Comments on: Foreign Correspondent 2.0

By: The future «

The future « — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:14:26 +0000

[...] just the story, the way it is told. Is this the future of photojournalism? This is a subject that is on every photographers mind at the moment and no-one is sure. The “gallery” [...]

By: Damon Coulter

Damon Coulter — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:53:05 +0000

I think it an interesting overview of the situation as it stands, where it will go is unsure. Indeed many in journalism are dragging their feet, hoping the current chaos will blow over as they appear to be waiting-out the insecurity of this time hoping it will all revert to the way it was before. Many less established in the business also feel the odds stacked against them to break further into this game and stoically stick to rules that are perhaps no longer worth anything and indeed could be hurting their careers. It is unclear what, if any, influence the stalwarts, and traditionalists will ultimately have on how the industry rewards us for our efforts when there are so many new people and indeed progressive members of the old guard, playing the game you so succinctly outline here.
Damon

By: tony

tony — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:19:29 +0000

Thanks for the comments.

Luc, I guess the new business model point is a key one, although I’m rather skeptical of mini-agencies. It seems to me that individual photographers can use the internet in a way that makes agencies of any size redundant.

Fritz, good luck finding a niche. For the record, I know several very successful photographers in Japan who speak minimal Japanese. I guess there’s even an argument for saying it helps (unlike with writers). Very easy to get distracted when people start talking!

Dust seems to be settling now slightly after the last year. Let’s home 2010 will be a year of opportunity for freelancers.

By: fritz

fritz — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 09:27:56 +0000

ah I agree totally! and you’ve written it down so well. usually, when I see these kinds of thoughts it’s always written from a, well, selfish perspective, always going like “I am successful and awesome because…”. but you generalized it pretty well.

I would like to add that is it a little bit different for not english native correspondents, if not even easier. there are like 5 german photographers in tokyo right now, me being one of them, and all of them specialized in something else, or working for different media. it’s a huge market, which I cannot really get into yet because I fail in your point 2: I can’t speak japanese :-/

but yeah, it’s exactly like this, the correspondents move away and the freelance can now get their slice of the pie. never was so clear to me before

By: Mike Ignatov

Mike Ignatov — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:04:38 +0000

Very useful information. Thank you for posting.

By: Luc Novovitch

Luc Novovitch — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:48:43 +0000

Tony,
Nice roundup of the situation and suggestions about the need to act (before it’s too late…).
One thing I would suggest, if I may, is that photojournalists who want to stay afloat must fully realize that what’s expected of us has really changed, and is still evolving as the all profession is still trying to figure out new business models. We need to be more flexible, not only in the way we produce and deliver (as you point out in the ‘Multimedia’ paragraph), but also in the way we price and sell our work. Some of us (count me on) need to rethink how we present ourselves, we may also need a ‘re-branding’ of some sort, or join forces with other photographers and reporters in loose structures, or ‘virtual agencies’, find new markets for our works, no necessary purely journalistic,and so on…
Speaking of virtual agencies, it’s something feasible at relatively low cost right now. Some platforms, like the one I use to market my photos, offer the possibility to set up one very easily at no cost if you’re already client, allowing photographers to regroup their archives in common in one place. Something I’m looking into…
In any case it is true that right now we are involved in a guessing game. But at the same time we can’t stay put until the dust settles. Something you said very well in this posting.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

By: alain

alain — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:29:55 +0000

Down-to-earth analysis, that seems quite the way to go and renew the revenue source – and stay alive.

On the medium term there is a viable economic model for all those who take the time, knowledge, energy and gear to make the information we need. This model is now growing slowly.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts

Alain