One of the most essential things I've learned as a photographer is the importance of reaching out and valuing all of the people who make what I do possible.  All of the people I share the space with, my job with, the world with.   Reaching out and becoming a part of the world I am hired to photograph has often been the difference between getting the shot, staying safe, and progressing in my field and not.  



Every time you take out a camera you become the invader.  James Natchtwey once poignantly put it as:

"The act of being an outsider aiming a camera can be a violation of humanity. The only way I can justify my role is to have respect for the other person's predicament. The extent to which I do that is the extent to which I become accepted by the other, and to that extent I can accept myself."

In this case he was discussing the nature of photographing tragedy and war, but it's also true when we photograph anything, anyone, anywhere.   For me, I make a constant sincere effort to reach out to the people in my field from the ushers taking the tickets to the athletes and their families.

And here's why.

The building manager will be there for me when I need help setting up remote cameras on a catwalk, when the glass surrounding the ice needs a good scrub, or when I'm walking across the ice he'll send one of his boys out to take my hand and help me across.  The equipment manager will show me secrets about the building I work in, the history of it, that he would never bother telling a stranger.



(Not to mention at the end of the season, certain jerseys of certain players he knows I love make their way to my home where my cat promptly falls asleep in them.)



He'll let me into the locker room, on the ice, on the bench and provide incredible support when it comes to understanding the game and the players better.    The ushers and security guards protect me and my space.  The fans support me and my business.  The concessions guy keeps me hydrated and fed. The parking guy gets me through the traffic faster so I'm not late. The administrators are my employers. And the players?  Reaching out to them is the only way I could get  the very intimate shots I get throughout the season.  Earning their trust and deserving their trust is my goal every day. Our relationship is essential.

But the truth is all of those relationships above are essential and cultivating them is wise.  When I invade a fan's space because I need a better angle of the bench or a shootout, I'm always sure to buy them a beer afterward with my thanks, so the next time I need a shot they welcome me into their row. When the building staff washes my glass in the middle of a break, I thank them and take photographs for the office Christmas card for free.   The players know I'll send mom that picture of their goal, that I'll remember their birthdays, that I will worry about their injuries.

Reach out to everyone on the job.  Your driver, your host, your interpreter, your guide, your bodyguard, your subjects. You are never ever alone in your job.  Never go into the field, into another country, into another world without reaching out to the people around you.

 

To grow as photojournalists we must think about all of the people we rely on.  Not just our subjects, but everyone whose support we need to get the job done. Including our families, by the way (who might be a little sick that every vacation gets tied up with a major sports event opportunity).  


As photojournalists, how do you reach out to the people you share your world with? How has it helped you? What would you give as a tip to aspiring photographers trying to reach out?

Sports photography.

This category of photojournalism is one of the most sought after positions in professional photography.   VIP access to pro athletes, frontline seats, locker room interviews, and a paycheck to photograph the whole experience year after year?!!

...
.....
.........
 Sign me up!!



Well, that's how my story began anyway.  Years ago, I made the mistake of going to a pro hockey game and within three hours fell madly in love with the smell of ice and the sound of blades. I left the building thinking to myself (and telling anyone who would listen to the ravings of a madwoman): "There has to be some way I can be involved in this for the rest of my life."  What actually happened after that night is one of the wildest stories I've ever told and it's still a crazy ride. But getting on that ride and staying on is tricky.  

So here's what I've learned so far about actually surviving sports photography in a nutshell.  What you'll need, how much it's going to cost you (think your accountant is going to shoot you in the face with a bazooka), and everything in between. We'll even cover eating because, trust me,...managing to eat as a sports photographer is complex.    



The first thing you need to know about sports photography is that once you decide to go pro you're going to have to tell the kids they are never ever going to see Disneyland.  Or eat food again. You know what? Just give hand over the teddybear so we can pawn him for that new lens.   How expensive is this? Well, don't panic but you're going to be in the $20,000+ USD dollar range for competitive equipment  and you're going to destroy most of it within a year or two.  

Every fraction of a second counts in sports and this means you'll need to shoot at a rapid rate while keeping moving objects in focus.   When shopping for a sports camera, look for models that provide high speed (both frame rate and shutter speeds) and multiple AF points. Typically you'd like a camera that gets at least 5 fps (frames per second) and a shutter speed going on up to 1/8000.   Full frame sensors aren't quite as important in sports, but do seek out any model with good performance (low noise levels) at high ISOs.

And don't forget!!...you're going to need at least two of those camera bodies.  The first fact of athletes: they move around a lot.  First they're within inches of you, then they are a hundred yards away and all in just a few seconds.  



There's no way you can swap lenses out midgame so the trick is to wear several cameras around your neck with a different lens locked on each.  That way when they get close you pick up the wide angle or maybe a fish-eye, and when they leave you drop it and switch to the telephoto zoom.   It's heavy and awkward and you'll look like Flava Flav, but it's necessary.   



Then there are your lenses.  Sports photographers need to keep their shutter speeds above 1/1000 to freeze the action for most sports, but you also need to do that at events that are frequently held at night or indoors without using flash and without cranking up your ISO to levels that would ruin the quality.  How do you solve this?  With fast glass. And there's no other way around it.  You're going to need F2.8 or lower in every variety of lens from the wide angle and the fish eye to the macro and telephoto.  Fish eyes and macros aren't as necessary in the beginning, but sooner or later you'll find yourself setting up a shot and thinking to yourself "this would have looked great with a (insert this or that) lens."  Sports photography encompasses everything so eventually you're going to find yourself needing one of just about everything.  (note: Some buildings might allow you to use strobes, but you better spend some days getting them up and testing them yourself, and then testing them alongside the athletes to ensure it never distracts them or the crew. It's a bit of a pain in the ass, so few of us ever bother.)

Monopods

Now the big telephoto lenses capable of that aperture beginning with the 200m and going on up are very heavy and you will injure yourself holding them up for hours. For the sake of your own long term health and to keep those images tack sharp when action panning, I recommend utilizing a strong monopod with a very fluid head.  Youtube has all sorts of reviews on various sticks and heads, but you can't go cheap on this.  This stick has to support extremely expensive and heavy glass and it has to move with you so treat the decision as a serious one worth investigating beforehand.

Other

Filters, extra batteries, remote triggers, external flash for those rare opportunities you're actually allowed to use it, and several packs of extra memory cards are all to be found in a sports photographer's kit bag. But there are other tools we use too.  Take the new GoPro cameras, waterproof cameras and cases, or even timelapse models.  



The ability to strap a camera to the athlete, a net, or a catwalk forty feet above makes a sports photographer ridiculously happy.  We can be in multiple locations at once with some advance planning and the click of a remote.  But it still means extra cameras and extra lenses and all of the other extras that go with those new tools to support them.  It's like getting a new kitten.  



At first you're like "Yay, kitten!" and then you realize it's not just a kitten. It's the litter box, the food, the vaccines, the scratching post, the bed, and the catnip mouse too.  And, of course, the kitten might get sick...

Insurance

Always insure your equipment and yourself if you photograph sports full-time. If you intend to own your own company, pick up business insurance as well.  These athletes are celebrities (even the little kids...try working with their parents!) and image is everything, if you or someone else makes a mistake with them you could be sued or fined.  Not to mention, the most bizarre things you've ever heard of can and probably will happen when photographing sports.  I've been speared, stepped on, sneezed on, cried on, bled on, hit with pucks, and even launched ten feet backwards into the air.  I've damaged several camera bodies and numerous lenses.  A puck once struck my camera with such force it disintegrated the contacts and turned the fine little gears inside to dust.  Another game two weeks later gave me a concussion.  So it's not a matter of "if" but "when" you or your gear are going to take a beating, and believe me the insurance companies know it so they're not going to like you.  

No, you don't actually need all of this expensive gear to take a great sports shot...but you will need it eventually to operate a great sports business.

I know a lot of people are going to argue that you don't need expensive gear to start up as a sports photographer and that's very true.  After all, I got my start with a $500 Canon Rebel T2i and I still use it.  No one needs twenty thousand dollars worth of equipment to build a portfolio. But I'd be lying to you if I didn't give you the longterm reality.  If your goal is to make a living off of this, if you dream about photographing a pro team or traveling to the Olympics, you're either going to have to invest in serious equipment or get yourself hired by a company that will supply you with it.

But, of course, no matter your long term goals or whether you're using a $500 camera body or a $5000 dollar one, the truth is you can take a great shot if you know what you're doing.



Composition, metering, all those things are important tips I could give you, but the fact is most of those just come with practice, trial and error, and feedback. You should already know about the rule of thirds, how to make a shot interesting, setting a custom white balance, or how to get your camera to focus on something moving really fast (google "action-panning").  You should have already read your camera's manual and learned how to use the machine, as well as studied the science behind photography and optics.  Those are basic things and there are already a million tutorials online and on deviantART about it.  Beyond the basics of photography, specializing in sports photography is really just about keeping two essential tips in mind.

Know Your Sport.

I can't emphasize this one enough.  Wanna shoot sports full-time?  Know your sports.  Know them backwards and forwards.  It seems obvious, but it's overlooked.  If you don't know what to look for, you won't see it when it happens, and if you don't see it, you don't shoot it, and if you don't shoot it, they can't print it.  When a team says afterward, "Where's that goal?" or "Do you have this guy doing this?" and you don't have it? You're in trouble.

I spend a huge chunk of my day researching my events before I even take the camera out of the bag.  I research the teams, I research the athletes, I study the building, I examine the lighting, and I'm already planning in my head what kind of shots I want.  I've already asked around the lockerrooms and listened to the gossip.  Any professional photographer can get a good clear action shot, but a sports photographer is better equipped to tell the story because they know how the characters and the settings are working together.  The old saying in hockey made by the famous Gretszky which goes along the lines of: "I don't go where the puck is, I go where it is going to be",  is especially good advice, not just for hockey, but for sports photography too.   But you can't go where the action is going to be if you have no earthly clue how to anticipate it.  That comes from knowing your sports.

See it Differently





Now that you can anticipate an important shot, it's going to take more to stand out from the crowd:  you need to show them something different (and that only happens if you're already looking where no one else is).  Do you photograph the winners or the losers in that moment? Do you get the guy making the shot? Or the guy blocking it?  Are you going to zoom in on the tears and blood, or zoom out to the medics bringing the stretcher onto the field.  Do you get a close-up of a smiling captain, or zoom out to show the adoring fan holding a sign behind him?  What shot is more important?  How can you do it differently?  I can't tell you what the answer is because it changes. But once you develop the ability to anticipate a shot, you need to develop the ability to decide which shot you will take and then how you will take it.  What angle will you shoot from? How can you frame it?  What kind of movement do you want to convey?

Lateral movement:
Forward movement:

Sports photography is a collection of moments that happened all at once.  Which one do you choose? Why?  Who else could take that shot? Are they in a better position?  How can you do it better?



Big teams and events often hire many photographers to ensure that all of the possible important shots are covered and I've been part of a team before, but sometimes I'm the only one or I'm the lead and it's up to me to make the call where my lens is going to be focused.  A great sports photographer has to be able to decide in an instant what shot trumps all others.  What tells the story?  Sometimes we nail it, and sometimes we don't.  For me, I tend to go for emotion, reaction vs. action, because I like the human quality, but that's my way of approaching it.  You're going to lose now and then in the great gamble that is anticipating the shot, but always remember that only by constantly seeking to see it differently will you ever actually do so.  







Dear (insert your name here),

Today you are going to be working for many hours in (sunny/rainy/stormy/dusty/snowy) weather. It is going to be very (hot/cold/humid/dry/miserable).   Your gear is heavy and you are going to be holding it up for most of your day and since today is (insert appropriate sport) day that means you're going to be working up and down a (mountain/hill/stairs/sand dune/ocean/river/forest/field) so be prepared for some serious physical challenges.  Because of this, please eat something healthy and drink some water at regular intervals so we don't wind up in the hospital or not paying attention to the show.  Keep a water bottle near your feet, and some healthy snacks in your gear bag in case.  And don't eat the (arena/rink/stadium) food. It'll probably make you sick. Especially if you eat it every other night for years.   It might even be smart to stretch a little, and make sure you get a good night's rest before a major event, especially since you'll be up all night tonight processing photos.  Got all that?  Eat. Drink. Stretch. Sleep.  Oh, and have fun.

Love always,

Your body.






" I brought my camera to a game and the security guard denied me access.  I'm not going to sell anything, I just wanted the practice. How do I get them to understand that?"

I know what you mean, but you can't prove to the security guard that you don't (make any money off of the images and/or will be responsible for them). They think if you just wanted fun photos of yourself at a fun game, you wouldn't bring in pro grade equipment. Gear is a major red flag.

When someone is accredited they're proving that they are approved professionals and are signing a contract that guarantees they can be trusted with the image (and even reputation) of professional teams and their players. This is getting increasingly difficult to control in the era of smart phone cameras, but they can more easily and do crack down on pro-grade equipment.

See it from their perspective. It is a nightmarish scenario for ushers and security trying to determine who really is accredited press (with access to top-level athletes and facilities) and who isn't when nonaccredited individuals come into a stadium with professional grade lenses and a monopod. Even if you have no plans to enter press/staff-only zones you make it more likely someone else with that gear but no credentials will. Not only do they have to protect the body and image of these athletes and the staff, but there are anti-doping (and even terrorism...Boston Marathon anyone?) considerations involved.

"But it's impossible to get accredited!!! How am I ever supposed to learn how to shoot sports and build up an impressive enough portfolio so I can then BE accredited?!"

I really do understand the frustration because, and this may surprise you,  a lot of the pros don't always get badges either! Accreditation is frequently limited to a small number of photographers (most from papers or major networks, so if you're a freelancer like me...wow, good luck!) who may have to be background-checked or even interviewed first. Major events like the Olympics require applications years in advance.  YEARS.  The point is you'll never get it by trying to simply walk in with equipment. Doing that will only frustrate and anger the building staff and the organization hosting the event whose reputation (and chances of hosting future events) as well as the safety of everyone in the building is on the line.

Photograph high school or university teams or recreational teams or sports where accreditation isn't necessary to get a good shot. Public spaces give you a bit more freedom.  Go to the beach and catch a beach volleyball game, street basketball, surfers, skaters, rollerbladers. Go to the park, catch a soccer game, a baseball game.  Get used to photographing fast subjects in all sorts of environments.  Get published for other subjects under photojournalism, join a school paper, join a photography club,  join a valid photojournalism organization or some other governing body, and just keep practicing and applying.

If you want to break in, approach it as you would an employer.  If you want to get to that level, treat it as a job. The teams and newspapers have a business to run, and so do you.  If you make it a goal worth your time and effort, they just might make your portfolio worth theirs.



This article is based largely on my own baptism by fire into the world of sports photography and the wild tales of some of my friends in the business, so it's understandable that not everyone will have the same experience or the same opinion.  Sports photography is a process; learning it, managing it, breaking into it, surviving it.  I readily admit that I'm still making mistakes, even epic mistakes, and still learning too.



One of these days, I'll write up an article about how to shoot sports for fun, and not necessarily business.  Because even though sports photography is hard. And expensive. And hazardous to your health. And maybe even your marriage ( "Bye Honey, I'm off to photograph dozens of hot-blooded athletes!  I'll be home really really late!").  Besides the fact that you'll get hit by flying objects and flying people and maybe even flying cars.



Or that your accountant will send you threatening letters made from words they cut out of magazines every time you buy a new piece of equipment and your insurance company will pretend they can't hear you when you call them to report another broken lens.



Despite the unsettling likelihood that your nation's tax authority will probably give you a suspicious eye like they do for most professional artists and that you'll go months without sleep or proper food when the season is going strong, and you'll rack up a ton of miles on your car and some skymiles too...  

Sports photography is fun.  If you're in the right sport, the right job, the right place...you'll love every second of the aforementioned insanity.  It's just fun, and I sincerely hope you'll go out there and photograph some sports.

A great big thank you to ^Kaz-D and ^3wyl for keeping the Photojournalism category well represented this month before I was able to be brought on board as the new CV for the gallery.  These two gals have a huge category to look over as it is and I am so grateful for their hard work supporting Photojournalism on top of everything else! Thank you!

FAQ #61: What is a Daily Deviation?
FAQ #18: Who selects Daily Deviations and how are they chosen?
FAQ #873: What do I do when I disapprove of a Daily Deviation feature?

If you have any suggestions for improving the Photojournalism Gallery, or anything you'd like to see more of (features, interviews, contests, news, tutorials, etc.), or even just any questions about the Photojournalism community & industry please do not hesitate to send me a note!

Keep your sticks on the ice!

This is the first edition of our new monthly Community newsletter for Photojournalism, where you can find the most recent community news, a round-up of the month's DDs, any articles that have recently been published within the community, contests/projects/challenges, and a listing of PJ-related groups on deviantART.  

One of my goals as the new CV for photojournalism is to include all of the galleries as frequently as possible in features (such as DDs), but I can't do this alone!   To meet this need, I'm including a "Community Scavenger Hunt" slot below, which is my way of encouraging you guys to help me find those amazing photos in galleries that I'm not receiving enough suggestions for.   That said PLEASE let me know when you feel a subgallery is lacking in representation and I'll add it our Community Scavenger Hunt!



A week ago, I was brought on to be the new Community Volunteer for the Photojournalism gallery following the departure of `xbastex and his outstanding year of service. I've spent the last three years as a sports photographer and I own and operate a company that provides photography for ten different professional teams and several world/national teams. It's a lot of hard work and I'm still learning as I go along, but I love it.  I'm really excited to have this opportunity to support a community that has provided so much support to me.

Along with me becoming your new Photojournalism CV, *fotogg recently joined our community and is one of the new co-founders for our excellent Photojournalism group on deviantart #TheCorrespondent You can learn more about him here:

Welcome to Ezra, our new Co-FounderWe are pleased to welcome Ezra Acayan :iconfotogg: as our new Co-Founder.
Ezra is a professional photojournalist from the Philippines and I'm sure you'll agree his work is world class!
Check out his website: http://eacayanphoto.com/775908
Ezra was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. From an early age Ezra always explored his artistic side. He is now the youngest photojournalist in the country to have ever worked for international wire agencies. His photos have been published in TIME, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, The Wall St Journal, The Straits Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Denver Post, Forbes and others.
He is currently represented by ZUMA and Barcroft Media and is an on call stringer for AP and Reuters.
Dancers perform in colourful costumes as part of the town festival in Malapascua Island north of Cebu.
Protesters trash a police van during protests marking President Aquino's third State of the Nation Address in Quezon city, Metro Manila.
Parola, Tondo
Quezon Bridg

One of the things I'd like to do is put out a weekly or biweekly feature of photography that is covering recent news called "Worldview Wednesdays".  If you've taken a shot of a recent event (sports/political/cultural) or any kind of local news, note me about it! Please include "Community Feature" in the subject title so I know where you'd like me to consider it.





You can read more about suggesting a DD to me here.  In a nutshell: deviations I will consider should be technically good, newsworthy, and not overly processed.  


I would really like to see more "people/places" deviations from our community! What do you think needs greater exposure? What would you like to see more of?

Help me hunt down amazing photographs from underrepresented galleries!



I'm choosing to include several street photography articles as many of the tips and ideas presented are equally applicable to photojournalism.
Aspect Ratio, Composition, Present and FuturePhotography is simply a technology that allows you to record a moment in time, in a box that simply captures a moment of light. Simple and basic as that, no myth there.
But the decision on how to capture that moment and its variables like composition, time and subject matter remain in the hands of photographer.
Let's talk about that box, how it affects composition, and the time we live in. Photographic technology has developed at a rapid pace. From the 19th century's cumbersome daguerreotypes to today's compact digital cameras,  photography has become one of the most accessible art mediums, but more related to motion pictures that we might think, being at the same time influence and influenced by each other.
4:3 (1.33)
The original aspect ratio used by the motion picture was industry was 4:3, or ratio down to 1.33:1, or just 1.33.  Theories why vary from from Euclid's famous Greek "Golden Section", a shape of approximately 1.6, to a shape that simply saved m Decisive Moment vs Moment to DecideHenri Cartier-Bresson defines "The Decisive Moment" as follows:
"There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever."
However, Henri Cartier-Bresson didn't only take one single photograph when he saw a decisive moment ready to happen (David Hurn refers to this as a "pregnant moment") but rather took several images of the same scene.
That truth is reinforced by the fact that "Gare" is one of only two photographs I know of that Cartier-Bresson cropped. There was a fence off to the left, and he didn't have time to move to the right before it was time to shoot.
You can see the original, un-cropped version in his book, Henri Cartier Bresson: Scrapbook.
If you look carefully at the masters work like Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt, or PE: dA Street shooters share their tips1. What is the gear that deviant Street Photographers use?
2. What is the dream gear that they'd wish to have?
3. What is the best advice they could give to an inexperienced street shooter?
The answers are right below!
in the order they came into my inbox
*NunoCanha says:

1: 50/50 Nikon D90 / Sony Nex
2: Leica M9P + 35mm
3: Shoot. A lot. Be inside the action, to feel what´s going on with small focal lenght, or step back to realize a worthy context, but never be afraid to press the shutter. Never. You´re doing nothing wrong.
~kingmouf says:

1. I have a 5DmkII and an EOS300 (film). Both share the same 35mm f/2 lens. I use them almost equally.
2. I think the best camera is the one in your hand. I know it is a cliche but then again the problem most if the times is not at the camera but at the photographer.
(now... for some inexplicable reason there came a guy and told me, "Just order wh 7 Photojournalism tipsMaking serious thought into pursuing photojournalism?
2012 World Press Photo award winner, Reuters Bangkok-based Damir Sagolj,  shares 7 simple tips to honing your skills.
1) Anticipate the moment
Shoot a lot before the real moment comes. Once you miss it because you fumbled with your exposures, you've missed it.
2) Research
The story doesn't start when the assignment begins. You need to know the location and assignment inside out. Way before you even leave your house you have to have everything at the tip of your fingers.
3) Reach Out
Build your base. You never know when you're going to need the people around you to help with translations, rides, equipment etc.
4) Prioritise
You don't want to try everything at once. Focus on your practical component of the story.
5) Practice
Know what your camera is capable of. Not to have the latest model that you don't know how to use. It may have high potential but if you don't know how to use it, it's pointless. Use what you know how to Recording Police Brutality:Dangerous but NecessaryRecording Police is a Dangerous but Necessary Thing to Do.
If You See Something, Film Something.
Video compilation posted on YouTube by YouBetaKnow
This video was created as an example of the importance of filming the police. Video provides transparency, accountability, and an accurate account of incidents that occur. It is no secret that the United States has a serious problem with police abuse, brutality, and corruption. It is essential for civilians to document their encounters with police officers to ensure transparency, accountability, and safety to all of those involved.
#TheCorrespondent Street Photography - Ethics & Etiquette“Legally, the position of photography in a public space is clear-cut: there are no legal restrictions on taking a photograph of strangers in a public space. However, negative moral beliefs about street photography are developing out of public fears relating to personal identity, misrepresentation, pedophilia and terrorism.” – Heather Shuker. http://www.heathershuker.co.uk/street-photography/
We all know that every photographer will try street photography at least once in their career. Curiosity, practicing for event photos (and being able of comfortably shooting strangers), the fact that you can do it anywhere, the human element that captivate the viewer and if done well, can make for some extremely arresting images are the main reasons. However, it also requires balls, because you have to get close enough to your subjects and with people this means invading personal space. And this requires skills but also experience in roaming the streets, with or without cameras.
B Learning to love your declines :)Although I've never had any formal training in photography I've chatted to others who have and also my daughter went to art school for a few years.
The students I've talked to told me of teachers who push conceptual art and whose own photography wasn't that great. A case of "those who can do, those who can't teach"?
I don't know but none of the students I talked to were particularly impressed with their courses. Still, I suppose it looks good on a CV and is a way of networking.
For real world work though, I find dA to be better than a degree course. I've learned more in my 20 months on here than I could ever have learned in a tertiary institute.
To follow are some of my observations on why dA is such a great place of learning (yes, I'm having a quiet day at work, which is where my rambling journals originate)
Declines
When I first joined dA I used to get quite precious and offended if I ever get a submission declined by a group. "How dare those peasants decline my masterpiece!! Some General Tips for Selling your Photos...that we sometimes seem to forget.
As a sports photographer, I'm actually a freelancer and I work independently for multiple teams. I do not work for a paper or a magazine and, as a result, my gear is neither supplied nor insured by them.  Not only do I foot the entire bill for very expensive equipment, but I'm responsible for repairs, and the gas and the car or the airfare and the hotel to get to any event I plan on shooting.  I'm also responsible for my own medical care if I get sick or hurt, my own food, everything. It's expensive and if I don't make money off of this then all I end up with is an obscenely expensive hobby.  Yes, my most significant clients are the teams, leagues, and publications...but guess what?  They're not my bread and butter.  

Hit the Pavement.
I don't know about you guys, but the term "hit the pavement" when used as an expression around here means to be proactive about finding work.  For me, thi



Contests, Challenges + Projects Contests...
Contests around deviantART that are open to the Photography or 'All' medium and that involve some sort of prize as reward for winner(s).
#Still-Life-Stills Fragile Contest | More info...
Medium: Photography (Still Life)
Ends: 28th April 2013
#Artistle's What gets you up in the morning...Contest | More info...
Medium: All
Ends: 27th April 2013
*rainylake's Friendship Contest | More info...
Medium: All
Ends: May 15th 2013
=WintersRead's ReInterpretation Contest | More info...
Medium: All
Ends: May 15th 2013
^KasumiCR's ReDesign a Character Contest | <b> End date of our contest has been extended (update)If you like what you read, please   this article so it reaches more deviants
Hello to all of our members and members-to-be
March is almost over and April is upon us with a new beginning of a new season.
:iconsomeconfettiplz: That is a great opportunity to organize a contest. :iconsomeconfettiplz:
We've thought of a nice subject for you:
:iconsomeconfettiplz: Cultural TRADITIONS around the world :iconsomeconfettiplz:
An explanation:
Folk culture has to do with traditions: with the habits and customs that everyone inherits from home and which are passed from generation to generation.
Culture is more than arts; it is a framework to our lives. It affects our values, attitudes and behavior. It is something that is shared by all or almost all members of some social group. Something that the older members of the group try to pass on to the younger members. Something that shapes behavior and structures one's perception of the world.
Basically something that is





Feel free to forward me anything you'd like to see featured or included in these newsletters.  Please note me the information and include in your subject "Community Newsletter" for consideration.

As a sports photographer, I'm actually a freelancer and I work independently for multiple teams. I do not work for a paper or a magazine and, as a result, my gear is neither supplied nor insured by them.  Not only do I foot the entire bill for very expensive equipment, but I'm responsible for repairs, and the gas and the car or the airfare and the hotel to get to any event I plan on shooting.  I'm also responsible for my own medical care if I get sick or hurt, my own food, everything. It's expensive and if I don't make money off of this then all I end up with is an obscenely expensive hobby.  Yes, my most significant clients are the teams, leagues, and publications...but guess what?  They're not my bread and butter.  




I don't know about you guys, but the term "hit the pavement" when used as an expression around here means to be proactive about finding work.  For me, this means thinking outside of the box when it comes to selling your photography and having the courage to approach new clients.   It's how you'll not only get to keep photographing, but keep eating in the real world if photography is something you do, or want to do, full time.

Take this for example:
and this
Where are my customers? What do you see? At first, you see the obvious things...the publications that may want it, the teams, the leagues, and the athletes themselves.  

But that's not your bread and butter.  Look deeper.



Hmmm...what about the athletes' family?  His fans?  Did this guy just come back from injury? He did! Ohhh...what about the orthopedic surgeon who has an office with bare walls? His physical therapist? His personal trainer?!!!!  What about the local rink he trains at?  What about the sports bar he'll go have a drink at later tonight?  What about the charity he supports?  The maker of his hockey stick? His gloves? His pads? His suit? His skates?

And what's all that writing behind them and on them? OMG SPONSORS.  

That is your bread and butter.  Every photo I take I'm not thinking just about the magazine, the paper, or hoping Getty or somebody notices me on Flickr.  I'm being proactive and hitting up every single person I can think of who might want that image.  Now in my case, these are professional athletes and you can't sell anything without having a hard-to-come-by commercial license in addition to the accreditation to be there to begin with.  But the principle remains the same no matter what you're shooting.  

Consider ALL of your potential customers.   Did you photograph a local fire?  Besides the paper afterwards, did you ask the fire station if they want it? Did you contact the people who make the equipment? the truck? the boots on their feet? Don't laugh. I'm completely serious.  

It's sink or swim out there for all photographers, not just photojournalists, so that means you keep swimming if this is what you want to do.  That's obvious,...but it's also important to always have a direction you're swimming in otherwise you're just treading water and going in circles and getting butt cramps.  Don't shelve a great photo until you've offered it to everyone you can think of because even if they don't want it, they may still want you as a future photographer.  



The key here is to always be thinking, and always be one step ahead. It's a little like playing the stock market.  Don't just try to get your photos into the newspapers, READ THEM.  Did the library just get a new wing added on?  Is there a Japanese festival coming to town?  When is the next marathon? Is the town over there suffering under a corrupt mayor? Are tensions rising at a local university? Remember that local fire and firestation? Did they get a new hazmat truck or ladder they're eager to use and show off?

Know the value and use of your photos, but know the needs and calendar of your clients too.  Once you've discovered a potential client, research them, think about what their future needs may be and how you could help them and then send them your portfolio and offer your services and be specific. They'll be impressed you took the time to research what's coming up. It takes care of the headache for them and they'll remember that.  

One of my very favourite success stories from my job involves sending a team's public relations manager a shot of a player.  I simply said, "I think you're going to need this soon."  Sure enough he fires back an email going, "He was just selected for such-and-such an award. They haven't even announced it yet?! Who told you? They're not allowed to tell anyone yet."  I replied, " No one told me, I just paid attention."  Not only did they take that photo, but that team is now one of my most solid clients.  The reality is I'm not just photographing the games, I am watching them too, and reading the papers, and listening to the grapevine, and I'm always keeping an eye on what the next headline might be.   And so should you be.



Yes, you will get rejected. I get rejected. I get rejected all the damn time (in fact, I just got a stinging one that really hurt on Wednesday), and 1. I don't give up because I really want this right? and 2. it's why I never ever ever ignore my bread and butter clients.  If I'm free and feeling good, I'll happily photograph a rinky dink local team on a Saturday afternoon that's thrilled to death to get the same photographer who shoots the pros, I'll definitely respond to the tweet of a team fan, I'll show up and photograph a Christmas event held by the rink even if there's no actual hockey taking place.    Never ever get complacent thinking you won't need these guys later.  Maybe some people will say that if you act like you're worth thousands of dollars you'll be paid thousands of dollars.  Fine.  Work like you're worth that much, but work like your clients are too.  It doesn't mean to sell your work short, but it does mean to at least consider jobs that come in and treat them well. A lot of times I've gotten big jobs because I accepted smaller ones and word of mouth reached some ears.   But they wouldn't have reached out to me, if I hadn't already been reaching out to them.

It's a lot of work, a lot a lot a lot of work, to go out there and find clients and keep clients and then find more clients, but unless you are in the rare less than a half of a percent of photographers who work full time for the big houses, then you better start hitting the pavement.

Today saw the first DD I've ever selected as a CV.  



I can't even begin to tell you how, after being an avid suggester for years and thinking wouldn't it be great to feature DDs, ...how utterly terrifying the process actually was. There was lots of hand-holding and head-patting (thank you, ^Astralseed) before I finally hit the submit button.

Featuring DDs is not the only thing I've been asked to do here, but it certainly is the most visible and following in the footsteps of deviants like `Timothy-Sim and `xbastex (who I remember best since they were the CVs when I was only just getting my feet wet in photography) and working in the company of a really exceptional team for an outstanding category can be more than a little daunting.  So even though I already knew that all of you are immensely valuable to this entire process, being on the other side really drove the point home.  

I need you guys.  And it's why I'm asking for your help with great big wide deer eyes, the kind that make you want to shoot it help it.



Suggesting a DD is a quick and easy process.

If while browsing through deviations you come across an exceptional or noteworthy example of photojournalism on the site, please send me an omg-have-you-seen-this-yet note. deviantART is HUGE, I'm only a volunteer with a full time job outside of dA, I don't have any superpowers, and sometimes (like today) I have no coffee so never ever assume I've already seen it.

You can send me a note one of two ways:

Use the "send a note" feature on the sidebar of the deviation's page.
Go to my page and either hit the "send a note" button on top.
_secret  Or if you already watch me, just send me a note anytime from your message center.

THEN:

1. Please title your note "DD Suggestion"
2. Include a thumbcode or a link of the deviation you're suggesting.  (I will love you forever if you make the thumbcode or link the first thing at the top of your note. Seeing the image first makes it really easy for me to find it later in my messages...this way I won't have to scroll down to be reminded of what it was you were suggesting.)  
3. You don't have to, but please tell me why you think this image deserves to be featured as a Daily Deviation. Every CV says this, but it's true: suggester comments are often the reason we go back and review an image we are unsure about.   DDs are not about what I like and what I think is great all of the time.  It'd get pretty boring around here if it was. I want to know what impresses or moves you about it and why you think the community should see it.
4.  Note: If you don't want to be named as a suggester tell me otherwise I will list you as one.



Guess what.  I love self suggestions.  deviantART has been pretty clear in their FAQs that this is perfectly acceptable.  You never know who might one day see your work, buy it, promote it, teach you, or become your new best friend on dA....and all of those things come from visibility. It's what professional artists actually work for and it's smart business.  If you've created something you think is DD-worthy, shoot me note. I can't guarantee I'll feature it, but I will always read and consider it and maybe other photos from your gallery.




Technically good pieces that tell a story.  There are tens of thousands of photos that fall under this category and hundreds if not thousands of new shots are uploaded everyday.  I'm looking for exceptional pieces that stand out from the crowd.  If it made you stop and think. If you stared at it for a long while because it captivated you...it's probably worth sending my way.  Because this is photojournalism, sometimes the moment trumps skill, so if it's newsworthy, I'm interested.  I'm looking for quality, but I'm also looking for great journalism and sometimes you can get that even with an iphone camera.



Remember that I can't give a DD to someone who has had one in the last six months. FAQ #313: How can I find out if someone already has a Daily Deviation?
I only take Photojournalism suggestions, I cannot feature anything else from another category or a deviation in scraps.  
Send your suggestions to only ONE Community Volunteer!
I can't DD a deviation that is a contest entry unless the contest has already ended AND winners have been announced.
Obviously, I'm not going to (intentionally) DD anything that violates dA's policy.  I try to investigate the validity and appropriateness of every image before I submit it for a DD, but I'm not superhuman and I can make mistakes. I hope I don't, but I know it's possible.  If ever you see a violation, please come discuss it with me rather than leaving disparaging remarks on the deviant's page.

And that leads us to...



You guys are a classy bunch so I doubt this will ever be an issue, but...if it ever does become one:

Firstly: FAQ #873: What do I do when I disapprove of a Daily Deviation feature?

Secondly: Sometimes when we look at photo we forget to add another person to it and that's the photographer.  Every photo has this invisible person who was there living, breathing, witnessing, and experiencing exactly what you're looking at.  This is photojournalism.  It covers the world. It covers diverse peoples, cultures, events, political or religious issues, and even rival sports teams. Both the subject in front of the camera and behind it can come from anywhere. And they are real.  

Please don't make the mistake of thinking the photographer was or still is immune.  We're tough, but we're not made of stone and many of us have scars, physical and emotional, as well as opinions about the subject matter just like anybody else.  

Photographers and artists have a job to do, a story to tell, and we're not uncaring insensitive robots when the photos we take happen to be controversial or uncomfortable, in fact, that might be the whole point.  We want you to feel about it.  We want to get you talking. Maybe you weren't there, but we were and this is what we saw. This is what you missed and it's important.  That's the purpose of news. That's the purpose of photojournalism.  In fact, that's kind of the whole purpose behind DDs and that's what makes them special to so many people.  They expose us to new work, new deviants, and new ideas. They get us talking and they get us learning.  But it doesn't give anyone the right to be abusive.



I think that should about cover it.  The much much shorter version is in the widget on my main page and the truth is most of you have read FAQs like that up there a hundred times on this site.    

What I want to leave you with, mostly, is my sincere hope that you will send me your  suggestions, your ideas, and your questions. Be involved.  Help me encourage your fellow deviants. The Photojournalism community is so outstanding that despite the minor panic attack I had trying to submit my first DD, I couldn't wait to share it with you.  There's so much talent out there. Please help me not to miss any of it!

always,

It's official! I'm the new Community Volunteer for the Photojournalism gallery here on deviantART!  

For those that haven't met me,  I'm ^1pen.   I've been a member of dA for six years and a professional sports photographer since 2010.  I'm also a chronic student who is always learning. But I didn't go to school for photojournalism or even photography. I never planned on starting a company or having my life consumed by athletes with blades on their feet.  It just sort of happened, and the best things in life seem to fall into that sort of category for me. That's my approach to things, survive the  adventure and tell a heck of a story about it later...and it's probably why I live and breathe photojournalism.  

I am so excited to be your new CV for the Photojournalism gallery.  I have a passion for this community, owing so much of my own development as an artist and a photographer to it.  It's a real privilege to have this next year to try my best to support the PJ Community and others hoping to grow as photographers.  I know that due to the very nature of photojournalism, its diverse perspectives, its heartbreaking honesty, its dynamism, it's possible we might not always agree about what we're looking at, but I have confidence we can and will handle those moments with open minds and maturity.

In the next few days and weeks I will be adding more information to my page, journals, features, etc.  In the meantime, feel free to start sending me any DD suggestions or general suggestions you may have for and from (only) the Photojournalism gallery!  

Keep your sticks on the ice!