Visual Journalism – Page 168 – Notes from aside the camera

August 10, 2011

“A Great Shot Is …”

The New York Times’ Lens blog has a short interview up with Finnish photojournalist Jussi Leinonen where he talks about a photo that helped him become Finland’s Press Photographer of the Year in 2008. Loved this quote: A great shot is always there to be had, but you can’t get tired of searching for it. I had already sort of...

Advice & Learning/Craft/Good Work/Photojournalism

August 9, 2011

Raising Rates Without Raising Ire

Freelancing is a tough gig – on your own, no security, no safety net. But it’s also a reality for more and more journalists. Getting in is hard, getting a few good clients is hard, but once you do, how do you keep growing your revenues? Over at FreelanceSwitch, James Clear has three quick tips on how to raise your...

At Work/Business & Industry

August 9, 2011

Studio Light Basics

Good summation by Joe Farace over at PhotoFocus on the basic elements of studio flash units. Nice primer if you’ve never touched one of these things before.

Tech Talk

August 9, 2011

Are YOU Backed Up?

If you’re on staff somewhere, you have an automatic YOU back-up. If you don’t show up for work*, there’s (hopefully) someone else who will take care of what you were supposed to do. But what if you’re a freelancer? Skip Cohen writes over at GoingPro about having a backup for yourself. We photojournalists carry back-up cameras, lenses, cards, hard drives,...

Advice & Learning/Business & Industry/Thoughts & Theory

August 9, 2011

Stories from Inside

We’re a little more than a month away from the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the country and there will be a lot of great, retrospective journalism coming out. Let’s start with one of my heroes, Joe McNally. McNally, known best for his stunning lighting skills and workshops, produced a series of portraits of firefighters and others affected...

At Work/Good Work/Photojournalism

August 8, 2011

Tyler Hicks on the New York Times Somalia Famine Image

NPR interviewed Tyler Hicks, the New York Times photojournalist whose front page image of a starving child in Somalia has sparked a lot of discussion. Hicks was asked whether a photograph can still change the world. “It has a way of searing itself into your mind,” he says. “It’s something you can study. It doesn’t just whip by you over...

Ethics & Legal/Good Work/Photojournalism

August 8, 2011

Over at the Gear Geek …

This week, a look at some cheap wide angle lens adaptors for pocket video cameras and cell phones. How cheap? Under $30.

Tech Talk

August 8, 2011

Miami Beach PD Sets New Guidelines for Handling Media

The National Press Photographers Association’s Advocacy Committee has posted about their involvement with the Miami Beach Police Department’s decision to set new guidelines and procedures for the, “investigation, seizure and searching of portable video and photo recording devices.” So, to anyone who asks why the NPPA matters … who else stepped in? And a nod to Police Chief Carlos Noriega...

Ethics & Legal

August 6, 2011

Modern Retro

Photo District News is reporting that there will be a new version of the Diana Mini Flash – this one in all white. The Diana is a very low tech film camera. Image quality is, well, horrific is you care at all about sharpness or color accuracy. Build quality will be questionable. Reliability? I wouldn’t mention that word. But people...

Craft/Tech Talk

August 6, 2011

When to Walk Away From a Client

Debbie Swanson has a quick, five-point guide to deciding when it’s time to fire a client over at Freelance Switch. I know, I know … in times like these, should you ever walk away from a paying client? The answer, of course, is yes. Look at her five points, all of them are valid reasons for closing the door on...

Business & Industry