Are Professional Photographers “Better” Than Amateurs?

It is a question you see all the time, it is a badge of honour that some photographers use in order to beat-their-chests to show supremacy, “are professional photographers better than amateurs?” The answer might surprise you!

“What Is A Professional Photographer?”

Generally speaking, a professional photographer is someone who earns all, or most of their income through working with photography. That could be someone who photographs weddings regularly, someone who does portrait shoots, studio work or someone who spends a lot of their time running workshops. There are also full time professionals who do landscape and wildlife photography, as well as many other types of more targeted photographers that shoot professional sports, magazine covers and so-on.

Their aim is simple. Get work done for a paying client, and move on to the next job. It is a constant carousel of client after client, or event after event, and one you have to do well to keep getting the work.

“Are Professional Photographers Better Than Amateur Photographers?”

The answer to this may surprise you a little, unless you know someone who has used a professional photographer for an occasion. Not all professional photographers are better than amateurs. In fact there are many, many absolutely fantastic photographers who are not professional at all. It is a choice, a lifestyle and a path that different people choose.

Being a professional photographer is bloody hard work. Most of us have worked for years, or even decades to build up knowledge by interacting with hundreds of other photographers, meeting clients and sharing knowledge. It is not something that happens over night, and even when you think you are doing well, the market can slump and times can become difficult. The advent of powerful mobile-phones that can take amazing photographs in the hand of someone who has not even touched a real camera has really hit hard in certain sections of photography work such as weddings, and for many people, in many situations, that is good enough.

That is why, to be a professional photographer you have to stand above everyone else, including those with their mobile phones to survive. The huge caveat to the question on whether professionals are better than amateurs is that those pro’s who are genuinely not good, will usually not last long in the industry, but long enough to cause damage to the name of other professional photographers.

If you have ever been to see any Camera Club photography exhibitions, you will clearly see that amateur photographers can produce stunning images, often far better than many paid photographers. If you have read photography magazines filled with images, you will see the same thing, stunning images by amateur/hobbyist photographers. The list goes on. People can be amazing photographers no matter if they are paid or not.

“Conclusion”

I think we can all agree that a paid professional photographer generally has to be good at what they do to survive in the industry. Of that there is no doubt. We also have to conclude that many amateur photographers are just as good, if not better at photography, only they have chosen to take another path.

The difference is not the images that each set creates, but the knowledge gathered on the journey. When you work and travel around, shooting whatever it is you shoot, run workshops, teach every level of photographer, use and understand numerous cameras (because you have to) and live daily with the photography, you have a much wider and non-bias idea of the World, an understanding that can only be gathered when you live and breathe photography.

So wear your photography badge with honour, no matter what your skill level. Be proud that you can be who you want to be.

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My name is Mark G Adams and I run Photography By Mark G Adams. I am a professional photographer from South Wales, shooting weddings, events and portraits as well as running meets and workshops. For fun I like to shoot landscapes, wildlife and occasionally do street photography. Enjoy my website as I share my knowledge learned over decades of working and having fun in photography. Feel free to like, comment and subscribe!
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