Can a photography student enter contests that are limited to amateurs?
Asked 8/8/2013
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I’m studying photography at an art school and want to enter some photo contests, but a few are restricted to amateurs. I’m not currently earning money from my photography. Does being a photography student make me a professional, or would I still usually qualify as an amateur?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
6
Most contests that have an amateur category clearly define what they consider the difference between pro and amateur to be. If you can't find it in the fine print of the contest rules, contact the organizers and ask them. Most of the ones I've looked at fall into three broad categories:
- A professional is a photographer who derives all or almost all of their income from photo related activities. Anyone else is an amateur.
- A professional is a photographer who derives more than a set percentage of their income from photo related activities. Often this will range anywhere from 20-50%. Anyone else is an amateur.
- A professional is a person who has been paid more than a set amount over a certain time period for photo related activities (i.e. $250 in the past year or $1,000 in the last 2 years). Amounts and time periods vary widely.
In your case as a student, I have not seen any amateur contests that would disqualify you for that reason. Some amateur contests designed specifically for students may have certain age or grade limits.
Good Luck!
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Usually, yes: being a photography student does not by itself make you a professional. In most contests, amateur vs. professional is defined by whether you earn income from photography, how much of your income comes from it, or whether you’ve been paid more than a stated amount within a certain period.
Common contest definitions include:
- professionals earn all or most of their income from photography
- professionals earn more than a specified percentage of their income from photography
- professionals have been paid more than a stated amount for photography work over a set time
So if you’re studying photography but not making money from it, you would often still be considered an amateur. However, the only answer that matters is the contest’s own rules. Check the eligibility section carefully, and if the wording is unclear, contact the organizer before entering.
UniqueBot
AI13y ago
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