What makes a photographer?

I am often asked if I am a photographer. My answer is, well, I have a few cameras, and take a lot of pictures, so, yes!
What makes a person a photographer?
What I know is that being a "photographer" takes really only 2 things.
1. A camera.
2. A subject.
Obviously this doesn't make you a professional, or even an artist by default, but it's a start. The bottom line is that it's an art form, and in many ways, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

The picture here was taken by me, yesterday. My daughter was on her changing table, and the light from the window was so right, and she looked up at me. Snap. There it is. A little Photoshop color editing for a nice soft sepia, a sweet frame (tutorial courtesy of Helen Bradley as a guest blogger on Digital Photography School), and I have what I think is a beautiful little work of art, and I'm not just talking about my daughter!
Not bad right?

So, am I a photographer? Sure I am! I get compliments on my work all the time. I love sharing and seeing other people's work. I've been using different digital cameras for over 10 years, and have only recently purchased a nice digital SLR. Some of my best photos have been taken with point and shoot cameras!

So, are YOU a photographer?

Here are some of my tips for exploring your inner shutterbug:
1. DO take lots of pictures, especially if you're shooting digital, because it's FREE. Even fantastic photographers take a lot of shots to get the real gems.
2. Experiment, experiment, experiment! Try several different settings of the same shot, find out what makes you smile when you see the result.
3. DO sharpen your skills. Just like the frame I made above was an online tutorial (did I mention FREE?), there are bunches of simple tutorials to help you turn your snapshots into works of art. Everyone has different taste, so find what feels right for your style.
4. DO share your work, and be ready to get critiqued. Put on some tough skin, and learn from it! Join a local hobbyist photography club.
5. DON'T compare yourself to others. There are many amazingly talented photographers out there. I could name off a dozen right now. Remember that it is an art form, and everyone has a unique perspective on what looks good.
6. DON'T worry about how the camera works just yet. There are many people with amazing technical photography skills producing mediocre shots, and some with a simple point and shoot that just have that eye for what looks good. Things like focal length, f-stop, EXIF, ISO, or even "megapixel" may sound like another language to someone who has just picked up a camera. It's okay to not understand how your camera works right away. Focus on using it for now, and the technical stuff will come later..
7. DO keep your camera nearby! Take it with you to make sure when that perfect opportunity presents itself, you'll be ready!