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Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism (i.e., the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast) that uses still and moving images to tell a story. Photojournalism is distinguished from other branches of photography by the qualities of:
Unlike a reporter, who may gather information while far from the subject or after an event occurs, the photojournalist must make decisions instantly and carry his or her camera within the same set of circumstances as his subject (fire, war, rioting), often while being exposed to the same risks.
Photojournalism has been a major element of newspaper and magazine reporting since the early twentieth century (spurred by the development of the 35mm Leica camera), and now occupies a similar place in television, new media and the Internet, as well.
The term "photojournalism" was likely invented by Frank Mott, Dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, who helped establish the first educational program specifically for Photojournalism in 1942.
In the "golden age" of photojournalism (1930s - 1950s), some magazines (Picture Post, Paris Match, Life, Sports Illustrated) and newspapers (The Daily Mirror [London], The Daily Graphic [New York]) built their readership and reputations largely on their use of photography, and photographers (Robert Capa, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Margaret Bourke-White, W. Eugene Smith) were among the best-known members of their reporting staffs.
From 1935 - 1942, the Farm Security Administration and its predecessor the Resettlement Administration were part of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and were designed to address agricultural problems and rural poverty associated with the Great Depression. A special photographic section of the agency, headed by Roy Stryker, was intended merely to provide public relations for its programs, but instead produced what some consider one of the ever created. (Juliet Gorman, May 2001, History of the Farm Security Administration, Oberlin College Online )
World War II also brought about a tremendous increase in the supply and demand for quality photojournalism. In 1947, two years after the war ended, the Magnum Photos photographic agency was founded by four photographers: Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger, and David Seymour. Magnum differed from other agencies by supporting rather than directing its photographers, and by granting copyright of images to the photographers, rather than the magazines that published them. (Fred Ritchin, 1996, About Magnum, Magnum Photos )
The (NPPA) was the first national organization for newspaper photographers; it was founded in 1946 and has approximately 10,000 members. Others include:
Some news photographs have become cultural icons whose impact transcended the recording of an individual event. Recent examples include:
The creators of these and other outstanding images have been recognized by their peers with many different awards:
Since the message an image conveys can be affected by the photographer's choice of things like focal length, angle of view, lighting, and cropping, an ethical photojournalist attempts to present an accurate, objective viewpoint by relying on the same values, principles and loyalties that any journalist stands by.
The proper practice of photojournalism requires a balance of several conflicting ethical philosophies when deciding what to shoot and how to edit. A utilitarian view of the photojournalist's mission would say that he or she benefits the community by providing a record of the day's events. When that mission involves the capture and distribution of images that disturb those who view them, however, it may conflict with the Golden Rule view that would ask, "Would I want someone to take that picture of me?"
These conflicts can be resolved by realizing that seeing a picture of a drowning man in the local newspaper may upset the victim's family, but the level of awareness raised by that picture may have numerous positive outcomes for many other people. Often, these conflicts can be mitigated by an editor who is able to find satisfactory middle ground in deciding whether or not to use an image, like printing an image smaller on an inside page or presenting footage later in a broadcast. (Paul Martin Lester, 1999, Photojournalism An Ethical Approach, California State University, Fullerton )
The emergence of digital photography and whole new realms of opportunity for the manipulation, reproduction, and transmission of images have complicated many of the issues involved.
The National Press Photographers Association and other professional organizations maintain a to address the proper approach to these issues.
Content remains the most important element of photojournalism, but the ability to extend deadlines and compress the process of gathering and editing that content has changed greatly. As recently as fifteen years ago, it took nearly 30 minutes to scan and transmit a single color photograph from a remote location to the news office for printing. Now, equipped with a digital camera, a mobile phone and a laptop computer, the print photojournalist can send a high quality image in seconds, only minutes after an event occurs. For the video photojournalist, video phones and satellite links allow for the mobile transmission of live images from almost anywhere in the world.
See also: National Geographic magazine
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