Being A Photojournalist

[student]

(i edit this line: to prevet further flames)

I do not know what you edited.

You wrote "to prevent flames". Flames from who and on what?

I think it is reasonable to deduce that the edited phrase is "SPH is nothing". If it were so, then I have to agree with NW75.

Words have meaning. Whether or not you are a "normal" user or "superuser" (frankly I do not know what this is all about! Appointment on the basis of number of posts?), by a wrong choice of words, you will elicit suitable responses.

"SPH is nothing" is a very strong and dogmatic statement and declaration with no room for compromise. You made such a derogatory judgement on SPH and then you did not think that NW75's retort was appropriate? NW75 took you too seriously? You mean your words do not have to be taken seriously? When then can your words be taken seriously?

I think CS admin will seriously have to rethink the type of people to confer "superuser status".

 

[Hawaiisg]

no need any quarifikashun. I no go school but I right for a local magazeen and submit piks arso. Dat make me a fotojurnalis. I fleerance for a golf magazeen and I travol all around asiya meeting superstars and netwurking with industree leedurs. Whoever tell yu go school dun no nuthing. I neva go school and i am doin jus fine. Really, I didn't go to uni n kno one can tell. Eneways good luck. Buy da way, wut kine photojurnalis you like be...maybe I can steer yu to the right peepole.

haha, all in fun. seriously, what part of photojournalism are you looking to specialize in?

 

[wazzup]

Wahaha.. jin funnie... LOL...

 

[glennyong]

hmmm yeah i'll be entering army next year. how do u go about joining the SAF flim unit? wad do they normally do?

saf flim unit ? from covering events to doing features on the armed forces.

there are a few restrictions that you cannot be a muslim (this is a proven fact because someone wrote in and got rejected, the mail stated they he was rejected because he is a muslim.) and etc etc. you of course need to have a portfolio to convince the people there also.

get your plt sg or co to recommend you in. if not you write in personally since saf now is more of a open system.

 

[arttl]

Haloz to all!

Just wanted to ask what does it take to be a Photojournalist. Are there any qualifications that you need to be a full time photojournalist? Such as degrees?

So far from what i know singapore has almost nothing for such a qualification, and the nearest will be all the way in Australia to pursue a degree in such.

Can any working as one or know please share some information with me? And also what are the prospects of working as one in Singapore. Thanks

Hi DodoAngel,

Passion, hardwork, dedication and above all.......LUCK!

These are the determing factors to be a photojournalist. A paper qualification can only get your that far. You'll need concrete portfolio (PJ related). Ultimately, the company which hires you look at your portfolio, the stories that you've covered.

Good luck.
Jon

PS: I really laughed off my head by the comment that "SPH is nothing. aim for big companies like Reuters." It goes to show the ignorance of a person.

 

[sehsuan]

and if u are enlisting. join SAF flim unit. better get exposed early too.

How about "Filem Unit"?

Some advice given here are what they are - free advice. Kiyosaki once said, the most expensive advice COULD be free advice one's getting.

Someone was recently spouting a whole lot of nonsense on sports shooting, I can't remember who that is. But he's on this thread giving free advice alright! :bsmilie:

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=230278

P.S. He hasn't replied to my questions the last time round.... YET.

 

[glennyong]

How about "Filem Unit"?

Some advice given here are what they are - free advice. Kiyosaki once said, the most expensive advice COULD be free advice one's getting.

Someone was recently spouting a whole lot of nonsense on sports shooting, I can't remember who that is. But he's on this thread giving free advice alright! :bsmilie:

P.S. He hasn't replied to my questions the last time round.... YET.

1 qns only wad... do i shoot sport ? ans. no. IMHO there only.

yah. someone was me right. do have some experience in sports not indoor. but enough exp to share.

i am still learning as i go along. but you guys think otherwise. i have nothing to say. =(

 

[sehsuan]

It's incredulous that a photographer doesn't know how to spell the word "film" but coming up with "flim" instead.

"Empty vessels make the most noise", that's something I learnt while I was in primary school.

We all have a choice to choose who to believe and listen to.

 

[ckuang]

normally, how much do a PJ earns ?

Not much trust me, even at some of the very biggest papers in the world. No one in their right mind would ever enter the photojournalism for money. You do it for the love of it. That's why I shoot weddings now.

But being a former newspaper photographer, even though the money is crap, it truly is one of the most fun jobs on earth. You never know what going to happen, who you're going to meet etc.

Sad to say, I'm not a big fan of SPH though. I think the photogs are great, but for whatever reason, ie chain of command, media restrictions, lack of competition, viewing of photojournalism as being only second tier to writtne journalism etc, they don't seem to have the freedom to do really really in depth community stories which is kind of sad because i think there are so many powerful stories to tell locally.

The international stuff in the ST is largely pulled off the wire with some stuff from correspondents from the US and China, but it is foolish to even imagine that the ST can match the reportage of papers like the NY Times with their fully staffed international offices.

I guess that worst thing about the ST, which is why I've never contemplated journalism in SIngapore, is that they run this stupid story every year that annoys the heck out of me. The story is always about how they won this award and that award for journalism/photojournalism and when you dig deeper the organization handing the award out is the SPH. I think it's fine to give yourself awards, but i think it's terrible for the credibility of the paper when a self given award becomes front page news.:nono: Many bigger papers don't even run an awards story when their staff wins the Pulitzers or the World Press Photo let alone an in house award.

In some senses, it's funny but I think the local film makers seem to have done a better job addressing social concerns albeit under the guise of being fiction.

Just my 2 cents anyway

 

[LENS]

all are supposedly to be adults, why start to flame someone when he said something u don't agree? he may be so called stupid, wrong but it is his opinion..

if he said SPH is nothing, and i believe at least there are 1% ppl agree with him, what is the point to teach him a lesson, and even by digging out old thread?

Back to the topic, we will always try to ask how to become a blah blah... guess the only way is we try it out our way!! there are a lot of ways, getting a degree, having a porfolio, learning how to write, if u have passions in it, just go to that direction, you may not end up as photojournalist, but you won't get regret.

 

[AReality]

Haloz to all!

Just wanted to ask what does it take to be a Photojournalist. Are there any qualifications that you need to be a full time photojournalist? Such as degrees?

So far from what i know singapore has almost nothing for such a qualification, and the nearest will be all the way in Australia to pursue a degree in such.

Can any working as one or know please share some information with me? And also what are the prospects of working as one in Singapore. Thanks

You don't need to go Iraq or Israel to be a photojournalist.
There are tons of stories you can do here in Singapore to build up your portfolio.
You don't need decisive moment photographs to win awards.
For a start, try going for a simple story instead of just blatantly snapping everything that looks nice.

Regardless it's a one photo or multiple photo story, plan it, and try your best.

And of coz, not everyday is Sunday.


.

 

[Paul_Yeo]

how about joining TODAY newspaper?

 

[agentmonkey]

hmmm yeah i'll be entering army next year. how do u go about joining the SAF flim unit? wad do they normally do?

from what i know, they usually acccept people with background experience...especially if you're a Film Sound and Video student...or mass commers who took relevant electives like tv productions...

also helps if you're pes c and below...buggers don't accept combat fit personnels... don't make the mistake i did of wanting to be too garang..never declaring any injuries during medical and chionging all the way during bmt...now a bloody itchy spec trainee stuck in pasir lebar suffering from camera withdrawal syndrome...no fun trading my d70 for a sar 21

 

[agentmonkey]

how about joining TODAY newspaper?

i wanted to work for them once while waiting for my enlistment...from what i know, they are only willing to take on interns if you're willing to work for free or for a very very very minimal allowance..like 10 bucks a month...or week..i forget which..probably week...

 

[ReiszRie]

ahhh i had always wanted to be a war photojournalist ^^

 

[agentmonkey]

ahhh i had always wanted to be a war photojournalist ^^

not aiming this at you bro, but just a general thought i had in mind... why do people want to be war photographers? all the misery and suffering...how can you shoot these people and sleep peacefully at night? worse getting a good photo and winning an award..imagine that.. someone has to suffer for you to get your award..just a thought la...

having said that.. it would be quite an experience...no doubt a life changing one as well...though i suspect it has a tendency of making one jaded and cynical

for your reference... http://www.faheykleingallery.com/featured_artists/nachtwey/nachtwey_e2_frames.htm

if you have the time look for this documentary on him called war photographer

 

[jsbn]

while ST might not be the paragon of good news reporting (depending on one's point of view of wat media freedom is), ur statement smacks of bullsh1t. to say SPH photojournalism/journalism is nothing is a smack on the faces of all the hardworking reporters and PJs who work for SPH - whom i might add have won accolades from regional and international PJ/journalism competitions regularly. best example is the award-winning photos from the asian tsunami.

are u even good enuf to qualify to work in SPH in the first place to even allow for u to turn ur nose up at SPH?

fyi - reuters, strictly speaking, is a news clearing house. while they have reporters of their own, they rely on (the industry term) stringers in local media and freelancers to contribute stories and pics.

Chill lah bro. Haven't seen u for so long liaoz, see u and den see ur fire liaoz. :bsmilie:

Sometimes its better to let what others think what they like and let 'em rant it all out dong-dong-chiang to the world. I'd prefer to sit on the sidelines to observe the show & fireworks.

After all, observing fireworks from afar is always prettier than watching it up close or standing there doing the firing right?

 

[jsbn]

ahhh i had always wanted to be a war photojournalist ^^

Kinda curious if u'd served NS or are u a female?

War is not all abt bullets and bombs. Its abt seeing one chap alive one day, dead the next day and with you beside him seeing his body riddled with enemy bullets or seeing his leg bombed off leaving a bloody trail of mangled flesh, dripping blood and torn bones (to get an idea, take a chopper and splinter a chicken bone. That's roughly what its like).

Or maybe u'd like to see someone's innards spilled all over the ground?

How about heads being blown off and blood spurting from the arteries of the neck and the body twitching?

How about injured soldiers or enemies being denied/delayed medical care and big bottle flies buzzing around the open wound eating the dead gangrened flesh for nourishment, laying eggs and maggots crawling and eating their way thru half-decomposed bodies?

Yes, call me sick. But that's the reality of war. War Photojournalist... Yes, u'll have to face all that and probably EXPERIENCE what soldiers go through to the point where u'll have to pick up the rifle and start shooting and throwing grenades or you'll get mowed down by the enemy MG gunner or sniper instead of expecting the others around to protect you (like what dumb agreements & conventions "protecting journalists rights and safety").

If u can stomach what I'd told u (and after visualisation), go ahead. To add another soldier within a Platoon during war, I'm sure the other soldiers don't mind.