Photographer ?

More people these days are asking me, “Are you a Photographer ?”. Maybe it is the fancy money I clearly paid for my new camera, maybe it is the time I take composing shots, I don’t know.

Thing is, I still say “No”.

This just happened again on my last trip to Paris …… I went to see the new shop some friends are opening. I had spent an hour going around taking photos of the place, when their interior designer asked me. Slightly embarrassed, I gave my usual answer ……. later, while looking through the photos of her work, I thought, hang on, I could have taken these photos, hang on, I could have taken better photos than these.

What do people mean when they ask that question ? Is it as simple as “Do you make your sole living from taking photographs ?”. Or is it something more complex like “Do you use photography as a serious form of personal expression ?”.

What ever they mean, one day I am going to pluck up the courage to start answering “Yes”.