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What's your opinion of the Pro Forum?

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I think that there are more amateurs and wantabe's than pros here. People want free knowledge without paying the price. When I started I learned about the business and lighting by assisting. I worked hard, learned the craft and got a check at the end of the job. Today, people expect to learn by sitting in their chair and asking for lighting illustrations with examples. It's all about instant gratification and no one wants to pay their dues. It's fine to have an opinion regarding our Industry but a link to your work will only back up that opinion.
--
http://www.tcphoto.org
http://web.mac.com/tcphoto1/iWeb/Fashion/Fashion.html
http://tcphoto1.blogspot.com/
 
the Comedy Networrk, which is a US-based television network showing, son of a gun, comedy, has a slogan that can apply here, too; Time Well Wasted.

BAK
 
I had no idea that this section was dedicated only to Pro photographers, cos It's entitled 'Pro Digital' I assumed it was for people to discuss pro standard equipment & software regardless whether you make a living from it?

Im sure there are many amateur Photographers out there with more knowledge than a lot of guys who are classing themselves as Pros?
 
preston1 said:
I had no idea that this section was dedicated only to Pro
photographers, cos It's entitled 'Pro Digital' I assumed it was for
people to discuss pro standard equipment & software regardless
whether you make a living from it?
Click to expand...
It has nothing to do with 'pro standard equipment'

Its a forum for pros

(though newbies are welcome here, if they ask sensible polite questions)
 
1/ ask the right question and

2/ you will usually get the right answer

the problem as i see it, comes at 1/

--
Riley

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous (just)
 
The problem with this forum is most of the people are great but a few of the bad people make it miserable for the rest of us.

Who are the bad people? Darth Vader types that just want attention and the grumpy know-it-all types that come off as photo police issuing verbal warnings someone is doing it all wrong.

I remember this forum from years ago. This place has changed and it is not for the better. Many many of the top pros have been run off by the thugs that never turn a dime using photography. As a tool, I have used photography to create my life. I live big and large, and never eat at a table by the kitchen door, all thanks to photography. I am grateful to this place for helping make this a reality, however I like many are being run off by actions of others and the lack of actions by the administrators of this site.
 
geo200 said:
and the grumpy know-it-all types that come off as photo police
issuing verbal warnings someone is doing it all wrong.
Click to expand...
I confess that I may well be one of the people that comes across like that sometimes, but if I am its because someone IS doing it all wrong. And by being like this I am trying to help other people.

There are many things that can be debated forever between photographers, such as styles and tastes, or sometimes techinques / equipment such as the debate between primes and zooms.

Other arguments are more weighted such as using flash as opposed to raising the ISO. Its obvious that whenever you can you should keep the ISO as low as possible to minimise noise.

But so people are JUST SO WRONG, they need a verbal kick, and a damn good berating to keep those opinions off of a pro forum, lest other should learn their bad habits.

I mean like
  • Never having backup equipment,
  • Shooting in auto modes, and not having any understanding of what they are doing
  • Not worrying about exposure, and correcting in photoshop afterwards
I could go on and on, but I consistantly see things like this posted onto this forum, and frankly its embarrasing.
 
I was talking to an artist today -- wide variety of painting techniques, all to be on display at a gellery opening on Thursday -- about photography. Including thos photographers who have the posing stool bolted to the flooor and tape Xs on the flots to show where the lights always go.

They're about the only pros who don't require tech discussion, especially among pros who are not using film anymore.

BAK
 
Having been a regular here since 1999. I've been away for a while during the past six months because of the dimishing returns. Many of the real pros moved on (hopefully busy with real pro work!), and much of the crowd here was simply amateurs posing as pros giving advise and opinions based on theory rather than experience. Others still were complete newbies who seemed to believe that all they needed was a few "tips and tricks" from the pros in order to go out and turn their beloved hobby with a Rebel XT into a profession.

Frankly, that sort of stuff gets old. Unfortunately, when a real pro spoke up with some harsh realities, they were rebuffed as an arrogant snob. No problem...learn the hard way.

Still, for the person willing to sift through the garbage, there are some good people and a few interesting threads in here. Overall, not the place that it once was, but a good place to visit from time to time.

--
Michael Thomas Mitchell
http://michaelphoto.net
 
Your post manifest the problem that this forum has.
preston1 said:
I had no idea that this section was dedicated only to Pro
photographers, cos It's entitled 'Pro Digital' I assumed it was for
people to discuss pro standard equipment & software regardless
whether you make a living from it?

Im sure there are many amateur Photographers out there with more
knowledge than a lot of guys who are classing themselves as Pros?
Click to expand...
 
BAK said:
I was talking to an artist today -- wide variety of painting
techniques, all to be on display at a gellery opening on Thursday --
about photography. Including thos photographers who have the posing
stool bolted to the flooor and tape Xs on the flots to show where
the lights always go.
Click to expand...
Most pros don't bolt down their stool or need X's on the floor to know where to put their lights.

Well . . . I never did anyway . . .

--
J. D.
Colorful Colorado

Remember . . . always keep your receipt, the box, and everything that came in it!
 
After reading through a number of posts I get a sense of snobbery amongst some self proclaimed 'Pro Photographers'. What qualifies that person to proclaim themselves 'Pro' apart from earning their living from it? I mean there are no specific qualifications like Plumbers or Electricians who gain a specific certificate to work on specific jobs & the certificate actually means something, not just a few letters after your name.

I personally use fairly high end gear, I have a 5D & L lenses & recently bought a Elinchrom Ranger RX kit for outdoor use. I put a post up on the 'Pro Digital' Forum asking for advice on what you would recommend in regard to reflectors for a fashion shoot outdoors, I was in two minds to whether a beauty dish or soft boxes would be better & asked for advice from people who had actually done that type of shoot, one of the responses….'So you have a shoot and don't know what kind of lighting you want/need? The choice of light modifiers heavily depends on want YOU as a photographer wants to achieve'. I never proclaimed I had any Experience in this type of shoot, just after some advice & thought that type of response was very arrogant.

At some point in every 'Pro Photographers' life, you knew absolutely nothing about photography & learnt all you know from someone who was willing to show you, so drop the snobbery!
 
preston1 said:
What qualifies that
person to proclaim themselves 'Pro' apart from earning their living
from it?
Click to expand...
Professional education, apprenticeship or academic training, some years of assisting for some. Daily learning in a field of tight competition which is neccessary to survive. Being forced to be allways 'at best' and deliver no matter how it comes. Not only sometimes, not voluntary or at weekends.

--
cheers, Peter

Germany
 
Peter Berressem said:
preston1 said:
What qualifies that
person to proclaim themselves 'Pro' apart from earning their living
from it?
Click to expand...
Professional education, apprenticeship or academic training, some
years of assisting for some. Daily learning in a field of tight
competition which is neccessary to survive. Being forced to be
allways 'at best' and deliver no matter how it comes. Not only
sometimes, not voluntary or at weekends.

--
Click to expand...
Does a Professional Education entitle you to be a Pro Photographer? Does assisting someone for years entitle you to be a Pro photographer? Working amongst others does that entitle you to become a Pro Photographer?

If I worked alongside a Lawyer or a Doctor, does that entitle me to be a Doctor or Lawyer? No. You need a piece of paper that entitles you to work professionally in that field. In photography you do not need these things to call yourself a Pro! But many do cos they earn their living from it, but it does not mean they are the oracle of all knowledge because they class themselves as Pros like some guys on here, or assume everyone who posts on the Pro forum has the same knowledge & understanding.
 
preston1 said:
Peter Berressem said:
preston1 said:
What qualifies that
person to proclaim themselves 'Pro' apart from earning their living
from it?
Click to expand...
Professional education, apprenticeship or academic training, some
years of assisting for some. Daily learning in a field of tight
competition which is neccessary to survive. Being forced to be
allways 'at best' and deliver no matter how it comes. Not only
sometimes, not voluntary or at weekends.

--
Click to expand...
Does a Professional Education entitle you to be a Pro Photographer?
Does assisting someone for years entitle you to be a Pro
photographer? Working amongst others does that entitle you to become
a Pro Photographer?
If I worked alongside a Lawyer or a Doctor, does that entitle me to
be a Doctor or Lawyer? No. You need a piece of paper that entitles
you to work professionally in that field. In photography you do not
need these things to call yourself a Pro! But many do cos they earn
their living from it, but it does not mean they are the oracle of all
knowledge because they class themselves as Pros like some guys on
here, or assume everyone who posts on the Pro forum has the same
knowledge & understanding.
Click to expand...
It is obvious that you didn't grasp what Peter Berressem wrote.
 
The greatest culprit in this forum is the word "PRO" in the forum's name. It inevitably attracts all sorts of garb, including some real pros that think that they invented photography.

Someone with '50 years experience and counting' taking passsport photos in a 1 hour lab for a living is a "pro".

The word pro is very misleading and means absolutely nothing in itself. There are 'amateurs and hobbyists with a wealth of knowledge and years experience that can give some real life pros that I know a good run for their money in the advice they provide.

--
f/8

http://www.olivercardona.com
(site in progress)
 
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