Photojournalism: Ami Vitale
Photojournalism is taking photos of events, people, and issues around the world while remaining objective. Photojournalism stands apart from other types of reporting because it is more instantaneous and occurs over a shorter period of time rather than a long term documentary project. It’s the image on the front page of a newspaper or on the slide show on the Fox News website. Photojournalism also conveys a different message. It tells a story of the event covered. Photojournalists make a living by freelance projects, teaching, projects, and working for publications such as newspapers and magazines. For example, Ami Vitale is a contract photographer with National Geographic.
The National Press Photographers Association is a leading organization who is the voice for photojournalists. NPPA fights for visual journalists and their ability to do the work they need to do. The benefits of joining an organization like NPPA is that they protect your rights as a photographer, keep you informed on the profession, help you find work, offer chances for education, and they allow you to exhibit your work. The cost of a student membership is annually $65.
Redux Pictures is a photo agency based in New York City. They represent photographers from across the world and specialize in commercial and editorial work. VII, represents 23 of the most world renown photojournalists. VII works to represent and support photographers who are documenting issues around the world. Magnum Photos is another photo agency, a co-op to be exact, that represents photographers. They provide photos from their photojournalists to the press, publishers, advertising, television, galleries and museums across the world. That is basically what photo agencies do is the business side of photography. They work with sales and find assignments for photographers while protecting their rights.
Photojournalism began in 1925 in Germany with the production of the 35 mm camera called the Leica. This allowed photographers to now go anywhere with a camera without having to drag along their bulky equipment to set up. Therefore, they were able to start capturing people living life naturally, unlike times prior to the creation of the Leica.
The Golden Age of journalism was during the 1930s through the 1950s. During this time many world issues occurred such as WWII, and photographers were there to begin capturing events as they occurred. Top photographers from this time were Arthur Fellig, Robert Capa, and Alfred Eistenstaedt. A contemporary source of photojournalism is the New York Times Lens blog. The Lens blog posts photos from Times photographers and also highlights great work from other news and publication sources.
Ami Vitale continues to be a photojournalist who I admire and aspire to recreate images that she has done. She is continuing to work in Montana on covering the lost lifestyle of the old American West. In her most recent photos I highly admire the sweet lighting that she uses.
About Author
May I add “…trying to stay objective?”
Thorough job. I think you have a good overview of how this world works. Do yu have any questions. Let’s work on the next step: development of an editorial idea.