Help. My friend think He is an Artist!?

Please help WHAT MAKES ARTIST AND A PROFESSINAL?

My friend thinks he is an artist. I don鈥檛 really think his photography is all that great. He clams this because he has been taking snapshot of 鈥渓andscapes鈥?(his favorite subject) his whole life. (Haven鈥檛 we all? I take pictures too but don鈥檛 think of myself as a professional photographer.) Then for his midlife crisis he took some time off to take a couple month photography classes鈥?They gave him a certificate saying he is now a photographer? To me he is someone who really enjoys taking pictures and wishes someone would buy them. He try鈥檚 to sell them online but only sells a picture of a pen for a $1 every 10 months.
To him everyone else who takes a picture it鈥檚 just a 鈥渟napshot鈥?but if he is taking a picture鈥攐f anything鈥擨ts ART!!! OH LORD!!!!

Im not saying anything BAD to him-- Just answer the Question

Cut him some slack! You don't have to like his work. He seems to be enjoying it, and he actually sells some of it. That must mean someone likes it. The definition of a professional is that you're earning money off of it. And art is very subjective. I don't like it all, but that doesn't make the stuff I don't like "not art" any more than it makes me an art critic. Art is an expression. Agree to disagree with him on the subject, and leave it at that.

What does it matter to you what he thinks he is? Ignore it.

just tell him it looks fine just dont say any thing mean to him though just say that is a nice drawing.

all artist are self proclaimed, so just accept that he's an artist, just a somewhat boring one ha ha. what makes a proffesional is the abbility to sale, wheather one makes a profit or not and he's done that, so he's a proffesional as well

He is. Anyone can be an artist and art can be anything stop hating him for having a hobby and a passion

Art is all in the eyes of the beholder.

Sometimes a good fantasy is much better than reality.

hehehe
we're all self proclaimed artists really
if it solved his mid-life crisis just let him live out his fantasy and you can laugh behind your back- just make sure he doesnt find out ^^

LOL.

The way I look at it, if you think you're an artist -- you are one. Your work may not be any good, but that doesn't mean you can't call yourself an artist -- it just means you're not a very good one.

He took a couple of photography classes and now has a certificate, suitable for framing, no doubt, that says he's now a photographer. All that means is that he completed the course and now knows how to operate a camera. LOL.

A "professional" artist is one who is able to make money from his or her art. If your friend only sells one photo every 10 months for $1, he's not a pro, he's an avid amateur with a passion for his hobby.

He's your friend, yes? You want him to be happy, yes? If it makes him happy, let him think of himself as a pro photographer. What does it hurt?

Everyone hands out certificate saying what every you want to hear. I will sell you one... What do you want I have a really great printer. A certificate doesn't say ANYTHING!!! YOUR SKILL says everything. Yes art is in the eye of the beholder. but.... come on!

His photo might be just as good as your snapshot. Well, HE has a CERTIFICATE so now his is way BETTER than yours.

Would you like to but a certificate from me?

It's like the same people who make a hook rug and claim it to be art or the people who paint by numbers and claim to be Da Vinci. Just ignore him. He will get the message when no one is around to buy his "art."

Having a certificate, a degree, or the praise and adoration of millions doesn't make one an artist.

Being a professional (whether well-paid or just a few measly bucks) doesn't make one an artist. Conversely, being an artist doesn't make one a professional.

In fact, NOTHING makes one an artist.

An artist is something you/we are. It's a state of being, a state of consciousness, in which some of us choose to live our lives.

Don't pick on the guy. But don't coddle him either.

Going through a mid-life crisis can be either a positive or negative experience. I know ... I've already been through two of them: one at around forty, the other at around 60.


As my hero, Kermit the Frog, once said, "it's not easy being green."

In the same way, it's not easy being an artist. For some of us it's not a choice. It's just what we are ... warts, raging egos, eccentricities, and all.

When I think of the word artist, I think of Van Gogh, who never sold a single painting in his lifetime.

When I think of the word professional (pertaining to photographers), Ansel Adams comes to mind.

I have no idea what photo "ART" is or what makes one a professional.

I see photos I would have just deleted or thrown away being sold for millions and that is just a way to help reinforce the idea that I am clueless at photo "ART".

One thing is certain with my photo "ART" as well as your friend's.
We will eventually finish dieing and eventually our photo "ART" will be collectible. It just might take as long as it did for those silly cave drawings to be called "ART" instead of wasting of time.
If he is as content as I am at doing what I feel is photo "ART", You best just accept it and support him or find another friend.

You can be supportive and disagree. Just say -

"You know - I am glad you feel this photo is "ART". It just does not appeal to me in the least. Perhaps I just do not see "ART" too well. I see Sotheby's sell photos for millions that I would not put on my wall. Maybe this is like one of those? I think it is a snapshot"

http://www.CurtisNeeley.com
{No nudes}
http://www.groupf16.org/f16gallery/index...
{No publicly accessible nudes}
http://figurenude.com/Curtis.Neeley/inde...
{Nothing but nudes}
"ART" in there somewhere - I hope?

It sounds like you just want people to agree with you, and not give you an HONEST answer.

You are probably in the wrong place.

Your doing the same thing to your freind, that your accusing him of. Its the "I'm right, your wrong" syndrome.

If he is happy, and enjoying what he's doing.. so what if he calls himself an artist, a photographer or fred... it makes no difference.

I know many fine artists, who make little money, and many who make a lot... that does not make one better or worse, just one is marketed better than the other.

I know many wonderfully talented photographers who have never sold a single photograph, and many who are a lot less talented who have sold many photographs.. that does not make one any better or less of a person than the other.

Let him enjoy his work, and if he wants to call himself a photographer, so what.. does it harm you?