There\'s been some talk recently about the nature of photojournalism and what it means to shoot in photojournalistic way so I thought it might be a good time to share some of my experience. In brief, I was studying photography and photojournalism in college when I was recruited by an editor and began working as a freelance photographer for the local newspaper. After nine months as a freelancer I was offered a staff position where I remained until leaving to open my wedding and lifestyle photography studio.
The best thing about being a photojournalist is that you never know what you will be shooting from one day to the next. My assignments included the Los Angeles Lakers, the Anaheim Ducks, and NCAA football but also everything from live events to police standoffs to portraits of all kinds to actual breaking news. The biggest advantage to this kind of shooting is that you have to be ready for anything. And I mean anything. You also have to be able to work under pressure and get the job done under deadline without fail. The stress level can be extraordinarily high but I can think of no better training ground for a young photographer.
The most important thing that separates true photojournalism from shooting in a \"photojournalistic style\" is an absolute and unwavering dedication to the truth. There can be absolutely no faking, fudging, \"kind of\", or \"almost\". It is either 100% real or you can look for another job. This is clearly not the standard today in what people call \"wedding photojournalism\" but it is and always has been MY standard.
The field of wedding photography is filled today with photographers who call themselves \"photojournalists\" but who have in fact never worked for a news agency. And much of what is being presented as authentic documentary photography is apparently staged. Brides who are looking for true documentary photography of their day are left with the very difficult task of finding an authentic photojournalist among the ever growing sea of photographers eager to represent themselves as photojournalists.
My best advice to any bride is to do your homework. If you are looking for a true documentary experience for your wedding day insist on an experienced photojournalist. And check the credentials of anyone representing themselves as a photojournalist before you hire them. This is by far the best way to ensure that those special moments that you want to capture and remember for generations are real.
Here are a few of my favorite images from my days as a freelancer and staff photographer. Some made it to the front page, most didn\'t. Some won awards, most didn\'t. I believe an image succeeds when it tells a story, when it creates an emotional response, when it causes the viewer to linger and maybe even to question. Thanks for the look...
There\'s been some talk recently about the nature of photojournalism and what it means to shoot in photojournalistic way so I thought it might be a good time to share some of my experience. In brief, I was studying photography and photojournalism in college when I was recruited by an editor and began working as a freelance photographer for the local newspaper. After nine months as a freelancer I was offered a staff position where I remained until leaving to open my wedding and lifestyle photography studio.
The best thing about being a photojournalist is that you never know what you will be shooting from one day to the next. My assignments included the Los Angeles Lakers, the Anaheim Ducks, and NCAA football but also everything from live events to police standoffs to portraits of all kinds to actual breaking news. The biggest advantage to this kind of shooting is that you have to be ready for anything. And I mean anything. You also have to be able to work under pressure and get the job done under deadline without fail. The stress level can be extraordinarily high but I can think of no better training ground for a young photographer.
The most important thing that separates true photojournalism from shooting in a \"photojournalistic style\" is an absolute and unwavering dedication to the truth. There can be absolutely no faking, fudging, \"kind of\", or \"almost\". It is either 100% real or you can look for another job. This is clearly not the standard today in what people call \"wedding photojournalism\" but it is and always has been MY standard.
The field of wedding photography is filled today with photographers who call themselves \"photojournalists\" but who have in fact never worked for a news agency. And much of what is being presented as authentic documentary photography is apparently staged. Brides who are looking for true documentary photography of their day are left with the very difficult task of finding an authentic photojournalist among the ever growing sea of photographers eager to represent themselves as photojournalists.
My best advice to any bride is to do your homework. If you are looking for a true documentary experience for your wedding day insist on an experienced photojournalist. And check the credentials of anyone representing themselves as a photojournalist before you hire them. This is by far the best way to ensure that those special moments that you want to capture and remember for generations are real.
Here are a few of my favorite images from my days as a freelancer and staff photographer. Some made it to the front page, most didn\'t. Some won awards, most didn\'t. I believe an image succeeds when it tells a story, when it creates an emotional response, when it causes the viewer to linger and maybe even to question. Thanks for the look...
There\'s been some talk recently about the nature of photojournalism and what it means to shoot in photojournalistic way so I thought it might be a good time to share some of my experience. In brief, I was studying photography and photojournalism in college when I was recruited by an editor and began working as a freelance photographer for the local newspaper. After nine months as a freelancer I was offered a staff position where I remained until leaving to open my wedding and lifestyle photography studio.
The best thing about being a photojournalist is that you never know what you will be shooting from one day to the next. My assignments included the Los Angeles Lakers, the Anaheim Ducks, and NCAA football but also everything from live events to police standoffs to portraits of all kinds to actual breaking news. The biggest advantage to this kind of shooting is that you have to be ready for anything. And I mean anything. You also have to be able to work under pressure and get the job done under deadline without fail. The stress level can be extraordinarily high but I can think of no better training ground for a young photographer.
The most important thing that separates true photojournalism from shooting in a \"photojournalistic style\" is an absolute and unwavering dedication to the truth. There can be absolutely no faking, fudging, \"kind of\", or \"almost\". It is either 100% real or you can look for another job. This is clearly not the standard today in what people call \"wedding photojournalism\" but it is and always has been MY standard. Anyways, enough soap box.
Here are a few of my favorite images from my days as a freelancer and staff photographer. Some made it to the front page, most didn\'t. Some won awards, most didn\'t. I believe an image succeeds when it tells a story, when it creates an emotional response, when it causes the viewer to linger and maybe even to question. Thanks for the look...
Feb 05, 2012 at 05:17 PM
Previous versions of martinezphoto's message #10313075 « What is a wedding photojournalist? What is real wedding photojournalism? »
