NYIP and photojournalism

[darry85]

So, I took an in person photo course from 2010-2012 and haven’t done any photography since. I just got a mirrorless camera and have been shooting some street photography. My photos aren’t great. I’ve forgotten a lot of stuff and was looking into NYIP, but have seen mixed reviews. I was thinking of photojournalism and the photojournalism class, but I was wondering if it was worth it. What’s the job market like? How do you even get a job in photojournalism? What is that process like? Is NYIP’s class a good starting placebo get into photojournalism? Just looking for some opinions.


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[Destin]

So, I took an in person photo course from 2010-2012 and haven’t done any photography since. I just got a mirrorless camera and have been shooting some street photography. My photos aren’t great. I’ve forgotten a lot of stuff and was looking into NYIP, but have seen mixed reviews. I was thinking of photojournalism and the photojournalism class, but I was wondering if it was worth it. What’s the job market like? How do you even get a job in photojournalism? What is that process like? Is NYIP’s class a good starting placebo get into photojournalism? Just looking for some opinions.


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The job market for any staff photographer job is nearly non-existent at this point. Major publications are mostly eliminating full time photographers and replacing them with cheaper freelance shooters who will work for close to nothing. Even if the full time jobs were there, they don’t pay very well at all.

Formal education in photography is overpriced and not all that useful; you can learn everything you need to know for free on the internet at this point.

If you wanna get into photojournalism start shooting local sports and events, get C&C on here, and start trying to get in with local news sources as a freelance shooter.

 

[jcdeboever]

So, I took an in person photo course from 2010-2012 and haven’t done any photography since. I just got a mirrorless camera and have been shooting some street photography. My photos aren’t great. I’ve forgotten a lot of stuff and was looking into NYIP, but have seen mixed reviews. I was thinking of photojournalism and the photojournalism class, but I was wondering if it was worth it. What’s the job market like? How do you even get a job in photojournalism? What is that process like? Is NYIP’s class a good starting placebo get into photojournalism? Just looking for some opinions.


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Personally, I don't think it would be a waste of money. Education is always good. If your doing it to make money, I can't speak to that industry. However, @Gary A. was a professional photojournalist and he may be able to shed some light on that profession for you. His work is excellent and knows the industry like I know mine, very well.

If you are passionate about something, you will be successful. If your disciplined and work hard, you will get ahead. Love. If you are passionate, disciplined, work hard, and love it... there is no stopping you.

 

[Destin]

So, I took an in person photo course from 2010-2012 and haven’t done any photography since. I just got a mirrorless camera and have been shooting some street photography. My photos aren’t great. I’ve forgotten a lot of stuff and was looking into NYIP, but have seen mixed reviews. I was thinking of photojournalism and the photojournalism class, but I was wondering if it was worth it. What’s the job market like? How do you even get a job in photojournalism? What is that process like? Is NYIP’s class a good starting placebo get into photojournalism? Just looking for some opinions.


Sent from my iPhone using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app

Personally, I don't think it would be a waste of money. Education is always good. If your doing it to make money, I can't speak to that industry. However, @Gary A. was a professional photojournalist and he may be able to shed some light on that profession for you. His work is excellent and knows the industry like I know mine, very well.

If you are passionate about something, you will be successful. If your disciplined and work hard, you will get ahead. Love. If you are passionate, disciplined, work hard, and love it... there is no stopping you.

While that sentiment is great, we need to be a bit realistic.

There are plenty of college athletes are passionate, disciplined, work hard, and love the game who will never make the pros because there are only so many jobs.

Photography is equally competitive in the digital age.

 

[jcdeboever]

So, I took an in person photo course from 2010-2012 and haven’t done any photography since. I just got a mirrorless camera and have been shooting some street photography. My photos aren’t great. I’ve forgotten a lot of stuff and was looking into NYIP, but have seen mixed reviews. I was thinking of photojournalism and the photojournalism class, but I was wondering if it was worth it. What’s the job market like? How do you even get a job in photojournalism? What is that process like? Is NYIP’s class a good starting placebo get into photojournalism? Just looking for some opinions.


Sent from my iPhone using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app

Personally, I don't think it would be a waste of money. Education is always good. If your doing it to make money, I can't speak to that industry. However, @Gary A. was a professional photojournalist and he may be able to shed some light on that profession for you. His work is excellent and knows the industry like I know mine, very well.

If you are passionate about something, you will be successful. If your disciplined and work hard, you will get ahead. Love. If you are passionate, disciplined, work hard, and love it... there is no stopping you.

While that sentiment is great, we need to be a bit realistic.

There are plenty of college athletes are passionate, disciplined, work hard, and love the game who will never make the pros because there are only so many jobs.

Photography is equally competitive in the digital age.

Destin, that is fine what you replied. I wasn't responding to your response, I did not see, nor read it. I was just giving my opinion to the OP, as you were.

However, now that YOU brought it up... many times people are held back by opinions of other people. If I would have listened to the negative of what other people said about me being a full commissioned salesman or a full time artist, I would be doing something else. I chose to be an artist (successful), I chose to be a salesman (successful), I choose to be a photographer (will be). I can do whatever I want and be very successful at it. I am successful at whatever I can wrap my mind around to do. My point is perspective.

 

[dennybeall]

Being personally successful at a task or business is very different from the market for a product or service. I can be the most successful photographer around but if only a few people want the services of a professional photographer it's not a good job.
What we are seeing is a severe reduction in peoples desire to pay for a professional photographer. They are becoming OK with the quality of cellphone photos. As the cellphone cameras get better and better the public is getting more and more OK with their results.

 

[Gary A.]

There are full-time staff jobs out there in photojournalism. To clarify, I haven't worked news since the 1980's. All staff journalism jobs are few and far between and I think it has pretty much been that way since the first newspaper was published. Yes is is very competitive, but it has always been competitive, but now with the fragmentation of the advertising dollar via the internet and social media, there are less staff positions for all journalists. But there are positions available and they need to be filled by somebody ... if you think it is a job for you ... then give it a go. Odds are that you will fail ... but the odds have always been that way. But not giving it a go guarantees a failure by default ... who knows, you may be one of those who succeeded. I did.

Money at the major market news companies is good. Medium and small market news organizations are dropping like flies and the pay generally sucks.

Generally, major market news companies expect a degree in Journalism/Communications. A photojournalist is a journalist first and a photographer secondary. Hence the need to smell/follow/report the story. Again, generally, one starts out on a small market paper, then works up to a medium and finally a major market company.

Most likely it will be a long and uphill journey ... but if you have it in your blood ... then the journey is well worth the effort.

 

[Gary A.]

PS- All courses which make you shoot are beneficial. I cannot speak to the value of NYIP. Most every photojournalist I knew had a four year degree of some sorts. I would focus on a degree, work for small paper(s) to start and most importantly, look to internships and externships with a major market paper.

 

[dennybeall]

In the last few years many newspapers including major papers in many big cities have laid off their entire photo staffs and handed their reporters small point and shoot cameras. More recently with the cellphone cameras being so good and being able to send in the photos and video quickly the need for photographers is even less.