Photojournalism is a type of journalism that relies on images to tell a story. It is not classic photography since the images taken are mostly or totally related to a news item or event. They are usually not for entertainment or recognition, but rather to convey a news event.
These images have to be relevant to society, informative and must be able to convey what is happening in the world. Images must also have an objective quality. It is very important that the photograph be relevant to the context of the story being reported.
The relevance of photojournalism in the news media
Photojournalism is an important aspect for the media. For most people who read newspapers or watch the news, it is the photographs that sum up what has been written. This makes reading newspapers and news reporting much more effective as one can now relate the news to real life scenes and fully understand what it must be like to be in that real place at that real time. This especially applies to people who are not too fond of reading the newspaper or watching the news. For such people, it is the images that convey the news.
photojournalists
It’s not easy being a photojournalist. Very often, photojournalists have to put their lives on the line to bring news so that people can stay informed about what is happening.
Through the photographs they take, they can give information about events that have occurred in the world. We are offered a glimpse of different people, what they do, places and other things through images. This makes us more aware of society and its state.
How technology has changed photojournalism
Technology has greatly changed the face of photojournalism. Today, news can travel around the world in just a few minutes. With the advent of video phones, the Internet, and excellent printing technology, photojournalism has become extremely popular.
This is why photojournalists have a responsibility to bring photographs that are objective. The downside of technological advancement is that now people can manipulate images. Ethics plays an important role here. Codes of ethics have been established to address such issues. The code varies by country.
Photojournalism, as a profession, is serious work and demands care and respect. After all, it is the photographs that accompany the news that really help us understand what is happening in the world. The profession of a photojournalist requires a lot of patience, understanding and skill, and photojournalists should be appreciated accordingly.