I don't get paid for my photos so that makes me an amateur. I have been pushing myself to make better photos ever since I bought a Nikon D300 and some nice glass a few years ago. Now I have a D7000 and even more lenses. I'm beginning to think about playing with strobes for some "hummingbird wings frozen in mid-air" shots as well as getting better photos of people. Also need to finish reading "The Art of Photography" - great book!