What do you need to be a photographer?

Taken from 'Photography' by John Ingledew

Knowledge
Study the medium. Know where it has come from and where it is now, and have opinions about it's future directions.
Embrace new technologies as photography develops constantly. Be familiar with all of photography's tools. Knowing how to control lighting, focus, colour, contrast and quality is essential.

Vision and curiosity
Be curious and take a delight in looking at and trying to make sense of the world.

Fresh eyes
Find a fresh approach to looking at the world. In order to be successful, your pictures should be stamped with your own unique vision so that they are immediately recognisable as your own.

Creatively and imagination
Be very creative and imaginative. You need to be original and to have great ideas.

Risk-taking
Constantly try new things and push your work in new directions.

Passion
Have a passion for your work, for people, society and culture, and a passion for the next assignment.

Resourcefulness
Be resourceful and have a spirit of improvisation so that you get the result you want, no matter what the circumstances.

Energy and optimism
Go above and beyond what is asked for and see your ideas through to completion.

Good communication
Learn to express your ideas verbally in order to involve other people in your projects and in order to be able to discuss and promote your skills.

Luck and persistence
Be in the right place at the right time, with your camera and portfolio. Take your opportunities.

My Comments

Having read this I'd like to think that I tick off a lot of the items mentioned above and have taken to carry a camera of one sort or the other with at all times, just on the off chance that the award winning photo presents itself.

The only areas that I feel less confidence about and find myself questioning what I am either doing or thinking is the areas like - CREATIVE; IMAGINATIVE; FRESH EYES AND RISK TAKING. As I am taking my photography more serious now I find it difficult sometimes to take risks (for fear of failure) and find myself doubting if I'm looking at an idea with fresh eyes in a creative and imaginative way or am I just remember someone else's work I have viewed recently and therefore duplicating someone else's excellent idea. I'm rational enough to realise that these are feelings of insecurity on my behalf. I just hope that these types of feelings are reduced as my experience grows or that I'm brave enough to follow my instincts, shoot the shots I want to and then evaluate them honestly in the editing process.
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