[Leica] Be a photographer

[Bill Pearce]

When I got my first paying job it was 1969 or 1970,  I was a "photographer" 
which was appropriate as in that day I carried around a Bell & Howell 70DR 
which say what you want, was a whole lot lighter than a video camera. The 
only people I knew that called themselves photo-journalists were those with 
college degrees that were exceptionally pretentious. That probably soured 
the term for me at an early age. But, when asked the all to oft question 
"What do you do?" and I reply retired photographer, I always get  something 
like Let me show you the photos I took of my brother's girlfriend or niece 
or some wedding. I think that people who do that kind of stuff generally 
qualify for sainthood for living through it, but please, don't make me look 
at your derivative crap.

Thanks for allowing me to vent.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Ted Grant
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 5:34 PM
To: 'Leica Users Group'
Subject: Re: [Leica] Be a photographer

Sonny Carter OFFERED:
Subject: Re: [Leica] Be a photographer

"Documentary photography and journalism is a thing which goes way back."
When I got my first job taking pictures (1965), we were called "news
photographers."

Did not matter if we were shooting for a newspaper, wire service, or TV.
Sometimes "news cameramen"   (that went away when more women came into the
job.)

They like to call themselves "Photo-Journalist" these days.

I do believe there's a fine but perceptible difference between a "Street 
Photographer" and a "News Photographer"

It is called "paycheck."<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
=======================================================

Hi Sonny,
When I began "shooting for a newspaper, Sept. 17/ 1951 first news photo 
published front page of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper in Canada's capital. I 
was always "VERY PROUD" of being called and calling myself a... 
"NEWS-PHOTOGRAPHER"! I saw and felt it was a kind of badge of honour to be 
called one for quite a number of years and working for and being paid by the 
"NEWSPAPER!"  YOU BELONGED TO A NEWS ORGANIZATION AND WERE BEING PAID FOR 
WORKING AS A NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER!!

Then somehow that wasn't good enough for some of the news lads and they 
became.... "PHOTOJOURNALISTS!" Even though their assignments maybe a few 
daily news paper shoots each day and rarely any in-depth assignments.

Oh well to each his own moniker!  By then my career had moved a major step 
or two in relation to owning and operating my own company and shooting for a 
great number of clients. So not working for newspapers any longer. I became 
a "Photojournalist!"

"As in someone who shot month long or longer documentaries and magazine type 
photo essays, short documentaries and many major sports events, OLYMPICS, 
summer & winter, Commonwealth Games, Pan-Am Games involving North & South 
America continents. And an endless number of well paying clients in many 
many avenues of the required photographic world!

But those today and during the past few years whom refer to themselves as 
"STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS?" are a joke! Most have never ever shot a "PAYING 
ASSIGNMENT IN THEIR LIVES!" Quite simply because they're not real 
photographers in the first place! And pure dumb luck that they catch a good 
photo moment let alone being paid for same! If it ever happens?

By the same token as this topic is evolving into a babbelfest really going 
nowhere. However interesting in a historical vain. I thought I'd throw in "A 
real life story" in the real world of being a news photographer! Or 
photojournalist. Certainly when it was marvellous to be a photog and 
working! BUT most importantly .......... "BEING PAID, BECAUSE YOU WERE A 
"REAL PHOTOGRAPHER!"  ;-)

cheers,
Dr. ted  :-)





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