Research Project

            I have made the decision to write about photojournalism.  I think that photojournalism is an incredibly interesting career and it is for that reason that I am writing this paper.  The job of a photojournalist is to capture photographs that illustrate a moment in culture or a image of a quality of life.  Photojournalists capture images that illustrate the things that happen around the world so that people can be informed on current events and better understand what is truly happening through their ability to see a the truth through a photograph(Maniscalco, 31).  According to Guerrero García the characteristics that are needed to become a good professional photojournalist are "having academic training, being responsible, feeling concern, curiosity, being observant, anticipating situations, and being well-informed about the issue to be covered."(Guerrero, 42)

            As a photojournalist there are many different options for employment.  Photojournalists could get jobs working for local news publications.  Photojournalists could also pursue jobs where they would be working for national news publications.  There are even opportunities to pursue international work if you wanted to travel and photograph world-wide events.  Lastly another form of doing business as a photojournalist is to take freelance jobs or pursue projects on your own and sell the resulting images.

            I recently conducted an interview through email of Emmy-award-winning videographer and photographer Chuck Fadely.  Chuck Fadely has done some amazing work in the field of photojournalism(Chuck Fadely Productions | Video and Photography).  Mr. Fadely shared with me that rather than studying photography in college he studied liberal arts taking courses in art, literature, and philosophy that he feels have helped him tremendously in his life as a journalist.  He also shared with me that he picked up photography on his own and Mr. Fadely wrote on photography that "it's a craft you learn by doing." (Fadely)

            In this interview  with Mr. Fadely he shared with me that he got his start in photojournalism by doing work for his high school yearbook and then his college newspaper which made him decide to pursue photojournalism further rather than attending law school.  So for Mr. Fadely that's how his career as a photojournalist truly began.  This leads me to believe that there is no specific education requirements to become a photojournalist, but courses should be taken that with strengthen your abilities as a journalist (Fadely).

            The life of a photojournalist is a very unpredictable one with constant twists and turns as a photojournalist must be ready for anything.  It is very hard to definitively say what a typical work day or week is like because no two days will every really be the same.  The unpredictability of photojournalism is actually why I find it so interesting.  I love the idea of finding out that something is going on and then just rushing to get there as soon as you can in the hopes of capturing an amazing image.  For some photographers like Tim Harington- a photographer who spent several years in West Africa documenting the end of the war in Liberia as well as the daily life and changes that were taking place in multiple other African countries- you spent weeks months or even years away from home living in the midst of a new environment capturing their daily life(Long, 27).

            Pricing your work as a photojournalist is something that I have found is hard to exactly determine.  Of course you need to price your work in a way that you are making back whatever it cost you to produce the work as well as a profit.  Although, as David Burnett said "there is very little pay-for-content, so work is still being produced, but it's more and more difficult to be paid."  Burnett's comment leads me to believe that although you should be getting paid what you deserve it will be hard to make a living as a photojournalist so there will be times where you must just accept whatever offer is given because the publication that is hiring you can only afford to pay you so much(Long, 28).

            The salary of a photojournalist is slightly unpredictable.  There are many factor to be considered when determining a salary.  Some of these factors include the type of jobs you are doing as well as your experience and the quality of the work you are producing.  These many variables make it incredibly hard for me to determine how much money I could make as a photojournalist in a year.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has determined that the median salary of a working U.S. photographer is 31,710 dollars.  This is a very approximate number because it is not taking into consideration all of the things I previously mentioned(Photojournalism Job Outlook and Employment Options).

            There are many great organizations that a photographer can join.  One of the benefits of these associations are the opportunities to network.  Many of these organizations will have meetings and conferences throughout the year that are usually free for all members to attend.  Some of these great organizations include the American Photographic Artists, the American Society of Media Photographers, and the Professional Photographers of America.  An association that is more specifically for photojournalists is the National Press Photographers Association(Member Spotlight).

            During my interview with Chuck Fadely he shared a little bit of advice with me.  He shared that if you are attending a school for photography you should spend some time taking some business classes.  Mr. Fadely wrote about business classes "they're important. It's not easy making a living these days."  I really appreciated this advice because it reinforces something that I have heard a few times now since becoming a photography major which is that I need to be flexible.  As a photographer I need to be willing to do all sorts of different jobs in order to pay my bills. So adding a businesswomen to the list of hats I need to be able to wear was very interesting to hear. It can at times be alarming to think of all of the different thing I am going to have to learn to keep my career going, but I am hopeful that I will be able to be successful(Fadely).

            This interview with Chuck Fadely and all of the information I have researched has helped me to learn a lot about photojournalism as a career.  I have discovered that working as a photojournalist is a lot more work in the financial area of the job than I anticipated.  I would love to work internationally as a photojournalist but this research has shown me the harsh reality that this is easier said than done.  I am very grateful to Chuck Fadely for his willingness to help me get the information I needed to complete this assignment as well as some personal advice.

 

Bibliography

"Chuck Fadely Productions | Video and Photography." Chuck Fadely Productions | Video and      Photography. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2016.

Fadely, Chuck, Mr. "Chuck Fadely." E-mail interview. 5 Dec. 2016.

Guerrero García, Virginia, and Bella Palomo. "The Crisis Of Photojournalism: Rethinking The      Profession In A Participatory Media Ecosystem." Communication & Society (2015): 33-       48. Acedemic Search Complete. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.

Long, Genevieve. "The Rebirth Of Photojournalism." Quill 98.1 (2010): 26-29. Literary             Reference Center. Web. 16 Dec. 2016

Maniscalco, Lynn Troy. "Feature Photography And Photojournalism." PSA Journal 74.9 (2008):            30-32. Acedemic Search Complete. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.

"Member Spotlight." National Press Photographers Association | NPPA. N.p., n.d. Web. 17             Dec. 2016.

"Photojournalism Job Outlook and Employment Options." Study.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec.     2016.

 

Research Project Outline

·       Photojournalism

·       Employment Opportunities

·       Training and Education

·       Getting Started

·       A Day in the Life

·       Pricing

·       Salary

·       Networking and Professional Organizations

·       Advice

·       Summary

Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

As my first semester as a photography major is coming to a close I find myself thinking back to how the semester began. My first assignment in Digital Photography1 - a photo course I am currently taking - was a scavenger hunt done on the college campus looking for the letters of the alphabet. This was a great first assignment because it was fun and helped me start the semester off by stretching my creativity. Since this first assignment I think I have grown and become a much better photographer because of what this semester has been teaching me. I am very grateful for the lessons I have learned along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reaction Paper: John Messinger

Last Monday photographer John Messinger stopped by on of my classes to talk to us about his work. I really appreciate John coming because all of the advice he gave was really helpful. John Messinger is a photographer who does his work using a polaroid camera. He photographs computer screens and then places the images next to each other to create large images. I would definitely recommend checking out his website if you get the chance.

My favorite piece of advice he gave is to take whatever jobs come your way. As an artist it can at times be incredibly hard to agree to doing certain work that is not necessarily your specialty. This is often for me just based out of a fear of not knowing how the work would come out but ultimately it would be okay. I really love that he said that though because ultimately you need to be able to pay your bills. I also love the other aspect of why he said this because he was saying that whatever jobs you do will ultimately help you to get better and bring in a new approach to your way of doing whatever it is that you actually specialize in.

Another thing that he talked about that I really like was about choosing the branch of photography that you want to work in. He talked about how he thought he would be doing something completely different in photography back when he started and he also said that what he's doing is constantly changing. I really liked that he said that because I'm not really completely sure which branch of photography I want to go into yet. I have my ideas but nothing is set in stone. So for me to hear that someone as successful as John Messinger didn't always know either was really comforting.

I really loved getting to hear John Messinger speak. He was a really interesting guy but he was also really nice and just generally cool. I hope that I get the opportunity to cross paths with him again throughout my photographic career. I really appreciated all of the advice he shared and I am very confident that I will be putting his tips to use in the near future.

Light

I have always been a fan of images taken in darker lighting so when given an assignment to photograph light I jumped at the opportunity to do so in scenarios where there was an absence of lights other then the primary one I was photographing. So I got in my car after sunset one night and just started to drive. I drove around for hours just hoping to stumble upon something of interest. The results were many images that I am pleased with and below are two of my favorites.

 

Landscapes

I spent some time about a week ago photographing both natural and urban landscapes around my neighborhood. I enjoyed doing this because it made me look at my neighborhood differently. The following are two photographs that I enjoy from my shoot. I really like the first image because of the construction of the crossway over the railroad tracks. I feel that all of the lines in this image are very interesting visually.

Portrait

I recently spent some time capturing self portraits. I really enjoy taking self portraits because I like having the full control of my model. I feel like since I am my own model I can be very honest and real with my self as well as have the freedom to try new ideas with out the opinion of someone else getting in the way. Another great thing about self portraits is that it is very easy for me to create the photograph that I am aiming to create because I do not have to try to get another person to understand my vision. I ultimately think that self portraits are a wonderful tool when trying to stretch yourself creatively for your own personal enjoyment but using models also does have its benefits. Although I'll save that topic for another time

 

Exploring Composition

I was given an assignment this semester in which I was encouraged to explore different techniques to create an interesting composition in my photographs. The project was nice because it reminded me of the importance of positioning the subject of my images in a way that will be visually pleasing in the photographs that I capture. The first image I would like to share with you is an image in which I focused on centering my subject and trying to have balance when it came to the items on either side of my subject. The second image that I have posted below is an image where I focused on using the edge of the frame to draw your eye towards the subject. I particularly enjoy this photograph because of the way the lights lining the side of the building as well as the line created by the edge of the building meeting the pavement both intersect right by the subject. I find these lines very visually pleasing because of the way they draw your attention in towards the subject of the image making him the focal point of the photograph.

 

Abstraction

My most recent assignment in school was a project on abstraction. For the assignment I got the chance to take ordinary objects and try to photograph them from a new perspective abstracting what the object or texture appears to be. I really enjoyed this assignment because it challenged me to look at the world with the perspective of trying to find things that could be abstracted. This project helped me to see the world in a different way that I hope will help improve my images moving forward. The following photographs are a few of my favorite images that I created for this assignment.

Night Photography

I recently had an assignment for a digital photography class I am taking in which I had to explore taking photographs at night. I really darker lighting in photographs so I was very excited about this assignment. I am very pleased with the results from my shooting. The following image is one of my favorite photographs that I captured for this project. This image is one of my favorites because it reminds me of Edward Steichen's photograph "The Pond."

 



 

Reaction Paper: Visit to Jim Lennon's Studio

On Monday, September 26th I had the pleasure of visiting Jim Lennon's Photography Studio. It was a wonderful experience to get to see what a real professional photography studio was like. I was there with a class of my peers from the photography program I am currently enrolled in on a field trip. Jim Lennon and his wife offered a refreshing take on the business involved in being a professional studio photographer if you want to own your own studio.

Jim spent a majority of the time that we were in his studio explaining the financial needs involved in keeping a studio functioning. Jim encouraged us to be serious about our careers as photographers by not allowing ourselves to get caught up in the art and to stay grounded in the financial needs of your business while allowing creativity when it is appropriate to do so. Jim challenged us to take the business aspect of things seriously.

This serious aspect of Jim's advice should have been scary as he tossed around the specific details of the large number of jobs that you would need and money you'd need to make in order to keep your business functioning but rather than feeling fear I was overcome by excitement. Something that you probably don't know about me is that I love math. So the fact that if I choose to run my own studio one day I would need to be crunching numbers all of the time was a bit of a dream come true. This meant that owning a studio would combine my two favorite things: photography and math.

There was a moment as we were walking through Jim Lennon's studio that I caught myself thinking "I could see myself doing this forever and never getting bored" and for me that was the best feeling because I've always feared getting caught up doing a job that I hate. Finding photography was an answer to prayer because it honestly is my dream job. Walking through the studio I was excited about the possibility of owning a studio being apart of my future.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to see Jim Lennon's studio and to hear some of the things he was willing to share about what he has learned in his time as a successful professional photographer. I am so excited to be starting my journey into professional photography. The lessons that Jim was willing to share are valuable lessons that I will always cherish. I would definitely recommend taking a trip to visit a studio if photography is something you are passionate about.

Reaction Paper: Photoville

This weekend September 21st-25th Brooklyn Bridge Plaza was home to its 5th annual Photoville. I attended with a friend on Thursday evening and it was unlike anything else I've ever experienced. I loved the layout of the event. I think that the idea of having the exhibitions in storage containers is brilliant. Having the event layout the way it was made the whole event feel more creative. Photoville was not only an incredible environment to appreciate photographs but it was also a wonderful environment to capture images.

 

The location of Photoville right near the Brooklyn Bridge was a wonderful choice in my opinion because a large percent of the audience attending Photoville are photographers.The location is a beautiful location to take photographs. After I had walked through Photoville rather than leaving I chose to walk around the surrounding park and I'm so glad I did because I was able to capture some wonderful images. The view of the Manhattan skyline on that clear skied Thursday night was absolutely breathtaking.

 

Another aspect of Photoville that I really enjoyed was that the images being shown were current. I feel like I personally have seen so many historic photographs so it was a refreshing change to see images that are being created currently. I specifically enjoyed seeing the images of seniors in different photographic imaging programs in the state. I enjoyed seeing the works of these photographers because I am personally still trying to decide on what I want to do concerning my own personal education after I graduate from the program I am currently in.

 

Another portion of Photoville that I loved was the photographs of the Ebola outbreak. I really enjoyed these photographs because I found those images to be an incredible window into a tragic event that's occurred within the world. I am seriously considering pursuing photo journalism because I love the transformative power of photography to travel somewhere you never would have been able to actually encounter. I love the idea of being able to take images that will show people what's going on in the world and allow them to connect emotionally with something completely foreign to them.

 

I loved Photoville and I am already looking forward to attending again next year. I am so glad that I was able to go and experience this amazing event. Photoville gave me a large amount of insight on what is current in photography today as well as offered me a really interesting and exciting location to capture images.