Thought Piece #3

One thing I learned from pages 34-57 is that being a photojournalist is about more that taking pictures when something happens. It is about knowing how to find stories, being curious about the people around me and putting in the effort to create meaningful photographs. As well as not just taking photographs of what is in front of me and looking deeper into what is going around me and capturing those moments as well. As a person who would like to work in a newsroom, I think that is important because not every assignment will be exciting at first. Sometimes, I will have to find the story myself. I want to apply what I learned by becoming more aware of my surrounding and looking for moments that other people might overlook.

The section about cruising stood out to me because it explained how photographers can find stories by simply exploring their surroundings. The reading states, “Cruising is the most common method used to produce feature photographs, especially at smaller newspapers” (p.55). this made me think about how I could use my own experiences around CMU and Mount Pleasant to find better photo opportunities. Instead of always waiting for an assignment, I could walk around campus, visit different parts of the community or pay attention to what people are doing. There are probably many interesting stories happening every day that I would ever notice if I am only focused on where I need to be next.

I also like the advice to “get out of your car” because walking can help photographers “discover communities” (p.55). I think this is something I can apply to my work as a student photographer and my journey after graduation. When I am photographing for a newsroom, I want to take the time to explore instead of rushing from one assignment to another. Walking around could help me notice small details, meet new people and find stories that would make a good feature photograph or photo story. This could also help me with freelance photography because I would be able to find my own ideas rather than depending completely on someone else to give me an assignment.

Another important lesson from the reading was networking. The book explains, “communication is the grease that lubricates any endeavor involving people, and it is vital for successful feature hunting” (p.57). This quote made me realize how important it is to talk to people and build relationships as a photographer. A good photograph might begin with a simple conversation. Someone could tell me about an interesting person, an event or something happening in the community that I would not have known about otherwise. In a newsroom, this could help me find stories and build trust with the people I photograph. For freelance work, networking could also help me meet potential clients and create opportunities for future assignments.

I wanted to use these lessons by becoming more comfortable approaching people, asking questions and looking for stories in everyday places. I also want to remember that a photograph does not have to be dramatic to be meaningful. The goat photograph on page 55 showed how spending time observing a situation can lead to an interesting picture. I want to bring that same patience and curiosity into my own photography.

Overall, these pages reminded me that being a successful photojournalist requires more than camera skills. It takes effort, communication and the willingness to look for stories. Whether I am working in a newsroom or taking on freelance assignments, I want to be the kind of photographer who finds meaningful moments and helps people see something they might have otherwise missed.