[BrendanPK]

After being asked by superbass about Photojournalism, I came up with these 2 things How I got into it and Keys to follow

Sorry to steal the thread, but I'd like to ask you a question Brendan ... I'm in Delaware, and I was wondering how you got started shooting for newspapers etc.

I'm a college graduate with no real connections or ideas on what to do with my life, and I was wondering how people get started shooting professionally.

Simple, I stuck my foot in the door when I was 18 and left it their. Slowly squeezing more of my body through the crack.
I had some help along the way from teachers with Internships, and luck from the directors sending me jobs when they were called by another agency for a photographer.

My suggestion is to look for Internships (for the fall, too late for summer) also if you’re a good photographer start applying at local outlets as a freelancer. They will slowly start to use you if your good. Once your in make tones of friends and ask questions, look at all the photos that are published in all the papers, mags etc. that you can and try to figure out how to make yours look like theirs (not copy, but learn the good eye and your style will form.

It’s ok to do a freebee here and there but really you should be paid for your work. (Internship is the only exception to this rule, they are usually not paid) Cary your camera everywhere, take notes on the stuff you photograph, look for daily features (like weather events, and people caught in them, A hot day with a tone of kids playing in water etc.) Learn the direct numbers/extensions to the photo editors/editors, Email or FTP them the photos and hope they use it and then they should pay you. (Make sure you are clear on the $$ issue. Most places set their pay at flat rates, if its a very small paper you probably can't get more than $25, use them to get your feet planted, but move on quickly. Expect the average in the MD-DC area is $75-$200 an assignment and you usually cover your expenses. Sometimes when they assign you they will chip in more $$ if they know it’s a long distance to travel or for parking and if they want more than 2 photos to publish they will usually pay more too. I always send 2 more than they ask for so they have a verity to choose from.

[BrendanPK]

Remember these keys:
-Never become the news
-Never doctor a photo. (I go by the idea that If I couldn’t easily do it in the darkroom I shouldn't do it in PhotoShop, so Dodge, Burn only and if you "over burn" to highlight something else make a note of it in the file info so they know you did this and your not hiding it)
-Get Names, Ages, Current town/community they live in. Put in the file Info
-Never hurts to ask a quick question or 2 for a quote
-Never make up a quote
-Never make up a photo. Posed shots are portraits! Never react the event for the News/Camera!!!!!!! Making up a photo is as bad as making up a quote! And for portraits not that that it was a set-up shot in the file info
-Take group shots only to “satisfy” These are usually never used and you will get yelled at by editors for turning them in.
-Get the action, emotion, and lighting.
-Use flash effectively (look into Strobist)
-Always ID yourself with kids and parents. Get a press badge from one of your outlets.
-Join or look into NPPA (National Press Photographers Association
-Make friends in the press core
-Dress nicely unless you’re covering like a football game in the rain (I hate photographers who look like crap and think because they have a camera that it’s ok. Have kakis in your car and a button down shirt in case you are called to a fancy-event. Where shorts only when shooting outside like sports, Jeans only when shooting sports. And remember general Hygiene.) These will help you look committed to the job at hand and you will be noticed for going above the norm. I am often told I look nicer than the average, But I learned this from an old pro when I did an Internship with him.
-Make your gear ready for action, Most PJ's don’t like or use shoulder bags anymore. I prefer a hip-belt system, some like a photo-vest; I personally think photo-vests look grungy and wrinkled all the time
-Always have a pair of regular AA's in your bag, with a trash bag/plastic bag, small roll of Gaffer tape (does not leave the residue like duck tape) a ballpoint pen (does not run easily in the rain) and a sharpie, and a note-pad.

I think I got it all

[BrendanPK]

My Best-of 06 photos are here
ThePhotoStation.net - Best of Job 2006 - Powered by PhotoPost
Almost all of them have been published, and All I have taken while on assignment

[superbass]

Thanks for the info!

I've got a couple days left of teaching then exams, and I think I can now officially say that I don't want to teach English in the public school system. I've always been interested in photography so I figured that should be next on my list of things to try. I really appreciate the info

[tranq78]

Nice gallery. You've got a good eye Brendan. I think your football image is the best.

[roscot]

Very nice gallery Brendan. You have a very good photographic eye. What I find a bit ironic, is that you created these wonderful images with a camera (ist *D) that is not considered fast enough, feature rich enough, or tough enough for PJ duty.

You just prove the point - The photographer counts more than the camera. Keep up the good work.

[Wethphotography]

Thanks for a great post. Very informative. Terrific gallery, too. Any continuing education or photography programs in PJ you would recommend to people looking to ease into this or learn more?
Many thanks.

[BrendanPK]

Thank you all for the kind comments. Also Yes almost 100% of those images were with the "old" *ist-D bodies and I think 2 were on the DS, I know the one overhead of the racetrack was a remoted DS
But as stated, they have held up under TONES of abuse rain, dirt, etc.

As for the pics, thank you all for the comments. I only posted them as a reference. I had posted it in Jan orig. for comment in the photo section and got many positives than. But thank you all again.

I hope this post will help all of you who are PJ's in training or at heart.
As for classes, you can take some "regular" photo classes, and there are some workshops by famous PJ's but in reality the only way to get good is to learn on the fly, work with someone in the biz, and be prepared for horrendous photo editor critiques. Again take a look at NPPA, though I did not join until this past year, It is a very helpful resource for PJ's

And as a side note to the classes, I personally do not recommend Journalism classes unless you plan on writing. I hate even doing captions, but when needed now I could pump out a story, and have been the resource many times for the "lazy" writers who stay in the confines of a nice office (I always rag on the writers) BUT DO read over journalism ethics, and notes on being an ethical and effective journalist so you can make sure you never “cross the line.”

PJ Work is a hard field to break into, but if you are determined, you can. But you have to be a people person and not afraid to go up to strangers etc. and ask them rather personal questions right off the bat.

Other than that, have fun, enjoy. I am always learning new things on the job, both photo wise and general knowledge. You meet so many cool people and can make some great contacts if you’re good and friendly.
Enjoy

[stewart_photo]

I'll try to answer the "how people get started shooting professionally." My own experience dates back to my public affairs training in the Army, followed by coverage of the Vietnam War as a photojournalist. It appears many of the nation's top photojournalists got their start with the military.

I gave up photojournalist after leaving the military, but have toyed with it on several occasions over the years since. Once was with a local small town newspaper, mainly because they gave me a huge area, an okay vehicle, a good expense account, and pretty much a free hand to shoot whatever I wanted - in other words, great working conditions in spite of the poor pay.

Later, I worked as a freelance photojournalist covering news in Europe for smaller newspapers back in the United States. I didn't make a lot of money, but it did pay for travels all over Europe. Sadly, the freelance route is declining today - but not entirely gone (and unique pictures will always sell).

In the last job, I didn't even get paid. But it was a fascinating opportunity which led to many independent picture sales to local newspapers, magazines, and so on. One year after joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary as a volunteer public affairs officer, I worked my way up to a national staff position as a branch chief in the training division of the national public affairs office (with a national staff badge on my uniform and three bars on my shoulders). That eventually led to a volunteer job as a public affairs officer with a US Coast Guard District Operations Office. In the following months, I photographed daylight and nightime drug interventions, search & rescue operations, vessel searches, ice breaker operations, military fleet exercises, and more. I scheduled and managed regional and national press conferences, talked to media, answered press inquiries, found personnel to create and manage a web site, and just about every other activity related to military public affairs. I quit after the position was opened as a full-time paid job, which I was not interested in at the time (planning a trip back to Europe).

What is the point to all this? Simply to point out the many ways one can gain experience as a photojournalist - military, freelance, smaller newspapers, and volunteer organizations are just a few. As you gain experience, the doors to "real" jobs will open for you.

stewart

[carpents]

...but when needed now I could pump out a story, and have been the resource many times for the "lazy" writers who stay in the confines of a nice office

God help us that you have a spell checker!

Just rippin' ya! These are some great notes on your trade. Thanks for posting them.


I stumbled upon another PJ at this link on Pbase - he adds quite a bit of commentary to his pictures that are really quite moving and describes a different kind of photo journalism...

[khardur]

My first published print ever was actually for the entertainment section of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. A guy I worked with knew I was into photography, and his friend was a playwright who needed some publicity pictures done. I did that job basically for free, only charged for film and developing plus add a few extra rolls of film for the B&W photography class I was taking.

After that my name got passed around, and I think I did 4 or 5 other theater jobs after that. It was very encouraging.

I actually would recommend taking a journalism class. I took two. It's as with any job - the more skills you have, the more valuable you can be.

A few years after that first paid job, I got a job with my town newspaper. It was a simple interview, showed some of my creative photography as well as some sports stuff I had shot for myself at some Penguins games from my time in Pittsburgh. it was 1998, and we were still developing b&w stuff every night and scanning for the next morning's paper.

It was only part time (because they only had room for one full-time photographer), but I was still getting paid for my photography, and they reimbursed me for mileage. The sports dept. had a massive shortage of sports writers, and I photographed a few games and wrote up stories on them. (I was terrible at stats though). I live in a small town though, so there really wasn't a lot of "news" other than event coverage - an occasional fire or accident - but since I had just moved and didn't know the area - it helped me find all the ins and out of the place real quick.

[photo_mom]

Don't think I'd ever have the nerve or the persistence to make it pay off as you have! You've done a wonderful job of describing exactly what's necessary. Thanks for taking the time and being so thorough!

[SCGushue]

Don't think I'd ever have the nerve or the persistence to make it pay off as you have! You've done a wonderful job of describing exactly what's necessary. Thanks for taking the time and being so thorough!

Tracy,

I have seen your work. Let me give you one word of advice. If you want to do it ... do it. If it does work out you will find it is a wonderful step... not without it's own requisite stresses and strains. If it doesn't work out, you will have learned a lot in the process and almost no one will know that it didn't work out. After all they do not put a sandwich sign on you saying "can't photograph" if they give the pink slip.

Anyway, the hardest part of any journey is the first step.

I crashed my way through the door nearly 30 years ago and it has lead to a very broad and lucrative career in venues of photography I never knew existed. You can do the same if you want it badly enough and you are the toughest judge of your own work. It is a profession where the process of learning never stops.

Good luck and THINK POSITIVELY!

Stephen C. Gushue's Photo Galleries at pbase.com

Stephen

[PDL]

While I am not a photojournalist I feel the need to chime in here.

Take some courses in writing - preferably journalism courses. It seems to me that what you want to do is go out - and tell a story. However, stories require text - the basic who, what, where, when and how require you to take notes. I imagine that you will be much for successful if you get some writing into the mix.

One guy that I really admire - graduated with a degree in photojournalism and psychology. He started out working for a newspapaer - now he works all over the place (I found him through a National Geographic photography workshop). Learn to write.

No one said it would be easy.

PDL

[BrendanPK]

Well its agreed, You have to be A. Dedicated, and B. Force your way through the door to get anywhere with photojournalism

As for the writing, I never said it didn't hurt to know how to do it. But I have never seen the need to take a journalism class. Though I have no ambition to write the stories, I only want to take photos, and have made that very clear. Though through my years I have learned the ins and outs of the interview process and ironically have taught a few newebies and intern writers/editorial assistants (they are the same as a writer, but get paid less) how to interview and to really break the ice with strangers. It’s easier though if you have a camera and you just grabbed their picture.

That reminds me, as for taking the picture, don’t let them know your there. Usually if they have become aware of the camera they stop acting natural and become posed, stiff, or kids become goofy.
When your taking a portrait for an assignment it does help to talk first, and get the person(s) to warm up to you, than you have a nicer portrait. If you have to follow someone, than asking them is ok, but become a fly on the wall.


Key point of all of this is still to enjoy and like what you do.