Did you ever pick up a newspaper or a magazine where an image is used to tell a story? Such a thing is called photojournalism. Photojournalism can fall under all subjects of photography but the image needs to be newsworthy in order to be published.
There are two types of photojournalism. The first type is where an image is used to illustrate a story. Many feature journalists work closely with photographers and commission them to produce images that will be published with their articles. There is no limit as to the number of images that can be used as it is usually the photo editor’s decision. The second is where an image is used to tell a story without any words. If you can write – do so; it will be an advantage when you submit some pictures.
One of the most important qualities of a photojournalist is his ability to react quickly when he comes along a scene that may be newsworthy.
Other than the obvious, here is a list of items that may be newsworthy.
Impact pictures.
Pictures of the Environment
People.
New buildings.
If you are serious about photojournalism, build a collection of images from your area. Many of these pictures will not be immediately newsworthy but maybe down the road. Take pictures of all the factories and buildings in the area. Some day a factory may close, and you may not be able to get to the scene. Also, have plenty of pictures of local businessmen and politicians.
Some photojournalists are lucky enough to get assignments from newspapers or magazines, and most have to follow or find the news to make a living. The world of digital photography has made the work of the photojournalist a lot easier. Being able to view, scan, and e-mail images to a publisher instantly is a massive advantage.
The work of a photojournalist can be extremely harsh – taking pictures in all kinds of extreme conditions and dangerous situations. Many photojournalists die each year in war zones and at different natural disasters around the world.
We live in a world where today’s news is forgotten tomorrow. The need to get the images quickly to the publisher is of extreme importance. If you have newsworthy photographs, don’t delay sending them to a news agency or publisher. They won’t stay in the news very long.
