4 ms·

Focusing on the word 'amateur' here. For a while I fancied myself as an amateur photographer. First on film, and then digital. After 1000s of shots, and tons

Focusing on the word 'amateur' here. For a while I fancied myself as an amateur photographer. First on film, and then digital. After 1000s of shots, and tons of money on kit and film etc. plus hours of learning techniques, I realised that I would never be able to take photos that were worth showing anyone. My photos look amateur. Jack Sharp's do not. At the end of the day, I firmly believe you either have a photographic eye, or you don't.

pvorb 6y ago
I think the only difference in being professional vs amateur is that a professional takes money for the job. It doesn't matter much how good the end result is. Of course making money means that somebody has to pay for it and everything else follows. But as soon as you find somebody who is willing to spend money for your work, you become a professional.
- augusto-moura 6y ago
  There are both definitions in the dictionary, being really good at something, and being paid for it. I think the parent comment refers to the former
anta40 6y ago
Merriam-Webster defines "amateurs" as: "a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession" So it's not about skill. But whether you do it only for fun, or for a living. "At the end of the day, I firmly believe you either have a photographic eye, or you don't." Perhaps, but virtually learning anything in the world involves 2 things: hard work & commitment.
k2enemy 6y ago
What you don't see here are the tens of thousands of shots that didn't work out so well. Look through an unedited roll from someone like Garry Winogrand and you'll feel much better.
- brudgers 6y ago
  Robert Frank used about 600 rolls of 35mm film to produce the 83 pictures in The Americans. More than 20,000 frames. https://www.nga.gov/features/robert-frank/the-americans-1955-57.html https://www.nga.gov/features/robert-frank/the-americans-1955...
  - specialist 6y ago
    Sure. Even if I had the tenacity to shoot 20k photos, I still couldn't pick the handful worth sharing. Because I also lack taste, esthetics, and opinion. For reference, I share 100s of photos of my dog every month. (Swapping baby and puppy pics is a way for friends and family to feel connected.) I'm always surprised by which ones are deemed "really good". My point is that artists do something more that's beyond my understanding.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
crossroadsguy 6y ago
I want to buy a film camera. I am not a "photographer" at all. But I take photos and I sometimes I want to take photos. What I feel is digital kind of makes photos expandable. I mean more than they ought to be. Also, all the bells and whistles get in the way. I would be happy to just get a FM3A (or something like this) and just shoot with it maybe couple of times a year.
- duxup 6y ago
  I've shot digital and film as a hobbies. I love the Fujifilm X100 line of cameras. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujifilm_X100#Fujifilm_X100V https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujifilm_X100#Fujifilm_X100V Digital, but old school glass viewfinder, classic film type physical, controls, but also the convenience of some gorgeous film emulation if you want it. I feel like I can operate old school like film (well obviously there isn't a darkroom here) with limited to no digital interaction while I'm photographing, and jump into the digital world when I want that convenience.
  - petepete 6y ago
    I'd recommend this too. I have a X-100F and it's a joy to use. I shoot straight to JPEG with it and everything about the process is fun and the results are great.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- k2enemy 6y ago
  Go for it! I usually shoot digital, but have a Nikon FM2 that I get out a few times a year. Sometimes I'll even just walk around the house with it snapping photos with no film. Just to feel the camera. I sought out this feeling in a digital camera for over a decade. After trying a bunch of Fujis I finally broke down and got an M10. It feels just like my old film Leicas until it runs out of battery.
  - crossroadsguy 6y ago
hondo77 6y ago
Yeah. I can take some pretty good photos. Digital allows me to take many more photos than with film so some are bound to come out great. My daughter, though, understands light much better than I do. She has an artistic side and she just gets it. Some people get software, others understand higher-order math, and some get light in ways the rest of us just don't.

pvorb 6y ago

I think the only difference in being professional vs amateur is that a professional takes money for the job. It doesn't matter much how good the end result is. Of course making money means that somebody has to pay for it and everything else follows. But as soon as you find somebody who is willing to spend money for your work, you become a professional.

augusto-moura 6y ago
There are both definitions in the dictionary, being really good at something, and being paid for it. I think the parent comment refers to the former

anta40 6y ago

Merriam-Webster defines "amateurs" as: "a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession" So it's not about skill. But whether you do it only for fun, or for a living. "At the end of the day, I firmly believe you either have a photographic eye, or you don't." Perhaps, but virtually learning anything in the world involves 2 things: hard work & commitment.

k2enemy 6y ago

What you don't see here are the tens of thousands of shots that didn't work out so well. Look through an unedited roll from someone like Garry Winogrand and you'll feel much better.

brudgers 6y ago
Robert Frank used about 600 rolls of 35mm film to produce the 83 pictures in The Americans. More than 20,000 frames. https://www.nga.gov/features/robert-frank/the-americans-1955-57.html https://www.nga.gov/features/robert-frank/the-americans-1955...
- specialist 6y ago
  Sure. Even if I had the tenacity to shoot 20k photos, I still couldn't pick the handful worth sharing. Because I also lack taste, esthetics, and opinion. For reference, I share 100s of photos of my dog every month. (Swapping baby and puppy pics is a way for friends and family to feel connected.) I'm always surprised by which ones are deemed "really good". My point is that artists do something more that's beyond my understanding.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]

crossroadsguy 6y ago

I want to buy a film camera. I am not a "photographer" at all. But I take photos and I sometimes I want to take photos. What I feel is digital kind of makes photos expandable. I mean more than they ought to be. Also, all the bells and whistles get in the way. I would be happy to just get a FM3A (or something like this) and just shoot with it maybe couple of times a year.

duxup 6y ago
I've shot digital and film as a hobbies. I love the Fujifilm X100 line of cameras. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujifilm_X100#Fujifilm_X100V https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujifilm_X100#Fujifilm_X100V Digital, but old school glass viewfinder, classic film type physical, controls, but also the convenience of some gorgeous film emulation if you want it. I feel like I can operate old school like film (well obviously there isn't a darkroom here) with limited to no digital interaction while I'm photographing, and jump into the digital world when I want that convenience.
- petepete 6y ago
  I'd recommend this too. I have a X-100F and it's a joy to use. I shoot straight to JPEG with it and everything about the process is fun and the results are great.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
k2enemy 6y ago
Go for it! I usually shoot digital, but have a Nikon FM2 that I get out a few times a year. Sometimes I'll even just walk around the house with it snapping photos with no film. Just to feel the camera. I sought out this feeling in a digital camera for over a decade. After trying a bunch of Fujis I finally broke down and got an M10. It feels just like my old film Leicas until it runs out of battery.
- crossroadsguy 6y ago

hondo77 6y ago

Yeah. I can take some pretty good photos. Digital allows me to take many more photos than with film so some are bound to come out great. My daughter, though, understands light much better than I do. She has an artistic side and she just gets it. Some people get software, others understand higher-order math, and some get light in ways the rest of us just don't.