Beyond Words

Over at the April edition of The Digital Journalist is an interesting column by Greg Kelly who did a CBC documentary about war photographers. He offeres some curious, honest and fun insight into the shooters who shoot conflicts.

One photographer asked me if I thought they were screwed up -- not quite the same question as being happy or unhappy. For what it's worth, I don't think they are. But if there were one trait that I'd ascribe to all of the interviewees it would have to be this: they have to see things for themselves. It's not that this trait makes them endearing. In fact, it can make them a little crusty sometimes. But it also makes them compelling. They are the most interesting, original, independent, socially-conscious sub-species in the profession. They seem to be unafraid of life, and reflexively generous. And they're also often very funny, obscenely so, and very salty.

There is also an honest and entertaining column by a retired Newsday photographer who writes about working with reporters.

Newspapers had reporters long before photography made its presence known. I suppose that this fact gives reporters the right to be called the senior service. Perhaps this is why newspaper photographers have always felt that we were the stepchildren of the industry. We always bristled when we heard ourselves being introduced by a reporter as, “This is my photographer.” “My” photographer, my ass What gall. How dare they infer that we are nothing more than their subservient flunkies; on hand only to do their bidding. And though I have heard some editors and even publishers refer to our staff photographers as important members of the journalistic team, it never seemed to translate that way in the real world. Posted by Jim at May 7, 2006 02:18 PM