, if their work is good you should go to them instead of me"

Sandpiper, your absolutely right about her being a pain to work with. She was really picky about the time, price and how she wanted her photos to look like on the phone. I'll just text her to go with the $40-45 photographer instead of me. You've given me a great answer to give to her.

BTW, my buddy told me that my memory cards were worth more then her photo shoot. LOL. (he was trying to cheer me up)

w9trb wrote in post #15876603
You should tell her that she should have ordered the last time she spoke with you, becauseyou have raised your prices since then!

LOL.

Thanks guys. I can't believe a person could bring me down like this. Glad to hear I'm not the only photographer alone with this situation.

kouasupra wrote in post #15876656
Sandpiper, your absolutely right about her being a pain to work with. She was really picky about the time, price and how she wanted her photos to look like on the phone. I'll just text her to go with the $40-45 photographer instead of me. You've given me a great answer to give to her.

BTW, my buddy told me that my memory cards were worth more then her photo shoot. LOL. (he was trying to cheer me up)



LOL.

Thanks guys. I can't believe a person could bring me down like this. Glad to hear I'm not the only photographer alone with this situation.

lol your buddy is right, though. i would be willing to bet that she calls you back and tries to get you to do it.

kouasupra wrote in post #15876484
Is it because you have a website? You get paid for photo session? You have expensive camera gears?

I'm curious to know.

This topic gets beaten to death here every once in a while. The simplest explanation is that a professional photographer is a person who makes their living through photography. If this is you, you'll probably know it.

It's probably best not to worry too much about labels. Do you make pretty much all of your money from photography? If so, then you are a professional.

Do you work a 'real' job and also do some paid photography work? Then you are a 'real job' person, and a photographer who does some professional work. If you want to tell your clients that you are a professional, then that's fine. They are paying you after all.

Find the textbook definition of "professional"...if it applies to you then you're a professional.