Photojournalism As A Career: 9 Things You Need – Besides A Camera

Author: Morten Svenningsen

You’ll be wrong (and you won’t be the only one) if you think that you just need to spend X thousand dollars on some top professional camera equipment, and then you’re on your way to becoming a successful photojournalist. It takes a whole range of skills. So ok, what do you need? Here is a list of 9 things that’s essential to make it as a photojournalist – besides the camera!

1. Flair for the visual

Goes without saying. You need to have some talent, be artistic and have creativity in the visual world. Some are born with a fantastic visual awareness, others need to develop it. We now live in a visually over-saturated world, so it’s easy to find sources of inspiration. Go to exhibitions, read photo books, look in magazines etc. Find out what style you like. Don’t try and copy it, but use it as inspiration to create your own visual style. Everyone can take a picture of something. Professional photojournalists need to do it with style!

2. Technical know-how

You need to know some basics about the technical side of photography. Not much, really, and not very difficult. You don’t need an engineering degree it optics or anything like that. But we live in a digital world and besides camera/optics, it will be helpful for you if you are handy with a computer and photo software. You will use it all the time! Knowing some basics about web design and multimedia production can also be of great benefit.

3. Business savvy

Don’t think that if you’ve made a beautiful photo story, someone out there will automatically find it and pay you handsomely for it. Someone might, but you could wait a long time for that to happen. This is where you need to have business savvy. Try to learn about the photo industry and the market you are in. Develop negotiation skills. Be prepared to turn down a sale if you don’t like the conditions. It pays in the long term! And have good business practices in general so your clients will recommend you and come back to you again and again: Be professional. Show up prepared and on-time. Deliver what you promise, when you promise. There’s no room for failure in professional photography. Think long-term when it comes to business.

4. Money in the bank

If you’re just starting out as a freelance photographer / photojournalist, you’ll probably need to hang in some time before you have generated enough sources of income to keep you afloat. This might be anywhere from 6 months to 6 years. Depending on your talent, savvy, dedication and luck! Even if you’re working as a fairly established freelancer, next month’s income is not always certain. Photo equipment is expensive, it needs to be maintained and replaced every now and then. So it takes a bit of capital to avoid going broke in the process of building your career.

5. A good physical shape

Oh yes, it’s a physical job! You don’t need to be an Olympic contestant, but you do need to be prepared to stand or walk for extended periods of time, sometimes carrying heavy equipment. In all kinds of weather. At all times of the day (and night). And sometimes in dodgy situations where you might need to run fast!

6. Nerves of steel

In those dodgy situations, or when the adrenalin kicks in for whatever reason, you need to keep your calm, compose and time your shot, get the right angle, focus and exposure. In less dodgy, more everyday situations, you need to have the nerves to break the ice, get intimate with strangers, step away from the crowd and not to freeze up when you are finally face to face with the moment you’ve been waiting for.

7. Persistence

When pursuing a shot, a story or a sale, don’t give up when someone says no. Look for other ways to achieve your goal. If it was easy, everyone would already have done it! Sometimes it’s just a matter of being patient. If something didn’t work out the first time, then wait a bit and try again.

8. Know your story

Working as a photojournalist, it’s also important that you have something to say. Don’t just take dull pictures of nice or ugly things. Photography for the sake of photography is called fine art photography. Not photojournalism. Make sure you have an idea or some intent with your work.

9. Passion

Like I wrote in the beginning, it isn’t always easy being a photojournalist. So it’s important to enjoy your work. Have fun! If you are not happy and don’t care about your subjects, it will show up in your photos. So enjoy your work!

Good luck!

About the Author:

The author, Morten Svenningsen, is working as a professional photojournalist in Nepal and is also the founder and director of Gaia Photos, an international forum for global photojournalism online. With a team of top photojournalists from around the world, Gaia Photos is your possibility to follow and comment on photojournalistic work, as it is produced and published! Click the link above to visit!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Photojournalism As A Career: 9 Things You Need – Besides A Camera

Night Photography, the Urban Extravaganza

Author: Mathew Farris

It's no secret that cities create a huge amount of light at night. Urban dwellers make more use of their window shades to get to sleep than anything else, and from the country the road to the nearest metropolis is often identified by the distant glow of streetlights diffusing high into the atmosphere. I don't approve of light pollution, as a starry sky on a clear night is one of the most amazing things you'll ever see, but all of this excess light can definitely be put to good use. Whether it's "burning" landscape pictures or satellite imagery of bright city outlines, photography is perhaps the only positive outcome of poor light management.

Night photography differs from the popular counterpart in a few major ways. The lack of a single prime light source means photos will often have less contrast and shadow quality, but this is made up for in light diversity. One photo taken in a city may draw light from incandescent street lamps, fluorescent office lights, and sunlight reflected off a full moon. This creates a situation that's near impossible to white balance for, and one shouldn't try to, as the glory of night photography is in the uncontrollable variables. With longer exposures, camera sensors extract and amplify light from wherever available, often with fantastic and unexpected results. A changing stoplight or passing car can drastically alter an image, fog or overcast clouds can diffuse and reflect wayward city lights with incredible beauty, and a lack of consistent shadow often gives structures and objects a surreal existence. Tally in the array of colors from non white-balanced light sources and the camera becomes a kaleidoscope. All in all, night photography is an incredible way to convert some of that extra city light into photos that are, more often than not, a pleasant surprise.

Anyone interested can see some of my night and panoramic photography on my website linked. I've been shooting in and around Richmond, VA for a number of years now without even denting its generous supply of photo ops.

About the Author:

Photography student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Night Photography, the Urban Extravaganza

Photojournalism – Good Practice Guidelines

Author: Morten Svenningsen

Photojournalists operate as trustees of the public. Their photos are used as accurate and trustworthy accounts of significant events. Their primary goal is the faithful and comprehensive depiction of the subject at hand. As photojournalists, they have the responsibility to document society and to preserve its history through their photos.

Photojournalism is facing some new challenges. Everyone is a photographer these days, it would seem. The rise of citizen photojournalism, encouraged by newspapers asking their readers to send in their newsworthy pictures for publication puts the trustworthiness of published photos into question. Recently, the New York Times photo editor, Michele McNally, commented on amateur news photos coming out of Iran, stating that:

“I am indeed troubled by not knowing the sources of these pictures and their agendas […] and the validity of the captions.”

At the same time, citizen photojournalists allowing free use of their photos is making it tempting for news organizations to save money by cutting down their staff of professional photojournalists. But even some of the professional photojournalists have contributed to the demise of the profession. We continue to see examples of esteemed photojournalists falling to the temptation of digitally manipulating their photos. They might be few, but they discredit the entire profession. It is now easier than ever to add or remove objects from a photo, using image editing software such as Photoshop, but long careers have gone down the drain this way.

With this in mind, I think it is important for every photojournalist, professional or amateur, to know what you can and can’t do in photojournalism. To have some good practice guidelines. I have put together the following list using sources such as Reuters, New York Times (NYT) and the US National Press Photographers Association (NPPA). References can be found at the bottom of this article.

In General

Images that purport to depict reality must be genuine in every way (NYT). Materially altering a picture in Photoshop or any other image editing software will lead to dismissal. (Reuters). Be faithful and comprehensive in your depiction of the subject at hand (NPPA). This is to strengthen public confidence in the profession (NPPA) and to uphold journalistic integrity and not mislead the viewer (Reuters).

Never Do This

There’s 3 things that you just don’t do as a photojournalist. If you only remember 3 things from this article, let it be this.

• Don’t add or remove anything in the photo (fabrication). Neither by re-arranging things in front of the camera nor by changing a photo in post processing.
• Don’t stage or re-enact news events such as directing the subjects of a photo. Exceptions are portraits and product photos, but caption must not mislead the viewer into believing these photos are spontaneous.
• Don’t use excessive color manipulation, lightening, darkening or blurring of the image in post processing.

Good Practice

Instead, there is a set of long-standing good practices that photojournalists should strive to meet. In short, be truthful and respectful! But if you want more detail, these are some of the points that the mentioned sources emphasize:

• Caption only what you have witnessed. Exact, to the point, without speculations. Double-check all your facts when writing the who, when, where, what and why.
• The presence of the media can often influence how subjects behave. When the behavior shown is the result of the medias presence, captions must make that clear.
• Seek a diversity of viewpoints and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
• Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy.
• Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups.
• Recognize and work to avoid presenting your own biases in the work.
• Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
• Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
• Do not accept gifts, favors or compensation from those who might seek to influence your coverage.
• Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other photojournalists.

The Gray Zone

To some extent, it is a subjective matter how far photojournalists can go in their “interpretation” of events. Some of the “illegal” effects mentioned above can almost be achieved with legal means. For instance, photojournalists shouldn’t darken an image in post-processing to obscure objects in the photo – but at the same time it’s considered acceptable to underexpose the photo, zoom in or shoot from an angle so that objects aren’t included in the photo! This is why guidelines like these keeps coming up for debate. Some photojournalists are more purists than others and so, there is a gray zone. Decide for yourself, are the following practices acceptable?

• Using extreme lenses such as long telephoto lenses, wide-angle / fish-eye lenses and tilt/shift lenses, effectively distorting the “perspective”
• Correcting lens distortion in post-processing.
• Using a shallow depth-of-field, causing foreground and background blur way beyond what our eyes see.
• Using flash, thereby creating a light that wasn’t there.
• Using polarizer filters and other “effect” filters.
• Publishers cropping a photo without “permission” from the photographer.
• Selective masking / tone mapping in photo editing software.

I hope this list will contribute to upholding professional standards and create some fruitful thoughts and debate!

Online Sources:

Reuters’ guidelines for the use of Photoshop.

New York Times’ ethical guidelines for photography and mages .

US National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) Code of Ethics.

About the Author:

The author, Morten Svenningsen, is working as a professional photojournalist in Nepal/Denmark and is also the founder and director of Gaia Photos, an international forum for global photojournalism online. With a team of top photojournalists from around the world, Gaia Photos is your possibility to follow and comment on photojournalistic work, as it is produced and published!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Photojournalism – Good Practice Guidelines

Photojournalism – True Colors

Author: Morten Svenningsen

Every now and then, the global world of photojournalism goes into self-oscillation. It happens when a photojournalist is caught manipulating a photo. News photojournalism is the most sensitive in this respect. We want to trust that what we see in a newspaper, particularly when the photos are used as accurate and trustworthy accounts of significant events, that they are accurate representations of the truth. And when a photojournalist crosses the line, a tidal wave of photojournalists starts wondering and discussing where the line is. What’s allowed and what’s not allowed in photojournalism? It’s a can of worms, but all the more important to understand. For photojournalists and their audience alike.

The basic rules that most photojournalists agree to is that news photojournalists are not allowed to add, move or delete anything in the photo. They are not allowed to stage a situation or instruct people to reenact an event for the camera (except when making a portrait). And they are not allowed to use “excessive” photoshopping, tone mapping, color manipulation etc.

But where exactly the line is between reasonably “enhancing” the photo for visual appeal, and distorting the photo beyond what is a faithful depiction of a situation is not always easy to say. If it was easy to draw the line, it would probably already have been done and agreed upon. The line is especially fuzzy when the subject comes to changing the colors and contrast of a photo.

It would be simple to say that colors simply shouldn’t be changed at all. The photo, as it comes out of the camera, should be used directly. The camera never lies, right? Well, not exactly! Different cameras and lenses actually “see” colors in slightly different ways. Not to talk about the good, old roles of film, each with their own characteristics. And when a photo is printed in different magazines or newspapers, they’ll come out slightly different. And even when viewed on two different computer screens, colors will appear slightly different.

And it’s not just limited to the camera. Take a photo on a cloudless day, just after sunset, and the true colors will in fact be quite blue. Take a photo of subjects lit by a bond-fire and the colors will be quite red. But in those situations, our eyes don’t see them as overly blue and red. Our brain compensates for the color cast from the blue sky and red flame. If such an overly blue or red photo was printed in a newspaper, the colors would appear to be too blue or too red!

So which one is the right representation of the true colors?

As I said, the line can be fuzzy. An argument often heard is that, if black-and-white photos are accepted in photojournalism, which they are, then why not also accept photos where the colors have been made stronger, in stead of weaker?

Technically speaking it’s the same category of adjustment: Color saturation.

But there is more to it than the technical aspect. And it has to do with whether the photo can be seen as an attempt to falsify the representation of reality. When we see a black-and-white photo, we generally know that “this is a black-and-white photo of something that was in color. We don’t know what the colors were, the photo doesn’t tell us that”. On the other hand, when we see a photo of something with excessive colors, we might just think that “wow, that subject must have been very colorful!”. And that is where we might be deceived! If the true colors were actually quite bland, but enhanced digitally in post-processing to look stronger, the viewer might wrongly get the impression that the colors were in fact strong. With black-and-white photos, that is simply not the case and that is why b/w is generally accepted in photojournalism. It declares itself as what it is. A photo with excessive colors doesn’t necessarily do so!

So where is the line when it comes to excessive colors? We are getting closer now. Let’s look at a real-world example:

In the global photojournalism organization, Reuters, the guidelines for photojournalists are firmly written down, allowing “basic color correction” as long as it doesn’t “dramatically change the [perceived] original lighting conditions”. They further specify that generally, “[color] saturation should not be used”.

These are very strict rules set up to preserve the integrity of the organization operating in multiple fields and for multiple outlets. They have to be strict with such general guidelines. On the other hand though, photojournalism is a creative profession. Not to say that photojournalists are “creating” reality, but they are creating depictions of it. So a more lenient line, allowing the photojournalist to use his creative talents a bit more, would be to say that it comes down to the intent of the photojournalist: Is the purpose of the photojournalist’s alterations to “enhance the look” of the photo or to “falsify, exaggerate or overly dramatize” the photo?

I guess this is where the line becomes fuzzy again. In some cases it will be very subjective to judge if the photojournalist’s intention were to beautify or falsify.

About the Author:

The author, Morten Svenningsen, is working as a professional photojournalist in Nepal/Denmark and is also the founder and director of Gaia Photos, an international forum for global photojournalism online. With a team of top photojournalists from around the world, Gaia Photos is your possibility to follow and comment on photojournalistic work, as it is produced and published!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Photojournalism – True Colors

Creative photography in five minutes - shutter speed and aperture totaly explained

Author: Linus Öhman

No matter if You want to spice up the family Christmas portraits or create more compelling and therefor selling photos - there are ways to control your photos and you will learn how right here, right now. The best way to do this is print this article, bring it with you to a calm place together with your camera of choice. Or just sit there in front of the computer and monkey behind the camera, your choice. Lets begin with the basics. Photography is the art and science of light. Photons hit the film/chip on the back of your camera and that's how the image is created.
There are three main technical aspects of that:

1. Aperture size
2. Shutter speed
3. ISO speed (film speed/how-sensitive-the-sensor-is-to-light)

The aperture size determines how big a splash you let the light hit the film/sensor with - the bigger hole the fuzzier image.
Shutter speed is a creative tool for you in the way that if you choose a long exposure you imply motion, and the faster shutter speed, the more you "freeze time" in your image. ISO speed is important as it gives you the possibility to work in near dark or bright sunlight. That means ISO speed enables you to use the creative tools aperture and shutter speed anytime, anywhere.

Take a look at the following illustration:

if you begin on the left side (nine o' clock) and work your way around you will see all the different creative ways that the shutter speed/aperture size combination's gives you. Try to start with a manual setting on your camera, and dial in a really small aperture (high number like f/22) and adjust the shutter speed so that your light indicator (in-camera light meter) indicates a accurate exposure. See that everything is blurry? Try again but put the camera on a tripod or put it on a table. See how nicely lit the scene seems? well that is the result of slowly letting the light in through a small and neat hole. work your way around the illustration and you end up in a big aperture with a short shutter speed. That gives you a short depth of field and is perfect for certain types of photography, such as food and isolated objects.

Take five minutes and "get" the illustration - after that whenever you need reminding just pick it up from your pocket and spin that "creative photography wheel". Good luck and remember that this is just a startingpoint to so that you can make a solid ground for your creative photography!

About the Author:

Linus Öhman is a full time photographer and art director at http://www.mememe.se and gives lectures and seminars in creativity and image creation. He has ventured in to stock-photography of late and his work can be found here:
http://eu.fotolia.com/p/201046611/partner/201046611

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Creative photography in five minutes - shutter speed and aperture totaly explained

Tips On Taking A Photograph That May Be Enlarged Later

Author: Alyson Emmins

We are often asked by compact digital camera users to provide some tips on taking a photograph that they plan to enlarge at some stage (note that we are discussing digital photographs here, rather than those produced on film). Accordingly, this article will provide a number of insights, but it should be noted that it is by no means an exhaustive list. Below are a few tips that may help you to produce a more suitable photo:

• The first suggestion is that you should try to produce the best possible photo to begin with, so aim to use the best camera and equipment that is available to you. The quality of the lens, the digital sensor and the flash, amongst other design qualities, have a considerable impact on the sharpness and quality of the image, which are major factors themselves as to whether an image can be or is worth enlarging.

• Of course, having a camera capable of capturing high-resolution images is also very handy. The 'megapixel count' is important, but the factors mentioned above are just as important.

• Another important point is that you should set your camera's resolution to the highest possible setting. Note that some cameras will describe the best resolution as 'superfine' or ultra fine', while others will describe it in terms of a numerical value, such as '1600 X 2000' pixels.

• A common mistake made by compact camera users is the use of the 'digital zoom' feature. This feature makes use of the camera's digital processor to artificially enlarge the image, rather than using the camera's lens to zoom in on the target image. Digital zoom deteriorates the quality of the image, so its use should be avoided where possible.

• The other important advice we would offer is to keep your camera, the lens in particular, clean. Always store your camera in a case when not in use. You should also consider purchasing some sort of lens cleaning accessory, such as a brush or air blower (or both), because at some stage dust will get onto the lens.

• Use a tripod, if possible. Otherwise try to brace your elbows on something level. A park bench or even an esky can come in handy in these situations. Where you cannot brace yourself on some object, concentrate on staying as still as possible when shooting.

• If available, use the manual white balance adjustment of your camera. This will often produce better results than the auto setting.

• If possible, take several shots of the same scene or action sequence. You may even want to try different settings, such as different zoom levels, or white balance, or shutter speed settings.

• Plan or think about the photographs you have in mind to shoot. Look through the viewfinder and ask yourself whether the image conveys what you intend and want it to.

• Avoid having the sun directly in the picture, unless specifically desired. Even better, try to avoid having the sun at a position that is in front of the lens. The aim here is to avoid such issues as lens flare (see our online glossary at http://www.giantprint.com.au/glossary for more information).

Finally, take your time to read your camera's manual and understand its features and limitations. You may also want to read the many resources that there are online and in print that address techniques for better composition of your photo.

Good luck with your projects!

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About the Author:

Alyson Emmins works for Giantprint Pty Ltd, an Australian fine art printmaker specializing in printing high-resolution photo enlargements to poster size http://www.giantprint.com.au

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Tips On Taking A Photograph That May Be Enlarged Later

How to Make Smoke Photography

Author: James Johnson

How to make smoke photography: An often-overlooked photographic technique is called "smoke photography". The technique is rather simple, but combined with other techniques can lead to a very artistic touch. Camera, lighting, and personal style are the largest factors influencing the outcome of the smoke photography. Depending on camera capabilities, light settings must be altered to produce the proper or desired outcome.

First what you will need to create is a "lightbox". This is quite simply an empty shoebox with any number of CFL lights attached to it. Around 90-140 watts of lighting will provide ample lighting for the smoke effects, so that a flash is not needed. Place this lightbox at an angle of 90 degrees to the camera. Next you will need a dark background for your photo. You may have seen pictures with light backgrounds; this is done digitally after the photograph is taken. It is important to make sure that none of the light from the lightbox falls onto to the background, otherwise the smoke effects will be washed out. A piece of poster board or a piece of fabric will suffice. And then the most important tool for your smoke photography is the smoke itself. Generally the best source of smoke is a stick of incense, as the stream is steady, uninterrupted, and doesn't quickly extinguish (like a match would). Some types of incense produce thicker smoke; you can experiment with various brands to reach your desired effect. Always remember to use a dish or a base underneath your incense, as it will produce embers and ashes that can damage carpeting or potentially be hazardous. You are all ready to go, just adjust your camera's settings at take as many pictures as you like. Create photographs like this.

Note: For artistic effect, you may want to manipulate the incense smoke. The best smoke photography contains very unusual patterns of smoke, and not a smooth, steady, uninterrupted stream. For smoke manipulation you might try introducing turbulence by whisking the smoke with a fork or spoon, or by placing a wire mesh over the top of the incense. Experiment and see!
For more cool things, visit Rising Stardom

About the Author:

James Johnson

Website: Rising Stardom
Email: admin@risingstardom.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How to Make Smoke Photography