Solutions for newspapers?
Glenn Reynolds, better known as the Instapundit, has an interesting article over at Tech Central Station on what newspapers need to do to stay competitive in an increasingly Web-centric information society. The only real complaint I have about the column is one suggestion that Reynolds makes regarding photojournalism:
Second, I'd put some of the money I saved by abandoning delivery trucks, printing presses, and the like into hiring reporters and writers, who have been the object of a lot of cost-cutting over the past couple of decades. And I'd expect a broader range of competency: My reporters would also all be photographers, equipped with digital cameras, and videographers, shooting clips of video that could be placed on the website along with their stories. This isn't asking too much, really. The world is full of people who can write and take pictures. I've heard editors at existing newspapers who doubt that their reporters could do this sort of thing, but if so, they need better reporters. I'd tell them to learn, or seek employment elsewhere. It's not that hard.
You'll have to excuse Reynolds for his ignorance, the man is a law professor and pundit.
At some point in my journalism career I've done just about everything. In fact, my first few years in the business I worked at small newspapers where reporters would often grab a camera and shoot their own photos -- but this technique (a necessity at small papers) which Reynolds touts often translates into below average photos and below average reporting.
For example, let's say you're interviewing a family who has recently lost a loved one as a result of murder. You're sitting on the couch in their living room, talking about their loved-one's life, their hopes, their dreams and you're furiously scribbling in your notebook getting everything they say down ... and then there's an unscripted, tender moment where the victim's father reaches out, grabs his wife's hand and they look at each other. It only happens for a moment -- and you're grabbing for a camera and you've missed it. Too late, it's gone.
Like I've said, I've had to do this before and it's not easy in the very best of circumstances.
Reynolds says the world is full of people who can write and take pictures -- however it's not full of people wh can write and take pictures well. Reynolds has a Nikon D70 camera and various other point-and-shoot digital cameras and somewhat regularly posts snapshots he's taken on his Web site. I hate to crush any preconceptions that Reynolds has about his photographic abilities -- but the photo he has posted wouldn't get him a job as a stringer for the Podunk Times. Nowadays everyone has a camera, but very few know how to capture compelling images. The converse is also true, there are many extremely talented photographers who you wouldn't want writing a thank you note.
Reporting and photography are two related, but different, skill sets. The idea that both can be done well by just about anyone you pull off the street is a firmly held belief of too many newspaper executives. It's disconcerting that Reynolds would hold similar views.
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The assumption is that news needs compelling photographs. In your example, I see no need at all for a photograph of the family if you are telling a news story, instead of an 'interest' story. An 'uncompelling' photograph would do just as well.