"Can an amateur reach a point where he can say "good enough" and just continue on at the same level?
There are, in my mind, three ways: stay the same, regress or get worse, or advance. If we stay the same while others progress, isn't that sort of getting worse? Improving skills really has nothing to do with being a pro or doing commercial work. Some of the worst photographic hacks have been working pros, while amateurs with no interest in going pro have been among the best around. Some years ago my dentist was one of the finest photographers I've ever known. His 16x20 (and larger) monochrome landscapes and cityscapes cold put national Geograpic landscapes to shame. He did them simply for love of the craft and as an artistic outlet.
If we stay the same, then that sameness is likely to end up becoming stagnant.
In my view, there is no "ultimate stage", not for a working pro and not for an amateur. Striving to improve our craft, skill and 'eye' is it's own reward. Why do we do tht? Because we can.
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Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.
--HL Mencken
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