Reuters best photos of 2011

[dogbunny]

Here is the link

Some really amazing photos, some mediocre, but what I noticed was that the aesthetic is distinctly digital. I'm not after a film vs digital debate. I am more interested in what is happening, not what I want to happen. There is clearly a photographic progression occurring here. The medium is evolving. How much are we in control of this evolution? Is this just a swinging of the pendulum?

 

[aad]

Fantastic link. I don't know what you mean by digital aesthetic, but these are stirring.

 

[newsgrunt]

Some familiar names in there but I also don't understand the digital aesthetic comment. A good image is a good image no matter what camera was used.

 

[hlockwood]

Here is the link

Some really amazing photos, some mediocre, but what I noticed was that the aesthetic is distinctly digital. I'm not after a film vs digital debate. I am more interested in what is happening, not what I want to happen. There is clearly a photographic progression occurring here. The medium is evolving. How much are we in control of this evolution? Is this just a swinging of the pendulum?

And not a single one of them in B&W. 🙁

Harry

 

[kokoshawnuff]

And not a single one of them in B&W

I noticed that too.

And according to the info, every one of them was taken with a Canon DSLR; I wonder if it was a partnership with canon...

 

[JayM]

For press photos many of those are surprisingly un-good. For a bunch of people who are paid to sling cameras all day that's not what I would expect. I shouldn't have to read the caption to get impact from an image and all the telephoto sniping turns humanistic to voyeuristic and exploitive.

Then again, a few of them meet the "famous person" and "in focus" standards so maybe I'm being too harsh.

 

[gavinlg]

I noticed that too.

And according to the info, every one of them was taken with a Canon DSLR; I wonder if it was a partnership with canon...

I counted 7 total photos from Nikons. Canon just rules the roost in this sort of photojournalism with the 5d/1d combo.

Some familiar names in there but I also don't understand the digital aesthetic comment. A good image is a good image no matter what camera was used.

Agreed - and some great photographs in there (amongst a few mediocre ones). Don't really understand the comments about the 'digital aesthetic'. News photojournalism is pretty much digital dominated - for good reason. Film is more popular in the longer term personal photojournalism stuff, and the work approaching 'fine art' style photojournalism..

 

[newsgrunt]

Reuters is primarily a Canon shop but Nikon is wooing them hard. It'll be interesting to see if Nikon's supposedly (as in rumoured) upcoming announcement of the D4 will draw people from buying the 1Dx.

Also to be remembered is that some of these photographs were taken by locals who have the access but not necessarily the experience that Reuter's western photographers have. I know their former global picture editor, Tom Szlukovenyi was working to give Reuters photographers from other countries, experience outside their norm and to push their boundaries and comfort levels.

You also won't find wire photographers falling into the 'cool black and white photos' trap very often, if at all.

 

[35mmdelux]

Thanks for the FYI -

 

[shadowfox]

Here is the link

Some really amazing photos, some mediocre, but what I noticed was that the aesthetic is distinctly digital. I'm not after a film vs digital debate. I am more interested in what is happening, not what I want to happen. There is clearly a photographic progression occurring here. The medium is evolving. How much are we in control of this evolution? Is this just a swinging of the pendulum?

If I ever wanted to see some top-notch digital images, this would be the venue that I'd expected.

I think this is where digital photography really shines. We would have missed a lot of stirring and amazing moments had we not have the digital technology.

I also do not miss B&W in these collection, the use of color heightened the drama in the photos.

But that one shot with the golfer in his chair... one of the best? come on... 🙂

 

[Dunn]

Interesting photos. Some I had seen and some I hadn't.

This might be an interesting article to some about Reuters. I came across it a few days ago. Not saying that's how all of their photographers are, just an interesting read.

One name I was really surprised to see in the "fraud" article was Tyler Hicks.

http://zombietime.com/reuters_photo_fraud/

 

[Spicy]

i was also *somewhat* underwhelmed, though to be sure, there are a handful of exceptional shots in there.

most of the great ones are timing-dependent, though, but hey, luck is just where opportunity meets preparation, right?

 

[jsrockit]

Wow, very hard crowd to impress. People expect a news source to have B&W film photos in 2011? People expect every photo to have perfect composition? These are photos that are generally supported by text and each one of them works in that way. These are photos that are taken under strict deadlines no? How many of us will make great, perfect photos under strict deadlines?

I think many are just jealous to be honest... I see it a lot on this forum. Too much negativity towards those who have "made it."

 

[bigeye]

Like JayM, I found myself looking at a lot of captions - it seems I've spent a lifetime looking at similar protest scenes.

It's not an absolute (get any image of the event!), but the great ones do not need captions; they're the best journalism. "Bra & Stomp" and bloody "V" are particularly strong.

I wouldn't expect any film (or typewriters) to be used today by journalists. It isn't the venue.

- Charlie

 

[emraphoto]

Reuters is primarily a Canon shop but Nikon is wooing them hard. It'll be interesting to see if Nikon's supposedly (as in rumoured) upcoming announcement of the D4 will draw people from buying the 1Dx.

Also to be remembered is that some of these photographs were taken by locals who have the access but not necessarily the experience that Reuter's western photographers have. I know their former global picture editor, Tom Szlukovenyi was working to give Reuters photographers from other countries, experience outside their norm and to push their boundaries and comfort levels.

You also won't find wire photographers falling into the 'cool black and white photos' trap very often, if at all.

indeed. as well, a lot of this stuff unfolds very quickly and in a manner that is far from predictable. to even get photographs is a feat in itself.

there needs to be a greater understanding of the many different approaches to the work you see in the media. wire is a totally different game than someone shooting spec, with all the time in the world to organize entry into stories and the ability to work very close. you can be there all day/month/year and thus have a much different perspective than the folks who arrive 5 mins before the proverbial sh** hits the fan.

it is no wonder a difference is seen. the different ways of working produce visually different results.

the budgets and resources have also changed dramatically. Reuters is not flying scarf wearing, battle hardened pjs into these places anymore. local talent is quickly filing up the call board. a lot of the outlets also no longer cover folks in the way they may have ten years ago. what is not known is the story of the local pjs and fixers across the globe that have been injured or killed in the past year and have been forgotten by the very folks who hired them in the first place. Hondros and Hetherington weren't the only people who died that day. if the risk of injury and/or death is high and you have no coverage... well you get the point. the aesthetics are merely a reflection of the changing face of the media landscape.

all in all, i say bravo to all of them. sometimes the goings on, dangers and stresses of this sort of work may not be prevalent to the casual viewer.