Today there is no barrier to achieve going pro. Honestly, there are no pros but we are all pros each in our way.
I believe that there are four types of photographers who call themselves a pro:
1. You buy a DSLR camera, turn it on Auto and lie to everyone that you are a pro.
2. You buy a DSLR camera, turn it on Auto and your Facebook friends tell you that you are good at taking pictures. (Pictures, not photos...big difference) Hence, you think that you are a pro.
3. You buy a DSLR and take a couple of classes and workshops. You learn how to shoot in Manual and then open a website and tell everyone that you are a pro. (just because you can shoot in Manual does not make you a pro; it only means that you know how to use a tool, a.k.a. the camera. I know how to use a hammer and a saw...that does not make me a carpenter).
4. You buy a DSLR, maybe you study it in college, or take a workshop, or intern with a working professional. You spend a lifetime pursuing the craft, never once getting to the skill level that you think you should be at. You work, you study, you practice, you shoot, you shoot, you shoot, you love it. You appreciate compliments but never feel that you deserve them. You spend an entire life at a beginner's mindset never losing that feeling of being a passionate hobbyist. This is what a working photographer is. When ego and insecurity are at battle with each other at all times, but your passion for the craft never dies.
What type of pro are you?
