21 Signs You’re a Real Photographer Now

[Drax]

While surfing a photography website, i saw this article that made me giggle and think about where i am as a shutterbugger.

Are you a pretender or a contender? read to found out.

21 Signs You’re a Real Photographer Now

By Peter Phunpeter-phunclose

Peter Phun was a staff photographer for the Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise for 22 years, where he covered the NBA finals, PGA events, too many wildland fires to name and just as many flash floods. Getting a chance to meet different people from all walks of life during assignments was his favorite part of the job. Today, he teaches photography part-time at Riverside City College, freelances, and is Mr. Mom to his two kids and ever-supportive wife. Read his photography blog. in Art of Photography on October 1st, 2009

In a day and age when anyone with an iPhone or a Flickr account can call themselves a photographer, it can be a little difficult to figure out when you’ve separated yourself from the pack to become a real photographer. After all, beauty — in photographs as in all things — is in the eye of the beholder.

But here are 21 clues that you’ve crossed the threshold from pretender to contender:

1. Your friends have begun to hand you their cameras at social gatherings when they want a good picture taken.

2. You don’t run out of battery power because you are chimping less.

3. Your kids have stopped fussing about being photographed because you work faster.

4. The salesman at your favorite camera store lets you handle the merchandise usually kept locked in the shiny glass display cases.

5. You understand the difference between bokeh and a flower arrangement.

6. A gorgeous woman with a digital SLR brushes by you — and you only notice her camera and what kind of lens she has.

7. You concentrate on the lighting instead of the undergarment when you photograph backlit subjects.

8. You snicker at the folks in the back row at the concert shooting with an iPhone or a point-and-shoot.

9. Photo lab workers ask you to complete paperwork to verify that you own the copyright to the pictures you bring in.

10. Your in-law who’s a pro shares fewer and fewer tips with you.

11. Other photographers follow you to see where you’re shooting from.

12. Other photographers ask your opinion about gear when they see you at camera stores.

13. You realize how inaccurately Hollywood portrays the photographer’s job in the movies.

14. More and more engaged women want to be your friend.

15. You stop asking what aperture and shutter speed was used to take a picture.

16. Fewer people make fun of your torn, tattered but ubiquitous photo vest.

17. The subjects in your group pictures no longer resemble the hapless victims of a firing squad (everyone against the wall).

18. You are unashamed to carry a point-and-shoot — even at events crawling with other photographers.

19. Before you allow yourself to be impressed by that long telephoto, you want to know its widest aperture and whether it has image stabilization.

20. Your spouse stops asking what FedEx or UPS delivered.

21. You realize overexposure has to do with how you meter instead of how many Twitter followers you have.

(Article taken from rising.blackstar.com)


P.S.: There are also some nice and awesome comments after the article.

[OsmosisStudios]

Guilty all through.

I have a funny story about #6...

10 days ago I was shooting a wedding with a friend. We were shooting outside a hotel, that is also attached to an event center (US Cellular Center for those that know Cedar Rapids). While we were taking down the light stands, the doors of the event center opened up and a pretty teenage blonde walks out, followed by a photographer with a Canon 1Ds, 70-200mm f2.8 IS, and some other photographic gear. I commented to my friend "Whoa, let's steal her gear" loud enough for the photographer to hear. She chuckled, and I didn't think any more of it.

My friend looks at me and says "Dude, that was Shawn Johnson" (Gold medal winner in gymnastics...kind of a celebrity in Iowa). I paused, laughed, and said "Well, you know you're a photographer when you notice the awesome photography gear and not the pretty blonde celebrity".

[beatles2]

A photographer I met let me hold his haselblad.

[TheKingInYellow]

Looks like I'm still a pretender. But, I'll get there, dammit!

[ressalg]

Originally Posted by beatles2

A photographer I met let me hold his haselblad.

Really?!?! Are they still in your/my area? Are they still feeling generous/insane enough to let me hold it, too?

[beatles2]

Originally Posted by ressalg

Really?!?! Are they still in your/my area? Are they still feeling generous/insane enough to let me hold it, too?

Right place right time and have a tear in your eye, and say please sir. LOL.

[Jim Bryant]

Yup..Peter hit the nail on the head with these

[barefootpoetry]

So how many do you need in order to be a real photog?

I can say yes to a few but I know I'm still just pretending!

[candleman]

Originally Posted by Drax

6. A gorgeous woman with a digital SLR brushes by you — and you only notice her camera and what kind of lens she has.

so true

also when you drool over an image of a semi clothed woman.. not because she's semi- clothed,
but because of how stunningly lit she is, in such a cool location... it could be an ape instead, but its just a freeking awesome set-up