This question always brings a smile to my face when I hear someone ask this. As opposed to what? A fake photographer. There are certain myths or assumptions if you will, that photographers have to do certain things to be considered a real photographer. For example, “you always have to shoot in manual mode” or “you have to always shoot in RAW” to be a photographer. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I think this could be applied to any creative genre, artist, sculptor, writer, you name it.

“If you make photographs, you are a real photographer. STOP! end of discussion”

You might be a new beginner or a seasoned pro. You might be lousy in the beginning or really inspirational in what you put out there, but to categorize us as real, seems irrelevant. Don’t be overly concerned with how you make your photographs, so long as you’re happy doing it and it’s truly working for you.

“Don’t be pulled in by those that may try to classify you as this or that. Enjoy the process of creating and love what you do. Feel the sense of accomplishment as your craft improves”

What matters is that you learn to make the kind of photographs you want to make, and to do so with greater creative flow and control. It matters that you be open to new ideas and techniques, but as creative options, not as obligations. So much of the advice I see online aimed at photographers could be misses the mark in my humble opinion. There are no real photographers (to the exclusion of others) any more than there is a single right way to do things that qualifies you to be one.

Think in terms of possibilities, not prescriptions. We’re all trying to create something different, and there can’t possibly be only one path to do so. Lets go create!