A Chance to Document History Even in e-mail, the excitement Peg Achterman has for her job as a television photojournalist for KING-TV in Seattle comes across. "TV took a hold of me in college and grad school and I've met people and been places all over the world because I'm a photojournalist. Sure, I have bad days. I miss my family on holidays, but I'm not at a desk. And I hope that our stories make a difference sometimes. "If you can focus on the fact that a company pays you to make images, meet people, see amazing things and not get too caught up in silly assignment-desk decisions, the date you missed or goofy editing, well, then you will be living your dream, and you'll be trilled. "Not every day is fun. Some are harder than anything you've ever done in your life, both physically and emotionally, but you are recording history." |
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Steve Frischling, chief photographer at the Brattleboro Reformer in Vermont said, "This job comes with incredible highs, wonderful rewards, and some of the loneliest lows, and feelings of conflict."
Certainly, covering complex and emotionally challenging events has been a significant portion of every photojournalist's job since before the Civil War. As early as the 1800s, photojournalists with huge, hardly portable cameras were making portraits of presidents and documenting the Civil War. By the 1920s, the constant variety, allure of traveling all over the world and the possibility of meeting people of all backgrounds attracted more and more budding visual artists to the profession. The ability to document history continues today in the career of a photojournalist.
Characteristics
A Sense of Curiosity
Photojournalists must have an interest in working with people and finding out about things that may not be obvious on the surface. Photojournalists need a desire to know more about their surroundings and the problems of their existence. It takes persistence to seek out more than one side of a situation and an ability to put it in perspective with ongoing events.
Artistic Aptitude
An ability to see things creatively enables photojournalists to organize images that will relate the facts of the story with emotional and visual qualities to attract the attention ad interest of the viewers.
Mechanical Aptitude
Today's society is increasingly reliant on computer technology. The world of the photojournalist is no different. Many newspapers now send their photojournalists on assignment with a digital camera, a computer and satellite cell-phone to enable nearly instantaneous transmission back to the newsroom. And television stations bring satellite trucks with them on assignment for live feeds. In fact, for print journalists, the desktop publishing specialist is one of the 10 occupations with the fastest employment growth between 1996 and 2006.
High Ethical Standard
Many publications and stations have conduct codes or ethics codes requiring photojournalists to report truthfully, honestly and objectively. Their codes might include statements such as "photojournalists should at all times maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in serving the public interest" or "a member shall present himself, his work, his services and his premises in such a manner as will uphold and dignify his professional status and the reputation of the station."
Quick Thinking and Adaptability
By the very nature of the profession, photojournalists must expect the unexpected. One day, they might be sitting the hall outside a courtroom waiting for a witness to leave, the next, they might be photographing a 13-car pile-up on the interstate. Later that day, they might be at a school photographing a girls softball game. There will be times when an assignment may not be appealing. Still, editors will demand that the journalist come back with a publishable image regardless of the circumstances, lack of accessibility or weather.
Education and Skills
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "The more you learn, the more you learn-and the less likely you are to be unemployed. Education pays, in part, because employers believe educated workers learn tasks more easily and are better organized." Entry-level positions in photojournalism are likely to require a college degree although few employers require a degree in journalism or photojournalism. Some employers even suggest photographers have a degree in something other than journalism/photography, giving them deeper insight into other fields.
George Bridges, a freelance photographer in Washington, DC. Says, "Get as broad of an education as possible. (A friend who is a recent Pulitzer winner was an international business major) Study things that interest you besides photography and stay up-to-date on current events. In this job you will meet, and spend time talking with, everyone from workers picking crops for a few dollars a day to corporate chiefs earning $100 million-plus a year and just about everyone in between."
There are a number of vocational schools and community colleges that offer training in photography. High school courses in industrial photography, photojournalism, fine arts photography or commercial photography can also prove useful in helping a photographer to determine a career interest. High school and/or college experience can prove invaluable in learning not only the technical aspects of photography but experiencing what it's like to work in a newsroom on deadline.
Employers look for photojournalists that have mastered the technical aspects of their camera and can "paint with light." They also look for people who are imaginative and creative.
Most newspapers and television stations require some form of internship or apprenticeship at a newspaper or television station. Summer or part-time work for a photographer, cable or television network, newspaper or magazine is an excellent way to gain experience and eventual entry into photojournalism. The NPPA maintains a list of internships for photographers available upon request. However, the best way to get an internship is to meet professionals and to stay in touch with them, learning of internships as they come open.
Business or management courses are also useful for photographers who stay self-employed or who desire to become department managers or editors.
The British Institute of Professional Photography, in Working with Light: Careers in Photography and Allied Areas, "Getting started in photography is likely to be difficult because it is a competitive, over-crowded area of work.... [Y]ou will need to sell yourself and your portfolio in an interview situation."
John Tebbell, in Opportunities in Newspaper Publishing Careers, also suggests that photojournalists learn to write well. "On many smaller papers, reporters have to take the pictures as well as write, and that ability is a hiring prerequisite." Even at larger papers and on any assignment, photographers must function as reporters getting the accurate spelling of all names of the people in their photos and enough information to write complete photo captions. The information the photographer sends may be the only information about the image the publication has, particularly when photos are transmitted to far-away locations.
Steven Wolf, a photojournalist with the Aberdeen American News in South Dakota echoes that thought and expands.
"I tell everyone that asks me to learn how to write and be a good reporter. No matter what side of this business you're on its still accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. As an example, if you can come back from an accident scene with information that is attributable, accurate, complete and particular, you've elevated your status in the newsroom far beyond the 'camera guy.' Being able to report is what separates a photojournalist from a button pusher."
The Portfolio
For a photographer, preparing for a job or internship interview (or even a college visit) means doing more than proofing the resume a few dozen times and picking out a sharp-looking suit. It means selecting a group of pictures that truly representative of their best work and preparing them in a visually appealing manner (either as mounted prints, slides or in digital form or as a polished video tape).
In addition to knowing the right people and getting in at the right time, neither of which should be underestimated, having a quality portfolio can mean the difference between getting into a college, getting a job or getting an internship.
Julianne Newton, a former professor of journalism at The University of Texas at Austin said students can expect to get a wide variety of opinions on their portfolio, but employers will have a range of opinions too.
"Get several different people to review your portfolio 'draft.' Ask them to be brutally honest with you. They may all like different things and even tell you the opposite of what someone else told you, but then you'll have some idea of the range of opinion you can expect," Newton said, noting that students should keep their final product to 10-20 images. "And if two or three of the reviewers point out the same pix as your strongest, then you know you're on to something. If it turns out to be more confusing than helpful, got with your instincts using the best comments you received."
George Bridges, a free-lance photographer in Washington, D.C. agreed that it's critical to get a variety of viewpoints.
"Have someone else (advisor, photographer at the local paper) help you edit the portfolio - many photographers are poor judges of their own work. Your opinion can be flawed, for example, by the difficulty it took to get a shot - but someone else may just see a routine picture," he said.
Bridges also said the presentation and order of photos is important whether it's for a job interview or for a contest.
"When editing, remember that you want to grab the viewer's attention immediately and try to hold that interest. It is similar to writing a news story - put your strongest images first."
And John Loomis, a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia said he advises high school students to get out and shoot a variety of events.
"Be proactive with your school newspaper," he said. "If the paper normally doesn't cover different events that you want to shoot where you live, then there is no reason that you can't start a new policy. Effect change, don't complain about existing bad policies."
However, he cautioned that some photographers fill their portfolios with one type of photo, sports for example, and forget that variety is crucial to any successful portfolio.
"Be careful not to fill your portfolio with the subjects you like to photograph most (i.e. you love sports and put five sports images in a 16-image portfolio; that is way too much). A good breakdown of a 16-image portfolio is two sports, three news (one being spot news), three feature, two portraits, two illustrations, and the rest should be part of a photo story. That is just a formula, not a set equation."
John Knaur of Olympus America Inc. said he constantly reminds photographers that their portfolio is dynamic document, not a fixed set of work that never changes and it must include something that will appeal to most people.
"The portfolio needs to have a photo story - human interest shots as well as the spot news and sports," he said noting that portfolios, whether slides or prints, need to be carefully mounted or displayed. "Quality of work and composition should be the best and carefully chosen to give the best results. Older work needs to be replaced with new work; keep the portfolio up to date."
Having worked with hundreds of college students applying for jobs, Newton further emphasized the importance of presentation.
"Be professional in presentation. Prepare your portfolio so that whoever is looking at it forgets you're still in school," she said. "That means quality prints, clean transparencies, absolutely no typing errors, and a distinctive package. Present your work like a pro. Don't apologize for anything. Be proud of it. It's your work. Prepare it with pride and show it with pride."
Salaries Reflect Supply
As Nancy Ford said in her publication, Photojournalism as a Career, "Anyone can make money in any career.... But like I always say, if you are planning to pursue a career in photojournalism, then you should make sure that journalism is in your blood and that you love it, because frankly, you are not going to get rich doing it.... If you don't feel that passion, that drive to learn everything about photography, journalism and photojournalism that you can, then please find what is in your heart. It is important to feel passion for whatever you choose to do."
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual earnings for salaried photographers was about $30,600 in 1996. The middle 50 percent earned between $21,000 and $46,500. The top 10 percent earned more than $75,100 while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $14,500. Salaried photographers work full time and earn more than the majority of freelance photographers.
A survey by the Radio and Television News Directors Association Foundation found that television photographers' pay ranged from $12,000 to $83,000 with an average of $22,700.
An increasing number of photojournalists, about 40 percent in 1996, are self-employed, "freelancers." Approximately 17 percent NPPA professional members consider themselves freelance photographers.
The Future
For the average photojournalists, the future involves technology. More and more, computers are becoming an integral part of the camera and employers require photojournalists to know how to take a well-composed and technically perfect photo, but to be able to manipulate it in editing software using modern hardware.
And with the advancement of the World Wide Web and the desire to integrate video and print images, the line between a television photojournalist and a print photojournalist is becoming blurry.
"Whether you're in TV or still photojournalism, learn as much about the other as you can. Just in case," advises Jay Murdock, a former newspaper photographer and now a TV photojournalist at WYFF-TV in Greenville, SC.
Despite being a fiercely competitive field, the Department of Labor expects the employment to increase as fast as average. "[A]s advances in telecommunications create new markets and products - electronic newspapers and magazines, for example, which rely heavily on images-the demand for pictures and images is expected to increase."
By Bradley Wilson / copyright © 2003 nppa.org
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