What is a Semi-Pro?

The term 'Semi-Pro' seems to be used loosely. Just what constitutes a "Semi-Pro"? When asked if I am a Semi-Pro my answer is,"No, advanced amateur".

Good question, I don't know myself.

If being a pro means you've been paid as a photographer, well, almost everyone is a pro.

If it means you derive your LIVING from photography, then that's more meaningful.

I would say a semi-pro is someone who can depend on a certain percentage of their yearly income coming from photography.

The logical way to resolve this would be to define what a pro is and then take half of that

I have never been asked is I am a "Semi-Pro". People outside of the photographic world seem only to differentiate between Pro and amateur.

Another one of those "Have you stopped beating your wife?" questions...

You have to define your parameters better. Are you basing the definition of "Pro" solely on percentage of income? Their approach to photography? Their gear?

Personally, I take a very professional approach to my photography but seeing as I don't garner 51% or more of my income from it, it would be untruthful to call myself a working professional photographer.

As for the term "Semi Pro," it makes me think of a baseball "beer league" comprised of guys who maybe chased the dream for a while but didn't have what it took to get to "The Show" but can't let the dream just die and get on with their lives.

I shoot about 40 weddings a year through an agency in addition to any work I get on my own.
I have a regular non-photog related 9-5 that is my bread & butter.
if I lost my photography income it would hurt.
i consider myself a photographer. (thats all)
but I think my situation is what someone means when they say semi-pro

a Pro makes a living from photography.
a semi-pro earns a decent percentage of their income from photography.

If I'm walking around taking pics and some guy asks me if I'm a pro I just say "no" and move on.

If I'm walking around and some cute girl asks me if I'm a pro, I smile and say "well, more like semi-pro..." If she hangs around for the explanation of what "semi-pro" means then I've got an "in" and we can see where the conversation ends up.

I'd say it's anyone who earns money for a trade or profession part-time - i.e. not a full time job and supplemented by other income.

I say its will ferrell playing basketball

Websters does a gresat job defining the terms.
Pro = participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs.
Semi-pro = engaging in an activity for pay or gain but not as a full-time occupation

Neither.

You are either a pro or not. Professional to me means actually making a living doing photography. There are high-level "professional" images out there being created by "amatures!" And I've seen images by a "pro" that do not even look good. Don't put too much stock in titles.

AxxisPhoto wrote in post #7001847
You are either a pro or not.

I agree. However the term we are discussing is "semi-pro".

I think the distinguishing feature is a contract.

If you write a contract, sign it, perform and get paid, then you're commercially behaving as a professional.

"Semi" is just ambiguous.

S.Horton wrote in post #7001996
I think the distinguishing feature is a contract.

If you write a contract, sign it, perform and get paid, then you're commercially behaving as a professional.

"Semi" is just ambiguous.

Exactly.