Sorry for another long post...
Deadpoet said:
It matters becasue wannabe professional photographers artificially lower the standard of photography. Why, you may ask. Majority of the audience is non-photographer. The word "professional" means to them, a set standard, and a high standard. The wannabe professional photographers are assulting this standard.
The standard of photography is not eroded or lowered. A junk photographer produces junk photos no matter what he calls himself and vice versa for a good photographer. What you are talking about protecting here is not the overall standard of photograhy but the perceived standard of photography that non photogrpahers would associate with the title of "professional photographer". While it is very possible that if a person sees too much junk from self proclaimed "professionals" he will be skeptical when he comes across the next "professional". My point is, so what? That person will still be able to appreciate a good photo when he sees one.
If the market is flooded with such self proclaimed professionals the effect is simply the diluting of the meaning behind the title "professional photographer", while the standard of the "real" professionals will not be changed by this. The "real" professionals will gradually prefer not to be referred to as "professionals" and a new term will emerge to describe "high standard" photographers. I am sure there are a number of analogies that can be drawn between this and other "professions".
Don't you see that what you are talking about protecting here is merely the perception of quality by the ill-informed? What you want to protect is the association between "high standard" and the term "professional photographer", not the standard itself.
Deadpoet said:
Should we all just stand aside and see the standard being eroded?
Since the problem is not a real problem, yes, I'd say we just stand aside. However, if you are talking about what can be done to raise the standard of photography within a certain community of photographers regardless of title, then please refer to my earlier post and SS's post.
Deadpoet said:
Rheo also said that the title "professional" is normally given by others who approciate the professional's work. Then my question is why are so many wannabes calling themselves professionals, or claiming the "I shoot professionally"?
Again the word "professional" can be used in different context, so I don't see the link you are trying to establish here. If I appreciate a photographer's work I can say his work is "professional" as a compliment, even though he is an amature who has not sold a single piece of his work. Note also that my appreciation of such work is totally subjective. If I see a person who earns his living by providing photography services I would say he is a professional photographer, regardless of his standard of photography. If a person's definition of "professional photographer" is one who is paid to provide photography services regarless of quality or quantity then I can understand why he would call himself a professional is he manages to get a contract for a single wedding shoot. Does that answer your question?
Deadpoet said:
Many would ask, you are just ranting and raving, what are you doing about it. I believe a healthy discussion on this issue is exactly what is needed to raise the awareness and is the first step in the right direct. What exactly should the solution be, I have no idea. Not having a solution does not precluded me from raising the issue, right?
While you have somehow managed to trigger an interesting discussion here I think you have raised neither a valid nor real issue.
For the sake of argument, let's talk about how to improve the standard of photograhy in CS.
The friendly way is to cultivate a general desire for everyone here to improve their own standards, as well as helping others to improve.
The Draconian way, which I feel is the way you are leaning towards, is to set a strict qualification process for all and prohibit those who are considered as sub-standard from calling themselves photographers and maybe even restrict them from posting pictures until they can meet the bar. Better still, only those who has consistently demonstrated high standard works can remain as members because the perceived standard of photography can only be improved by actual showing of high standard photos. Those who have shown sub-standard work are assulting the perceived standard of photography in CS, and those who have not posted any of their work (that, by the way, includes yourself) are not contributing to the perceived standard of photography in CS, and these 2 groups should be deregistered until they can prove their worth.
You think that works?
