Inbox

‘Amateur’ arguments

After reading Nigel Atherton's recent (AP 17 March), I'd say it is irrelevant whether the photographer is ‘amateur' or ‘professional', but only how good is the end product. If we delve into ‘What makes a good photograph' how long does anyone have for that discussion? Plus how many esteemed contributors to AP have waffled on about this subject since AP was first produced? Just because someone is a ‘professional' photographer doesn't mean that every shot they take is any good. Neither does it imply that an ‘amateur' takes pictures that rarely make the grade. We can all be the victim of good luck and capture something that is ‘as good as it gets'. Usually we don't know how or why it happened but are just thankful for being in the right place at the rightphotograph in AP and after learning that it was taken by some esteemed photographer feel obliged to think that it must be really good? The APOY contest makes the point too when we see many fine images taken by names we've never heard of before other than perhaps in the previous round. Food for thought.