Laid off from the Sun Times
June 6, 2013 6:41 AM Subscribe
A follow up to the recent story about layoffs. A fired staff photographer documents his new life "with an iPhone, but with the eye of a photojournalist trained in storytelling".
This just proves to me that real photographers are going to take good pictures regardless of the limitations of their equipment.
posted by mazola at 7:01 AM on June 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by mazola at 7:01 AM on June 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
And so it goes. It's strange, I caught the clean up of a roll over motorcycle vs car accident the other day and a car being lifted out of a canal and the first thing I thought was, "Damn, only have my iPhone, if I had my real camera I could freelance a pic to the local paper."
posted by tilde at 7:02 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by tilde at 7:02 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Must one be a professional photographer to win a Pulitzer? No. "The competition is open to all comers who adhere to the rules," notes Seymour Topping, administrator of the Prizes.
That included the late Virginia Schau, who, driving on a fishing trip with her husband and father in 1953 in Redding, Calif., watched horrified as a tractor trailer went out of control on a bridge and began to plunge over the side. But, miraculously the cab stopped and dangled over the edge, with its two occupants screaming for help. As Schau's husband and another motorist lowered a rope to them, Schau's father reminded his daughter of the Sacramento Bee's weekly photo contest.
Schau rushed back to her car and grabbed her camera-a Kodak Brownie–and recorded the successful rescue.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 7:26 AM on June 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
That included the late Virginia Schau, who, driving on a fishing trip with her husband and father in 1953 in Redding, Calif., watched horrified as a tractor trailer went out of control on a bridge and began to plunge over the side. But, miraculously the cab stopped and dangled over the edge, with its two occupants screaming for help. As Schau's husband and another motorist lowered a rope to them, Schau's father reminded his daughter of the Sacramento Bee's weekly photo contest.
Schau rushed back to her car and grabbed her camera-a Kodak Brownie–and recorded the successful rescue.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 7:26 AM on June 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
Funny he's using the Hipstamatic app. Hipstamatic laid off all their staff last year (self included). Hipstairony!
posted by schwa at 7:28 AM on June 6, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by schwa at 7:28 AM on June 6, 2013 [10 favorites]
I've seen this link a few times now, and I'm honestly baffled by it. I don't pretend to know much about photography, but I gather the point is that as a professional news photographer, his photos are supposed to tell a story or be more compelling than usual or something, and I keep looking at these photos and not finding anything particularly compelling about them. Is there something I'm missing, and can that something be explained so I'll get it?
posted by jacquilynne at 7:30 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 7:30 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
I don't get it either. Nice pictures, but what is he trying to say?
posted by gjc at 7:33 AM on June 6, 2013
posted by gjc at 7:33 AM on June 6, 2013
Good photographers can make good photos with any tool. But, and it's a big but, some jobs require specific tools. I've made lots of good photos with my iPhone. But in low light, or trying to shoot some fast moving sport-type activity, no way.
These are highly personal photos by a photographer being an artist using what he uses, and reflecting on his day as he comes to terms with having no job. I find them a very sad visual poetry.
posted by cccorlew at 7:39 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
These are highly personal photos by a photographer being an artist using what he uses, and reflecting on his day as he comes to terms with having no job. I find them a very sad visual poetry.
posted by cccorlew at 7:39 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
This just proves to me that real photographers are going to take good pictures regardless of the limitations of their equipment.
All of the photojournalists I knew in college had a pocketable camera, usually an Olympus XA. I myself had an ancient Minolta Hi-Matic from the late '60s. These were fantastic tools, and useful in places where a gadget bag and photo vest would attract unwanted attention.
On the other hand, lots of luck getting a usable press conference headshot or doing any sports or live performance reporting to speak of with an iPhone.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:41 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
All of the photojournalists I knew in college had a pocketable camera, usually an Olympus XA. I myself had an ancient Minolta Hi-Matic from the late '60s. These were fantastic tools, and useful in places where a gadget bag and photo vest would attract unwanted attention.
On the other hand, lots of luck getting a usable press conference headshot or doing any sports or live performance reporting to speak of with an iPhone.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:41 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
Well, I meant a photographer will squeeze the best out of the equipment they have. A good photographer will be limited by their equipment. A bad photographer is limited by themselves.
posted by mazola at 7:45 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by mazola at 7:45 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
(I really enjoyed this post. Now I'm going to riff off on a single word.)
You know, many people consider me to be a lazy, drunken bum with no social skills or good hygiene habits. But I'm MORE than that: I'm a storyteller.
I love stories, and I think that sharing stories is what makes us human. I am proud to follow in a long tradition of storytellers, who - through their subtle, magical craft - create and promote narratives to educate, to warn, or simply to entertain. From Mark Twain to Bob Dylan to Steven Spielberg, from Broadway to Hollywood to Nashville, storytelling is an art that has built American culture and civilization all thoughout our history. The storyteller's gift is to reflect, uplift and recreate our very selves - and because of that, storytelling really is the most precious asset our nation has.
And it is in that context, your Honor, that my story today should be judged. I didn't rob and assault Mr. Finkelstein - my story is that invisible space-aliens took over my body and forced me to do these terrible acts, because they recognised that I would be the perfect leader of the human resistance after their invasion, and they wanted to get me outta the way by framing me. And may it please the court, I am a fucking storyteller, so you should go along with all that shit. Why? Because stories, you fucking philistine - that's why. The defence rests.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 8:06 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
You know, many people consider me to be a lazy, drunken bum with no social skills or good hygiene habits. But I'm MORE than that: I'm a storyteller.
I love stories, and I think that sharing stories is what makes us human. I am proud to follow in a long tradition of storytellers, who - through their subtle, magical craft - create and promote narratives to educate, to warn, or simply to entertain. From Mark Twain to Bob Dylan to Steven Spielberg, from Broadway to Hollywood to Nashville, storytelling is an art that has built American culture and civilization all thoughout our history. The storyteller's gift is to reflect, uplift and recreate our very selves - and because of that, storytelling really is the most precious asset our nation has.
And it is in that context, your Honor, that my story today should be judged. I didn't rob and assault Mr. Finkelstein - my story is that invisible space-aliens took over my body and forced me to do these terrible acts, because they recognised that I would be the perfect leader of the human resistance after their invasion, and they wanted to get me outta the way by framing me. And may it please the court, I am a fucking storyteller, so you should go along with all that shit. Why? Because stories, you fucking philistine - that's why. The defence rests.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 8:06 AM on June 6, 2013 [3 favorites]
So I'm going to blink, and clarify that my first comment should've been taken with large amounts of hamburger.
The photos are wonderful, too.
posted by ominous_paws at 8:18 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
The photos are wonderful, too.
posted by ominous_paws at 8:18 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Here's the recent story mentioned but not linked in the FPP. Hart's blog was posted in a comment there.
posted by cribcage at 8:29 AM on June 6, 2013
posted by cribcage at 8:29 AM on June 6, 2013
mazola: A good photographer will be limited by their equipment. A bad photographer is limited by themselves.Going in my quotes file.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:59 AM on June 6, 2013
A good photographer will be limited by their equipment. A bad photographer is limited by themselves.
Of course if you talk to them, they'll claim the opposite. Good photographers say they're always pushing their own limits, bad photographers say they could do better if they just had the right gear.
posted by echo target at 9:35 AM on June 6, 2013
Of course if you talk to them, they'll claim the opposite. Good photographers say they're always pushing their own limits, bad photographers say they could do better if they just had the right gear.
posted by echo target at 9:35 AM on June 6, 2013
Bad photojournalists may simply be exhausted journalists who have no time to do two jobs at once since somebody at the Tribune thought photojournalism was an expendable position.
posted by destro at 9:47 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by destro at 9:47 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I worked for a newspaper for the last 13 years in IT. One of my responsibilities was rolling out 200+ iPhones, working with people to develop training for print reporters so they could learn a different form of narrative, and designing/implementing workflow for this. Even as I was rolling these out I was thinking internet : reporter : : iPhone : photographer, (or maybe craigslist : classifieds) but you can't say those things.
I survived multiple rounds of layoffs. I watched a classified department shrink to a quarter of its size and whole swaths either disappear entirely or no longer make money (when's the last time your company placed a recruitment ad?). I watched the newsroom be gutted. I watched as they regionalized ad design, color correction, layout, press operations, and even IT.
Change is inevitable.
People are surprised about this, but we've basically turned the features sections over to bloggers, the tech sections are nearly non-existent and seldom do an acceptable job (everything is culled from slashdot, is weeks old, wrong, or just not as in depth as your average tech site). Why should photos be any different?
It's difficult to get a photographer to the a news scene. Chances are there's already one there. The iPhone is the most popular camera in the world by number of photos taken. Tons of people carry one. It produces great photos and better video than pro-grade cameras from even 6 or 7 years ago. You don't always have to be a professional to get a great shot. Sometimes passion is enough. Sometimes it's luck.
I got a photo in the paper shortly after I started there. Shot with a Sony p&s that didn't match the quality of current iPhones. That was over a decade ago. Technology has come a long ways. The ability to cover news with photo, video, and text at a moment's notice is now in many people's front pockets. To cry or disparage this fact does nothing to change it. To ignore this is stupid.
This said, to get rid of photographers is stupid. There's a craft to the profession. You need these folk around to train other and to produce the amazing shots. You don't need them to shoot props and food.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:07 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
I survived multiple rounds of layoffs. I watched a classified department shrink to a quarter of its size and whole swaths either disappear entirely or no longer make money (when's the last time your company placed a recruitment ad?). I watched the newsroom be gutted. I watched as they regionalized ad design, color correction, layout, press operations, and even IT.
Change is inevitable.
People are surprised about this, but we've basically turned the features sections over to bloggers, the tech sections are nearly non-existent and seldom do an acceptable job (everything is culled from slashdot, is weeks old, wrong, or just not as in depth as your average tech site). Why should photos be any different?
It's difficult to get a photographer to the a news scene. Chances are there's already one there. The iPhone is the most popular camera in the world by number of photos taken. Tons of people carry one. It produces great photos and better video than pro-grade cameras from even 6 or 7 years ago. You don't always have to be a professional to get a great shot. Sometimes passion is enough. Sometimes it's luck.
I got a photo in the paper shortly after I started there. Shot with a Sony p&s that didn't match the quality of current iPhones. That was over a decade ago. Technology has come a long ways. The ability to cover news with photo, video, and text at a moment's notice is now in many people's front pockets. To cry or disparage this fact does nothing to change it. To ignore this is stupid.
This said, to get rid of photographers is stupid. There's a craft to the profession. You need these folk around to train other and to produce the amazing shots. You don't need them to shoot props and food.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:07 AM on June 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Excellent posts by Chicago Tribune photojournalist Alex Garcia (Assignment Chicago blogger) addressing the situation:
1) Alex's first post: The Idiocy of Eliminating a Photo Staff
2) Second post: 10 Responses to the Sun-Times Debacle
posted by photojlisa at 11:18 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
1) Alex's first post: The Idiocy of Eliminating a Photo Staff
2) Second post: 10 Responses to the Sun-Times Debacle
posted by photojlisa at 11:18 AM on June 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
. You need these folk around to train other and to produce the amazing shots.
the vast majority of the time the pictures aren't amazing. they're banal (eg, pic of rep at lectern) and just serve to break up text.
posted by jpe at 4:57 PM on June 6, 2013
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posted by ominous_paws at 6:48 AM on June 6, 2013