Photojournalism is more than just pretty pictures ... it's hard work

Dear photojournalism students:

Let me start by saying this: Journalism is hard work but experienced journalists make it look relatively easy. To be a part of the media (or marketing team), it takes a different kind of caring about the world we live in; a certain way of seeing our communities as a whole; and a big thirst for knowledge and curiosity that drives our pursuit of justice and truth.

 

As far as visual journalism goes: that takes a whole new skill level. Photojournalism means being able to quickly read a room and know when a moment might happen. It means knowing when to capture that moment when it does happen. 

You also have to make that moment look good, and that’s when an instinctive knowledge of how to manipulate exposure control and composition matters.

 

Let me tell you what photojournalism is not: grip and grins, static images of things, quick snapshots, cutting off body parts, too much sky and ceiling, shaky videos, bad audio, missed moments.

 

It’s also not documenting the backs of people, or people just standing around, or people eating and drinking. It's not taking a photo of someone giving a peace sign or waving at the camera.

 

Those are the common issues amateur photographers make when they first start out, which is why you take classes like photojournalism. Let me assure you that there's a limited chance that you will become a strong image maker in just four months ... but it’s a start. 

This class also gives students a basic knowledge of their  ethical and legal boundaries and responsibilities, and that's just as important as making the image.  

 

My goal is to expose you to a different way of thinking and seeing. This course gives you a starting point, and through experience you will improve along the way. Some of you won’t go any further than what you are forced to do here. But some of you will take what you’ve learned and expand on it, and, hopefully some day, share your honed skills with the world.

 

You need to know that it took me years to develop my writing, photography and audio skills, so throughout the semester I expect you to make mistakes, get confused, become frustrated and have panic attacks. All I ask is that you do your best with the limited tools you currently have.

 

So, in your future, when you fall down, get back up and try it again. Keep striving to learn more, do better, continually educate yourself every step of the way. I’m learning all the time, even at my age, and I still fail.

 

Photojournalism is an honorable civic duty that is pretty much a calling. Sure, it’s tough out there right now – newsrooms are being taken over by greedy hedge funds that only care about profits and power. But your generation should fight back because without a free, robust press, we wouldn’t be America  – we wouldn’t be free to expose corruption within our government and business community. We wouldn’t be able to educate the masses about important issues like global warming, voting and civil rights, diseases, etc. etc. That’s our job, as journalists and photojournalists.

 

Throughout this semester, I want you to post your assignments as if you were a working journalist. Your website was built to be your portfolio and to showcase what you’re capable of. So, I really hope you continue to post on your social media well after this class is over.

 

Remember this: If you have AP style errors, misspellings, bad punctuation, weak story leads and crappy photos throughout your posts … well, I wouldn’t hire you, and neither will anyone else.

 

Again, photojournalism is more than pretty pictures ... it's hard work but well worth the effort.