How do you identify a pro photographer?

[Jeff]

Ever notice that some photographers, who call themselves Pro, usually are not. You can pick them out by the amount of gear they carry with them. Like super telephoto lens, for a portrait shoot, or every accessory known, which they never use, which are packed in soon to explode backpack. They never take into account the weight of the load, and can't figure out why their back and legs suddenly hurt. Be smart, take what you need, not what looks cool.

 

[StevenAunan]

I recently snapped this at a rally in Sacramento CA. Pro or no?

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[Jeff]

Great picture, WOW

 

[ShipleyNW]

I don't know, anybody who keeps an incident meter handy, especially on a bright, contrasty day, gets my respect. That's a piece of gear that you don't come by casually.

 

[TwoWheeler]

Be smart, take what you need, not what looks cool.

I solve that conundrum by taking all my gear with me every time.

Of course that’s only one body, two lenses and a tripod….

 

[Shotbycurtin]

Jeff’s post did make me smile, we’ve all been there to one degree or another particularly heaving gear about. A white lens seems to be a tell tale for some. Had a lad apologise for getting in my way the other day, stating to his mate that I was a pro. I assumed it must be down to being bald morbidly obese and 50 something and nothing to do with the R3, white lens and carbon stick I put him straight, no apology needed, a case of ATGNI and I was an occasional snapper and that my gear and I are very capable of taking the worse ever photograph as much as the next camera.

I do what I enjoy and works for me. Usually the one body that I own, 100-500 lens and a permanently attached monopod to carry it over my shoulder! Might put some ND filters in my pocket, too lazy to carry other gear, but generally can’t be bothered to faff about so make do with what I got. A fellow togger drags the kitchen sink along with him takes a good photo and enjoys doing so.

The “pro’s that Jeff describes in the first post usually have their work endorsed by their, mother, wife or best mate and they’ve had a few likes on Facebook. If that’s the bubble they want to live in then that’s fine by me. As long as they are enjoying themselves and supporting the hobby then each to their own

 

[ShipleyNW]

I solve that conundrum by taking all my gear with me every time.

Of course that’s only one body, two lenses and a tripod….

That's a full kit these days. Back when I was a pro 40 years ago, shooting nothing but primes, I looked a lot like that guy above -- two bodies, a Domke bag full of lenses and lights, and an incident meter around my neck, always. I was a photojournalist back then and we all looked that way.

 

[Dean Wilson]

There are times I know what I am out to shoot, say night photography I'll being just a couple lenses and one camera body. However, if it's a place I've never been to before then I pack 2 camera bodies, 5 lenses, filters et cetera.

Now that I'm back enjoying film photography...add 2 more camera bodies and 3 lenses.

Something from my 49 year old SLR last year.

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Minolta SR-T201 (Version 1) using TMax 100 ~ f/16~ ASA 100 ~ 1/8th sec ~ 50mm w/25A filter.

 

[MikeZ]

Being a "hobbyist" I've never owned more that one camera body at a time, so I really can't imagine walking around with all of that gear. So, in my mind he is either a pro or a real wanna-be (I think more of a wanna-be).

 

[Only RF]

I used be a gear junky but since going all out R trimmed that down to what I use most. I had an R7 but now just an R6II, RF 24-105 f4, 100-500 and 1.4. I had a R 16mm 2.8 which I sold because I barely used it. I hate carrying and change extra lenses. Now I’m not even sure I’ll get the R7II if it ever comes out. The R6III has sparked more I interest but we’ll see.

I don’t know how to tell a pro from a hobby shooter based on how much gear one carries. Everyone has their own style.

This thread did remind me of a great old line. “You cooked and excellent meal. You must have a very good stove”.

 

[Shotbycurtin]

I think there’s a general consensus here that too much gear is a pointer to a self proclaimed pro togger, especially when the cameras are on the wrong settings. Bonus points If they got a branded vest on with twenty pockets containing their packed lunch and a couple of memory cards. More bonus points for each strap or holster system they are using. I thought about some of the finer details, especially from the local camera club that the self proclaimed pro might do or say..

Takes the moral high ground by declaring they only shoot manual, then fumbles the settings and misses the shot.

As above with not using processing presets preferring to go black and white for that dramatic look even at little Jonny's 4th birthday party

Elitist about gear brands, “I would never use a (brand name here)”

Uses a large lens for everything including at said birthday party.

Oversize watermark to protect their out of focus image.

I’m sure there are loads more, no doubt I can tick off a few..

 

[chipman]

How do you identify a pro photographer?​

I look in the Yellow Pages.

 

[TwoWheeler]

That's a full kit these days.

…is that a backhanded attempt at calling me a wannabe pro?

 

[TwoWheeler]

Being a "hobbyist" I've never owned more that one camera body at a time,

I did briefly, when I switched from Fuji to Canon.

Being a “minimalist” the Fuji stuff got traded in posthaste.

I have found renting a piece of gear I think I might want to buy has cured me of wanting to buy most of them - not that they were bad pieces of kit, but I usually found that they just didn’t fit what I do and I didn’t use them as much as I thought I would.

 

[Photofarmer]

Doing storms I like 2 cameras different settings a fast shutter speed and the other on say 30 seconds

 

[ShipleyNW]

…is that a backhanded attempt at calling me a wannabe pro?

Not at all, if that offends you. Otherwise, sure. Just making an observation. I used to carry 2 bodies and 5 primes, 2 mounted. 3 in a bag.

Now I routinely carry 2 bodies and 2 zooms, no bag. Full kit.

 

[Jeff]

In the days of film cameras, I used 5 identical loaded camera bodies, and 2 lens. Since it took too long to unload and reload. This setup made things a lot more streamline. I shot a lot of high school sports teams and individuals, example father and son shoots. All I had to do was grab another body and mount the lens.

 

[Shotbycurtin]

I did briefly, when I switched from Fuji to Canon.

Being a “minimalist” the Fuji stuff got traded in posthaste.

I have found renting a piece of gear I think I might want to buy has cured me of wanting to buy most of them - not that they were bad pieces of kit, but I usually found that they just didn’t fit what I do and I didn’t use them as much as I thought I would.

Interesting.. Why does Fuji gear mean you carry a lot of it around with you? I ask because my mate, I mentioned before, has Fuji and drags all his kit around with him.

 

[Dean Wilson]

I recently snapped this at a rally in Sacramento CA. Pro or no?

If you look at the right wrist you can see that he has access privileges those lowly commoners don't have. I vote: YES

 

[Jeff]

This post went crazy. Some replies spoke of the funny side of the idea, while others thought it was a put down, which was never the intent. Shoot away.

 

[Dean Wilson]

This post went crazy. Some replies spoke of the funny side of the idea, while others thought it was a put down, which was never the intent. Shoot away.

I think this would be a great Monthly Competition: Photograph Yourself as a Pro Photographer, in the manner like the photo @StevenAunan posted above.

I wonder if @Tim Mayo is thinking about this for April 2026? Great parodies abound!

 

[TwoWheeler]

Not at all, if that offends you.

You’re going to have to do better than that, if you’re trying to offend me…

I used to carry 2 bodies and 5 primes, 2 mounted. 3 in a bag.

…this made me conjecture what I would do if zooms weren’t a thing… Maybe one body and two primes that I thought would cover what I was most likely to need?

Dunno. As time goes by, I find myself wanting to carry less crap. I keep looking for ways to pare down. For a while, I contemplated the 70-200, an extension tube and a 2X teleperverter, but shelling out almost 3K for the 70-200 kinda torpedoed that idea.

 

[ShipleyNW]

Dunno. As time goes by, I find myself wanting to carry less crap.

I just bought an R10 for that reason. I'm currently using it with an EF-S 15-85 on an adapter. It's my urban stalking kit, but even that lens looks big on that body. I've got my eye on some of the Sigma APS-C lenses that look much smaller, although I've never held one in person. Gotta get my finances in order first. I'm going to have to go to a camera store to take a look at them. I dread that. I'd rather talk to a car salesman than a camera salesman.

 

[TwoWheeler]

I just bought an R10 for that reason. I'm currently using it with an EF-S 15-85 on an adapter. It's my urban stalking kit, but even that lens looks big on that body.

I went up in camera size, but down in the number of things I carry, when I ditched my Fuji gear. The XT-30 I had was just too small, especially when I hung a 100-400 off the front. I always felt like I should have my pinky in the air when using it. I also ended up disliking the manual dials - much to my surprise - so I rented an XH2-S. It was nice enough, but when I realized it was slightly bigger than my wife’s Nikon Z7, I said “might as well go FF”.

I was carrying multiple lenses, filters and a tripod, in a backpack, but I now have that pared down to the R5, an 85 macro, the RF100-400 and a short tripod for macro work, in a sling. I could probably get by with only the 100-400, but every now and then, I find myself not being able to go wide enough, even with the 85. I always said “if I can’t go wide enough I’ll just stitch a pano!” , but I’m really just being cheap and stubborn.

I am a minimalist though - the daily contents of my pockets consist of a Ridge wallet with three items, the key fob for my truck, my phone and a small pocketknife. If I have to carry anything more than that, I start to twitch.

I'd rather talk to a car salesman than a camera salesman.

Hey, at least you have camera salesmen. We have one camera department in an appliance store, where most of the merchandise dates back to the Nixon administration, a camera store where, when they lost my wife’s order for a new camera were completely unapologetic, (they seem to exist solely on revenue from passport photos)….or Worst Buy. (There, unlike all the other departments where you’re accosted every three feet, there’s tumbleweeds rolling through the camera section). I shop online completely guilt-free.

 

[Shotbycurtin]

Spotted one yesterday.. when I say spotted it was more him telling me. “I usually shoot portraits and street.. mostly competitions and I’m a member of the photographic society… use mostly manual.. Got all the gear, just bought the Sony with me today..”

I choked up when he told me he only shoots in black and white.

 

[TwoWheeler]

Spotted one yesterday.. when I say spotted it was more him telling me. “I usually shoot portraits and street.. mostly competitions and I’m a member of the photographic society… use mostly manual.. Got all the gear, just bought the Sony with me today..”

I choked up when he told me he only shoots in black and white.

Did he tell you he was a freelancer for <insert name of artsy-fartsy magazine>?

 

[Shotbycurtin]

Did he tell you he was a freelancer for <insert name of artsy-fartsy magazine>?

Funnily enough he did,, Shutter Snob Quarterly..

 

[TwoWheeler]

Funnily enough he did,, Shutter Snob Quarterly..

Sure it wasn’t Shutter Knob Quarterly?

 

[Shotbycurtin]

Sure it wasn’t Shutter Knob Quarterly?

lol, for the knob who can’t stop twisting the dial and his own sense of self importance..

Or was it The Arseholes Aperture Weekly? I’ll leave it there before Tim fires a warning shot for inappropriate posts

 

[TwoWheeler]

lol, for the knob who can’t stop twisting the dial and his own sense of self importance..

Or was it The Arseholes Aperture Weekly? I’ll leave it there before Tim fires a warning shot for inappropriate posts

I believe, in our own roundabout way, we have answered the original question:

Q: “How can you tell a pro photographer?”
A: “He has his head firmly planted in his own aperture”.