PHOTO JOURNALISM

Photojournalism is a form of journalism, wherein the person can click, develop, and submit images relevant to a news story. Initially, the term 'photojournalism' was commonly referred to as citizen journalism. Photo journalism is not merely about taking the best shots, but also how to click news-worthy photographs, in accordance with the interest of the reader. Generally, the work of a photojournalist is quite similar to a reporter, except the fact that a photo journalist doesn't gather, write, and report news stories. To become a successful photojournalist, one should have thorough knowledge about the three principles of photo journalism - timeliness, objectivity and narrative.

Its scope has now widened and in the present time, photo journalists even shoot videos to come up with a good news item/ feature. He /She should be able to use modern gadgets like digital camera, state-of-the-art studios, and other software in order to develop quality photographs. Photojournalism is a lucrative career option in India, since it has become an integral part of mainstream journalism. As a result, many institutions that offer courses in journalism have also included photo journalism in their curriculum. Photojournalism involves application of photography skills and aesthetics to the area of news reporting and journalism. In other words, it is the practice of creating images in order to tell a news story. It includes collecting, editing and presenting of news material (pictures) for publication or broadcast to the news media like newspapers, magazines, television channels, websites and other journals. At times, a single photograph can convey a news story of thousand words. It is the skill of the photojournalist to take photos with such impact. Photojournalists are visual reporters who click photographs at events that make news. He is a photographer who is able to tell a story with pictures, or contribute pictures to compliment a news story. Photo journalists may work side by side with a reporter to decide which photographs will accompany an article.




In India, many educational institutions have started conducting separate courses for photo journalism at postgraduate diploma level. For enrolling in the program, candidates are required to have a graduation degree from any recognized institute or university. There are several opportunities available for a photojournalist. Opportunities are open in both print and digital media as both need news- worthy photos. Photojournalism is quite a lucrative field provided one is determined to make it to the top. Photo journalists could also be specialized as a criminal photo journalist, natural calamity photo journalist, political photo journalist, sports photojournalist, fashion/ film photo journalist, etc. depending on their nature of work. The main work of a photojournalist is to provide pictures for stories or news articles that provide clear and truthful images corresponding with the topic. They also offer services including photo shoots, photo editing and graphic design services, and writing small editorial pieces to go along with photos. The success of a photo journalist depends on the ability to get the right pictures which are rare and worthy of preserving. Main drawback of this field is the timing. Photojournalists are expected to work long or odd hours. They must be on call to capture a breaking news story.



Photojournalists can work for newspapers, magazines, or any other media houses. One can opt for commercial photography, fashion photography, industrial photography, wildlife photography, aerial photography, scientific photography, etc. as his/her specialized field. Photojournalists are mostly hired by newspapers, magazines or any other media houses. Many newspapers and magazines have built their reputation with the help of excellent photographs taken by these photojournalists. Photojournalists are also hired by businesses or individuals to take photos for an event or advertisement. They also get chances to work for television stations or websites as staff or freelance positions. They have another option to work as freelance photojournalists and do work for several companies at a time. Yet another group start their own photography and photo editing/graphic design business on the web to gain potential clients and display their skills. Some photojournalists after advancement in their career, start their own print or online publication. A journalist can write about an event or news, as elaborately or in a highly emotional manner as possible, but if it is accompanied by a photograph the subject matter is much communicable to the readers or viewers than a news without images. That explains the worth of photographs in news reporting.

Photo Journalism India International Photographic Council (New Delhi), Amity School of Journalism & Communication (Delhi), Asian College of Journalism (Chennai), Biju Patnaik Film & Television Institute (Bhubaneswar), Bhavan's Institute of Communication and Management (Mumbai), Indian institute of Mass Communication (Delhi), Indian Centre for Media and Communication (Pune).

Newspapers and news agencies pay according to the assignment offered to the photojournalists. Generally, at the beginning of the career, a photojournalist can earn around Rs. 12,000 - 15,000 per month. The experienced ones can easily extract between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000 per month. Those who have acquired perfection in the field are offered high pays by reputed organizations.