Why blog, why now

For a few weeks now I’ve been considering creating a blog. Blogs can be a great way to share information and build communities of special interests. In a sense an extension of traditional column writing for news papers and the internet bulletin board. Plus in the increasingly competitive world of photojournalism it’s becoming more and more crucial for people like myself, who are hoping to get their foot in the door, to expand their skill sets.

According to a recent Associated Press report newspaper subscriptions are going down across the board. That and the consolidation within the industry coupled with unhappy share holders means fewer jobs to go around. A grim outlook to say the least. However there is a bright side. While traditional print journalism is falling, online readership has skyrocketed as a public has become accustomed to a “news when I want it” attitude.

What’s that mean to student photojournalist like myself?

It isn’t enough to know what result different apertures will give or how to prefect the art of composition. Today we must stock our repertoire with multimedia skills of sound, video and editing. We must understand principles of design to the degree of a graphic artist and have technical skills in web design and flash.

It’s a changing ever-evolving field, and yet we keep coming back. Apparently the heartaches, long hours, constant bleeding edge advancements and low pay aren’t enough of a deterrent.

Blogging is an extention of the “new journalism.” Editors expect photographers to bring more to the table than a great eye. They also want to know you can write and tell a story in words just as well as in pictures. Of course writing will never overshadow light and composition for a photographer, but when you’re trying to get noticed, every little bit helps.

As I already keep a journal, blogging seems to make sense to me. We’ll see how it goes. Until next time.


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