# What kind of photographer are you?



## GuyF (Dec 30, 2015)

You'll have seen lists like this before but it's still amusing to either recognise yourself or a colleague who falls into these categories.

Personally, I can't be labelled so easily (cough, splutter, WTF?  etc. etc.)

http://www.wexphotographic.com/blog/editorial-tribes-of-photography-which-tribe-are-you?cm_mmc=exacttarget-_-marketing-_-lm_3333626-_-tribe-t&utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=3333626&utm_campaign=tribe-t

(Note to self, new year's resolution to buy a 1DX2 in order to get me out of the rut imposed by my 5D3. More expensive gear must surely make me a better photographer :)


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## Click (Dec 30, 2015)

The Wildlife Tribe 


Thanks for sharing, Guy.


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## AcutancePhotography (Dec 30, 2015)

That was funny. I am sure that an expanded list would be easy and entertaining to make.


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## GuyF (Dec 30, 2015)

AcutancePhotography said:


> That was funny. I am sure that an expanded list would be easy and entertaining to make.



Okay, not sure if this is a "tribe" but I wonder how many of us are members or would secretly like to be:

"The Ego Massage-ist" - this slightly above average amateur knows they're quite skilled but that they will never be truly good enough to pack in their job and go pro. In order to massage their ego, they spend £100 or more, producing a beautifully crafted one-off book of their work simply to sit on their shelves next to works by world famous names.

Whilst I'm guilty of wanting to see my best shots in book form, I just can't bring myself to do it as all I hear in my head is, "ego! ego! ego! who are you trying to kid!! ah, but it _would_ be quite nice and.....etc.".


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## tcmatthews (Dec 30, 2015)

GuyF said:


> AcutancePhotography said:
> 
> 
> > That was funny. I am sure that an expanded list would be easy and entertaining to make.
> ...



First I know three or four photographers that could easily be pro's but have much better paying or fulfilling jobs so choose not to be working pro's. And when I say could be pro I really mean are or where. One is a former National Geographic photographer. So sometimes the Ego is deserved. I have also seen a few internet pros that are little more than rank amateurs but think they are Ansel Adams. I will not name names but if you have spent anytime on this forum you can guess which.

Just because someone is not pro does not mean they could not be pro. Photography is a difficult field to make a good living in. It is not a career you pursue for money. You have to do it because you love it. Getting payed is a bonus. I prefer to say an amature I have a good paying job so can afford to buy what I want. 

Personally I think the list was a little outdated. It is missing the Mirrorless tribe, the adventure tribe and the hipster retro tribe. Not to mention the social selfie tribe.


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## Big_Ant_TV_Media (Dec 30, 2015)

people annoyingly label me an EVENT PHOTOG
which is not what i think am or etc "seems like these days nobody respects the EVENT SHOOTERS"
even i happen too attend cool and free stuff whenever i can
i've shot fashion,sports,portraits and lil landscape
i want too jump into eye-candy,beach shoot
and boudoir stuff yet it hard too find reliable models that have the look u want


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## Zeidora (Dec 30, 2015)

What about LFers? Just spent some quality time with my trusty Arca 4x5".

The LargeFormat tribe
Natural Habitat: Similar to the Landscape tribe, but with a preferences for abandoned barns and dead trees. Often not too far from roads because of equipment requiring a cart.

Tribal Markings: Slow moving, frequently with enormous bags. Pride themselves on home-made gizmos. Wood/brass and and carbon-fibre/metal sub-tribes.

Strange customs and habits. It takes them about one hour to take one picture. On the rare occasion of two specimens meeting, they fall into a secret language (Graflock, Gnass, Sironar, triple-convertible, dark slide, yaw-free, rear movements).

The flower tribe with fetish for the "Wimberley Plamp", totally guilty as charged. However, not as much to hold the plant, but rather reflectors.


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## tpatana (Dec 30, 2015)

tcmatthews said:


> Just because someone is not pro does not mean they could not be pro. Photography is a difficult field to make a good living in. It is not a career you pursue for money. You have to do it because you love it. Getting payed is a bonus. I prefer to say an amature I have a good paying job so can afford to buy what I want.



Exactly my thoughts. Occasionally I take decent photos, but most of the time I'm just happy I'm able to spend all my money into something before my wife wastes the money on some useless stuff like clothes and jewelry.


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## AcutancePhotography (Dec 30, 2015)

The Photography Enthusiast tribe

Natural Habitat: Book stores, internet sites, forums. Generally not commonly seen outdoors and seldom with a camera taking pictures. 

Tribal Markings: Lots of expensive camera gear that far surpasses their capability of using. Furthermore, this expensive gear is in perfect condition due to it spending most of its life stored on a shelf or optimistically in a camera bag. Generally neglectful of proper spelling and grammar. But at the same time will pounce mercilessly when someone else makes a typographical error. 

Strange customs and habits. Will argue about any aspect of photography no matter how trivial. Members of this tribe engage in strange ceremonies where remotely they vie to a superior social position among people they have never met. Over use of personal insults and the "rolling eyes" emoticon. Considers anyone who disagrees with their opinion to be wrong and must be publicly demonstrated as being wrong.


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## GuyF (Dec 30, 2015)

tcmatthews said:


> ...One is a former National Geographic photographer. So sometimes the Ego is deserved...



I have no problem with professionals who have built a great body of work and then create books to supplement their income. It's their livelihood so I have no issue with any ego they may have (so long as I like their work! ;D).

I just think we amateurs, who are not always aware of the long hours and hardships professionals often endure, are maybe kidding themselves and stroking their own egos when they create a single "deluxe" book of their pictures to sit "shoulder to shoulder" on their shelf along with the greats.

(Please note I'm not bashing the sort of smaller "our holiday to xxxxx" type of books people get made in place of the photo albums you'd make back in the days of film. I mean the pricey, lavish, coffee table sized books.)


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## GuyF (Dec 30, 2015)

AcutancePhotography said:


> The Photography Enthusiast tribe
> 
> Natural Habitat: Book stores, internet sites, forums. Generally not commonly seen outdoors and seldom with a camera taking pictures.
> 
> ...



Jeez, what sort of moron writes thhis stuff : : : : : : : : : : : :

(sorry, couldn't resist :-[)


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## Besisika (Dec 30, 2015)

AcutancePhotography said:


> The Photography Enthusiast tribe
> 
> Natural Habitat: Book stores, internet sites, forums. Generally not commonly seen outdoors and seldom with a camera taking pictures.
> 
> ...


You forgot to mention that after reading Canon Rumors for a year, will upgrade to semi-pro tribe.


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## chauncey (Jan 3, 2016)

You tell me, I turn this...into that


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## IslanderMV (Jan 3, 2016)

tpatana said:


> tcmatthews said:
> 
> 
> > Just because someone is not pro does not mean they could not be pro. Photography is a difficult field to make a good living in. It is not a career you pursue for money. You have to do it because you love it. Getting payed is a bonus. I prefer to say an amature I have a good paying job so can afford to buy what I want.
> ...



;D ;D


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## Click (Jan 3, 2016)

chauncey said:


> You tell me, I turn this...into that



You're an artist.


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## sandymandy (Jan 3, 2016)

a wannabe photographer.
because i dont have enough money to buy proper gear. yes u can get along with cheap gear but if u know whats possible with good gear or u even have used it before then your own photos will always have a mediocre look to them since APS-C is just not the same as FF and no skill in the world can redefine physics.

so i basically gave up photography.


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## tolusina (Jan 3, 2016)

sandymandy said:


> a wannabe photographer....
> 
> so i basically gave up photography.


Excuse me?



















Your eye, gear and skills are just fine.
Get back to work.


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## Don Haines (Jan 3, 2016)

tolusina said:


> sandymandy said:
> 
> 
> > a wannabe photographer....
> ...


+1


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## AcutancePhotography (Jan 4, 2016)

GuyF said:


> AcutancePhotography said:
> 
> 
> > The Photography Enthusiast tribe
> ...



You spelled "this" incorrectly. By adding the extra "h", you have lost all credibility on any topic for the rest of not only your life but the lives of your relatives. 

(snicker)


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## rpt (Jan 4, 2016)

They missed including our tribe! We (I me and myself) belong to the lazy urban wildlife tribe. I wonder if there are more like us


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## TeT (Jan 4, 2016)

Click said:


> chauncey said:
> 
> 
> > You tell me, I turn this...into that
> ...



+1


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## Bennymiata (Jan 5, 2016)

I do events, food and product photography professionally, but like to do portraits, flowers and macro for my own pleasure.

So I guess I'm an artist. A bullsh*t artist. ;D


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## benperrin (Jan 5, 2016)

GuyF said:


> Okay, not sure if this is a "tribe" but I wonder how many of us are members or would secretly like to be:
> 
> "The Ego Massage-ist" - this slightly above average amateur knows they're quite skilled but that they will never be truly good enough to pack in their job and go pro. In order to massage their ego, they spend £100 or more, producing a beautifully crafted one-off book of their work simply to sit on their shelves next to works by world famous names.
> 
> Whilst I'm guilty of wanting to see my best shots in book form, I just can't bring myself to do it as all I hear in my head is, "ego! ego! ego! who are you trying to kid!! ah, but it _would_ be quite nice and.....etc.".



That's actually my whole goal at the moment. I see nothing wrong with creating a coffee table book for my own house. I'm just starting to put my prints on the wall and I feel that will remind me to keep creating content and motivate me to do better. As someone who's very shy and doesn't like self promotion I feel like a coffee table book is a lovely addition to a house.


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## benperrin (Jan 5, 2016)

Oh, and very funny post. Thanks for sharing.


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## Don Haines (Jan 5, 2016)

benperrin said:


> GuyF said:
> 
> 
> > Okay, not sure if this is a "tribe" but I wonder how many of us are members or would secretly like to be:
> ...


I printed off a coffee table book of my best work.... I put it on the coffee table.... the cat threw up on it... everyone's a critic


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## benperrin (Jan 5, 2016)

Don Haines said:


> I printed off a coffee table book of my best work.... I put it on the coffee table.... the cat threw up on it... everyone's a critic


Hahaha. Oh that's pure gold Don! I feel sorry for you but at least you got a funny story out of it.


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## GuyF (Jan 9, 2016)

AcutancePhotography said:


> You spelled "this" incorrectly.



Jeez! Get with the program, man! Thhat's how all the kids are spelling it these days!

(confession time - I spotted the mistake after posting and was going to edit it but thought I'd leave it in there as a gift for you. Best regards.)


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## GuyF (Jan 9, 2016)

benperrin said:


> As someone who's very shy and doesn't like self promotion I feel like a coffee table book is a lovely addition to a house.



Yup, I'm quite similar. I don't have a website even though colleagues say I should do one. My response is that as a complete amateur, why should I clog up the web with stuff that I'm not bothered about showing to others? Also I just couldn't be bothered with the hassle of creating one. I take pics purely for my own amusement and to get me out of the house. I only post a shot on this site now and again to either illustrate what can be done with, say, a particular lens if someone has raised a question about it or if it is of something a bit different - such as the pic I posted of the Aston Martin DB10.

I buy books of collections by pro photographers and do think a glossy book of my own stuff would be pretty nice to have alongside them but just can't bring myself to do it. Perhaps one day!

Hope your book turns out okay!


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## wsmith96 (Jan 9, 2016)

I'm going to make up my own designation:

I'm an advancing amateur


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## RGF (Jan 31, 2016)

how about those of us who are members of multiple tribes? Is that possbile?


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## GuyF (Feb 1, 2016)

RGF said:


> how about those of us who are members of multiple tribes? Is that possbile?



Ahhh, a split personality? You use Canon through the week but Nikon at the weekend? Weirdo.


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