Here is a definition of what a photojournalist is as described by Professor John Nordell in his video “What is Photojournalism”: “So with photojournalists it's combining these two aspects of being an excellent and artistic photographer along with the journalistic skills and journalistic know-how of being in the right place at the right time.”
A photojournalist’s most used tool of the trade is their camera; it is how they earn their name. But their job is not done once they have clicked the button on their camera to take a picture. Photojournalists have to also be able to edit the pictures they have taken and be able to post them online, and send them across the world to news agencies that are willing to pay for their work. Furthermore, a photojournalist is also a historian in a sense, because they are actively recording history as it is happening in front of their eyes and lenses.
Photojournalists above all else have to be fearless, persistent, and be in the line of fire to make sure that they are capturing the real sense of what is going on in order to captivate the audience. If the photojournalist is two miles away from the event using a high-powered lens in order to capture the action, the sense of danger that the people that are being effected by the fighting would not be realized by the viewers and readers. Photojournalists must also have an ability to be close to the action and people physically, they must also remain distant emotionally, and that is not always easy when you are documenting people through your lens that may be suffering emotionally and/or physically but you have to continue photographing the situation and remain professional.
Photo by: John Moore
Image Source: https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/photojournalism
A quote by Jason Henske describes the difficulty faced by photojournalists in his video “Jason Henske – Photojournalist”: You’re not distant, and frequently it’s difficult to separate your feelings as a friend, and your feelings as a photographer.”
The history of photojournalism dates back to the Civil War when Mathew Brady, who lived from 1823 to 1896, documented the Civil War through the use of photography. In fact, much of the pictures and imagery depicting the Civil War found in text books and historical articles used today are based upon the work of Mathew Brady. So why study the history of photojournalism? Well the answer to that question is essentially the same answer to the question why study history? Studying history is crucial because as the saying goes, we study history so that we do not repeat the same mistakes again. Although history predates photojournalism by thousands of years, photojournalism has quickly staked out a foothold in history and has helped to continue the documentation of history. The study of history has remained the same throughout the entirety of its existence, but the introduction of photojournalism has allowed people to now have an added sense of being able understand history in that they can now visualize it.
Photo by: Unknown
Image Source: http://www.historyguy.com/civilwar/brady_mathew.html
In closing, a great quote by James Nachtwey from a video excerpt of his movie War Photographer, is a perfect analogy for why photography, and photojournalism as a result is a great and powerful endeavor: “For me the strength of photography lies in its ability to evoke a sense of humanity. “If war is an attempt to negate humanity, then photography can be perceived as the opposite of war. And if it’s used well, it can be powerful ingredient in the antidote to war.”
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