The Love of Photojournalism

Where there is a journalist, you often find a photojournalist. Just like an ordinary journalist, a photojournalist has a responsibility to tell a story. The photojournalist is not armed with audio recording device, but rather their camera. Scattered through history are moments that can only be defined by a photograph. Perhaps during the 1800s when wars and uncertainty were at a critical height, photojournalists in that time give us a glimpse into the disposition of that era. The photograph of Abraham Lincoln taken on October 3, 1862 on the Battlefield of Antietam, where he stands by his leaders, Allan Pinkerton and General McClerna, shows a defining moment in history. The following day, the Emancipation Proclamation appeared in the local paper. Dorothea Lange, a prominent American documentary photographer, once said "While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see."

For each photojournalist the aspiration and assiduousness to find the best and most memorable shot is often consuming. More often then not, the best pictures come when the photographer least expects it. An example is the Eddie Adams Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of the execution of a Vietcong in 1968. Adams explained in detail his experience:

"I just followed the three of them as they walked towards us, making an occasional picture. When they were close - maybe five feet away - the soldiers stopped and backed away. I saw a man walk into my camera viewfinder from the left. He took a pistol out of his holster and raised it. I had no idea he would shoot. It was common to hold a pistol to the head of prisoners during questioning. So I prepared to make that picture - the threat, the interrogation. But it didn't happen. The man just pulled a pistol out of his holster, raised it to the VC's head and shot him in the temple. I made a picture at the same time."

As both a photojournalist and a journalist, I strongly subscribe to the notion that words have the ability to invoke sadness, happiness and sometimes outrage. Knowing that makes the craft of writing powerful and meaningful. As a photojournalist I strongly believe that photographs can change people's minds. A photojournalist should try to make people think more critically about events that unfold. When a photojournalist can open eyes and bring truth, humanity, and significance, it is then that I believe success is achieved. However, not every picture can change the course of history, so being unpretentious is an important element. I must add that photographs are not always the truth telling; they are often just one perspective out of many.

Since technology has changed so much, your standard photograph might have alteration to bring certain points out. A current example is photographer well known for her retouching and Photoshop, Jill Greenberg, whose photograph of Senator John McCain was on the cover of the Atlantic magazine. The picture was excellent, but the ugly Photoshop picture of McCain that Greenberg put on her website evoked public anger and outrage. The Atlantic magazine openly apologized for what the photographer did with the photograph on her own site, and explained that they didn't vet on her political stance, rather her skills.

Where do my colleagues and I fit into the immensely evolving world of new photojournalism? Most of the younger talented photojournalists have spent time in college learning new and advanced skills, such post production Photoshop, as well as implementing video into the arsenal. Older photojournalists from the late 1980s are slowly getting comfortable with all the new technology and internet's opportunity for exposure. According to pioneer photojournalist Dirck Halstead "The reality is that video at newspapers is still a toddler. Some like The New York Times will have the luxury of turning photographers into video journalists, assigning them to do that skill set. Most papers will be more cautious, and expect photographers to continue to take stills as well as do video."

I agree with Halstead that video and photojournalism are becoming one, and understanding story lines and editing is essential for success in this generation. In the big picture everyone with a camera is a photojournalist now. The biggest competition is played out on the internet. With long-established media outlets barely staying afloat, most outlets are finding it easier to outsource and find freelance photojournalist. Photojournalists, during their hard times, are often forced to hand their photos over free, in hopes that someone will see their clips and request their service. However, when photographs are online, photo theft is prevalent and dramatically affects the overall business. The most important thing for a photojournalist to keep in mind, is that photographs will always be needed one way or another.

For those of us that get assignments to shoot, that is our time to shine. More often then not, on your assignment you will often have every Dick and Harry to deal with on the same assignment just taking up space and often turning absolutely dreadful photographs in to local papers. I have found that dealing with amateurs is like talking to a brick. These non- professionals have not spent anytime learning the craft, but spent quality time making fake press passes. You can always point them out.

Most people that have never picked up a camera will never understand the love of photojournalism. It is a dance. When you look through view finder of your camera you're going into another world. Photojournalism will never die, it will be around when newspapers fold and technology changes. For those of my colleagues that have struggled in this new world of photojournalism, and there are many, I think remembering why we picked up the camera in the first place will help bring back the motivation and artistic ambition.

Hakan Yılmazer, a photojournalist, perfectly worded how he envisions his work

"It is to take photographs which attracts the person and makes him watch them. A situation which somehow underwent into our subconscious mind, suddenly appears in front of us or it brings us face to face with a condition which we cannot even predict. Instead of preventing you from curiosity, photojournalism sometimes makes you more curious. It attracts you inside it. It sometimes upsets you. It shows you that you should admire the ones which went off or disappeared by the time and you should keep them as your own values. It's more realistic than life."

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