PHOTOJOURNALISM PAPER

Photojournalism is the use of photography to tell a story. Using a single photo to paint an image of what is going on at a certain point in time. At the start of 2008, the newspaper industry was on a steep decline. The reason behind this is because of how versatile the internet has become, and how much we consume from it. We can find out almost anything that is happening around the world with our cellphone. Print newspaper is outdated, as it can not keep up with the current way we consume information. But as the newspaper is on the decline, the profession of photojournalism is on an all time high. Even thought the printed medium of news is outdated, the use of a photo in a story is still very powerful. Before people even look at the written story, they look at the photo first. They will even skip out on the story entirely because they have a story already injected in their mind when looking at a certain photo. There will always be a need for photojournalists, as new events and situations happen around the world.

There are two ways I could make a living in the field. The first way is to work for a corporation as their photographer. I will be told when and where I would be shooting. With this in mind, there will be little freedom to do what I want with the photos I take, as all I will be gaining is experience and a paycheck. The second way is to be a freelance photographer. The money is not steady, but I have all the freedom when it comes to creativity and what I do with the photos I take. With the right connections, I can be worthwhile. One of the most iconic photographers from the 1950’s to 1960’s I want to highlight is Vivian Maier. She was an extraordinary woman that only got famous after her death, as thousands of photos she took was discovered. All of which she did not share with anyone. Photography was something she wanted to enjoy for herself alone.

Out of all the photos she has taken, I feel like this is one of the more iconic ones, as it is a self-portrait. It is a natural lighted photo, and the focus is the photographer herself. This photo is great, because of the nature of the photographer. She never shows her work and there is not a set-in-stone reason why she kept her work private. It is the mystery of Vivian that fascinates me. Another photographer I took a liking of is John H. White. He was a prominent photographer in the 1970’s, as his photographs portray the difficult circumstances faced by many of Chicagos’ African American residents. He captures the spirit, pride, hope and love of the community.

This photo is one he took of the famous boxer, Muhammad Ali. It is a natural light source from above him. I am not sure if it was a posed photo but seeing as there are no other like this in his collection it was a very decisive moment. The viewer can tell what the photo is trying to communicate, as the focus is Ali who seems to be pondering about something. What makes is great is that White is with Ali in private. When I see a photograph of Ali it is always with him in the ring or in public. With a focus as prominent as Ali, I do not think this type of photo can be recreated so easily. The last photographer is more of a modern one. His name is Christopher Ryan Pierantoni, and he go by the name of Krispy. He is a visual artist that goes to many major events, music festivals, and does fashion work.

Christopher has a lot of photos I like, but this one with Asap Rocky at a concert really caught my eye. The lighting is coming from the stage lights and the fire behind him. The moment was relatively decisive, as it highlights the moment where he is hype. This is a great photo because it shows how Rocky is feeling at that exact moment, even though it was near the camera section. If I had a press pass and a little luck I could recreate the same type of photo, but not likely.

I feel like the main thing you should not do in photojournalism is stage a photo. It defeats the purpose of providing information and context. The next big thing is to show consideration to the people you are taking photos of. If someone doesn’t want their photo taken, then just move on to the next.