- What surprised you most about this career?
- Is this a career you would consider? Why or why not?
- What skills and personality traits do you think most photojournalists possess?
Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a story and has played a large role in documenting events, including wars, to unique cultures in distant lands. It is a career that is threatened by the decline in magazine & newspaper industries as well as the plethora of cameras & smartphones now in the hands of the general public.
Photojournalism still plays a very important role in documenting stories that need to be told, and despite more and more publishers and broadcasters using user submitted photos, many of the photos you see in news stories were taken by a professional. As technology changes and the consumption of media changes, photojournalists will find ways to support through their careers in new and interesting ways. A few examples of recent changes in journalism include:
- Web-based crowdfunding of niche photojournalist projects
- Photojournalists telling stories via video as mini-documentaries
- Self-publishing books and e-books
To further explore this career, watch the two videos below and read the 4 articles in the resource section.
How photojournalists view their jobs
One photojournalist describes the dangers of her job and how it affects family life
This may be a useful lesson for teachers who want to expose their students to different careers.
