What is Photojournalism (Feat. Ami Vitale Image)?
Kenya's Last Rhinos - One of a series of photographs by Ami Vitale, a contract photographer for National Geographic, aiming to highlight conservation efforts in Kenya.
Image by: Ami Vitale
Text by: Natalie Prieto
Photojournalism is defined as “a unique and powerful form of visual storytelling originally created for print magazines and newspapers but has now morphed into multimedia and even documentary filmmaking” (Olson, 2011). Often confused with documentary photography (Alegria, 2018), the distinguishing factor of photojournalism compared to other forms of photography lies in its ability to inform viewers accurately of relevant social situations and, much like written journalism, seeks to report truth in its highest form (Alegria, 2018). Additionally, its journalistic nature means photojournalism works at a fast pace to keep up with breaking news (Kratochvil & Persson, 2001), leaving no room for in-depth coverage of a topic (Kratochvil & Persson, 2001).
Photojournalism could be seen budding in mid-nineteenth century, as both the Crimean and American Civil War were taking place (Towne, 2012). However, the officially recognized start dates to the mid-1920s with the invention of the 35mm camera which ultimately led to the “Golden Age” of photojournalism — an era that spanned roughly thirty years between the 1930s and 1960s (Towne, 2012). According to Rachael Towne of Light Stalking, three notable photographers from this age were Dorothea Lange, Walker Evans and Gordon Parks, each of whom became known for their work photographing real people in relation to major social and political events (Towne, 2012).
Today, photojournalists often find work within news media outlets that range from internet to print, averaging a salary of about $17 to $18 dollars an hour (CareerExplorer, n.d.). However, agencies such as the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA, n.d.), American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP, n.d.) and the Photographic Society of America (PSA, n.d.) exist to help photographers to network (PSA, n.d.) which could lead to higher paying jobs. Additionally, these agencies can help photojournalists participate in photography competitions (PSA, n.d.), receive mentorship and training (NPPA, n.d.) as well as credentials and legal support (ASMP, n.d.). Memberships to these societies vary between $45 (PSA, n.d.), $145 (NPPA, n.d.) and just over $300 (ASMP, n.d.).
Currently, National Geographic stands as a contemporary source for the best photojournalism in the world, reaching over 30 million readers that presumably contribute to large budgets for photographers to get the best shots for their stories (National Geographic Media Kit, 2019). Award-winning photojournalist Ami Vitale is a contract photographer for National Geographic, covering stories ranging from pandas to elephants to the people of Sri Lanka (Nation Geographic, n.d.). Her images are vibrant, compelling and she gains an incredible closeness to all her subjects.
Photojournalism
is a fascinating field of work that balances on the line of art and breaking
news. While typically low-paying, photography agencies exist to help
photographers gain attention and compete for prestigious work. Overall, it is a fast-paced, truth-orientated,
unbiased and nearly a century old field that works to communicate topics of
immediate interest to the world at large.
Sources:
Alegria, F. (2018).Documentary Photography Vs Photojournalism. Retrieved from https://www.lightstalking.com/documentary-photography-vs-photojournalism/.
American Society of Media Photographers. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.asmp.org/
CareerExplorer. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/photojournalist/.
Kratochvil, A., & Persson M. (2001). Photojournalism and Documentary Photography. Retrieved from https://niemanreports.org/articles/photojournalism-and-documentary-photography/.
Olson, R. (2011). What is photojournalism? Retrieved from http://thephotosociety.org/what-is-photojournalism/.
National Geographic. (n.d.). Ami Vitale. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/contributors/v/photographer-ami-vitale/.
National Geographic. (2019). National Geographic Magazine 2019 Media Kit [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/mediakit/assets/img/downloads/2018/NGM_2018_Media_Kit.pdf
National Press Photographers Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://nppa.org/.
Photographic Society of America. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://psa-photo.org/index.php?divisions-photojournalism-photojournalism#ad-image-11.
Towne, R. (2012) A Brief History of Photojournalism. Retrieved from https://www.lightstalking.com/a-brief-history-of-photojournalism/.
About Author
Great paper. You have the idea.
Good paper. Sources check out.
Observations are good.
Sources are thorough.
Story-telling is the core of photojournalism.
What stories will you tell? What stories do you want to tell?