Monday, April 23, 2007

Is the news photographer dying out?

"The financial imperative to newspapers is clear. Their salvation, in a time of plummeting ad revenues on their broadsheets, lies with their online versions. Online demands video. For this reason, we can comfortably say that in 10 years photojournalists will only be carrying video cameras." - article on digitaljournalist
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The article also picks up on a thing I've said for years: the magazine and newspaper of the future is not on paper. It is on electronic paper, and will be updated wirelessly over the Net. Once we've had those for a few years, paper will seem archaic and wasteful.

Final Identity chimed in:
News photographer ... another job description which the change in "media" and delivery systems has attacked. Used to be, working a camera and quickly producing in a darkroom something a newspaper could use was a very complicated business. Now, I'd hazard, 80% of the visitors to this blog could hack it after five minutes' training. Being good at cropping and image layout and general use of "the eye" (for lack of a better term) will always be a rare commodity; but the market to sell that skill in, is slowly fading away.

Yes... and there is even a very rapidly growing industry now of newspaper and sites buying or just getting pictures taken by non-photographer on digicams and even cell phones.
It expands their reach. But surely the news photographer is dead.
On the other hand, apart from in books I don't recall ever seeing a news photograph I thought was very remarkable anyway.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Once we've had those for a few years, paper will seem archaic and wasteful.

Libraries are already a waste. Nobody goes to ours anymore. My library is here in my bedroom with me myself and I. On occasion my beagle joins me to look at lassie photos.

Anonymous said...

I'm not too sure. Okay, so the moving wizard photos in Harry Potter sound very cool, but stills have their place too.

Would you imagine, for example, DOMAI as only video material?
Photo cameras are instant capturers. Sometimes, the magic is in the instant. I think holographic or stereoscopic stills will also have their place in the World of Tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Terry said...
"On occasion my beagle joins me to look at lassie photos."


Nice to hear that you have a companion. I owe my cat so much for when I lived with nobody else.

Anonymous said...

Nice to hear that you have a companion. I owe my cat so much for when I lived with nobody else.

thanks my friend.

Anonymous said...

I'm not too sure either. When asked to "check out" something, I'm usually reluctant to click on a youtube link. On the other hand I always have a moment for a funny, beautiful or otherwise remarquable picture, and I'll bookmark an interesting article for future reading.

Anonymous said...

Damien said...
"I'm usually reluctant to click on a youtube link."


I read you. These movies take me about an hour to download, so unless I know they're interesting (recommended by Eolake, for example!), I'll usually pass.

A picture is worth a thousand words.
A movie requires time to download.
(Rhyme intended.)

Cliff Prince said...

News photographer ... another job description which the change in "media" and delivery systems has attacked. Used to be, working a camera and quickly producing in a darkroom something a newspaper could use was a very complicated business. Now, I'd hazard, 80% of the visitors to this blog could hack it after five minutes' training. Being good at cropping and image layout and general use of "the eye" (for lack of a better term) will always be a rare commodity; but the market to sell that skill in, is slowly fading away.

Anonymous said...

Interesting theory on newspapers dissappearing. Probably an accurate prediction, but the one thing that niggles with this is the idea that there will be no 'physical' record of the past. With a newspaper, or magaazine, there is permanency - the words cannto be changes, history cannot be altered. However, within the web, what may be today could be different tomorrow. A story or article could be altered, or dissappear....basically, words could change...and how history is recorded with it. Something to ponder - it lust makes me a little uncomfortable...

Blisso

Anonymous said...

With a newspaper, or magaazine, there is permanency - the words cannto be changes, history cannot be altered.

Quite true Anon, I never considered this. You make an extremely great point. Thanks for your imput sir.

Cliff Prince said...

Tell that to the Soviets. They did a great job of "republishing" old newspapers with various out-of-favor party functionaries disappearing and reappearing as necessary.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Blisso's worries could easily be made into a very believable dystopic future scenario.

I've always felt drawn to any knowledge labeled as "forbidden". I just have to find out what some people know but don't want ME to, and usually after I do I'm a lot less naive.

Good thing I didn't grow up in the Soviet Union, huh? Kuriosity kould kill the kool kat...

Anonymous said...

You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!

Otherwise, hold on to your underpants and see it here.