Re: [APML] ASTROPHOTOGRAPHER??

[Roland Roberts <roland@astrofoto.org>]

>>>>> "Robert" == Robert Reeves <reeves10@swbell.net> writes:

    >> --- Jim and Jan Gamble <gamble@peoplepc.com> wrote:
    >> > Situation: Someone takes a photo of an eclipse...maybe an
    >> > aurora... but is otherwise generally inactive in telescopy
    >> > and/or photography. Is this person an "astrophotographer"?

    Robert> Well.... this isn't a professional designation.
    [...]
    Robert> Just because I treat a cut and put a band-aid on it that
    Robert> does not make me a doctor.  But our celestial photography
    Robert> isn't in the realm of being a profession.

No, but if you start making a habit of putting bandaids on cuts, and
someone labels you a "health-care worker" would that make sense?  To
my mind it wouldn't unless you also happend to be a volunteer at a
local clinic.

I think when you get a label/title, people assume a little more than
just that you once casually did something related to the title.  Mind
you, not being, say, a photographer, amateur or otherwise, doesn't
mean you might not end up with a really great photo of some important
event that the newpapers are willing to pay big bucks for; but I don't
know that they would label you a photojournalist as a consequence.

    Robert> Its more like calling someone who just hit a Little League
    Robert> homerun a baseball player.  They hit the ball and ran the
    Robert> bases, therefore they are a baseball player even though
    Robert> the New York Yankees haven't signed them to a contract.

Yeah, but I remember Little League and it was a lot more than just
hitting the ball.  My dad was our coach and I remember all those
practices and the two mile runs (at age 7!  My dad was a tough coach).
I wouldn't call someone who hit a home run and ran the bases at a
pick-up game a baseball player even if its kids from the neighborhood
who play every week all summer.  Maybe I'm picking nits....

    Robert> Someone shots a good sky photo, I'd be inclined to give
    Robert> them the title.

Well, I wouldn't be inclined to take it away, but if I *weren't* in
the hobby and was one of the guys buddies, I'd probably give him a
good ribbing about his "new profession."

On the other hand, who knows?  Maybe granting the title will motivate
him to try some other astrophotography.

Having said all that, I'll confess to something of an inconsistency.
I have a PhD in physics and consider myself a physicist.  But I my
work is totally unrelated to physics and I barely need to remember
addition and subtraction much less higher math.  I've been working as
a software engineer for the past 7+ years.  Of course, I guess that
would be like you, Roberts, deciding to make spelunking your new
hobby.  I'd still call you an astrophotographer even if you weren't
currently doing it (oh, and if you decide to do this could we talk
about the disposition of your Schmidt camera 8-)

roland
-- 
		       PGP Key ID: 66 BC 3B CD
Roland B. Roberts, PhD                             RL Enterprises
roland@rlenter.com                     76-15 113th Street, Apt 3B
roland@astrofoto.org                       Forest Hills, NY 11375

--  APML Archives at <http://astro.umsystem.edu/apml/>  ---
             Unsubscribe at <majordomo@seds.org>