Jennifer Cook: Careers in Newspaper Photography

Thought this was an interesting post for anyone wanting to do photojournalism. Kind of the "basics" of it...

Newspaper photography, or "photojournalism," is the practice of taking photographs to accompany an article or story in a newspaper. Some photojournalists work directly for media companies, while others specialize in news photography on a freelance basis. Freelance photojournalists seek out newsworthy events on their own initiative and have a thorough understanding of licensing and copyright laws, while those hired on a contract basis need to meet strict deadlines and follow the guidelines set by the newspaper.

Sports

A professional photographer with a passion for sports will find an ideal career in sports photography. The photographer will need to keep up with current events in sports and attend as many major matches and games as he can. Often an editor will assign a sports photographer to an event, while in other cases the photographer will choose to attend the event and later present the photos to the newspaper.

Regional newspapers require photographers to cover local events, such as fairs, school ceremonies, community celebrations and arts performances. A local news photographer might also be asked to accompany reporters to interviews with regional business owners, celebrities and government officials, or to take relevant photos for articles about community disputes, company launch events, local interest and other regional happenings.

Photojournalists specializing in current events travel at a moment's notice to wherever the news breaks. An editor for a national newspaper will assign a news photographer a current news item and ask her to take shots of specific people or activities.

The risks involved in war photography are massive, and it is arguably the most challenging career in photojournalism, but the rewards can be worth it for some professionals. A photographer can accelerate his career with a handful of well-timed and perfectly executed war shots. High-end national newspapers seek war photojournalists to bring to life the stories and articles war reporters deliver to the public.

Supermarket tabloid-style newspapers have a strong emphasis on sensationalizing celebrity news and gossip. Celebrity photographers, commonly referred to as "paparazzi," are known to follow celebrities and snap pictures of their daily lives. If lucky, the paparazzi might be able to catch a scandal in the making and sell the photos for large sums to the newspapers.

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