Whether you’re new to digital photography, are looking for a new home learning course, want to make a career out of it or just want to make a little extra income, this can be a fantastic career move or side hustle. Photojournalism can be one of the more rewarding genres of photography. And although it might not be an easy side hustle or career, if you really want it, it’s is possible and extremely rewarding.
Let’s have a look at some of the most important tips for becoming a photojournalist:
So, What Is Photojournalism?
The first thing you need to understand is what photojournalism means. It’s a photographer who tells a news story through images. Your main role is to bring those stories to the people. You’ll be their pool of knowledge for local or global events, delivering them as quickly as possible. Photojournalism can be both informative and entertaining. Being impartial and honest is the key to success in this role.
How Do You Become A Photojournalist?
You need to decide what genre of photography you want to pursue. It can be a challenging side hustle or career so it’s key to know that it’s for you. It may take you a while to decide what area you want to target. Deciding on a path to take will mean you’re able to focus, and then if you want to build a viable career in photojournalism, you are going to want to specialise in the field.
A common mistake that people make is trying to a little bit of everything, however, it’s much better to specialise in a certain area.
To give you the best chance, start with a home study distance learning course.
We have a Level 2 Introduction to Photo Journalism Course available in paper format or online for home study.
Think About Building A Website
Whether you’re doing this as a hobby, a side hustle or working towards a career having a website is a great way to showcase your work. You’re more likely to secure the interest of editors if you can be found online. Showcase some of your best photos, leave your contact details and talk a little bit about who you are.
Getting Yourself Noticed
You would be interested in photojournalism if you didn’t want to get noticed. At the end of the day, you want editors and viewers to interact and respond to the news and events that you have managed to capture. Once you have a website, it’s time to take action. You can’t just sit and wait to be noticed. Always make your own stories, build a portfolio, constantly seek to improve especially with tools such as home study, and pitch your photos to editors. You will find great stories everywhere, you don’t even have to travel around the world to do it.
Use Criticism To Improve
Not everyone is going to like your work, but it’s a good idea to gather as much feedback as possible on your photojournalistic work. Allow people to comment on your website and ask for feedback from pitchers who haven’t used your pictures. You can then use this to improve your work and aim to make it even better.
The way that technology has advanced has benefited photojournalists, and it’s important to take advantage of this. Remember that with a bit of passion, a little bit of time doing some distance learning and perseverance could lead to an interesting and viable photojournalist career or side hustle.
