Improving Your Profession

[Chicago Dog]

What are we talking about here, improving our skills as photographer/editors, or improving our worth in the newsroom?

In my opinion, they're one in the same. Skills that make one a good photojournalist expand beyond knowing what to look for when your eye is pressed up against your viewfinder.

There's many great points in this thread. Taking them into consideration will pay off in more ways than one: reporters will ask to work with you, the desk will send you to breaking news first, management will be more open to getting you the equipment you need, and bigger assignments will roll your way.

Don't take an Internet thread's word for it. Pull your chief or ops manager aside and ask him what you can do to improve. Roll with the suggestions. Burnout is a very valid danger, but
you can't blame anyone else unless you put forth the effort, too.

I'm proud of the responses in this thread! Keep the suggestions coming!

 

[AKinDC]

Don't take an Internet thread's word for it. Pull your chief or ops manager aside and ask him what you can do to improve. Roll with the suggestions. Burnout is a very valid danger, but
you can't blame anyone else unless you put forth the effort, too.

I'm proud of the responses in this thread! Keep the suggestions coming!

This is a great idea that most of us take for granted and don't do frequently enough. I'd even take it up a notch...after talking to your chief or ops manager, talk to your news director as well. Heck, he might not even know who you are, but I'm sure he'd appreciate a photog coming in and asking what he can do to contribute more to the overall news product. That's something they'll hopefully remember if the station ever has to cut back.

 

[Lensmith]

Burnout is a very valid danger, but
you can't blame anyone else unless you put forth the effort, too.

Ouch!

Sometimes comments here at B-Roll hit a little too close to home for me.

We all go through "the doubts". Whatever decision is made by that person as to what they want to do for a job in life...is up to the individual and there is no single right answer to those doubts.

I've gone through a few doubt periods.

My choices were right for me and I still have to slap myself in the head remembering that basic truth about me. I like to shoot and edit news. It's my job, not my personal identity.

I've also learned you become a much better photog learning to deal with those doubts, then go on to try and improve your skills....even if there doesn't seem to be anyone else around to push you to be better.

 

[woodsiecam]

nudge

bump...

ok, i'm not a fan of "bump spam" posting in most cases, but this is one thread that I thought DEFINITELY sank to the bottom of the post pile waaay too fast.

SO... any new ideas out there? Last post was 3 months ago. What have y'all been doing to make it through the fall?

There's many great points in this thread. Taking them into consideration will pay off in more ways than one: reporters will ask to work with you, the desk will send you to breaking news first, management will be more open to getting you the equipment you need, and bigger assignments will roll your way.

I'm happy (and a little surprised) to say that this actually worked for me on some levels. Instead of just going through the shooting/editing motions on the hum-drum stories, I've actively tried to make them something the viewer would want to watch the whole way through... whether it be finding the very best shots to match with the reporter track, or tightening and smoothing the transitions between the track and soundbites... anything to just make it easier to watch...

It paid off - I'm now one of the "go to guys" when it comes to shooting and editing the bigger badder stories. So instead of just running on the next near drowning (my least favorite crisis to cover), I'm getting to work more on the "fun stuff" (in depth features, etc.)

I know it might not (probably won't) last forever, but it's nice to get at least some kind of incentive to keep trying, even when it feels like it might not be worth it.

 

[Chicago Dog]

It paid off - I'm now one of the "go to guys" when it comes to shooting and editing the bigger badder stories. So instead of just running on the next near drowning (my least favorite crisis to cover), I'm getting to work more on the "fun stuff" (in depth features, etc.)

GOOD. I'm glad something positive came out of this thread. B-Roll's definitely a very worthwhile resource, and it's nice to know the thread gave at least one photog an advantage.


(Thanks for the non-spammy bump, by the way!)