Photojournalism, the disscusion thread.

[Asiertxo]

---

Hello there people.
First I will introduce myself. I’m a 24 year old photography and photojournalism enthusiastic (but never studied nor one or the other in regular studies, I have mi reasons for that). Bu I have mi basis on photography, cause I have myself the last years as a photography aficionado and student (some university courses).

Yes I know, It sound as another stupid kid (or adult) claiming to get a camera which he didn’t know even to use it and Jump into the fire of a war or conflict to get a Pulitzer the second day. PLEASE, absent this kind of guys and imaginations.
No, I’m totally conscious about the world of photojournalism(what’s not only wars and natural disasters), even that It have been very hard for me to look for information about it, or even opinions of professionals, etc, usually is not the most discussed matter in any forum, community etc.

Well. Then I’m gona be a little foolish kid and say the words, I want to be a photojournalist.

I know some things about the industry, for example that photojournalist are disappearing in so many parts of the press, sending directly the journalist with compact cameras to cover the news. But still exist. I know too, that is becoming different cause the technologies and is harder for a freelance to go anywhere and be able to take photos as people of newsletters and agencies do (cause this last ones have loooooot of help and things easier, as interprets, drivers etc. No words about money stuff).
With this panorama, the no answer question. How to be a photojournalist? Well, here it comes mi personal opinion, not very useful cause mi really little knowledge, but believe me when I say I’ve been investigating for a while and thinking a lot on it.
Being watched buy the people they have to watch you is EVERYTHING, and of course they have to like what they see. What is the problem here, is not enough to be a good photographer, is not enough to have very beautiful street photos or travel photos. You need HISTORIES! And you have to look for them, you have to investigate, speak with the people, make contacts and take photos of events, before, until and after. And this again, is a really hard journalism job, wich usually does a team of persons or a person based in a big net of informers and with so many facilities (like a regular salary) that we don’t have (and education, university journalism major for example).

(This will be the second step after becoming a good photographer learn the technique, etc. etc., to have material, to make a portfolio).

Well third step, we are good photographers, we have a nice portfolio (Nothing like wars and guns or international news covered, just local things, cultural things, BUT Nice photos and some histories no one more had ever told about). Show your material! CAREFULL show a little part of it, be professional. Even if the tribe in the middle of the jungle is amazing, they never seen foreigners in their town or whatever, your work would be boring if you show 5 photos of women posing (even if they are all super nice portraits and different women) make a really little selection of your histories. First we have in our disposal, flickr, 500px and other platforms. But I think it will be indispensable to make a personal and professional looking website.

Well we have been taking photos for free, working in investigation and making a whole journalist job for almost 1 or 2 years, maybe more. We have a website with a really nice photojournalism job (and maybe some travel photos too). Now get in touch with agencies and newsletters. How to do it? No idea, I’m not in this step yet.

I’m a young man, I haven’t studied journalism, nor audiovisuals or other majors. But I’m so much better photographer and sometimes journalist than much of that lazy guys studding a major just going class all weeks to wait until weekend party. On the other hand, this education, this help of knowing about the industry, history etc. Is a lack I’m trying to fulfill. And here my dear friends, is where I need help.

Lots of questions come to my mind fast as lightning strikes:

1- Where to get information about history of photojournalist (books, articles, etc.)?
2- Names of good photographers?
3- Projects ?
( Of course I’m a history aficionado, and know so many things about last centuries international history ad local history of some places. I also know a lot of photojournalist, easy ways is looking the first agencies or the Pulitzer, world press and other prices and keep investigating about them, their projects and trajectory. But need some more names, some projects, and some history of photojournalism or journalism books to look at.)
4- One I have myself to start in this by mi own. How to investigate and look for good histories?
5- ? How to work Once I’m there?
6- Which agencies are they, or which we know?
7- How to contact to newspapers, agencies etc.?

Well hundreds of questions we can do ourselves. THIS POST is to make this question EACH OTHER and answer in the level we are capable off. Aficionados, professionals, everyone has his opinion or experience, but please be reasonable and don’t go out of the threat PHOTOJOURNALISM.
And please again, don’t post stupid comments, as:’’ Photojournalist is dead.’’ Or ‘’Is impossible…’’. Resonate your comments every time with some basis.

Well on my part I gona make another little aportation (not on mi photos but on information on the web).
some photojournalist names and webs:
-Manu bravo : Bio - Manu Brabo
-James nachtway : http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/
javier manzano : Javier Manzano Reportage

In all internet I didn’t find any useful post about this. In any forum or community. Lets do it here…

A warm hello for all of you.

Asiertxo

 

[rlemert]

This is a very long post, and that alone is going to prevent many people from answering. You will probably get more responses if you focus your questions on one or two at a time, starting with the most basic. By the time you get to some of the more advanced questions (such as "How do I work once I'm there?"), you may find you've already learned the answer.

With that, I have two suggestions:

1) Pick a topic - any topic - that you can do in your hometown, and go out and shoot. It could be something as simple as "a day in the life of the local market". The subject is not important - what is important is that you try to find and tell a story. Once you've done this, you can post a short (8-10 photos) version here in the photojournalism forum and ask for feedback. (That particular forum doesn't seem to get long strings of replies, but it happens. Even if it doesn't, you'll still learn just going through the exercise.)

2) Call (or visit) the local print media (newspaper, any local magazines), and talk to whoever acts as their photo editor. Find out what they're looking for and where they get the stuff they print.

 

[Designer]

I don't agree that history has anything to do with photojournalism. Your chosen profession is about telling a story in pictures. If you can see an image that will convey some idea to the viewer, then snap it.

 

[Asiertxo]

Okay.

First rlemert, Is a long post of course it is and i see it, but that's okay with me. That people they wont read it is because they are not realy interested in the matter and have nothing to add on it.
about your suggestions, the first one is not the thing I'm looking for here, I'm not looking anyone to say if my work is ok or no, I'm looking about information of the photojournalism world and opinions, discussions about it.

About the post of Designer , I don't really understand your post. Its ok they are diferent kind of photojournalism, and the one I'm more interested in is the one of documentary or events, but the post is in general about all kinds of it. In the other hand your post adds nothing to the thread, of course have to llok for histories and shoot them, thats not only photojournalism, thats photography and thats the matter of the whole forum and webpage. Please try to make some sense and add somehing to the matte with your answers.

On the other hand, still working, i'm gona share with you all some more links:

World press photo (one of the most, if not he most, important photojournalism contest all over the world).
www.[B]worldpressphoto[/B].org

A web page qith some help to start looking how to get in the profesional photography world:
www.[B]freelancer[/B].com/jobs/Photography

Came to this forum looking for two things, help, and disccusion... Hope this thread start working soon.

See ya

Asiertxo.

 

[71M]

About the post of Designer , I don't really understand your post. Its ok they are diferent kind of photojournalism, and the one I'm more interested in is the one of documentary or events, but the post is in general about all kinds of it.

You need to know what sells. You need to know who buys.

 

[JoeW]

I don't know how people break in to photojournalism in China. I can tell you what I've seen and experienced here in the USA. Many get their start shooting sports in high school for the local paper (that needs someone to send in photos of the local football game). And then it escalates in college. And when local political events happen (or an election with many polling locations--too many to post photographers at each one), these young stringers end up doing some work for the major media outlet.

To be entirely honest, I think good photojournalism is less about being a good photographer (when PJs would shoot for newspapers, the quality of print meant that how sharp your photo was didn't matter as much). Websites are a step up but not much better. Being a good photojournalist is really more about knowing what it is you're covering, putting yourself in positions to get "the shot".

You asked for some names of good or great photojournalists. Wow...where to start...Bob Capa, David Douglas Duncan, Nick Ut, Eddie Adams, Larry Burrows, Susan Meiselas, Steve McCurry, Jim Nachtwey, Horst Faas, Ashley Gilbertson, Lynsey Addario, Carol Guzy, John Hoagland, Chris Hondros, Tim Hetherington, Remy Ochlik, Walter Astrada, and Ron Haviv. All of the names I've just listed are or were very notable photojournalists, highly admired by their peers.

Last of all, a good photojournalist has a clear sense of journalistic ethics. You don't pose photos. You don't crop or edit photos to create misleading images. You don't seek to create a story where one was not.

Good luck!

 

[Asiertxo]

Interesting and usefull post Joew. Totally agree abour the ethics, nad in my case im adding this eticks to all mi photo, not on ly journalism photography.

in the other hand nice list of names! having to add some to my own list from here, thanks!

 

[3Js]

Not sure what knowing the history of photojournalism would do for you. Studying where the profession is going seems more important to me. It may not be dead but it has taken a serious blow to the head thanks to camera phones and the shrinking budgets of publications using photos. Realizing that there is no way to always be where the action is going on is impossible and that amateurs who just happened to be there will get published even though the technical level of the shot may not be so high is a certainty to live with in this job is important.

Studying the work of photo journalist is however a must. JoeW gave you a good list of well known ones to start with but don't forget to study the unknown ones also. In your local or regional paper there may be some gems and not all photo journalists cover the major events of the world. Some cover the local baseball or soccer game, the local car accident, etc.

As for how to get started, there are as many ways as there are photo journalists. Some, like myself, took off for a war zone and got lucky to find an experienced pj to teach them the ropes. Others go from local publication to regional to national to international over many years.

In my time there were 3 ways to work. Either as an independent, as a member of an agency (Magnum, Gamma who was recently in trouble after years of being way towards the top, Sipa and many more. Link below.) or as an employee of a publication. I have no idea how it works today but I imagine it is about the same. As an independent you have to find your sales yourself although it becomes easier the better known you get when you end up working with just a handful of publications, usually. As a member of an agency, it deals with the sales and, as an employee of a paper or magazine, there are no sales.

Agencies and Collectives | P H O T O J O U R N A L I S M L I N K S

nse of journalistic ethics. You don't pose photos. You don't crop or edit photos to create misleading images. You don't seek to create a story where one was not.

Of course you do. It's just that you do it in camera which means you have to think before you shoot, not after.

 

[Asiertxo]

That links 3Js is very useful, thank you.