Can someone still call themselves a photographer if they don't develop their own photos?

Question

Does it still count if I have it done at a store instead of doing it myself with the right chemicals?

Answer 1

Yes. We are moving towards the technology and yes, there are digital photographers which work involve the digital camera, computer and printer. Photography is not al about developing your photos inside darkroom, you know. For that in digital world, is called photoshop! :D

I agree with previous answer, as long as you have a camera with you, with the notion or ideas on your subject matter, you are still a photographer.

Answer 2

Of course! Many professional photographers, I would say most of them, don't develop their own pictures. They are all about shooting and leave the developing and darkroom part to others. You can perfectly develop and print a crappy picture, but it will always be a crappy picture... better looking, maybe, than if it was also badly developed and printed, but still lacking in composition, balance, lighting and so on. It's your "eye" and your command of the camera settings what makes you a photographer, rather than your developing or darkroom abilities.
Having said that, I *love* developing my own b&w pictures. I also love the darkroom. I could spend a whole day in there without getting tired, trying filters, different kinds of papers, etc, etc. But I have plenty of time on my hands. I shoot, I develop and I print. If I become a professional photographer making a living exclusively out of photography, I'd probably concentrate more on shooting to get more jobs, and I'd find a trustworthy photo lab to have my pictures developed and printed there. Or I'd go digital, but even so, I maybe wouldn't have time for the digital darkroom.
The thing is that I'm both a photographer and a graphic designer, so of course I also enjoy enormously the printing and digital imaging part of photography. Developing may not have anything to do with either of them, but still, it's fun.

Answer 3

I used to be a professional photographer until I became disabled and I had all my pictures developed at labs (a pro lab in NC and walmart). What makes someone a photographer isn't who or where the photo is developed because the photography part does not happen in the film/photo develop portion...it happens at the camera. The person who develop the pictures is a photo developer. Now I do know how to develop my own photos because I wanted to learn it but it's not a requirement. I have trained photographers in my area and several to this day still don't know how to develop pictures. Does this not make them a photographer....heck no. So to answer your question...Yes a person can still be photographer even if they don't develop their own photos.

Answer 4

Anyone can call themselves a photographer. What defines you as a photographer isn't whether you develop your own photos or not (I don't...), but whether or not you can take a picture and have it represent whatever it was you intended. Photographers record emotions, feelings, memories, etc. It's what we do with the camer that defines us as a photographer... not what's done after the photo has been taken.

Answer 5

Alot of photographers find a professional developer they like (no. not wal-mart) and will use them exclusively. With digital cameras and digital backs for professional cameras becoming more affordable, there are no pictures to be developed. Most newspapers now use digital for their pictures because they can be downloaded directly to the editing house computer network and they call their photo people professional photographers.

Answer 6

Photography is a profession and a hobby. For professional photographers photography is a career. Photography is one of the fastest growing occupations and careers. For those hobbyist photography is a fun hobby and interest. So yes those who have a career in photography can call themselves professional photographers and the hobbyist can call themselves amateur photographers. I am studying to be a professional photographer and then I will get certified. I am planning to be an aerospace photographer and a fine arts photographer.

Answer 7

I would say most of the photographers I know don't know a lot about lab work. A good percentage know the basics but wouldn't be able to really do all their own work. That and if you're busy enough to shoot enough to be really good in the lab, you don't have time to be in the lab.

Answer 8

You have to take your own pictures from your own angle if your to call yourself a photographer.

Answer 9

offcourse your still a photographer, but it would be a great experience to eduacate yourself on developing photos

Answer 10

Artist do it all the time.Look at Jeff Koons.He doesn't even make most of his sculptures.I saw him on a educational program,he hired people to do most of the work.But yeah he's famous!!!