Jump on! We're sinking!
Over the past few weeks, some things have changed in my life. I moved into a condo, and I generally have become less comfortable about my career as a photojournalist.
The stories keep sweeping in about the state of the industry. Now that's not to say there isn't any room for good photography. I think there is and always will be. The issue here is that I feel like I jumped onto a sinking ship. And everyone who was on that ship, has begun to adapt to life elsewhere. On land, if the metaphor must be continued, but enough.
Before I had a chance to really get into the industry and become polished, the industry standards changed. It used to be, as far as I understood it: get an internship, get a staff job, be happy. If freelancing is your thing, then maybe do that after some years in the business. Now the standard is: everyone for themselves!
I once read that the wave of popularity of celebrity chefs like Emeril and Paul Prudhomme lead to a surge in attendance at culinary arts programs around the country. The only problem? There are only so many jobs available to chefs, and when they get to the position of working in a prestigious kitchen where they can demonstrate their skills, they aren't likely to leave very soon after. So after spending $20,000 on an education, graduates are forced to work as a line cook in a chain restaurant for $10/hr, and many never get to where they wanted to be. I heard this before my leap into photojournalism, and now I think about it often.
There are photojournalism programs everywhere. From those programs are tons of graduates. And all this in the environment of shrinking newspapers. The Baltimore Sun, LA Times, Wash Post. No paper is immune to the layoff, or the buyout. Just recently in the DC area, a group of community newspapers just dumped all the photogs except for 1 at each of three offices. Their solution? Hire freelancers at $75/assignment. It remains to be seen whether they will try to steal our copyrights with those contracts, as well. But what can you do? There are many professionals who implore us to not take those jobs that aren't worth enough or are bad contracts that take your copyright. Many of these same professionals make very good livings. Things are different now, unfortunately. I can't wait to get that staff job somewhere. And I can't refuse a contract that only pays $75/assignment, because there isn't anyone else calling. Blame it on the economy, or the influx of photoJ students. Maybe we can blame it on the new technology that makes it easier than ever for anyone to pick up a camera and shoot something decent.
However, consider that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Like I said earlier, good photography is always necessary. In the end, the cream will rise to the top. I didn't make the leap so I could fight for the bottom. I leapt because something in me told me I could be great one day, and I still hold that faith.
Everyone can now groan at my senseless display of ego. In my previous post, I bellyached about not getting into a workshop, but I realized something, and may have hinted at it then. This is cliché, of course, but heregoes: If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. And I like this cliché for a couple reasons. First, it IS easy and everyone IS doing it. That's part of the problem. It's fool's gold to many people. Hopefully, I'm not included in this group. I fully believe that because everyone can pick up a digital SLR and essentially shoot something useable, many people falsely believe they are talented and forget that work ethic, creativity and imagination will always trump talent (I have to remind myself every once in a while). I've seen too many people fail to see that talent doesn't get it done. It's how much you're willing to lay it down to make it happen.
Secondly, that work ethic, the creativity and imagination, I spoke about? You need it, because despite what you think, it isn't easy and it never will be. Photojournalism, I am rapidly realizing, is far more difficult and exhausting than I imagined. Part of it is the nature of the beast. The other part is what I mentioned earlier in the post. There are thousands of other people out there competing for the same spots. Instead of applying for a bunch of jobs, landing one and working. You have to be your own businessperson, AND talent, simultaneously. Capitalism was never set up to be fair. Neither was the origin of our species. Only the fittest will survive. The process and the profession will weed the unworthy out quickly. What about rates and contracts? I think it might just be the stepping stone I need. I could never see the Times Community Papers or The Potomac News as destinations. They were always part of the plan. So in some sense, nothing has changed. What has changed is the rate of ascension required for sustaining a lifestyle. Working real estate, yearbook sports and the occasional freelance work from small dailies is not sustainable business. The 5 year plan might have to become the 3 year plan. I'm on year 3 right now, so it might be time to re-prioritize a bit and get going...
The stories keep sweeping in about the state of the industry. Now that's not to say there isn't any room for good photography. I think there is and always will be. The issue here is that I feel like I jumped onto a sinking ship. And everyone who was on that ship, has begun to adapt to life elsewhere. On land, if the metaphor must be continued, but enough.
Before I had a chance to really get into the industry and become polished, the industry standards changed. It used to be, as far as I understood it: get an internship, get a staff job, be happy. If freelancing is your thing, then maybe do that after some years in the business. Now the standard is: everyone for themselves!
I once read that the wave of popularity of celebrity chefs like Emeril and Paul Prudhomme lead to a surge in attendance at culinary arts programs around the country. The only problem? There are only so many jobs available to chefs, and when they get to the position of working in a prestigious kitchen where they can demonstrate their skills, they aren't likely to leave very soon after. So after spending $20,000 on an education, graduates are forced to work as a line cook in a chain restaurant for $10/hr, and many never get to where they wanted to be. I heard this before my leap into photojournalism, and now I think about it often.
There are photojournalism programs everywhere. From those programs are tons of graduates. And all this in the environment of shrinking newspapers. The Baltimore Sun, LA Times, Wash Post. No paper is immune to the layoff, or the buyout. Just recently in the DC area, a group of community newspapers just dumped all the photogs except for 1 at each of three offices. Their solution? Hire freelancers at $75/assignment. It remains to be seen whether they will try to steal our copyrights with those contracts, as well. But what can you do? There are many professionals who implore us to not take those jobs that aren't worth enough or are bad contracts that take your copyright. Many of these same professionals make very good livings. Things are different now, unfortunately. I can't wait to get that staff job somewhere. And I can't refuse a contract that only pays $75/assignment, because there isn't anyone else calling. Blame it on the economy, or the influx of photoJ students. Maybe we can blame it on the new technology that makes it easier than ever for anyone to pick up a camera and shoot something decent.
However, consider that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Like I said earlier, good photography is always necessary. In the end, the cream will rise to the top. I didn't make the leap so I could fight for the bottom. I leapt because something in me told me I could be great one day, and I still hold that faith.
Everyone can now groan at my senseless display of ego. In my previous post, I bellyached about not getting into a workshop, but I realized something, and may have hinted at it then. This is cliché, of course, but heregoes: If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. And I like this cliché for a couple reasons. First, it IS easy and everyone IS doing it. That's part of the problem. It's fool's gold to many people. Hopefully, I'm not included in this group. I fully believe that because everyone can pick up a digital SLR and essentially shoot something useable, many people falsely believe they are talented and forget that work ethic, creativity and imagination will always trump talent (I have to remind myself every once in a while). I've seen too many people fail to see that talent doesn't get it done. It's how much you're willing to lay it down to make it happen.
Secondly, that work ethic, the creativity and imagination, I spoke about? You need it, because despite what you think, it isn't easy and it never will be. Photojournalism, I am rapidly realizing, is far more difficult and exhausting than I imagined. Part of it is the nature of the beast. The other part is what I mentioned earlier in the post. There are thousands of other people out there competing for the same spots. Instead of applying for a bunch of jobs, landing one and working. You have to be your own businessperson, AND talent, simultaneously. Capitalism was never set up to be fair. Neither was the origin of our species. Only the fittest will survive. The process and the profession will weed the unworthy out quickly. What about rates and contracts? I think it might just be the stepping stone I need. I could never see the Times Community Papers or The Potomac News as destinations. They were always part of the plan. So in some sense, nothing has changed. What has changed is the rate of ascension required for sustaining a lifestyle. Working real estate, yearbook sports and the occasional freelance work from small dailies is not sustainable business. The 5 year plan might have to become the 3 year plan. I'm on year 3 right now, so it might be time to re-prioritize a bit and get going...
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