Photojournalism Advice Please !

Tom_Chettoe

Tom_Chettoe

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Tom
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I'm interested in persuing a photojournalism qualification, so that I can be a free lance photojournalist. I've been on the BIPP website which took me to Skillset which recommended "MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography" at "London College of Communication (LCC)".

Is anyone on the forum a photojournalist?

Can you recommend a route into the industry or a path to get the qualification?

Any advice welcome!

Thanks in advance,

Tom
 
Photojournalism is a difficult one to quantify because it kind of goes hand in hand with freelance press photography. To be honest the best way to get into that side of things is to work at being a general freelance photographer.

If you want a course to help with this take a look at the BFP freelance course. Otherwise get yourself a copy of the Freelance photographers handbook and have a look at what some of the mags and papers want and try and shoot images that you think might sell and then contact the picture editors.

Once you have started getting a few bits of work published you might be able to start approaching people with story ideas and articles, which you can take more time over.

Good luck
 
LCC course is reputed to be a good one as is the course at Sheffield Uni, which we attend a module of as part of our Senior NCO Qualification Course...

Having done the course, I can say that it did help a lot, but it's not vital to becoming a press photographer/photojournalist.

Just get out there and do it. Tout your wares to the agencies and you'll soon know if you're good enough, but you'll have to be self-starting - you have to get off you butt and do the jobs first, no-one will tell you what to cover.

I had intended to cover the Anti-Neo Nazi demos in Berlin yesterday, but unfortunately had a family drama here instead...but that's the kind of thing to look out for...it'll bring you to the attention of the pic-eds much quicker too...
 
The Sheffield College (Norton) course used to be the gold standard of photojournalism qualifications...i don't know if it still is.

The standard is very high, but it's as close to a "secret handshake" as you will get.

That said, I didn't do any course in photography or photojournalism...I got out and did the work.

Get out and photograph things...Arkady's job yesterday would've been exactly the sort of thing. The old adage is "f/8 and be there"...all the qualifications in the world are worthless if you're not at the story when it breaks.
 
I just finished the Norton course, which i'd recommend as long as you know what you're getting yourself into. It won't teach you how to take photographs (that's all up to you) and besides law the course specifics aren't that important. HOWEVER, being on the course opened all sorts of doors for me - I had no problems whatsoever getting work exp at South Wales Evening Post, SWNS, The Times, Guzelian etc. You'd be surprised how hard it is to get one-to-one portfolio critique with The Times picture editor- but the course allowed this. I'd assume that it was my performance and effort in doing all this work exp is what got me my job (I got published everywhere I went). As I was told before starting - there are VERY few jobs out there.. out of about 14 people on the course i'm the only one so far (I think) that has got a job so far and plenty of my colleagues were very good photographers and operator's.

I've heard alot of good things about the LCC course (I only didn't do it due to the cost of the course (£4k) plus the cost of having to live in London). It's much more closer to real photojournalism / documentary photography and I think they have people from Magnum/VII etc come in and speak to you. They've produced alot of Britain's best new PJ's over the last decade or so (as has University of Newport Documentary course).

Personally, I chose to be a press photographer as I saw a career in it. Press is hard enough to find work in but working as a freelance PJ must be extremely hard - spending alot of time and work on projects and then having to hope that you find a publisher to pay back that effort (and your own money).

Good luck with whatever you choose and all i'll say is it's not easy. I got told not to even bother by working professionals, and one year later i'm working.. as hard as it is to break in it IS possible.
 
My input would be the Sheffield as well. If I had the guts to drop out of the degree I am doing right now (a general photography degree) then I would go to Norton College. Instead I am trying to do it on my own, not getting very far with press but have started making my own documentary projects. I have been working with NGO's and getting access to a range of projects involving immigration, homelessness, etc. I should hopefully build a good portfolio to then get funding.

I just finished the Norton course, which i'd recommend as long as you know what you're getting yourself into
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Adam your post has been quite reassuring :) Was this the course you did Link? And was it the 28 week course? The entry looks quite hard, how did you find it?
 
Yep that's the one and I did the 28 week version - heard rumours it isn't running next year but that could just be a rumour, check with the college.

I think they like to make it sound harder to get in than it actually is. The main things they look for are dedication and drive I think, which are essential qualities if you want to make it I guess! Photography wise (just checking your website) add some news stuff to your portfolio to show that you have an interest in press.. that is if you want to do that course.

My advice would be to do it on your own as you already are. If you want to do press, then do stuff for the uni paper, contact papers/agencies and do as much work exp as possible. If you want to be a traditional PJ do exactly what you're doing! The NGO documentary projects sound fantastic. It's the kind of work I really wanted to do but at the minute i'm finding that I love general press work - hard news and all of that. I did Brown yesterday, doing Clegg for the third time today etc. Love it!

If you have any Q's just ask.
 
Oh and it's important to realise that the press industry is changing VERY rapidly, whilst Norton used to be the 'gold standard' it isn't necessarily the only way of doing well these days.

It's track record is good though, I could reel off a list of top photographers who have come through there in the last ten years and others could tell you ones from the last 30. Leon Neal (AFP - former times young 'tog of the year), Matt Lloyd (The Times, current Times young 'tog of the year), Bethany Clarke (does a lot of work for The Times), Richard Pohle, Paul Rodgers..... and so on. Most of the press photographers I ran into in London had done some form of the course.

BUT I think if you can make the contacts without the course, do the work exp.. wire to agencies on a freelance basis at times etc you can get yourself known just as easily. It was the work exp that got me the job, not the course. Well.. that's my uneducated view on it!
 
Thank you very much to all of you for your advice and comments so far I'm taking it all into consideration as I try to work out the best way forward!
 
adam* said:
Yep that's the one and I did the 28 week version - heard rumours it isn't running next year but that could just be a rumour, check with the college.

I think they like to make it sound harder to get in than it actually is. The main things they look for are dedication and drive I think, which are essential qualities if you want to make it I guess! Photography wise (just checking your website) add some news stuff to your portfolio to show that you have an interest in press.. that is if you want to do that course.

My advice would be to do it on your own as you already are. If you want to do press, then do stuff for the uni paper, contact papers/agencies and do as much work exp as possible. If you want to be a traditional PJ do exactly what you're doing! The NGO documentary projects sound fantastic. It's the kind of work I really wanted to do but at the minute i'm finding that I love general press work - hard news and all of that. I did Brown yesterday, doing Clegg for the third time today etc. Love it!

If you have any Q's just ask.
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Thanks Adam for taking the time to post back, some great advice :thumbs:

I think I may really try and give the press thing a go this summer but do enjoy my projects and getting more involved with the subject.
 
Sounds good Vic. Just go cover any events that you can - don't just do protests though as most peoples portfolio's can become oversaturated with that kinda stuff (including mine). I'd love to do more involved work too but at the minute I just don't have time to be doing personal projects as well as work.
 
adam* said:
Sounds good Vic. Just go cover any events that you can - don't just do protests though as most peoples portfolio's can become oversaturated with that kinda stuff (including mine). I'd love to do more involved work too but at the minute I just don't have time to be doing personal projects as well as work.
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I would totally be doing the same, better to get work while its there. Plenty of time for you to do your personal stuff later :) I might try a few protests to get some experience at shooting fast but you're right about not doing them too much, my eyes start to glaze over when I see an abundance of them.
 
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