I honestly had planned to use this blog to discuss writing more than photography but then I come across something I’d like newer photographers to learn. That’s when I feel the need to throw in my two cents.
I’ve been looking at websites lately of photographers who would like to be on our freelance roster at the paper. I am encouraged by how many are women because when I was starting out as a photojournalist, it was a male dominated profession. We still need more diverse visual documentarians. I am hopeful those numbers are growing.
Building a website to showcase your work should feature your best work. That’s pretty obvious. You want to show what you can do to land a gig in the field of your interest. Photojournalists should have a wide range of topics on their sites. Sports, breaking news, planned news, features, documentary, illustrations and portraits are all vital to showing your talent.
As an editor, I love seeing a wide variety of subjects. For photojournalism, being good at many things is better that being amazing at one thing. If you want to go to NYC and be a portrait photographer, then being amazing at portraiture is what you need. So much is being asked of journalists these days. Stills, video, social media and you need to be able to it fast. But that is a whole other post, back to portfolios…
I beg you, please do not use more than one photo from an event unless you are billing it as a photo essay. I see many sites that feature the same person in different portrait poses. That is super if your best friend looks great in front of the camera but unless the portraits are wildly different, don’t use them more than once. Speaking of friends who will pose for you, I don’t believe there is a place for nudes in a photojournalism portfolio unless it is a photo story about working in a strip joint or nudest colony. I love the human body as much as the next person but we are never going to run that in the paper so don’t take the chance that you will embarrass someone by including it.
Just because you got a shot of Taylor Swift on the street, doesn’t mean it is worth your portfolio. If she happens to be feeding stray dogs or saving a child from being hit by a car then that is another thing all together. If you are shooting a political event and you have someone well known at a podium, I say be careful about including that unless you have a great expression or moment in that photo. Famous people have to actually be doing something other than just existing. You are a photojournalist not a paparazzo.
I often hear young photographers complain that they can’t get sports in their portfolios because they can’t get into college or pro events. To that I say, PISH TOSH! Go to a high school sporting event, intramural or even youth league sport. The less experienced the players, the better the sports photos. I spent last Spring shooting jv lacrosse because my son was playing. It was a great way for me to reacquaint myself with a sport I shot regularly in college. I stood on the sideline and no one said a thing. When you shoot these events, ALWAYS act like you are supposed to be there. If you act timid, some authority freak will toss you out. Of course, don’t be a bonehead, be sure to stay out of harms way.
In my opinion, news is the toughest thing for young photographers to capture for a portfolio. With Twitter, it is easier than it was years ago because you simply follow all of the news organizations and chase what you see. Again, be careful not to get in the way of first responders. Pay attention to the crime scene tape boundary but remember that you have a right to photograph anything that the normal person would see walking by on a public sidewalk or street. If you get yelled at by an officer, shake it off, walk away to find another vantage point away from that person. First responders are humans and have different personalities and they vary from person to person. Be kind and thoughtful but also respectful of what they go through for their job. My staff experienced many different reactions from law enforcement during the Black Lives Matter protests from good to bad. They never lost their professional cool. Do not go screaming that taking pictures or capturing video is your right. That simply is not helpful to anyone.
Lastly think about community journalism. Being able to capture a moment in the mundane is what captures the eyes of the editors. Photos that make us smile, or feel something are worth their weight in gold. Instagram is a great place to find the work of community journalists. My staff is tops when it come to this aspect of photojournalism. It takes patience and planning. Arrive early and stay late mentality. When you think you have the shot, stay and shoot more, just in case.
I’ll address portfolio videos and photo stories in another post. I have deadlines looming.
Nell Carroll Photography 