Photojournalism

Photojournalism carries obligations that most photography does not — to truth, to the people being photographed, and to the public that relies on visual documentation to understand the world. This section covers photojournalism's craft and its ethics: how to tell stories responsibly, the ongoing debates around image manipulation and AI, conflict photography, and the structural pressures facing the industry.

This Amazing Presentation Could Take Your Photography Composition Skills to the Next Level

I stumbled across this video that was posted by B&H back in 2012 and was quickly amazed by the amount of information I was able to gather in terms of composition techniques. When starting out in photography, most people learn the rule of thirds, take off running, and never look back. Give this video a watch, and you will open an entire new world of tools for your image creation. 

Charges Dropped Against French Photographer

Paris-based Photojournalist Maya Vidon-White on Saturday called it "good news for photojournalism." But in a New York Times article, she is quoted as saying: "I don't feel a total sense of relief." Vidon-White was facing criminal charges in France for a photo she took of a victim of the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, which was then sold to United Press International

A Visual Year in Under Two Minutes

This incredible year-long project by the 70 photojournalism students of Rochester Institute of Technology plays to the depths of photography in light, movement, emotion, and connection — Ideas laid out in short photographic bursts that create tangible emotions for the viewer to experience alongside the subjects in the photographs.

On Considering My Motives as a Street Photographer

I’m sure most of us have been there before: standing on a street corner, your “camera bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag” slung casually over your shoulder. Your camera is in hand, its strap hanging loose, dancing in the summer breeze. You raise the rangefinder window to your eye and snap: the perfect shot of a homeless man!

The Healing Power of Photography for Earthquake Victims

On the tails of tragedy, one Denver nonprofit has focused on using photography as a valuable tool for healing. Almost a year to the day, terrible earthquakes struck Nepal. Eighteen individuals were given cameras as a way to cope with the dramatic change in their lives. The images that were produced are beautiful and poignant reminders of the resiliency of life.

Photographing for a Newspaper: The Best Class Money Can't Buy

I’ve attended plenty of workshops in my time as a photographer. I’ve attended classes taught by Joe McNally, David Hobby, Joel Grimes, and more. I’ve assisted some of the best photographers in a variety of fields, and watched dozens of tutorials put out by some really top-tier shooters.

Sony's Super-35mm 4K HDC-4800: Changing the Game in ENG

Some may be dubious of the merits of ENG cameras over their sleek and stylish film counterparts, such as the 8K F65 Cine Alta or Arri Alexa, and they wouldn't be entirely wrong. While ENG cameras have long been pigeonholed for their clunky construction and weight, much of network television depends upon their workhorse-like live sports coverage capabilities. 

What You Don't Know About This Photograph Has the Power To Change Opinions

This gruesome photograph became pivotal anti-war propaganda that drastically shaped public opinion. The horrific frozen frame depicts a baptismal moment of unwavering distinction, a moment in a time that could not be undone, an elevated wartime tension that could not be unraveled. In this sense, the photograph was successful.

Defying the Sahara - A Photographic Adventure With Audray Saulem

Reportage seems to be a genre where feminine qualities are seen as an obstacle rather then as an asset. I sat down with French photographer Audray Saulem who proved them wrong and listened to her experience shooting an epic race of 210 kilometers in the Sahara over 6 grueling days. 

Photographing a Concert With the Nikon D5

Canon and Nikon have always had their single digit models at the top level of performance. From the original D1, bringing a professional digital camera to the world that didn’t require a separate backpack for a processor, to the D3, Nikon’s first ever full-frame body, this series of cameras has pushed the envelope of what a camera can do.

'Counterflow' Is a Photo Series Showing the Impact of Composition

Composition is something that can be slightly overlooked in digital photography. With the ability to take hundreds or thousands of images on a single memory card and cropping achieved so simply in Lightroom, photographers have become lazy. There are certain situations, however, where composition can make or break a photo.

The Faces of Trump and Sanders Supporters Captured By Photographer

As the next chapter of the American Presidency approaches, the field has narrowed down to a handful of candidates to lead the free world. On each side of the ballot, unlikely and polarizing figures such as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have risen as serious contenders to take the seat at the Oval Office. But who are these people that support them?

Challenger Disaster 30 Years Later: A Photographer Reflects

"There were people beside me that had never seen a launch before and they said, 'Oh wow, isn't that cool!' Well, I knew right then this was a disaster," Photojournalist Red Huber remarks in this video interview, in which he talks about his history covering the shuttle program, forming personal relationships with the astronauts, and the events and mood of that fateful day. 

Beautiful Homage to War Photographers

Reporters Without Borders has released a wonderful video that demonstrates the importance of having impartial and unbiased coverage of war and conflicts. In the video they juxtapose images and video footage which popular media presents, with that of independent photojournalists, for a stark contrast that effectively displays the different messages both are trying to get across. 

Vaper: A Photo Documentary of Vaping Culture

Vaping is a phenomenon that has swept across America and much of the First World, mostly as a safer alternative to cigarettes. The culture, however, is what has caught the attention of the media worldwide.

Photojournalist Takes You on POV Ride as He Documents Immigration Protests

Some days, the world doesn't seem like it's spinning in the right direction. When people in free nations are clashing over equality, civil rights, and access to equal standing under the law, things can seem confusing. At times like these, journalists are crucial in keeping a light shining upon the powers that be and the movements in the streets. 

2015 TIME Magazine's Instagram Photographer of The Year

An annual award that TIME magazine started three years ago has chosen it's official 2015 winner. Stacy Kranitz is an Instagram photographer who is most famous for her work in the Appalachia area. The poverty stricken, drug and alcohol filled area is certainly an eye opening subject. But why her in particular?  

Photographer Captures People's Reactions When Told They Are Beautiful

What's your response when you're told that you're beautiful? Eighteen year-old photographer and student, Shea Glover, decided to "film what I thought was beautiful." Without intending to, she has conducted an amazing social experiment on the effect of simple positivity and a compliment. The reactions are perfect! 

Reuters' Ban on Raw Files Only Sort Of Makes Sense

In a move to help speed up the company's workflow and to supposedly stamp out severe editing, Reuters now not only requests only JPEG images, but even mandates that images not be originally altered from a raw file.

Can Photojournalism No Longer Be Trusted?

Recently the New York Times revealed a staggering truth about modern photojournalism that has the field's ethics under scrutiny. It appears the acts of staging and manipulating images have become prevalent, which puts the field as a whole in question. Photojournalism is about capturing the truth and journalist often work under a strict code that incudes observation only.

The Awesome Story Behind the Best Photo of One of the Greatest Jumps in History

David Davis is one of the top photography writers ever. He has an astonishing talent for telling the story behind some of the most memorable sports photos of our time, including the shot of Brandi Chastain ripping off her jersey after scoring the winning goal at the 1999 Women's World Cup, of Kathrine Switzer running the Boston Marathon, and "the Photo That Took Surfing Worldwide".

Using Photography to Fight Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is an unfortunate fact of life in many parts of the world. One company is seeking to reduce the gap by using the documental power of photography to enable women to share their stories with the world. 

Hungarian Photographer Photographs Refugee-Themed Shoot and Everyone's Pissed

In a possibly misguided attempt to bring awareness to the refugee crisis, Hungarian Photographer Norbert Baksa shot a fashion shoot with a theme based on the refugees escaping from war-torn Syria. The response hasn't been positive. 

"Der Migrant" fashion photography: http://t.co/ahnDlXjhZ1 #refugees pic.twitter.com/GleFBtbunb

See the Epic Photos from the Exclusive Photo Walk at CERN

CERN is a renowned international nuclear research facility located just outside Geneva. Straddling the border between Switzerland and France, it's home to the infamous Large Hadron Collider — the largest single machine ever made by humankind.

A Photography Lesson From Noted Street Photographer John Free

John Free, for those that don't know, is considered one of the great street photographers of our time. His ability to capture the human spirit in a split second is uncanny. Here is a 10 minute video of a private lesson that was given to Ted Forbes of The Art Of Photography. It is full of helpful advice and inspirational lines for photographers of any genre. 

Mary Ellen Mark's Final Project: Picture This New Orleans

Mary Ellen Mark, famed photographer, passed away very recently. It's only fitting that her final project center around rebirth, a term that is synonymous with city – my home – New Orleans. I found these images on CNN.com tailored beautifully with quotes that elegantly express the story that Mary Ellen Mark's images tell.

Reasons You Should Do a Documentary Project

With the democratisation of photography and the near ubiquity of camera toting humans, there has been no better time than now to record the human condition. Not everyone is going to be the next Sebastião Salgado, traveling the world in order to document the atrocities of man kind, and again to celebrate the wonders of the world.

Transmitting Photos Used to Look Like Something from a Spy Movie

In 2015, I can transmit photos to my wire service from the field using my phone, seconds after the images were shot. Back in the 80s however, it took a case of equipment weighing upwards of 80 pounds to get that job done. As the poet wrote: times they are a-changing. 

Newly Released Photos Show Reactions of President, Vice-President, to the 9/11 Attacks

A set of over 300 never-before-released photos taken on September 11, 2001 has just been posted on the U.S. National Archives' Flickr page. These images take us right into the middle of meetings between President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and more.

Taylor Swift Revises Photo Contract After Backlash from Media

Taylor Swift has come under a lot of fire in recent months regarding some of the restrictions and limitations in the contract photographers are required to sign when shooting her "1989 World Tour", but Mickey Osterreicher, the general counsel for the National Press Photographer’s Association, just announced via a statement to Poynters that the seven-time Grammy winner has agreed to re

First-Person View of Journalist's Protest Coverage is Enthralling

A recently shared YouTube video by Australian photographer Dillon Mak puts viewers behind the lens as he navigates rowdy crowds, police barricades, and scores of other journalists. The point-of-view setup takes you right to the front lines of the Reclaim Australia protests and counter-protests that have been taking place across Australia. 

Photographers Suspected of Stealing from Fellow Shooters at Pan Am Games

You just can't be too careful these days, even if you're a professional photojournalist covering a major international sporting event. Multiple photographers shooting the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto are learning this the hard way as thieves seem to be targeting professionals and their gear. Plot twist: it is appears to be their fellow photographers carrying out the thefts. 

Go Behind the Scenes With Getty Images at the MTV Music Awards

When a large event like the MTV Music Awards plans out their production, photography is at the top of the priority list. Because when all is said and done, the only thing that remains is what is on the back of the camera. Getty Images and MTV Europe have been partners for many years. Having a long lasting relationship allows the two teams to grow as a unit. 

Beauty Blooms in Blight: Striking Photos Show Burst of Color in Forgotten Home

There’s something about old places that always leaves you with a feeling of uncertain familiarity. Old places and empty places are like ghosts drifting behind us humming childhood singsongs just an octave below audible as we pace through their halls. If you’re from Detroit, you know that these places are aplenty.

Frame by Frame - Documenting Afghanistan's Photojournalists

In many of our respective nations, we take news and the photography that accompanies it for granted. We expect to be shown anything and everything that is happening in the world around us. Our daily lives are so filled with photography; everything from our friend's meals to events from around the globe. In Taliban controlled Afghanistan, this was not the case.

Destination Wedding Photographer Jonas Peterson and the Art of Storytelling

There is a romanticized dream of what it is like to be a destination wedding photographer. Outside of that idea lies a reality of what it actually entails. It is hard and exhausting work to photograph weddings full-time, let alone fly internationally on a weekly basis to cover them while also hosting workshops across the planet.