Author: Mark E. Johnson

July 24, 2013

Crowdsource THIS!

If I were to ever depart academia, one of my first stops would be the Chicago Tribune because I really want to work with Alex Garcia. Today, on his Assignment Chicago blog, he put together a grid of about 300 photos the staff there shot. Last week. Yep, just one week’s worth of images. Go look, go read. You can’t...

Categories Advice & Learning/At Work/Business & Industry/Photojournalism/Tech Talk

July 24, 2013

The Ten Most Expensive Photographs

I … well … I don’t get art. There’s just no other way to deal with it for me – what gets collected doesn’t make any sense to me. Take a look at Gizmodo’s collection of the ten highest priced photographs and let me know what you think. (Thanks to Mickey Osterreicher for the link.)

Categories Business & Industry

July 24, 2013

Why Stocks Photos Are Bad, Jazz Edition

Why should you always contract for original photography? So you don’t use a 30 year old photo of a murdered child in your ad for babysitting services at your jazz festival. GAH.

Categories Ethics & Legal/Graphic Design/Photojournalism

July 23, 2013

An Interesting Life

Dan Shaw at The New York Times has a story up looking at the life and work of Amy Arbus, the daughter of photographer Diane Arbus. Love the quote here: Somewhat surprisingly, her mother has been her role model. “I thought she had a really fascinating life,” Ms. Arbus said. “I saw how my mom used photography as an excuse...

Categories Craft/Photojournalism

July 23, 2013

How to Market Yourself

Second in a series by Deb Pang Davis on the National Press Photographers Association’s site on branding and marketing yourself is now online. Love that she’s starting with the core: While strong design helps to convey credibility, trust and professionalism, spending a boat-load of money on a logo, a swanky portfolio case or a custom book won’t get you clients...

Categories Advice & Learning/Business & Industry/Graphic Design/Photojournalism

July 22, 2013

No Answers in Detroit Photojournalist Arrest

Paul Anger, the editor and publisher of the Detroit Free Press writers about the arrest of staff photojournalist Mandi Wright. From theca column: We’d like answers, too. We also know that Detroit police have difficult jobs — that’s understatement — fueled by tension and adrenalin. But they shouldn’t be worrying about rousting citizens who are within their rights to record...

Categories At Work/Ethics & Legal/Photojournalism

July 19, 2013

Maybe a Filter Would Have Helped …?

But probably not … watch as Thomas Bjorn chips a shot right into an ESPN camera, taking out the front lens element.

Categories At Work/Photojournalism/Tech Talk

July 19, 2013

Covering the Zimmerman Trial

The Orlando Sentinel's Gary Greene shares some of his experiences covering the George Zimmerman trial. The one surprising thing for me: remote cameras in the courtroom. I suspect this is more common than I'm aware of, but thinking back to my courtroom coverage, that option would have been fantastic for better telling those stories.

Categories At Work/Photojournalism/Tech Talk

July 18, 2013

So, Is This a Problem?

When Southern Community Newspapers, Inc., decided to let their photo staffs go, we all knew the photos would have to come from somewhere. Reporters may be able to cover some things, but if you’re the Gwinnett Daily Post and you routinely cover the Gwinnett Braves, the AAA farm team for the Atlanta Braves, I assumed you’d hire a stringer, right?...

Categories Ethics & Legal/Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

July 18, 2013

Will Photojournalism Survive Instagram?

That’s the question Mother Jones’ Jeremy Lybarger tries to answer in an interview with Fred Ritchin. I’m afraid he never really answers it but Richtin, one of the great photography theorists of our time, doesn’t seem to think so. An excerpt: There is enormous need for professionals who know how to tell stories with narrative punch and nuance, who can...

Categories Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory