Photojournalists have been capturing significant moments in history since the mid 19th century. Today, digital photography is making that job easier and faster.Like any job, it can be hard to get your foot in the door and establishing your career will require both time and effort. Here's some tips to help you stand out from the crowd.
Do your homework. Literally. Gaining a relevant qualification will raise your chances of employment significantly. It's tough to obtain employment over someone who has done the hard yards getting qualified, even if you have amazing photographs. Study also allows you to start building a portfolio of work with images you have submitted for assessments.
Start shooting people. Photographs containing people evoke more emotion than those without.
Get out of your vehicle! Meet people and keep asking questions - your curiosity will be rewarded with unique ideas or a different angle for your story. You will also find willing participants to assist with point number 2...
Shadow people you admire. Find a mentor or do some volunteer work. If you see a professional out in the field covering the same story, follow up on how they reported on it. Compare their images to yours. It's all part of the learning process!
Broaden your skill set. Learn how to write witty captions, the article accompanying your image and how to use graphic design suites. This way you are the whole package and can provide a finished piece to an editor. This is becoming more and more important in an industry which is switching to online mediums and downsizing print.
Create a blog or website. You can do this for free through sites such as wordpress and it's a great way to showcase your work, Make sure you include broad examples of your work and your contact details so anyone interested in working with you can get in touch. This is also a great way to track your improvement if you update it regularly.
Submit your work to websites that display the work of photographers to get your name out there and build your online presence.
Don't guard your work worrying about copy cats. Send editors through links for your online website or blog for quick access to your portfolio, or give them a call to let them know you have a great image on a trending topic. The more people that see your work, the better.
Be persistent. Editors are busy people, and what appears to be a rejection may in fact be that your work got put to the side and forgotten about under the pressure of a deadline. Touch base once a month with new material and wait for your golden opportunity!
To find out more about Learning Clouds Photography, writing and editing programmes, visit our website or call 1300 650 569 today!
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