Yeah, that's it.
At least many Swedish photographers (since this is something that I've probably seen mostly in Swedish) are ridiculous, or stupid or whatever to call them.
Or well, at least a lot of the ones on different Swedish Facebook forums (yeah, Facebook, the fountain of knowledge). I find it ridiculous and plainly stupid that so many use the term "fotograf" (photographer in English) in their names. As if putting the word "photographer" either at the beginning or in the middle of your name makes you look so awesome and as if you really know what you're doing or saying. No retard, it makes you look stupid and desperate.
By profession, I'm an industrial electrician. I don't call myself "Industrial electrician Peter Engdahl" on Facebook or anywhere else, since it's stupid. And it would make me look desperate and insecure. I'm a photographer as well, a hobbyist, enthusiast, amateur, call it what you want but not by profession. And I don't feel the need to call myself that either. If someone ask me while I'm out doing photography, I say yes, I am a photographer since I'm obviously doing photography and by the very meaning of that, I am a photographer. But at the same time I don't go around calling myself a photographer either and I'll add that I'm not a professional either, when being asked.
It's been discussed so many times and some people say that you shouldn't call yourself a photographer at all if you're not doing it as a profession. That is also bullshit. The title "photographer" is not legally protected, like a lawyer or a doctor and you don't need a specific education and graduation to do photography, as you have to for being a lawyer, doctor OR electrician for that matter.
Having that said, back to what I started ranting about..
Making the word "photographer" as part of your online name on social networking sites like Facebook makes you look stupid and desperate. And many people are stupid and desperate, since they so desperately want to be photographers, but making it a part of your name doesn't make it more real than it actually is. And it doesn't weigh in heavier in discussions like some people think and it's not like in general, professional photographers are better than amateurs (or what ever to call us). There's a big spectra of knowledge and skill on either side and many professional photographers are crazy talented and are able to get things done when there's a deadline for example, as many amateurs are. And many are less on both sides as well. And as an amateur photographer you can be nice, "professional" and awesome to work with, and you can be a fucking asshole professional photographer, or vice versa. You get the idea.
Still the use of "photographer" in your online name, why? Yeah, you did a wedding for your cousin that gave you gas (petrol) money and you shot your sister's drooling kids and she bought you an ice-cream for that. Now you're a "photographer" since you have an income from your shots. Awesome. Or you shoot really shitty wedding photos and still take ridiculous amounts of cash for it from clueless couples (don't get me wrong, all couples about to get married are definitely not clueless), and still you go on to forums, on Facebook, to ask how to get the lighting right, or what aperture to use at certain scenarios. Yeah, you're such a pro...
The real pro photographers don't spend their time asking questions online on how to perform tasks within their profession, they just do them from knowledge collected from, education, experience and real trial and error. There are so many wannabe pro's within the photography "community" that it's not even funny. I'm not one of them and I will never be. I've done a few jobs for pay, and I might do more but I haven't got "photographer" in my name on Facebook. And I'm also doing my job every day as an electrician and I'm not going on any forums on Facebook for that (that would be embarrassing) and like I said, I haven't got "industrial electrician" in my name either.
End of rant...