Every bit counts

Drinking champagne and watching photos of dead people? Surely, that’s not the future of photojournalism, worries photojournalist Stanley Greene, according to reports from the International Festival of Photojournalism, which was held earlier this month (27 Aug to 11 Sept) in Perpignan, France. It’s called Visa pour l’Image and you can access their website here.

The task of photojournalism – to witness and to inform – may be disappearing, fears another photojournalist, Alain Frilet, when he considers photojournalism exhibitions in galleries across the world. Isn’t there a moral side to photojournalism that stops short of displays in galleries and museums?

Not necessarily, argues Luc Delahaye, who considers himself an artist. However, not every photojournalist can switch and become an artist selling his or her work to collectors and galleries. But, looking at alternative sources of revenue is something that many photojournalists are considering.

A photojournalist’s life is not easy. Investigative work is hard and long hours are commonplace. Earnings and fame are hard to come by. Being at the right place at the right time for that great shot is a matter of luck. Finding a buyer for it is extra work. Then, there’s competition. Every bit counts.

Jonas Bendiksen has a more pragmatic point of view on this. He feels, galleries are new places to showcase works of photography that do not receive much exposure. Of course, any income from this is welcome.

[Citation: www.editorsweblog.org - 05 September 2005]