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Is photojournalism dead? It’s a question that divides the industry, and we’ve set out to find the answer. We also discuss the management of expectations of clients, ourselves and those coming new into the industry ROSE AND SJOLANDER
DISCUSSION
Discussion
THE NEED TO
BEAR WITNESS
DAVID CHANCELLOR/INSTITUTE
For nearly a century, traditional photojournalists have undeniably constructed the way in which we view the world. Today, in a world of democratised news and citizen journalists armed with cameraphones on the doorsteps of living history, Victoria Dovey explores the notion that photojournalism is an industry in crisis
With butterflies and warriors.
The late Anja Niedringhaus will be best remembered for her work in dangerous
Geographic or construction workers dining on a crossbeam 69 floors up in the sky.
warzones such as Bosnia, Syria and Iraq. But it was the bullet of a rogue police officer
Today it’s perhaps most associated with pictures of war and conflict, shocking
during the recent elections in Afghanistan
images on the front cover of Life magazine
that tragically cut her life short. Stories of her fun character and abilities as a journalist
or a broadsheet paper – a mixed bag. To muddy the water further, with the
began to circulate shortly after her death: playing ping pong on a dining table in
speed at which information travels, if photojournalism includes reporting the
Baghdad, listening to music on her iPhone to block out hails of gunfire in Benghazi,
story, an almost philosophical-like question occurs: when does news become
living with local families and singling out both the soldiers and civilians in areas of
yesterday’s news? “There’s definitely blurred lines between
combat as, above all, people – not numbers,
photojournalism and documentary
nor headlines. Among the many tales and recollections of Anja, one fact above all
photography,” says Neil Turner of the British Press Photographers Association
rose again and again to the surface. As the Associated Press Vice President, Santiago
(BPPA), “and a growing trend to rename photojournalism courses to better
Lyon, best stated, “she truly believed in the need to bear witness.”
encompass this grey area.” Certainly, when I enquire with various photojournalists,
This need is something that has propelled the industry since its creation,
I’m met with a spectrum of terms. David Chancellor, 2012 winner of a Sony World
and despite the dangers and drawbacks
Photography Award tells me: “I’m a
of the profession, it’s what continues to drive photographers to become
huge fan of ‘slow journalism’. I consider photojournalism to be more immediate and
photojournalists today. But how does one go about becoming a photojournalist? Is it
documentary a more considered approach.” Photography partnership Kajsa Sjölander
a matter of ‘right place’ or ‘right time’? Is it important to be associated? And with so
and Will Rose tell me photojournalism is ‘storytelling’, a view held by many of the
much technology to communicate globally at our fingertips, is photojournalism a
students I spoke to, as well as Institute, a management agency. Anastasia Taylor-Lind,
dying profession?
of the well-established VII Photo agency,
Blurred Lines
relates that she is, “less a journalist and more a narrator.”
While interviewing many professionals, professors and up-and-comers in the
David White, leader of the press and editorial photography course at the
industry, I suddenly began to recognise a peculiar, familiar echo: “What do you mean
Falmouth University is the first to illuminate me further to these growing categories,
by photojournalism?” they would ask. It’s an odd query from a photojournalist, but an
and the need that some photographers feel to distance themselves from the term
understandable one. Famous examples
‘photojournalism’. “In this country, it means
of photojournalism include everything from the student who stood in front of
different things to different people. A lot of it is semantics, really. I think in America it’s
the tanks at Tiananmen Square or Kevin Carter’s Pulitzer Prize winning photo of
more of an established and understood term than it is here. But with universities, it’s also
the impact of the Sudan famine, to more inspirational pictures of Occupy movement
a way of establishing a difference between yourself and your peers in a competitive
protests, remote dancing tribes in National
environment.” Falmouth University prides
JOSHUA HUGHES
JOHN JOCHIMSEN
John Jochimsen When I ask John Jochimsen if a particular image stands out from his 50-year career as a photojournalist, he tells me it’s the image he never took. John was at Treetops in Kenya on the fateful day when the then Princess Elizabeth’s father died, and when she politely requested that they decline to take her picture. John and the rest of the small group of photographers obliged, as the future queen passed by with a solemn wave. It’s proud practices like this which stand John apart from the, perhaps more cut-throat industry of
photographer, to capturing moments of war and stunning scenes in the jungles of the often undocumented world, John recalls his life and work in his memoir, 80 Years Gone in a Flash and the accompanying photobook, Through the Lens of a Photojournalist. His passion and gratitude for the industry are clear. As we spoke, he was summoning stories as amazing and bizarre as “steering a warship through a
JOSHUA HUGHES
today. He calls himself ‘one of the last remaining old school photojournalists’. From beginnings as a Fleet Street news
Josh Hughes and a team of photojournalists used Kickstarter to fund a documentary project on rebuilding a college in Sierra Leone.
force nine gale.� “It’s not something I’m necessarily proud of, but it’s something I know I never would have done otherwise! It’s been a very peculiar life,� John informs me. Peculiar indeed, but remarkable, and after reading his memoir, it’s a true honour to speak with him. John comes from a time when
Advice from the pros
news photographers would agree on a mutual shot before racing back to the ofďŹ ce to develop and send the image to
portfolio, always be honest, be willing to adapt and keep an open mind. Don’t give your images away and don’t accept getting just
the paper. If you were abroad, you would speak to a pilot
a byline as payment for your hard work. Will Rose and Kajsa SjĂślander
to have your ďŹ lm own back home and send a cablegram to have it picked up from the airport – a far cry from today’s
s 0ASSIONATE PEOPLE TAKE PASSIONATE PHOTOS AND CRITICAL CYNICAL PEOPLE
s .EVER GIVE UP PICK UP THE PHONE MAKE CONTACTS KEEP EXPANDING YOUR
digital world of photography today! To read his memoirs is to better understand the legacy of photojournalism and
take cynical critical photos. Kill ego. Ed Thompson
to marvel in both the history of the time, and the wonders of the present. Incredible and touching moments of public
s &IRST AND FOREMOST YOU HAVE TO WANT IT &RANKLY MORE THAN ALMOST anything else in your life because it is ďŹ ercely competitive and very hard
and personal history, John writes with a curious blend of warmth and excitement, and it becomes apparent as you
work and you have to commit 100 per cent to it and almost everything else has to go on the backburner. David White
turn the pages in his books just how integral he has been in assembling our view of the world.
s 7E PRODUCE OUR BEST WORK WHEN WE FOLLOW OUR EMOTIONS David Chancellor s 9OU VE GOT TO BE USED TO GOING OFF AT THE TOUCH OF A HAT )T S ALWAYS WISE TO HAVE A BAG PACKED AND THE CAMERAS READY 9OU NEVER KNOW WHAT is going to happen at any moment. John Jochimsen
Above: Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy waving goodbye from Airforce 1 at Heathrow.
award-winning series Hunters. He found the advantages exceeded those of just financial gain: “As photographers, we’ve become very isolated from our audience, including other photographers. This is largely driven by technology, both in how we produce stories and also how we deliver them. It’s all too easy whilst working on longterm projects such as Hunters to plough a
furrow without considering the opinion of others. What Kickstarter presented me
DISCUSSION
SAM BARNES / CARTEL PHOTOS WWW.SAM-BARNES.CO.UK
for an art photographic book featuring his
Above: A Hurler is dragged from a pile of bodies as he battles for possession of the prized silver ball during the first of this year’s biannual Cornish Hurling matches in St Columb Major.
with was the opportunity to gauge what an audience thought.” Not everyone is of the unanimous opinion that crowd sourcing and
themselves. Many I spoke to supported themselves through other work such as
Evolution
the democratisation of photojournalism is a good thing, however. “It’s important to have
commercial photography. Others still had established themselves enough to let their
hushed tones in the industry, as one may be weary of saying Macbeth in a theatre. But I
professional photographers who are trained and understand the importance of ethic and
agents worry about getting commissions, and others were perhaps the luckiest (or the most
am reminded that this technological age is breeding opportunity as well as uncertainty.
objectivity,” says Reuters photographer Stefan Wermuth. “It shouldn’t be the way forward but
dedicated), funding their work and lifestyle through grants and prizes alone. But there
“Technological change has never been so fast and will probably never be this slow again,”
I know in some cases it’s the only way to get
seems to be a consensus among all: “Don’t get
Will and Kajsa tell me, who use their work to
access and pictures.” At Falmouth, crowd sourcing is also
into this industry to make money. If you are, quit. The quickest way to make money in this
flag up environmental issues. Veteran photojournalist David Chancellor
encouraged. Final year students recently crowd funded a book for the final project in order to
industry is to sell your camera,” Ed tells me. So is it all doom and gloom?
says: “The demand for imagery has never been greater and the vehicles to access it
increase the reach of a traditional exhibition. “If you have a tool which allows your story to
Light at the end of the tunnel
are multitude. This is an exciting time for photography. There must be a key to harness
get out there, why wouldn’t you use it? I’m all for it,” says David. Other universities such
While times are tough for all creative industries, in photojournalism there seems to
the opportunity that cataclysmic change brings and perhaps it’s simply to change with it.
as the London College of Communication also
be a balancing act of managing expectations for students whilst simultaneously bouying
More and more photojournalists are embracing videography as an extension of
utilise this platform. Recent graduate, Josh Hughes, and a team of photojournalists used
The words ‘citizen journalist’ are uttered in
their optimism for the future. “With the
their craft. Broadcasting work directly online is
Kickstarter to fund a documentary project on rebuilding a college in Sierra Leone, a decade
internet came a huge revolution and, also, a huge crisis,” says Anastasia. “It changed
increasingly popular and most photojournalists today do not hold traditional staff positions,
after the violence of the civil war. “In the end it didn’t cover all the costs for the trip and
the way we distribute and consume images; suddenly photographers are using devices to
but are freelancers, either working with agencies such as Institute, Reuters, VII or
we all worked for free, but it would have felt wrong to pay ourselves out of that money, and
shoot, share and view on. It means people are more visually literate and we can’t discredit the
Getty Reportage, or self promoting and being commissioned off the back of their online
we were just very grateful to get anything.”
democratic nature of citizen journalism, it’s not
portfolios and published work. Ed Thompson
And what about the view that working for free is contributing to the industry’s decline?
the same thing as sending a storyteller, but it’s wonderful in terms of representation.”
quickly learnt to adapt: “If you can get the access and the support and the funding to
“I think you have to make that decision based on the job, are you going to gain something
The industry is changing, becoming more inclusive of gender and race. Anastasia has
do all that – to be at the frontline of history, saving the world – that’s admirable. I would
out of it as well? It’s similar to the idea of interning for free. It works for some people.
worked in conjunction with Firecracker, an organisation which supports women
love to be there, for over a decade I’ve tried.” Perhaps photojournalism isn’t dead after all,
Personal projects are generally going to be self-funded. It gives an artist much more
in photojournalism and when mentioning citizen journalists, the ethics which epitomise
just evolving. At Falmouth, David says: “We change like the industry does. When
control,” Josh replies.
Firecracker clearly resonate throughout her
people say industry, what I think they mean is
Many students or photojournalists are reluctant to talk about wage or supporting
views. “The world is a better place with equal representation.”
the industry as it was. There is only ever the now.”