top of page

BENCHMARK 2:

Future Career/College

Cover Letter

Resume

Letters of Recommendation

Letter One: Written by Mrs. Shelley Job,

Journalism Teacher

Letter Two: Written by Mrs. Kathie Michel,

Neighbor and Former School Board President

Career Exploration: Photojournalism

    The career path I have chosen for myself is photojournalism.  Photojournalism is defined as the art or practice of  communicating the news through photographs.  Photojournalists have a job unlike any other, they take pictures that portray the news to the public.  They have to give news through a photo and need to have the sense to recognize what kinds of events and images are “news-worthy.”  This is the perfect job for me because not only do I have a knack for photography, but I also am always looking for unique situations to shoot, and the news is constantly changing.  
    After a photojournalist finds a subject worth photographing and putting out to the public as news, they use the skills they have with a camera to capture the image then submit it to be publicized.  Sometimes, depending on the assignment, photojournalists may also have to write articles along with their photos, hence the “journalism” part.  If someone, like me were to also major in journalism, they would almost have a leg-up with their journalistic writing skills.  With growing technologies these types of photos and articles can be accessed anywhere including internet sources, magazines, and even the slowly-fading newspapers.  
    As a photojournalist, you work for publications such as magazines, printed and online newspapers, and journals.  Many jobs in this field do require you to work a lot of long, strange hours and you need to be prepared to get called in for an event without any notice at all.  However, that all really does depend on your job. If you are a part-time or self-employed photojournalist you will not work as much.  Depending on where your assignment is, the working conditions will vary.  Photojournalists are known for traveling a lot to any and all kinds of locations including areas of war or destruction, which is also why this job is a bit emotionally stressful as well.  Along with deadlines and competition within the field, photojournalism is definitely a high stress/time consuming job.  
    Even though photojournalism is a tough field there really is no promised salary, or even any promise that your salary will be a whole lot.  How much you get paid can sometimes depend on if you are a freelance photojournalist or not.  Freelance photojournalists are usually paid for each photo or group of photos they take.  Usually as a beginner in the freelance side of this business you could earn a minimal $12,000 a year, then as you become more established you could earn more around $50,000 a year.  It all really just depends on your strengths, talents, and how many pictures you sell.  If you are a photojournalist who is working for an actual publication, the amount of money made depends on the size and success of the publication and also your personal talent and skill.  Generally, if you work for a publication you make about $18,000 to $60,000 a year.  Sometimes, to make a little more money some photojournalists often pick up smaller second jobs with other publications to live a little more comfortably.  
    There really aren’t any training requirements to find a career in this field but you will have a significantly higher chance of getting hired if you have some college and training experience.  Commonly, people do choose to study the “broader” fields of photography and journalism, especially if their college does not offer an official photojournalism program.  In both photography and journalism studies you learn things specific to each field.  For example in journalism you learn how to write, edit, and interview, and with photography, you learn all the technical aspects and how to use lighting, techniques, and do a lot of more hands-on work.  Another form of training that has a high success rate is to get involved in internships and co-ops and actually train and get out with someone who’s actually working in the field.  Getting out there and getting some experience as an intern not only gives you a sense of the job but also gets your name out a little bit more.  
    Socially, it is very good to be a people person because it can help get better photos and can get you better acclimated with your surroundings in an unfamiliar place.  Being creative and being quick on your feet is also important because you never know when an opportunity can strike and depending on how creative you are, you could see something in a situation that other photojournalists may not be able to see.  Another reason creativity and individuality is important in this field is because when you go in for an interview with a publication, they will want to see a portfolio of your work.  If your pictures are unique and different enough to stand out from the hundreds of other people’s portfolios they have seen, you will have a better chance of getting the job.  
    The best places to try and find a job in the photojournalism field include big cities or more downtown scenes.  Cities such as Chicago, New York, Nashville, and Seattle all house some of the most popular and successful publications out there.  If you seek a job in a small town it is going to be harder to find just because a lot of publications are based in large cities.  According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment is projected to rise about twelve percent between 2008 and 2018.  Despite popular belief  that journalism is “a dying field” all these new technology advances and websites and other things that are being developed are always looking for fresh, new journalists and photographers.  
    Even though photojournalism is not the hardest job in the world to study, it is fairly difficult to actually find employment.  With so much competition and stress involved in the job employers look for specific people who meet their qualifications.  The first step in trying to become a photojournalist is to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.  By majoring in photography and minoring in journalism you learn all the skills needed to do either job, then by taking photojournalism classes you will basically become a triple threat, already giving you a bit of an edge.  Second, you need to pursue an internship to pick up on how the job really works.  Even though, no, you will not actually be doing the job of a photojournalist by working for a professional publication, you will learn a lot about how the industry in general works.  And lastly, you need to get a portfolio together to show exactly what you can do and show employers that you have what they are looking for.  
    When asked what one of the biggest challenges of having a career in photojournalism is, Krista, a professional photojournalist stated that it is hard to keep a balance between your personal life and work.  She did mention, however, that because she loves what she does she finds herself working a lot.  One topic of conversation when people talk about photojournalism is what to do to get started.  According to Krista, many start off at internships, as picture editors or photography assistants.  When asked about the level of difficulty in breaking into this field she stated, “It is difficult to break into photojournalism, but anything is possible if you want it badly enough. I recommend going through a well-respected journalism program.” 
    There are many jobs related to photojournalism such as a director of photography, graphic designer, even a television and radio reporter.  Many people think that photojournalism is a limited field but with all the knowledge and skills you obtain, a whole world of careers opens up to you.  By choosing to double major in photography and journalism, the career possibilities are endless for me in photojournalism.  Despite what a majority of  people say about it being a dying field, the news will always be there and there will always be a need for someone to report on it.  That someone, will be me.  

bottom of page