Even the most high-end professional instruments have that comforting little green icon

Sadly, the pro level Nikon cameras don't have this mode. It's handy on the others as it turns off BBF, goes full auto, do if you hand your camera to, say, a waiter, so they can take a shot of your group, it's that simple. But I'm not sure I'd hand a pro camera ($$$$) over, given the repair costs of a simple drop to the floor.

I've been a serious amateur at this since the late 70s. Any kind of automation that comes along lets me focus more on what matters; I switch away from it when it's not helping me (e.g. auto exposure with flash), and sometimes manual mode is just easier (Zone shooter here, manual's a good way to 'hold' your exposure while you compose).

I gave some thought to following Galen Rowell's footsteps in the early 80s, but my other hobby (building and programming computers) drew me in a different direction - and I'm just as glad; my photography hobby is still massive fun.

I have doubts as to whether someone could actually make a living at being a 'pro' photographer; Almost everyone has a camera, so the skill's been devalued. Ditto the Internet and the flood of stock photography.