Re Up NPPA?

[David Sussman]

So this has become somewhat of a "What Is The NPPA Worth?" discussion which is certainly fair since we are discussing what you get for a fee. Let me throw out my experience here. It's unusual. I was very active in NPPA from 1996 - 2005. I sent in contest entries EVERY quarter and won a few times. I judges quarterly contests A LOT. I attended the Norman workshop, met people and kept in touch. If I saw a story I really liked on a contest tape, I'd make a phone call or drop an email telling the photographer I liked it. If we struck up a repore, we'd exchange tapes. I was unconsciously networking - just doing it for no particular goal. Here's where it paid me back. Right after hurricane Katrina, I was working in New Orleans and concerned my station might drop news unexpectedly (they never did by the way). I put out a message here on b-roll.net asking if anyone knew of a position that might be coming soon, I'd appreciate getting a jump on it. The short version is this - I posted this in the afternoon and by 7pm that same day I had a bunch of leads and multiple job offers - not just leads but some real offers - in markets that were more than desireable - offers made by people I had never met but they knew of me and had seem some of my work. The only reason I had offers from strangers is because I was visible. That visibility came by way of the NPPA. I think that you have to look at the organization for more than a magazine and a contest but a source for networking with like minded professionals. Sure you can network here and that's fine but the NPPA is different than a free forum. You know people like Dave Wertheimer and Eric Blumer are consistently top level photographers because of NPPA. So for transparany, let me tell you I am no longer a member. I am out of the news business and now work in corporate communications. While I would surely find some of the offerings from NPPA interesting, most wouldn't apply to what I do now. The way it shook out for me leaving New Orleans was that I returned to a station I worked at previously at in Nashville. So I didn't take one the the offers from a stranger but here's the deal - I had options at a very difficult time. If I were in news and I had any interest in moving forward in the news business (moving to a new market) I would be a member for the networking possibilities, if nothing else and I would work hard to make myself visible through contest entries, judging and volunteering. You have to make that $110 pay for itself.

 

[Latin Lens]

I don't think...and I won't speak for everyone....that the $110 is worth the price you pay when you get involved and utilize what resources are available at such a low price. My thing is that shelling out $110 off the bat is and can be hard to eat...I wish there was an installment plan...or two payments of $55....that would make it so much easier to be an active member everyday of every year instead of letting my membership lapse to renew at a later date...it sucks because I believe in the principals of the NPPA and would love to do my part to support the organization and yes, that means a monetary payment...and $110 doesn't seem like alot but it is when you have more pressing bills to pay...if anything could be done about that it would be a blessing but at the moment I have no say in that. Should I get some sort of windfall in the near future then by all means the NPPA will have my support.

 

[Tom Servo]

David, I think you make a valid point, but to play devil's advocate, the results of NPPA contests are not restricted to the members. You could have done everything that you did when you were unknowingly networking without having been a member. If it were just about networking then we could do it a whole lot cheaper by having a $25/year subscription-based website on which we all upload our stuff. Except, of course, then B-roll would be a pretty good deal since we can do that here, and it's free.

In short, I think the NPPA needs to provide value in the form of education. Networking clubs are entirely too easy to set up in the age of the internet to make one worth $110 per year.

And in order to provide value, I would submit that prices for workshops need to have a steeper discount for members. Non members pay $860 for The Workshop. Members pay $675 (assuming they register very early) plus their $110 membership fee, for a total of $785. Is it really worth a $75 discount for the one year that most people go to this thing? Pay for 2 years of membership and you've eroded the discount entirely and in fact have paid more than the non-member to get the same deal.

Sure, you get the magazine but as others have pointed out it's targeted at a specific audience, and that audience is not the one that's going to The Workshop.

But at the end of the day, I think the NPPA's biggest problem isn't whether or not it has enough value to justify the $110 fee. It's that media outlets aren't putting enough value in their assessment of press photographers. We get paid, frankly, crap wages and are still facing layoffs, wage freezes, cuts, and other indignities, all in an economy that's stagnant at best, but still features high costs of living in the form of rent and fuel prices.

In short, NPPA could assign us a personal video caddy who whispers great shot ideas in our ear every time we go out on a story, and there are still a lot of people out there who would be better off spending that $110 on the heating bill.

 

[ShootingStacks]

This was an email I received a couple of months ago:

Leighton,

Hello, I’m the Iowa City Photographer/Senior Photographer at KCRG in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.


I just wanted to take a moment to shoot you an e-mail to say thanks for all of the hard work you guys are doing with the tv.nppa website!

One aspect of the TVQCC I’ve always liked was the feedback on the judging sheets, the opportunity to learn, however the new website with all of the video links to Vimeo really increases the learning opportunities by seeing what everybody else is shooting. Sure, there’s always been the BOP DVD’s and that stuff which is great, but now we get updates more frequently. We at KCRG regularly send around e-mails saying, “Hey, check out this story from the TVQCC…” etc, etc.

Anyway, I assume you put a lot of time into the site, the interviews (keep ‘em coming!) and more, so I just wanted you to know your hard work is appreciated!

Matt Nelson

It's all subjective but the bottom line is, at least we our offering our t.v. guys something with a $60 budget for Vimeo Plus! Along with hard work from our contest chairs and Scott Jensen, there is value! It can be hard to find, but it is there!

Leighton Grant
WLOS

 

[adam]

Amen Leighton. tv.nppa.org is a great site (god bless you). Leighton and others are the perfect example of being the change you want to see. The nppa site sucks for video? We'll make our own!

Full disclosure before I continue, I too just went to corporate communications (still shooting some though). I will start with the negative;

Everyone here is right, the organization is dominated by still photographers and the horrifying truth is that about 75% video education for still photogs is taught by... still photogs. If I have to hear another still photog tell me they like doing nat paks because they're easier, I will bayonet myself with an on camera mic.

The positive;

The organization is filled with Scott Jensens and Leighton Grants. Two (one I can personally affirm and the other I've got good recon on) guys who are good people skilled professionals and are truly doing their very best to give back what they can. I don't want to toot my own horn, but I recently put together (with Scott and TJ Mullinax and a multitude of others) a conference. It was the conference that we wanted to see. It was a ton of work but it was incredible. It cost $20 for NPPA members. If you lived in the Pac NW you got $110 our of your membership (even though it was only $35 for non members). The point is that it is an "association" it is made up of and powered by it's members. Unlike a business where you subscribe to services, you are one of the services with the NPPA. Turning in a couple of pieces for the contest each year doesn't cut it. The NPPA becomes worth it when you fire up your region and get people working together to learn and grow together.

On a side note the contest is a great resource. Personally it brought out my best on more then a handful of stories were my motivation wasn't at a boil yet. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of my wins, I'm not a guy who is going to pretend I don't care how I do.

The NPPA is a phenomenal resource, if you work at it... if not, it's just an expensive magazine about still photography.

 

[Chicago Dog]

The NPPA is a phenomenal resource, if you work at it... if not, it's just an expensive magazine about still photography.

That inevitable thought pops up in just about every NPPA thread. To be frank, I think it's a poor defense. Members shouldn't have to shell out $110 and "work at it" to benefit from the organization. Either charge $110 and educate or charge a fraction of that and expect members to help themselves.

If Kev charged people $110 for B-Roll, this place would be a ghost town.

It actually makes me a little angry when I think about it. NPPA essentially runs on volunteerism. Why are they asking for such a high membership fee? I understand enthusiasm for the profession is what drives the volunteers to do the work they do, but I feel like the NPPA is taking advantage of those volunteers.

There's easier ways to volunteer and save yourself $110; this website is one such example. If volunteers put as much work into B-Roll events as they do for NPPA, B-Roll would be the new standard in a heartbeat.

(Hint, hint.)

 

[ShootingStacks]

And what standard would that be?

 

[Chicago Dog]

And what standard would that be?

What do you mean, "what standard would that be?"

It would certainly be better than the standard set by NPPA; more relevant, more educational, more resourceful, and a hell of a lot less expensive, too.

I understand the volunteers at NPPA put forth the work they do because of their passion for the craft. It's admirable; I have nothing but positive things to say about someone willing to help raise the bar for all photographers in one way or another. When education and professional improvement is introduced, the bar is raised and employees become more valuable. Everyone wins.

Unfortunately, I don't believe NPPA has that interest anymore. They haven't for a very long time.

I think it's awful that volunteers put so much work into an organization that has such obvious disinterest in advancing its video resources. I left NPPA almost ten years ago because of those problems, and people are still complaining about the same issues.

As before, I suggest an alternative: why not put that strong effort into a place that actually revolves around video instead?

I would love to see B-Roll.net workshops start popping up. Reserving a meeting room at a hotel is not expensive; as a matter of fact, there's a few hotels in the Chicagoland area that offer meeting room options for less than one yearly NPPA membership!

Attendees could pre-register with an organizer in order to raise enough money for resources. If interest were strong enough, Kev might be able to set up some kind of Paypal account where those interested in attending an event can pay for their attendance ahead of time.

As a former NPPA member, I appreciated the volunteer work that went into judging contests, staffing events, and even presenting to a group. However, I'm wondering how much longer volunteers are willing to stick with an organization that constantly looks down on them as an unimportant, secondary faction of their overall membership?

 

[cdcarter]

In my humble opinion, it's a rip-off just like the EMMYs. I've been a member of the NPPA before and have also won three regional EMMY awards. I have never once received a raise or anything more than a two line congratulatory e-mail for those efforts. My station does not pay for NPPA dues, nor does it pay for EMMY submissions. So, I'm done with both.

I think NPPA is a good organization comprised of talented people. If it didn't cost me any money I would love to participate again, but unfortunately I cannot personally justify the cost. The benefits simply don't outweigh the cost. Sorry.

 

[AKinDC]

In my humble opinion, it's a rip-off just like the EMMYs. I've been a member of the NPPA before and have also won three regional EMMY awards. I have never once received a raise or anything more than a two line congratulatory e-mail for those efforts. My station does not pay for NPPA dues, nor does it pay for EMMY submissions. So, I'm done with both.
.

A rip-off? That's a bit over the edge.
Both the NPPA and the Emmys are completely up front about what they offer.
I'm sure that neither have ever said, or even implied, that your career or salary are guaranteed to improve because of what they have to offer.
With that said, I know that the NPPA contests inspired me to work harder in my early days in the business and become a better photog/editor which, in turn, has led to better, higher paying jobs.
I'm not a member any more, as I stopped caring about the contests a long time ago, and the pricing has gotten out of hand, but I would never call the NPPA a rip-off.

 

[1911A1]

Let me echo the sentiment that the membership fee has gotten way, way out of hand.

It's ironic that the newbie photographers who can benefit the most from the NPPA are the ones who can least afford the membership fee. Meanwhile, the long-time veterans, who can afford the fee, aren't really interested in the organization any more.

I've been a member since 1995 and, the only reason I didn't join prior to that was because I couldn't afford the $50 fee back then (I joined when I moved to a station that paid for memberships).

 

[punky cameraman]

Was a member for twenty years.

Sorry it has become something I do not recognize.

When great photography ..... any kind of great photography ...... becomes its priority again

I will re-join.

This preoccupation with "storytelling" loosely hiding its push for backpack MMJ bla bla bla journalism is the death of the organization.

Creating and training great photojournalists should be its only priority.
All they have to offer now is how to be mediocre at fifteen jobs at once.

The image is king, how many really good photojournalists do you know?

punky

 

[adam]

Darren Durlach spoke at the NW Video Workshop. He is a phenomenal technical photographer and a special storyteller. When he was done the Seattle Times' venerable still photographer, Allen Berner, accepted and award and showed some absolutely mesmerizing stills. Then he referred to Darren's work and said that his imagery would (paraphrasing) make incredible stills just from a freeze frame. He is right.
That is what the NPPA is pushing be the best PHOTO - JOURNALIST. We tell stories, pure image specialists do commercial work and create an image that they are told to create.
I'm not sure how you can watch the work that the NPPA holds up as the pinnacle of the news craft and say it's not about pictures.
There are a lot of frustrated film makers who wish that being a press photographer had nothing to do with telling a story but that era is long over.
Claiming that the NPPA will because it is training a work force for whom there are no or vanishing jobs doesn't make much sense to me. The NPPA doesn't tell media outlets what kind of worker they'll hire or how their workforce will do their jobs, it's the other way around.

 

[ShootingStacks]

NPPA offers a Quarterly Clip Contest for Photographers and Solo Video Journalists! I think there is value in the contest! TV.NPPA.ORG has over 140 winning videos already posted from this year. It is a great learning tool...and it's FREE! Here is just one story that is linked from the site: http://www.vimeo.com/15016458

 

[woodsiecam]

A quick and easy way to help out the newbie photogs would be to have a tiered membership cost. You could do this based on market size (since salaries have a fairly direct correlation) OR have the price for new members start at half price and move up in $5 increments per year, until it meets the regular membership cost. Of course, that second option would probably result in current members dropping their membership and signing on as "new" members... oh well, maybe something is better than nothing, right?

Either way, I think we can all agree that something has to change. The current model doesn't work - not just pricing, but the organization itself. People aren't happy. The number of people leaving is obviously larger than the number of people joining, otherwise membership cost wouldn't be going up.

But to me, the membership is still worth it, ESPECIALLY for the new photogs. Every full-time job I've landed in news was because of my involvement in the nppa. Obviously it wasn't the ONLY reason, but it put me over the top of the other applicants. That's why I think it's such an important resource for the photogs who are just starting out. Being a member of b-roll and nppa (and saying so on your resume) immediately tells a news manager that you care enough about photojournalism to belong to these organizations. I'M NOT SAYING that if you don't belong, you don't care (put the flame-throwers down). But I am saying - from first hand experience - that it can be the difference in getting the job.

 

[DeanCSmith]

NPPA unfortunately is too expensive. Agreed. Maybe they should align themselves with TV Unions... offer a package? I haven't been a card carrying member since they went to $110.

 

[micaelb]

For the record, dues were raised to the current $110 in 2006. The cost does not keep going up. I don't remember how long dues were $90, several years at least. So, in about 10 years the cost has gone up $20. I'm not saying it isn't a lot of money. It is. I'm just saying the cost has been fairly flat for a while.

Yes, membership is down. In the last few years how many photographers have been laid off? I'm talking about still and video and TV combined.

Thousands.

TV stations, most of them anyway, have stopped paying for memberships.

The loss of membership, I think, stems more from these factors than others. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement. There certainly is. The NPPA has to return $110 of value to each person who writes them a check or gives them a Visa number.

I think what the organization needs is stronger regional leadership. More events, like the workshop Adam and others put on in Seattle. They don't have to be on that scale but an annual event in Chicago, Dallas, New York, LA, DC, Atlanta, other markets where quality is still valued. Maybe tie them to regional RTNDA awards or EMMY events or even state events. Just some place and time to be with people who do what we do and learn from them or just hang out and tell stories.

I know the regions have had little or no money for setting up events for the last 10 years maybe. So interest waned, events folded. Traditions need to be rebuilt or invented.

Some of what the NPPA provides besides a magazine and contests is advocacy and ethics. There are issues of access and lawsuits that the NPPA is active in. Things like educating law enforcement or working with agencies to set their media policies. Suing to prevent border agents from looking at your hard drive and passing what they find to other agencies.

Ethics. There isn't a journalist working anywhere who doesn't need a moral compass.

I think those of us who consider themselves journalists will find the most value in the NPPA. No, it isn't for everyone. But it is something serious photojournalists need to consider.

Also, think in terms of what $110 buys now. Two tanks of gas for an SUV. Dinner and a movie? Or a possible kick in the pants for your career?

I have no problem putting in some effort for a group I pay to be a member of. A website might be enough for some. Not for me. I've learned too much from other members to not remain a member.

Please, if you have ideas to make the NPPA better send them to me. I'll take them to the board meeting next month.

 

[Chicago Dog]

I agree with the last half of your post, Mike, but I have a few problems with your reasoning.

"Thousands" of photogs laid off? I think that's a very drastic overestimation, let alone a reason as to why the NPPA's membership is down.

As far as the claim that stations aren't paying for memberships: I think it's a good point, but not really for the reason you were hoping. What does that say about the former members' views about the NPPA itself? If members are leaving because stations are no longer paying their way, it says those members don't feel they got enough out of NPPA to warrant opening their own check book.

If the NPPA offered more perks for their membership -- things photogs feel their career would suffer without having -- I'm sure they'd gladly shell out their own money.

It's very easy to write up what the NPPA is doing behind the scenes. I'm not devaluing their efforts. Like many other former members, though, I just don't see those efforts.

When I see how little the NPPA is doing on the education front and providing material for us video guys, what's supposed to make me believe they're doing more behind-the-scenes for us? Why should I -- or anyone, for that matter -- believe the NPPA is using $110 membership fees to "fight for our rights" when they can't even rent a conference hall for a day to help us further our personal career goals?

 

[adam]

When was the last time you called your regional chair to help you rent a conference hall for a day? I called the NPPA this year for help with a conference and found them to be pretty receptive. Being the change you want to see is a lot more powerful than talking about the lack of change that you perceive.

 

[eb]

I will try to be brief. Ha!

The NPPA has been around for decades. Before the internet. Before B-Roll. The NPPA was the social network of its time. Now, we have B-Roll and the internet... and internet video sharing. So that part of the function of the NPPA has competition.

The NPPA is a good resource for education, ethics, networking, feedback, and recognition (contests.) Has been for a long time. Would I like to see some re-focusing and simplification of its contests? Yes. There is a new TV.NPPA.ORG site which is fantastic. That could be further developed and supported. Perhaps a sponsorship - with advertisements.... would help pay a producer to produce content frequently. In that way, make the NPPA a video centric organization.

I continue to be a member, because of what the NPPA did for me and my education when I was young. I definately have been reconsidering renewing membership... simply because I don't enter contests anymore (our station does not do video journlaism storytelling anymore) and pretty much am paying for the magazine only. But I do want to support the organization, because of the good things it does.

I have critiqued the magazine over the years - particularily when I was on the board. There were simply many issues that had zero video content in them. I do like the magazine, but it is obvious to every television photographer that we are the minority. The still photographers are. 80 % - 20 % They make up the majority of members. But membership is going down? Hmmmm .... And so is newspaper readership.... Hmmmm.... And VIDEO production on the web is increasing... So why isn't the NPPA membership of videographers going up? Do the math. The NPPA still leadership, needs to put up the white flag, and start building a video centric organization.

I don't want to sound too critical, because there are a lot of good articles. Jensen just wrote one a couple issues ago that was very good. And Don does do what he can, and solicit articles from the tv video side of things. There have been good, indepth TV / video articles. Just not consistantly enough to present the NPPA as a video centric organization. Again, the NPPA could support the TV.NPPA.ORG with paid sponsorships/advertisements to perhaps pay for video content.

Which is what the world is becoming. Strike that. It's what the world IS.
Video. Internet. It is 2010. Not 1980.

Video Journalism is not "new." There is a rich history of video journalism.

Most of the video articles are written by new multimedia journalists. Former still photographers. Again, I don't want to diminish their value, or contributions... because they are good...... And I assume those articles about the history of still photography are great. I just don't read them. I am not a still photographer. Nor are any of us. So it is obvious why we are discussing the value of $110... The NPPA is a still photographer centric organization... Again, I am not diminishing the value of the magazine... but it is catered to still photographers.

What does the NPPA need to do? Take this back to the board Mike:

The NPPA needs to become a "video centric" organization. Swallow their still pride. Admit the world has changed. Suck it up. And become a video organiation.... primarily. Make video 75 percent of the content of the magazine, education, etc... and make still photography 25 percent.

That's just to throw out an idea. To get things moving in some direction. Action results in change. Take action. Make the NPPA a video organization.

Otherwise you will have folks like Dave Wertheimer, an NPPA icon, talk about quitting.

The NPPA does have to balance income and expenses, with dues and educational events, and a magazine, and website... so in the end, I would think getting the TV.ORG part beefed up, with perhaps a sponsorship / ads / produced content... for members... would be good.

In the world we live in (TV photographers) television news has changed too since 1980. We work in a world in which TV is a branded product.. and the NPPA storytelling is not always part of that brand. For better or for worse.

I see two distinct ways of shooting: Video PRODUCTION and video JOURNALISM. I think production is what TV news has become, and journalism what the purists (still photojournalists) strive for. Sure, there is cross over. In some newscasts, you will get some journalism shot the old fashioned way (nats sound, storytelling from beginning to end) but for the most part TV news is reporter involvement, standups, press conferences, graphics, live shots for the sake of live shots, etc.... Personally, I love journalism... and think reality is better than production in news. But I work for producers who want live shots and reporter involvement.

Perhaps the NPPA "journalism" side doesn't want anything to do with that? Perhaps these are factors?

So its' a push and pull. Perhaps there is no reason to join, simply because you don't do video journalism? Perhaps the NPPA doesn't want to cater to TV news, because it has lowered the bar so far?

It is easy to critique, as we all know...so I don't want to sound like I know every answer. I'm just throwing out some things to get the balls rolling.

Maybe become an online magazine - and produce a video program each month, instead of a magazine?