A desire to start photojournalism, where to start?

[Bob Michaels]

I have a totally different perspective.

First, establish some skills / credentials where you can make reasonably good money. This will probably be unrelated to photography. Maybe it will involve becoming a plumber, electrician, lawyer, or anything that suits you. Realize your ultimate goal will require quite a bit of time and financial resources to achieve. So you will need some income from elsewhere to keep you alive.

Then spend some time making money and some time pursuing your dream. You will find that achieving your dream will come quicker working 3 months making some money and then one month with some money working on your dream, than 4 months on your dream while you are dead broke.

Eventually spend more and more time pursuing your dream as your skills and reputation develop and less and less time at that job that only makes money.

Realize times have changed from the days when someone could start working as a photographer doing less than important assignments and work they way into the really good assignments based solely on their skills. That is hardly realistic in the modern environment.

Money certainly is not everything in the world. But it is quite hard to achieve many dreams while you have none these days.

 

[leicapixie]

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141779

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141779

Photojournalism is a noble undertaking.
Honors and thank you's don't cover rent, food, living expenses.

I moved from fashion where i lived was in major change.
I had contacts, assignments and briefs.
I had a another profession that financially covered me.
I quit PJ when it became way too dangerous!
A friend was killed while on assignment.
I had a daughter, a son and a wife.
I made a major decision, to quit South Africa.

Do documentary work, better "art type" themes.
Do your Fashion, if you really are doing OK.

Magnum pro's are doing workshops.
They need income.
Never offer anything free! Never.:bang:

A movie/DVD "Bang,Bang Club".
Not for faint hearted.

 

[nongfuspring]

I completely agree with jbielikowski, the grant idea is probably the best one here I think. I'm not a photojournalist, or even a working photographer, but I do work in the arts and have seen quite a few well funded long term documentary projects from emerging photographers that would never have been possible otherwise. I don't know if those people then went on to become full time photojournalists, but it was a great alternative to going on a self funded photo expedition for high quality portfolio material and publicity to boot.

From memory I think the Netherlands gives out pretty good arts funding grants. You'll need very well defined outcomes and detailed budget, and don't be discouraged if you get rejected first time since everyone does. Most successful photography grant applications I've seen also work through a secondary institution on location, often an artist residency space, a university, an NGO etc., this works well since it gives you support on the ground and gives you more credibility, even if you end up not being there 99% of the time.

There are also a lot of small independent magazines publishing locally and internationally, I'd try and build some relationships with them. You probably won't get paid but you won't have to pay for printing or distribution either. Many of them have open calls for submission throughout the year and have good relations with other funding organisations and larger magazines.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Roger HIcks gives you **great** advice, here.

Dont' mix up daily newspaper work with documentary/long term project work...they are often different things.

The Web has made a mashup of everything now. One of the most interesting and dynamic photographers I know (http://louiepalu.photoshelter.com/) started on projects, then a large daily newspaper, then quit and committed himself to the Afghanistan war and other long term projects (Mexican-US border, asbestos mining and health damage among others)...it's branched out into gallery shows, multi-media online displays, documentary films -- the point is, there's all kinds of outlets now.

My advice is to find something you're interested in -- passionate about -- and pursue it. Look up all kinds of outlets for your work and any kind of grant to help out. Shop it around but this is a path that asks you to commit time and effort to.

You need to be specific in what you're doing - if you can't produce a compelling, coherent idea, why would anyone else care about it?

 

[Turtle]

Figure out what you think you want to do.
Make sure you are very good at it.
... and the whole time do what Roger has just said. Never stop. Its the beginning, middle and end of your success.

Every print I have ever sold and every exhibition I've taken part in has come from direct contact.

....

It is impossible to overstate the importance of MEETING people, rather than thrashing about like a landed fish on the internet.

Cheers,

R.

 

[nikon_junkie]

I recently came across interviews with Michael Kenna and Jeff Ascough. Ascough shot commercial jobs as well as weddings for many years. Kenna pretty much the same.

If two of the elite and reknowned in their field moonlight, what does it mean for the rest of us?

I remember when it was easy to find a Craigslist bride to gain experience doing weddings. A decade since, it seems there is an over saturation of very bad (and some very, very good) photographers.

I would throw out branding yourself with a You Tube channel. Lean to your strengths of fashion.

It seems selling stuff (workshops, books, etc) to other photographers is the money maker.

 

[mdarnton]

The Chicago Sun-Times fired its entire photo department last winter. Last week the NY Daily News canned a bunch of photographers. I think the best way to get into photojournalism is to have started in the 70s and quit while things were still hopping (which is what I did 🙂.

I had an uncle who owned a wagon factory in Toledo. He held fast, believing that motor vehicles were a passing fancy. Today he'd probably be looking for a photojournalism job.

If you really want to do it, do it for yourself. If it's great, maybe someone will want to pay you for it, or maybe not, but if you care about the work more than the money, you'll be satisfied, which is the most important thing, I think.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I recently came across interviews with Michael Kenna and Jeff Ascough. Ascough shot commercial jobs as well as weddings for many years. Kenna pretty much the same.

If two of the elite and reknowned in their field moonlight, what does it mean for the rest of us?

I remember when it was easy to find a Craigslist bride to gain experience doing weddings. A decade since, it seems there is an over saturation of very bad (and some very, very good) photographers.

I would throw out branding yourself with a You Tube channel. Lean to your strengths of fashion.

It seems selling stuff (workshops, books, etc) to other photographers is the money maker.

It certainly looks that way, though all too often it also looks as if the blind are leading the blind. Once you've mastered some pretty basic techniques -- the emphasis varies from subject to subject -- it's mostly down to practice and passion.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Roger is spot on when he says it's about meeting people. And also, it's a business. And like any business, you work your way up. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I started out shooting for anyone who needed shots. I then took that work, and approached a bigger news outlet. I shot for them for a while, then took that work and approached a bigger news outlet. And so on and so on.

But photojournalism work is really drying up. Too many folks with smart phones and point-n-shoots are sending editors pictures of events, and asking for nothing in return but a photo credit. Can't pay the bills with a photo credit. So editors, who are being squeezed by lack of circulation, are saying, "Why should I pay for photos when I can get ones that are "good enough" for the internet, for free."

Find an aspect of photojournalism that the point-n-shoot and cellphone crowd can't do. That's what I'm doing now.

Years ago I was fortunate enough to do a workshop with Chris Rainier. He gave me a piece of advice that I've tried to hold on to. Do your photojournalism work, which at times can be monotonous/boring, but keep a personal project (photo documentary project) going all the time so you don't loose your passion for photography.

That's my 2¢ worth. Good Luck.

Best,
-Tim