Photojournalism Explained: A History of Photojournalism

Unlike traditional journalists or reporters, photojournalists document their stories through photography. Photojournalists sometimes travel the world on assignment, either as freelancers or staff photographers, to capture people and cultures in other countries.

Photojournalists are also referred to as news photographers. Photojournalism differs from other photography, like still life or documentary photography, due in large part to the ethics behind news storytelling. Photojournalism should not be staged and is always meant to be candid. Most photojournalists consider it highly unethical to manipulate a subject's pose or digitally alter an image.

Photojournalism has roots as early as the nineteenth century, beginning as a way to document the battle conditions at war sites.

• War photography: Roger Fenton and Carol Szathmari were early war photographers who documented the Crimean War. Photographer Mathew Brady captured many images of the American Civil War, the first of which were published in Harper's Weekly. Brady's early photographs are considered to be the first widespread example of photojournalism in the United States. War photography, and subsequent advances in camera technology, led to the development of photojournalism in printed newspapers and magazines.
• Photo essays in print: By the late 1930s, publications like Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung in Germany and Life magazine in the United States regularly published photo essays as an alternative way to tell narratives. Events such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the Vietnam War led to the “Golden Age of Photojournalism,” and were turning points for the way photographs could tell news stories.
• Contemporary photojournalism: Today, photojournalism is present in major daily, weekly, or monthly publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Reuters, and The Associated Press. There are also photo magazines, agencies, and foundations dedicated solely to photojournalism, including Magnum Photos, World Press Photo, and VII Photo Agency.
• Social media: The advancement of social media has allowed photojournalism to be distributed to news outlets much faster. Photojournalism is sometimes captured on smartphones.

Some of the most accomplished professional photojournalists include Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa, Carol Guzy, W. Eugene Smith, and John Thomson. Even still-life photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Annie Leibovitz began as photojournalists. Some of the most famous images associated with photojournalism include:

1. 1. How The Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis (1890): One of the earliest examples of photojournalism, this series of photos was taken in the 1880s and depicts impoverished living conditions in New York City.
2. 2. Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange (1936): Lange’s iconic photo of Florence Owens Thompson—a migrant woman fleeing the Oklahoma Dust Bowl with her family— put a human face on the impact of the Great Depression.
3. 3. The Falling Soldier by Robert Capa (1936): Capa traveled to Spain to document the battles of the Spanish Civil War. This now-famous image captures a FIJL (Iberian Federation of Libertarian Youth) soldier the moment he was shot.
4. 4. V-J Day in Times Square by Alfred Eisenstaedt (1945): Eisenstaedt’s candid photo of a US sailor spontaneously kissing a nurse in New York City's Times Square after news broke of Japan’s surrender in World War II.
5. 5. Guerrillero Heroico by Alberto Korda (1960): When Alberto Korda snapped this photo of Che Guevara in Cuba, it went unpublished. But after Guevara’s death in 1967, the photo became a symbol of the Cuban revolution.
6. 6. The Terror of War by Nick Ut (1972): This Pulitzer Prize and World Press Photo-winning image was taken near Trảng Bàng during the Vietnam War. The photo shows a group of children, most notably 9-year-old Phan Thị Kim Phúc, fearfully running away from dropped napalm bombs.
7. 7. Starving Child and Vulture by Kevin Carter (1993): This controversial photo raised the debate of ethics in photojournalism and when to get involved with a subject.
8. 8. The Falling Man by Richard Drew (2001): Taken on September 11, 2001, Drew's famous image captured a man falling from the north tower of the World Trade Center during the attack.

There is no linear path to becoming a photojournalist, but here are a few tips that can simplify the process:

1. 1. Consider studying photojournalism: A journalism or photography degree may not be mandatory, but it can increase your chances with potential employers. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited journalism school can show practical knowledge and skills.
   
2. 2. Build a portfolio: A portfolio can showcase your expertise and ability to find a story at the heart of any scenario.
   
3. 3. Freelance or find an internship: Gaining experience is the best way to prove you know how to do the job. Try to freelance or land an internship at a newsroom, magazine publisher, or other media company. This can help you gain connections for the future.
4. 4. Understand the ethics of photojournalism: Ethics is an important part of journalism. As a photojournalist, you are not supposed to engage with your subject, nor manipulate the images. Doing so is a direct conflict of interest and can lead to job termination. However, ethics when photographing a humanitarian situation can be tricky, such as whether a photographer should interfere in a dangerous situation.
5. 5. Network: Establish connections with photo editors, reporters, and other photojournalists. These connections can impart wisdom from their experiences as well as helpful advice as you establish a career in photojournalism. Familiarize yourself with important people in your industry—the larger your network grows, the more likely you will develop connections and colleagues.

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