Re: [Leica] Amateur vs Professional (long)

[Pat Perez <pat@patperez.com>]

To address a point you made: I've read somewhere on
the internet a hypothesis about pro camera purchases
that while I can't prove correct, it at least seems
likely to be accurate, in my opinion. To paraphrase,
it is easier for amatuers to justify the purchase of
big ticket cameras/lenses specifically because they
*don't* need to amortize it's cost an d make a living
off of it. The thinking being that more high end
Nikon/Canon/Mamiya/Hasselblad gear is not being used
in full-time capacity for income, it is purchased by
those who want and can afford it regardless of a need
to earn it's purchase price back. I suspect it is
harder for a full-time pro to justify new gear
purchases, except for replacement of worn out
equipment.

The upside for the working professional, is that this
increases economies of scale for the manufacturers,
resulting in costs that are lower than they otherwise
might be; and increases the pool of clean condition
used gear in the secondary market.



Pat
- --- Gene <sop@erols.com> wrote:
> If you go to the dictionary you will see that the
> first definition of
> amateur refers to someone that engages in the
> pursuit of something as a
> pastime rather then as a profession. Unfortunately
> the second definition
> addresses someone that is lacking in experience and
> competence in an art or
> science.
> 
> Under professional you will find the first
> definition to be a charastic of a
> profession or one who conforms to the technical or
> ethical standards of a
> profession. The second definition refers to
> participating for gain or
> livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor
> oftern engaged in by
> amateurs. (~golfers) The third definition is
> interesting: "following a line
> of conduct as though it were a profession."
> 
> And if you go to the dictionary of marketing:
> "Professional: The word you
> use when you want to sell more of your widgets to
> the dumb public."
> 
> Let me appologize to those reading this, whose
> primary language is not
> English. We confuse ourselves, so how can we expect
> you to understand.
> 
> Let's apply this to photography and see where we go.
> Is a Leica a
> professional camera? NO! Is it used as a tool by
> professional photographers?
> Yes, but so is a Holga.
> 
> Is a photographer that sells one of his pictures
> suddenly a professional. I
> don't think so. The reason that the photographer
> took the picture was out of
> his/her passion for photography. The sale was a
> fortunate byproduct.
> 
> Is the photographer that shoots a friends wedding a
> professional. No, just a
> nice guy/gal or a fool depending on your outlook.
> But is a photographer that
> enjoys shooting people pictures, that has a full
> time job in some other
> activity, that sets out to attract wedding clients
> and get paid, a
> professional? Yup! It's the motive. If you are in
> the USA, just check out
> the IRS literature if you need a definition.
> 
> Does a professional take better pictures than an
> amateur? Regardless of the
> second definition of amateur, I say the answer is
> NO. The motive is the
> defining difference between amateur and
> professional. One does it for gain,
> the other for love. This is not to say that most
> professional photographers
> don't love their work The professional has the
> advantage over the amateur in
> that (s)he is most likely puttting more film through
> the camera and
> therefore getting more practice. The professional
> also can justify tool
> purchases easier then the amateur. After all, they
> pay for themselves. Based
> on these factors, the pro may get more keepers from
> a roll then the amateur.
> But then, if they don't, they become former
> professional photographers.
> 
> So if anybody would like a certificate, suitable for
> framing, and a years
> membership in the International Amateur Proctologist
> Socitey, send USD $69
> to PO Box...............
> 
> Next week: Photography - art or science?
> 
> Gene
> 
> 
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