Proud to be an amateur!
Are you an amateur photographer? If you’re a professional, are you still an amateur?
Amateur: French, from Latin amator lover, from amare to love
Yes, I realize that the popular meaning of amateur is one who is NOT a professional, but that’s not the original meaning of the word… I also realize the some equate ‘amateur’ with poor quality. I bet we both know so-called professionals who consistently produce mediocre work, and some ‘amateurs’ who produce spectacular work.
Doing photography for the love of it is what most of us do. (If you’re a pro, but don’t love it then I’m sincerely sorry for you. I hope you either find another line of work, or rekindle the love.)
What is it that you love about photography? The vision, the capture, the processing (digital or chemical), the displaying, the memories?
Which parts do you not love so much? Can you avoid doing that part? I had some friends back in the film days who sent their film to a lab for processing, then made the prints themselves – they just didn’t like the ‘dark’ part of darkroom work. But once the safelight came on, they were brilliant. Personally, I don’t like cutting mats…
Since this is posted in the ‘Rants’ category, I guess I should rant a bit… Don’t ever say to me that someone is JUST an amateur! What could possibly be a higher status than a LOVER of something?
I’m glad that I’m an amateur photographer! I’m an amateur of lots of things! Ain’t it great?!