May 22, 1998

An open letter to Joe Jaszewski

 

Dear Joe,

I read your guest journal entry with interest and a touch of nostalgia. Exactly 20 years ago, I was a high school senior just like you, starting on a career in journalism. Your path will be undoubtedly be different, but I can tell you about some of the things you might find in your future.

In 1978, I was about to graduate from Citrus High School and was working part time at the Citrus County Chronicle in Inverness, Fla. The paper published on Thursdays and Saturdays and had a circulation of about 8,000. I was hired to write about junior varsity sports and to do just about anything else they needed. I picked up a 35mm camera for the first time and the photos were used on the front page that week. I did layout and paste-up, answered phones, learned to type and once helped unload a newsprint truck. By the summer, I was working full time, covering city hall, the cops beat and general assignment stories. I was saving money for college and it was probably the best summer of my life.

By looking at your pictures, you are a much better photographer than I was at the same age. I found some faded prints from '78 in dusty boxes in my garage and they certainly look like they were shot with the cheap optics of a Petri SLR. Thankfully, I got better along the way. I learned the basics about journalism that first year. At the time, one of the hardest things for me was approaching strangers when working on stories. But I knew I had to improve on that since most of journalism is about meeting strangers. I made a big step when I saw a man walking through town wearing a heavy black coat that was adorned with plastic religious icons; rosary beads and crosses and pictures of Jesus. I wheeled around the enormous '68 Oldsmobile I was driving (no air and a bad AM radio) and parked down the road to wait for him. I anxiously introduced myself and he stopped. We talked and I got the story and a portrait. To this day, I still enjoy these kind of assignments where I can meet someone interesting and tell their story to the readers. It's why I am still working in this business 20 years later.

Meeting interesting people has been the best part of the job. photo by Tom Burton/copyright.

About the same time, I also covered my first fatal accident. Citrus County in those days was a lot of empty connected by two-lane country roads. I was at the sheriff's office when a deputy told me about a bad accident about 15 miles away. When I got there, the paramedics were still moving the injured. I had never been in such a situation before and didn't realize that, of course, the dead are attend to last. I walked around the front of one car and looked into the windshield and saw the victim. These are the worst kind of assignments and I still hate covering them.

Accidents are always bad news. These assignments are the most difficult part of the job. photo by Tom Burton/copyright

Over the next few years, Joe, you will learn a lot about journalism and photography. Most of the important stuff you will learn by doing and from other photographers who will take you under their wing. Finding good mentors is essential in this business. You will also have to work very, very hard. Talent is not enough to make it in a business where there are so many people wanting in. There will have to be a period of time when you are nothing more than a photography machine. You won't have time for a girlfriend or hobbies or goofing off. Some photographers never leave this stage. I recommend, at some later point, having a personal life. Photography alone is not enough and all of the emotion, meaning and energy you put into photos should, at sometime, take root in your own life.

If you are successful, photojournalism can be not only a great job, but a great window on the world. You will have not front-row seats, but in front of the front-row seats access to everything from the Super Bowl and presidential inaugurations to the crowing of the Watermelon Queen and the county spelling bee. You will meet people who live under freeway overpasses and the next day be in a $4 million mansion. And by seeing all of these things - if you take the time to really think about it - you will become a better person. And that, more than anything, will make you a better photographer.

Good luck in the path you've chosen. When things work right, this job is a real kick in the butt.

Tom Burton