Photojournalism

[M-O-S]

Appreciate the answers.

I also believe that you have to have large amount of people to know you as a photographer. The more people that know what you got, the more benefits come in, right? So yeah.

I've been everywhere taking pictures whatever I could take of - I'll post up my portfolio link soon.

 

[Seefutlung]

As a former photo journalist for a major market newspaper and wire service, this is generally how the system works in the US:

1) major media groups look for education (communications degree/journalism) - photo journalism is not about photography, it is about using photography to tell the story;

2) one starts on a small paper and work their way up to larger and larger marketplaces;

3) getting started on a small paper isn't hard ... get a scanner and shoot some hard news ... a few car accidents, a fire or two and develop a relationship with the paper. They'll probably ask you to shoot some high school sports ... soon you're on your way. Without a degree ... you may hit a wall ... unless, in a country filled with exceptional news photographers, you are the exception.

4) getting to a war zone requires that you be employed by a major market media group ... getting on board a major market media group see 1, 2 and 5.

5) after you get a degree ... after you start out on a small newspaper (looking for assignments where you get fed because the pay is suckie) ... after you hone your photo skills into being the exception amongst the exceptional ... it is still largely a matter of luck. 95% of all journalists at a major media don't know why they were hired. It is as much happenstance as it is communication skills ... just being in the right place at the right time.

Nobody said it would be easy ... but man ... once you're on board ... what a ride.

There are always exceptions ... but generally the above is pretty accurate.

Gary

PS- I have absolutely no desire to shoot a wedding ... or babies on a blanket ... or high school senior portraits.
G

 

[Rick Waldroup]

The PJ business has changed drastically the last 10 years. The competition is much more fierce- between other working PJ's and the guys out here running around with digital cameras and giving shots away for free to newspapers, magazines, TV news, websites, etc... (CNN comes to mind immediately).

It is a tough way to make a living. It can be very rewarding, but still tough to make a lot of money doing it.

Everyone else has made great points about how to get started- education, getting some work experience, but in this day and time do not rule out just getting out there and shooting. Contact your local paper. Shoot on spec, if you need to. There are many agencies out of New York and Los Angeles that you can contact.

The changes that have come about the last 10-15 years have been huge in the PJ business and we are on the cusp of another huge change that will have a tremendous inpact on the PJ field- video. Eventually, all the major newspapers will be shooting nothing but HD video instead of still cameras. The Dallas Morning News has just about made the switch for all of their photographers. The technology and quality is now there where they can pull a still shot from a video frame. That way, the video can be used on their websites as well as for newspaper publication.

Whenever technological advances are made in photography, it is the field of photojouranalism that usually feels the impact first.

Hope that helps.