Perhaps those who should be most concerned about the future of photojournalism are students, those who will be inheriting the marketplace from today's professional, full-time photojournalists. Yet, many don't know the reality of the situation today and what it may be tomorrow. My macroeconomics teacher preaches one's own education is the best investment an individual can make, yielding a 16% average return. Students NEED to educate themselves on the realities of the business and form their own conclusions. EDUCATION IS KEY!

 In professor John Freeman's response to Donald Winslow's journal about the future of photojournalism, he wrote that Winslow had no mention of job satisfaction or "love of the craft' many photojournalists have. I love photojournalism. Most photojournalists do. And as much as a love it, I still have the right to earn a fair wage. Love of your job and your compensation should be independent of each other. In fact, I would think that an employee who had such passion and enthusiasm for the job that most photojournalists do would be especially valuable to an employer. The sad fact is, as Donald pointed out, far too many photojournalists are under-compensated for their work. This is a problem the photojournalists of tomorrow will be forced to face if they want to make a living in the photojournalism.

 Winslow also asserted his opinion that internships are ³seriously hurting the profession.² I think that internships can be one of the most beneficial experiences a student can have, as long as that internship is geared toward the student learning and not the student working so hard they have no time for learning. For many, internships are the only taste of real-world photojournalism students will ever get during their college years. Certainly unpaid internships and very low-paying internships devalue the work the intern does. I have a friend on a internship right now at a smaller daily newspaper and he has written long e-mails about working on his days off, living on nearly no pay, and expectations by newspaper management that exceed reason. But an internship with fair pay and editors and photographers who are interested in seeing the intern improve and grow as a photographer can be extremely beneficial.

 Winslow also brought up the role of the journalism school in the future of photojournalism, accusing them of turning out 'flotillas of graduates' and flooding the job market. Certainly this is a valid point, but I do think journalism schools have their place. For those students who are just starting out in photojournalism, the photojournalism school can be very beneficial. They hold your hand through some of the more difficult aspects of the business, such as making contacts, applying for jobs, and provide a support network of other students to bounce ideas off of and get feedback from. For someone new to photojournalism, this is probably the way to go if the student is dedicated to becoming a photojournalist. Yet its imperative all students know of the realities of the job and lifestyle up front.
 I chose not to go the photojournalism school route. I wanted college to be about more than photography and photojournalism, and therefore I didn't want to chose a school based solely on their photojournalism program. The school I felt the most comfortable at and the one that offered me the most of what I wanted happened to not be one with a photojournalism program. And frankly, it scares me to narrow my perspective so much to photojournalism.
 Its very possible that many of us entering the field in the next few years will start out with a job in newspaper photography. Likewise, its very possible that many of us entering the field in the next few years will retire from a job that is significantly different from newspaper photography. Its the nature of what is happening in the business. Things are changing so rapidly in the news media field it behooves those who want to be in the field for years to come to diversify and learn about as much as possible. No one really knows what is going to happen; its best to be prepared for anything.

 I certainly don't claim to have all the answers. I am afforded this wonderful forum to express my views and my thoughts. Please don't believe the ideas I have because they are on the internet, or because I am part of this project, or because you like me, or because you dislike me; do your own thinking, make up your own mind, and fashion your own plan of attack. I hope the preceding thoughts can help you in your thought process.

Behind the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism
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