Get insured

Insurance is a business issue most PJs want to avoid. It falls somewhere below root canal on a pleasure meter. However, we need it. So, let's understand it.

I've upgraded all kinds of insurance lately, so this information is current. Folks reading this in a few years need to check with their insurance agents.

Basically, insurance is legalized gambling. We're betting something horrible happens. Large corporations are betting it won't. The larger the amount at risk, the more money either side must ante up.

However, there are some caveats. First, almost all the money we pay is a business write off (auto and home are percentages). So, we get to reclaim most of our payments.

Second, there's no measuring the value of peace of mind when something bad could happen. If we have health insurance, we're far more likely to get a wide-angle shot of a gator or snake. Without insurance, it's a 300mm or longer moment.

The same peace of mind applies to where we drive, where we shoot, what equipment we use, where we park, who we invite to our home, etc. Essentially, every "freedom" we tend to enjoy as PJs is covered by some form of insurance. Yes, we can do whatever we want in America, but we are entirely responsible for the repercussions and expenses if something goes wrong.

Considering the PJ profession, it's wise to bet something will go wrong.

Auto liability insurance
In most places, auto insurance is required to operate a vehicle on the road. It's also most PJ's first experience with insurance.

For most staff PJs, it's a non-reimbursed job requirement (no insurance = no job). Some staffers get a monthly car allowance to cover some of the expense, but this has become increasingly rare.

Basic liability is required by state. However, new car loans often require full coverage. This costs quite a bit more, but it means the car will be fixed if it's damaged or replaced if it's totaled or stolen. It can also include provisions for medical expenses of occupants and security of equipment in the vehicle.

These risks become higher or lower depending on the PJ's location. However, auto insurance is already starting to overlap other insurance expenses and might reduce the costs of supplemental premiums (this is good).

Health insurance
Health insurance is often the reason most PJs prefer to be staffers. We know we're covered and can get semi-repaired or if something goes wrong. It allows us to take calculated risks at our job without too much fear.

This doesn't mean PJs with acrophobia won't be screaming like a monkey during a skydiving assignment. But if they shatter on impact, they don't have the additional worry of a $50K hospital stay, loss of income, etc.

For most PJs, this is the single most expensive form of insurance. Staffers have a significant portion paid by their employers, but still have a hefty portion taken out of their income. Meanwhile, freelancers are on the hook for the whole amount or have a beautiful, kind, loving spouse with good insurance paying the premiums for us. ;-}

Homeowner/Renter insurance
By itself, homeowner/renter insurance can be quite expensive. A low-value rental policy can cost more than $100. However, when it's purchased as a bundle with auto insurance it can actually cost less than the auto insurance alone.

It's unbelievable, but I'm living proof. It also means I have a full-service insurance agent, full coverage on two autos, good driving histories, are over a certain age, married, and so forth. But, it's possible to pay less for more insurance. Check with your local insurance agent for the best prices.

If you own the property, you need this insurance and are required by a mortgage contract to have it. Considering what I've photographed in my career, it's a good investment against something tragic.

For PJs, this is a partial write off for the business-use percentage of our home. We write off the same percentage of the insurance. However, it covers much or all of our home-based equipment and archives as well as claims against us if something happens to our home or someone gets injured at our home.

Again, this coverage overlaps into our business insurance needs.

General business liability insurance
When I went freelance, I knew I needed this coverage. If a staff PJ drops a camera on a pro boxer from the catwalk, the paper is on the hook for expenses. If a freelancer does it, it's a life-halting event.

Even something as simple as a person tripping over a wire or a light stand accident can become a career-ender for freelancers without this insurance. Consequently, don't consider mounting cameras and strobes in remotely dangerous locations without proper coverage.

Some cities have ordinances requiring this insurance before photographers are allowed to make images within the city limits - even in public places. While the Constitutionality of these ordinances might be questionable, it would cost more to legally challenge the ordinance than to pay the premium and have some peace of mind.

While this may sound like staffers can skate, they're skating on thin ice. If a staffer takes a freelance gig, it's not covered by the paper. They might try to sneak it in under the radar, but it could cost the staff gig in the long run.

Consequently, it's wise for staffers to purchase this insurance as well if they plan to accept freelance gigs.

Again, when it's bundled with other insurance, it's surprisingly reasonable. For about $30 per month, PJs (staff and/or freelance) could get about $300K liability, $20K business property theft/loss, $5K medical liability, $10K equipment breakdown, attorney's fees and actual losses sustained.

The price goes up as numbers increase, but it's still reasonable when bundled. Again, check with your local agent.

From my point of view, it's probably the best $30 I could spend as a pro PJ. It also makes my service more appealing to other businesses because they know I'm absorbing basic liability. If I'm dumb enough to drop a light stand on a new car, it's covered.

Property insurance
Property insurance covers all our equipment. While it's taken years for us to acquire all the gear we use every day, it can be gone in seconds.

Most gear is covered under auto, homeowner or business insurance, but it can be covered separately as well. Again, freelancers are on the hook for the whole amount of the gear lost if it's not otherwise insured.

Staff PJs normally have their gear covered on a company-wide program. Unless staffers want to replace everything out of pocket, it's critical to routinely update company records with equipment lists and serial numbers.

I keep a spreadsheet of all my equipment and serial numbers. Part of my workflow is to add all new equipment and serial numbers to the spreadsheet before I allow myself to use the equipment once.

Loss of Business insurance
This is catastrophic loss insurance. Wedding PJs in hurricane areas as well as flood and fire zones are most likely to consider this coverage.

This insurance is relatively inexpensive because it's a back-end rider on other policies and is often considered a "last resort" claim. It's also difficult for PJs to claim this insurance because the kinds of disasters that lead to this claim are exactly the kinds of disasters we typically cover.

So, PJs are likely to earn equal or greater income from alternative sources while other businesses lose all income. Traditional (studio) photographers and wedding PJs may want to still consider this option while primarily news PJs aren't as likely to pay this premium.

Errors and Omissions insurance
This is considered "special business insurance" for professionals. It's commonly purchased by technology professionals for protection from data liability (real or alleged).

It's also used by some photographers to guaranty delivery of professional services. Again, wedding PJs are far more likely to need this coverage than primarily news PJs. In a worst-case scenario a wedding PJ snowed into Buffalo might be happy to have this coverage while the nuptial service continues in LA without a photographer.

It won't help with the mother of the bride, but it might help return the PJ fees. I'm not sure if it would cover the bulletproof vest needed afterward. Again, check with your local agent. :-)

Travel insurance
Unless PJs are certain their insurance is universal, it normally stops the second a foot or tire crosses a border or the PJ boards most forms of interstate mass transportation. This is when travel insurance must be in place.

Staff PJs normally have this covered by the company. Be certain the company has plenty of supplemental insurance before pitching the story about guerrillas in the Peruvian Andes or Congo.

Freelance PJs must arrange travel insurance. This is a complete business write off. We'll hope freelancers already have a client before they take off to points unknown. The client pays these expenses as part of the invoice total. If not, the images are part of the freelance PJ's stock portfolio, so it's still a complete business expense.

No matter what, this is very important insurance.

Most frequently, PJs need all-inclusive international business insurance. This covers medical, dental, emergency evacuation, cars, property rentals, liability, trip interruption, cancellations, baggage, property theft, identity theft, loss of business, accidental death and return of body (funeral shipping).

These are sold for single trips or for multiple business trips over the course of a year (typically with total-time restrictions). There is also insurance to cover longer trips (more total or consecutive days), but these have much higher premiums.

Check with your local agent before dealing with an unknown national or international organization.

As with everything in this world, make sure the company has a reputation of delivering when needed. Research, research, research and remember to look for negative information posted on the Web. When your leg shatters in Peru, it's not the time to find out the emergency medical evacuation required pre-approval.

Life insurance
We're all going to die eventually. All PJs have the potential to die before expected.

Life insurance is the biggest gamble of them all. We're betting we'll die (a certain bet). The insurance corporations are betting we'll run out of money or change insurance carriers before it happens.

The most secure is staff PJ life insurance. It's typically paid by the company as part of the terms of employment. The company knows when you die, and human resources will help your family recover what's rightfully theirs.

The next most secure is "whole life" or "permanent life" coverage. Most PJs don't need this. It's far more expensive than term insurance. It's essentially a tax shelter for wealthy individuals. The policy collects interest and pays a tax-free, lump-sum death benefit. If you're already rich, go for it.

Term life insurance is best for most freelance PJs. It gets progressively more expensive as individuals age. Premiums also increase based on the amount of death benefit we request. Some PJs may want to think they're worth millions and millions. Unless they earn it annually - they're not.

Keep premiums reasonable by only purchasing the amount it would take to cover funeral expenses and keep your family as secure as if the PJ was still alive. Unfortunately, this isn't very much, but it's also fortunate because it means the premiums are lower.

It's vital to let the beneficiaries know about term life insurance policies. Term policies expire if they aren't paid - because the payer, you know, died and stuff. So, beneficiaries need to know how to quickly claim their prize. :-)

Final thoughts
Unfortunately, insurance is a bet we really don't want to win. It means something horrible happens to us or our property. For the sake of our business and loved ones, we must win this bet when the time comes. It's their future we're gambling.

Enough for now,

PJ ethics during convergence

I was asked the following questions for an upcoming Black Star eBook. I thought y'all might be interested in the answers.

1. In general, how should the news industry deal with the problem of digital photo manipulation? What are news organizations doing wrong -- and right -- today?

As with almost every problem, education is the starting point. Photojournalists need to know digital manipulation is a lie and won't be tolerated.

Most major news organizations have codified guidelines against digital manipulation. The people who violate this basic tenet of reader trust do so willfully. Ultimately, responsibility is placed squarely on the person who physically eliminates an electric wire or soda can.

Having laid blame where it belongs, the industry needs to spread the knowledge of these rules to other portions of the industry in terms they understand. If our co-workers don't understand our ethics, they won't hesitate to request we violate these unknown rules. We must explain our ethics to them in a their own language.

If a reporter requests we do something unethical, for example, we could ask if they "make up" quotes in their stories. While they should recoil from the notion, the actions are exactly alike. A lie is a lie.

Photographic organizations need to partner with the Society of Professional Journalists, the Society for News Design, state press associations, other industry-related organizations and universities to educate the entire workforce and reduce the pressure for good people to do bad things.

While digital manipulation gets the most notice when it happens at a top-100 newspaper, it's far more likely to occur at a tiny community paper or regional magazine. These publications are the training grounds of tomorrow's photojournalists and page designers. If unethical habits begin at this level, they're unlikely to halt as these people move to larger publications.

Educating all news professionals at the entryway of the industry and holding them accountable for their actions is the most consistent way to ensure continuation of ethical standards.

2. Do print photojournalism and television photojournalism, in practice, have different ethical standards (on issues such as staging shots, for example)? If so, how this should be addressed in a converging industry?

Ethical standards of the two entities are largely historical and cultural differences. Radio and television (RTV) are regulated by the government (FCC). Newspapers are not and are Constitutionally protected from such regulation.

Broadcast RTV outlets originally used public airwaves and were regulated as "entertainment." Using broadcast media for news is a relatively recent development. While early broadcast news pioneers came from the newspaper business, most recent broadcast celebrities have not.

This divergence is often compounded at universities. While some universities do understand the connection, others continue to place RTV majors in the theater arts departments rather than journalism.

At my university, the two colleges were literally on opposite ends of the campus. I don't recall any RTV students in my journalism or media law courses.

If television photojournalists are surrounded by actors rather than journalists, it's understandable they would have a misguided sense of ethical standards. Actors appreciate and strive to achieve believable illusions rather than authentic reality.

While many individual television photojournalists are outstanding ethical beings, the pressure on them to act unethically (and be rewarded for such actions) is extreme.

The best approach would be to remove RTV photojournalists from the corrosive learning environment. Additionally, the role of actor/anchor should be minimized. Considering how much money is vested in this current structure, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

3. Where should photojournalists ultimately turn for ethical guidance? The NPPA? Their individual employers? Somewhere else?
The NPPA and other ethical photojournalists are the best places to turn for guidance and role models. However, the behaviors of photojournalists rest entirely on the shoulders of those individuals.

The guidelines are codified and well established. Adherence to the guidelines is expected.

4. In what ways do you think the ethics conversation might change going forward? For example, do you think it's time for "dirty words" in photojournalism -- like "photo illustration" -- to become more accepted in practice, so that photographers won't have as much of an incentive to be deceptive when altering photographs?

In a news environment, photo illustrations should be deliberate and obvious. A pig riding a flaming motorcycle while juggling sharks is a photo illustration. Digitally removing a soda can from an image is simply a lie.

Minimizing the photo illustration term and allowing photojournalists to digitally manipulate images or set up images is contrary to journalism and truth. The notion of lowering this standard is a ridiculous, destructive idea. It promotes lies and punishes truth.

No news image is made "more important" through digital manipulation. The manipulated images and the people who create them have cheated authentic photojournalists and the public.

Meanwhile, I don't want to appear draconian about Photoshop.

I have no problem with professional commercial photographers. They create stunning visual fiction. They are handsomely paid to do so. I applaud them because that's their profession, and they don't claim to tell the truth.

Photojournalists chose to tell the truth for a living.

I'll also note that until the most recent cameras, it was common to get dust on a digital sensor. Before these "dust proof" cameras, we got dust and lint on our negatives and sensors. In both cases we "spotted" the prints or scans to make the final image look like the actual scene.

Nobody saw a 12-foot-long rope hovering in the air - it was lint or a hair on the shutter. It wasn't visible to anyone other than the film, scanner head or digital sensor. By spotting this aberration, the final image more closely resembles the reality.

However, it doesn't take a genius to understand a soda can, people's legs, electrical wires and such aren't dust.

The acid test is simple. If another photographer stood beside a photojournalist, would they capture the same image? If the answer is yes, it's a spot. If the answer is no, it's a lie.

Lastly, we need to address professional competitions. Although there have been two recent notable instances of photojournalist deliberately manipulating images on deadline, it's highly uncommon. Most photojournalists transmit deadline images as fast as they can.

The problems often occur during competitions. With our industry being as competitive as it is, some photojournalists make unethical decisions to try to beat the competition. Much of this parallels the highest levels of sport competition.

Just as sporting organizations have become better at identifying steroid users, pro photo competitions have gotten better at identification and stripping awards from digital cheaters.

Software currently exists to identify cloned pixels. I'm certain it could be applied to video as well. This quickly identifies digitally manipulated images. It could be incorporated into many applications in the future and eliminate the desire to present false images.

However, unlike sports, photo contests don't elevate the honest, ethical photojournalists left in the wake of deceit. Professional photojournalism competitions should select "alternatives" like sporting contests. If contest officials later determine a contest was awarded to a false image, not only should awards be stripped, but those who were beaten by a lie should get their rightful awards.

The 2nd-place finisher in a contest would have won 1st place if someone hadn't tried to steal the award. Instead of a consolation prize and bitter experience, the rightful prize should be awarded to the ethical, honest, honorable photojournalist. This would be most profound to the photojournalist who would have won 3rd place.

Until good photojournalists are rewarded for quality images and ethical behavior, the motivation to lie and cheat will remain stronger for some.

Enough for now,

Categorize multiple photo groups

Between competing in contests, studying competition winners and judging other competitions, I've learned a few things about multiple photo submissions. Judging probably taught me the most. Once I looked at a few of the submissions, I immediately knew what NOT to do.

This post should keep some folks from making the same mistakes I've seen/made in the past and others inevitably will make in the future.

Photo clump
I've already detailed what a photo clump is. While it isn't anything to aspire to make, readers enjoy them. They also work well in several en vogue presentation formats (namely SoundSlides and videos from stills).

If a PJ is covering a festival, state fair or some other large-scale event where a photo clump seems the best solution, be certain to get everyone's names. At least this makes the clump of photos have some meaning. It's best if the clump is visually rich with plenty of variety to keep viewer interest as well.

Package
A package is the basic story-telling unit. It's typically three to six images. It's small enough to be packaged together in a stand-alone box on one page of a broadsheet newspaper.

A typical package includes a wide shot to set the scene and a tight detail shot while the remaining shots are the best images from the take.

If nothing else, this stresses the importance of lens and perspective variation and getting detail shots. If there's no wide or detail shots, there probably isn't a package. Otherwise, the package looks like a clump.

It's best to shoot details as both horizontals and verticals. There needs to be variation of orientation to make an effective package. The detail shots "fill in" the layout gaps.

Every daily assignment can be shot as a package. Although they won't all run as packages, introducing variation to every assignment makes for a more interesting newspaper because the best shot from each assignment will likely result in a different focal-length lens, perspective, depth of field or detail.

The individual images from disparate stories can complement one another on a page rather than appearing redundant.

Photo packages are like stone soup: each minor improvement to options yields a much higher overall affect. A folding chair in an empty room can be successfully shot as a package. Put a person in the chair, and it'll work better, etc....

Series
A series is a set of images which show change over time. The entire point of a series is to allow the reader to compare the images to graphically see the change. If the images don't show a significant change, a single image is better.

Some classic successful series might include:
An extremely fast, active news event to establish timeline.
A tree shot from a similar location during different seasons of the year.
The sun moving across the horizon on the longest day of the year on the North Pole.
A rose in a vase degrading from fresh to dust.

Photo story
I'll do a specific post on photo stories soon. A photo story is the format PJs prefer to use and appreciate the most. A typical photo story uses multiple photos to explain or expand on a subject or issue.

A quality photo story has all the elements of any great piece of story telling. As such, it has a lead (lede) image, a kicker image, transitional images, timing, pacing and surprises. Redundancies are eliminated in the editing phase and the finished product is polished and tells the story completely, succinctly and aesthetically.

Photo essay
A photo essay is different than a photo story. An essay is an exploration of a theme. Unlike a photo story, which is propelled by action (visual verbs), a photo essay is typically steeped in nouns (people, places, things or ideas). Either the theme is a noun or the images are nouns relating to the theme.

See this essay about Cottonwood Abstractions as an example. I could have easily covered the event as a photo story. The festival occurs twice each year (spring and fall). It's ranked in the top 25 art festivals in the United States, so there are always plenty of people doing things. However, the paper wouldn't want to run the same story each spring and fall. It would become redundant and meaningless to our readers.

Consequently, I made it a differently themed essay each time. It actually took much longer to conceive and shoot the essay than to shoot a story. The year it rained, the theme became "Water colors." Another time it was "Reflections of Cottonwood."

Judging from the feedback, our readers liked the essays and appreciated the thought put into them.

While the examples are one-day essays, others may take weeks or years to complete. Many documentary stories - particularly in National Geographic - are actually essays. They explore global warming, drought, famine, rain forest reduction or some other theme. Often, the theme is the noun. In other essays, the images are the noun. Sometimes both the theme and the images are nouns.

Choose the best approach
Understanding how groups of photos are categorized (clumps, packages, essays or stories) is the first step toward making photo stories. Next time, we're going to decide the best approach to a subject. Often, this is decided by the story idea or subject matter. However, the approach can sometimes change in the middle of the shoot or during the editing process.

Enough for now,

PJ motivation

Many years ago I was a solo staff PJ at a twice-weekly newspaper. A close friend and talented photographer had recently graduated from an art institute and was willing to cover for me while I took a vacation.

He did a ride-along to see what the job entailed. We buzzed around town in my '68 Bug, chatted about the job and looked for features. Finally, I spotted a guy mowing his lawn. I pulled over, and we grabbed our gear.

As we got out of the Bug, my friend looked a little confused and asked, "What's my motivation?"

Motivation is an art term. Artists are encouraged to find their creative motivation and meaning of their work before they create.

In fictional writing, motivation partially explains a character’s thoughts, actions, behaviors or feelings. It defines the wants, needs, desires and beliefs driving a character. Psychologically, it partially explains a person's need to be understood and/or appreciated.

Basically, it's why people do what they do.

I understood what he meant, so I told him the truth. I said, "Deadline is in 30 minutes."

Motivation is personal
PJs have many motivations. While these may sound like purposes, they're not. Again, the difference is within the individual PJ. All PJs have the same general purpose - to tell visual stories. However, our motivation to complete this purpose varies.

Probably the strongest universal quality of a PJ is a strong work ethic. We want to work, work hard and work more.

This is the reason most PJs are PJs. Some could be sculptors or oil-on-canvas painters. However, there's no way to crank out the same volume and diversity of quality work every day.

Pseudo-motivations
Some PJs may say they're motivated to be a PJ because it "pays the bills." That's not a reason. Banking pays the bills much better and doesn't require a four-year degree and $20K of equipment.

Other PJs may say they like to make photos. This also isn't a valid rationale. There are many photography fields. Almost every other field pays more.

PJ motivations
Most PJs are driven by a combination of the following motivations. Each PJ's individual wants, needs and desires keep the PJ shooting.

To fulfill the obligation
PJs are obliged to present images to readers on time, every time. PJs could work at a monthly magazine or a daily newspaper. Either way, we have an obligation to deliver meaningful images on time to the readers.

Subscribers have paid to see these images. We must deliver what they paid to see and expect to see. This is why we're professionals. We go early, stay late and work every assignment to fulfill our obligation to readers.

Readers are our purpose while professionalism is our motivation.

To help people
This is the main reason I'm a PJ. I want to help people.

After a natural disaster or other crisis, people need help. While PJs can't afford to provide the help most people need, we can show images of need to readers. Those readers can help. They can donate time and/or money. They can get laws changed. They can help lift people out of really bad situations.

I've seen this many times in my years as a PJ. People care about other people they've never met. People want to help people they've never met. PJs connect people with needs to those who can help.

To answer "why?"
Curiosity is a hallmark of PJs. The subjects we document should answer the question "Why?" This question should also motivate us to document actions we see. Anyone could drive past a person doing some unusual action. PJs stop and try to find out why this is happening.

Coincidentally, we may answer an unknown future question with today's answer. We may wonder why people are working in a particular place. So, we document the construction workers on a project.

Ten years later, something good or bad could happen as a result of the question we answered before.

After a natural disaster, for example, we could learn a project saved the lives of thousands of people. We already documented the answer to "why" while it was happening.

To show the facts
Truth is somewhat relative. Each person sees the truth differently. All a PJ can do to reveal truth is show the actual facts.

Often the facts show a truth some can't believe. However, it's a fact. Because our images are considered facts, PJs must maintain an ethical level beyond reproach.

If we shoot commercial images or illustrations (fiction), we label them as commercial or illustrations. We aren't trying to fool viewers.

If a PJ tries to deceive readers with something other than fact, none of the PJ's images are believable. This alone is motivation to find only the facts.

To inform/educate
While most PJs consider themselves full-time students of life, the images function as teachers to readers. The facts we document can instruct readers about the good and bad aspects of life and our communities.

A still image immediately transmits volumes of information to a viewer. Everything from how to survive a bad situation to how to recognize tasty food is presented in a millisecond through our images.

We've already discussed how PJ affects the brain. We also need to understand other people expect to learn from our images.

To share the experience
Sometimes PJs feel a little guilty because we don't appear to have "real" jobs. We get to roam around town, view activities and make images while everyone else is chained to their desks.

PJs want to capture the essence of this experience and share it with readers. While the viewers of our images may not get to (or want to) experience what we do, we show them what it's like.

While the job involves us attending events because readers are too busy (think school board meetings), it also involves surviving dangerous situations as well as more enjoyable sideline observations (think concerts and sports).

PJs share all these experiences with our readers. Maybe they're too busy. Maybe there's limited seating. Maybe they can't afford admission. Either way, it's reason enough for us to be there and find the story-telling images.

To achieve
Achievements are relative to each person. Therefore, they're motivations. Graduating college, buying a home or raising a child are achievements. Each of these accomplishments require dedication.

Most PJs want to be known for their abilities and dedication. These include being able to get access, get "the" shot(s) and deliver on time.

Measurements of achievement can include volume, quality, rarity, danger, income and more. Again, it's a unique balance determined by each PJ.

To prove we existed
I'll admit this is a selfish motivation. However, all motivations are selfish to some degree because we're talking about what motivates an individual to do some action.

Once we're born, our only guaranty is death. If we live and die without a trace, did we really exist?

I have a detailed theory on this. I may explain it one day. For now, let's understand PJs have the ability to transcend life through our images. Otherwise the names William Fox Talbot, W. Eugene Smith, Gordon Parks or Eddie Adams would mean nothing to us.

Again, this can be considered "achievement" and creates a different level of motivation for each PJ.

Enough for now,

Iraqi police beat two PJs

As if to accentuate the message of my last post, CNN reports Iraqi police beat a still photographer and a cameraman. A Reuters' shooter was hospitalized after police beat him with rifles for documenting the aftermath of a car bomb.

The story doesn't state who the photographer was. However it does state five Iraqi police officers were detained according to a Falluja police official.

All Reuters reported about the violation is, "Police beat up a Reuters cameraman and a photographer when they tried to film the aftermath of the bombing. The photographer was admitted to a hospital."

Y'all watch your backs.

Enough for now,

Survive dangerous situations

A round goes where it's sent. It may drop some. It may blow slightly left or right, but it won't stop until it hits something. If we outthink the person who sends the round, we might live to tell the story.

We discussed the importance of living to tell the story. This involves calculating risk. When in doubt, err on the side of caution because a dead photojournalist doesn't make deadline.

We've also learned the difference between cover and concealment as well as when to use each one. Additionally, we learned the potential weapons we can face as we cover breaking news.

Now, we know what we're facing. Let's discuss how to apply this knowledge to deal with volatile situations and survive and tell the story.

Be mentally prepared
Whether we're in a combat zone - or a city hall meeting suddenly becomes one - we need to know what to do to stay alive and tell the story.

The number of journalists killed in conflicts increases each year. While we were once considered neutral in combat, we're now considered easy targets. Furthermore, unstable people with weapons are very likely to consider journalists part of their current problem.

Photojournalists don't need to travel overseas to be in potentially deadly situations. People are killed every day in the United States as well. Because we cover potentially volatile situations, we must know how to react before we arrive at the scene - as well as when the scene around us erupts into violence.

Practice survival steps

The following suggestions should take place in about one second. The key to this process is to make it instinctual. To accomplish this, PJs should practice the process a few times with their gear to make the process efficient and automatic.

When a shot is heard, photojournalists should automatically hit the ground, find cover, ID the treat, assess the situation, plan an evacuation route and help others. All of this can happen in a second or less.

Well-trained pros already plan many of these steps before a shot is fired. As we look for clean backgrounds for our images, we semiconsciously note items of use for cover and/or concealment.

At the park a hedge might make good concealment. However, a cement picnic bench makes great cover and concealment. We're protected on three sides, have room for rounds to escape and the shadow of the table masks our presence on a sunny day. If it has a tablecloth, we're golden.

Get small

Smaller targets are more difficult to locate and shoot. A seven-foot-tall basketball player is only one foot high when he lies on his belly. This isn't good during a hoops tournament, but it's exactly what should happen if someone tries to unload a clip of rounds in him.

If a scene erupts around the photojournalist, hit the ground. Even if we're standing on a golf fairway, we need to immediately become the smallest possible target.

Take cover

Before anything else, PJs must protect themselves to be able to work. This means they must work from the safest place while still able to photograph the action.

When arriving at a known volatile scene - often heard on police scanners as "shots fired" - PJs need to keep low and quickly find the best cover available. Hopefully, the cover also provides concealment to keep working without being literally shot.

If the situation changes, seek better cover or evacuate entirely. James Nachtwey has images of the interior of the World Trade Center after the attack because he got out alive.

Take cover. Get the shots. Then, move to better cover.

Use concealment

Cover is almost always better than concealment. However, when a crisis develops next to us, concealment is a good starting point. If we already have some hiding locations selected, we'll know where to move first.

Remember, it's difficult for bad guys to kill the unseen.

Identify the threat

After we make ourselves a small target and find cover, we must identify the threat. If it's one person with a pistol, the threat continues. If everyone is watching a mother scream at her 10-year-old son, it was probably a firecracker.

I'll be honest. It'll be embarrassing if you're the only one lying on the floor during a school board meeting after some kid lights a firecracker. However, as I keep repeating, it's better to be safe than sorry. Few will notice anyway; they're all staring at the boy.

I covered part of the aftermath of the Wedgwood Baptist Church massacre in Fort Worth. The death toll was so high because the teens thought the gunman, Larry Gene Ashbrook, was performing a skit to test their faith. He wasn't.

Ashbrook detonated one pipe bomb, fired at least 45 rounds, killed seven and injured others. Police found another 100 rounds in his pocket after he killed himself.

This took place at a church youth assembly. All PJs have covered similar events. There simply is no way to know when chaos will explode around us. Be ready.

If the threat is coordinated and organized, we're in a lot of trouble. The best idea is to escape and document once safe. Otherwise, it's highly likely we'll be injured, killed or taken hostage. All are bad options.

If a photojournalist is immediately identified and guns-in-face surrounded, there's no option other than surrender. We can try to escape later, but we must understand the freedom clock starts ticking the second we're captured. Each second we're detained makes it less likely we'll see freedom again.

If captured, we must be vigilant to find an adequate moment to attempt an escape. There will never be an unguarded, open door.

Assess the situation

At this point, PJs under threat should have some form or cover or concealment. They should know what the treat is.

Next, we must assess the situation. Can we stop this situation? If not, can we document the scene from this location? Are we injured? If so, how badly? Can it be treated enough to allow our escape? Is there anything nearby to help protect ourselves? How willing are we to protect ourselves?

The last question stresses the importance of PJs knowing what they're willing - and unwilling - to do in extreme circumstances. Some people would rather die than injure another person. Others are willing to wound or kill in self defense. These lines must be drawn before this moment occurs so we can act without hesitation.

Plan to evacuate

PJs aren't cops or soldiers. We're visual reporters.

Our job is to tell the stories we see. If our assessment of the situation determines we should split and tell the story from a safer distance, that's what we should do.

While this may sound like the easy part, it's probably the most dangerous because bad guys probably don't want us to leave. They probably would also shoot us in the back.

As with everything else, it's best to select an escape route before it's needed. Lacking this plan, we'll need to find a series of short, safe movements to get us farther from potential harm.

The goal is to minimize exposure to the known threats (we don't know if doorways are wired with explosives yet) while moving steadily towards an safer place or exit. We'll want to move low and rapidly across exposed areas while moving lower and slower across safe areas with cover.

We don't want to run in any predictable direction. No run should last more than three seconds before hitting the ground, rolling and/or finding cover. This process is exhausting. Each second of stress also consumes energy reserves. Get out quickly and safely and reserve energy to tell the story once we're safe.

Help others
I always tell PJs they must help other people. But, a dead PJ is no help to anyone. So, save yourself, then help others.

Some ways to help include:

Pull bystanders to the ground during incoming fire.
Call bystanders to overhead cover during indirect fire.
Take others with you during escapes.
If photojournalists know field first aid procedures, do so.
Create distractions to allow others to escape.

In the U.S., have 911 on speed dial. Dial as soon as possible and leave an open line (don't talk unless you're in a very safe place). Leave the phone behind or slide it away to create a distraction and make an escape while police triangulate the phone's position.

Think it through
Throughout this series, I've stressed the importance of knowing what to do and how to do it before the time is at hand. This process should become as automatic as f-stops or flash angles.

When we enter an area, we pay attention to alternate exit routes. While we look for clean backgrounds, we also identify places to seek immediate cover. While we identify and greet people we know (work the room), we also create goodwill with potential film couriers, should we need one.

Some habits must become scripted and understood at the office before we ever step foot out the door. We must coordinate where our film/disks will be hidden during an emergency. We preset speed dials on our cell phones. We stay physically capable to handle what life throws at us.

PJs must deliver publishable images by deadline. If we think everything through before it happens, we'll be able to tell the story to our readers and the story of the process to our friends.

Enough for now,

Dead PJs don't make deadline: tips on cover and concealment

I've covered both hostage standoffs and warrant roundups with other shooters (mostly TV). I've also been consistently shocked by how little they knew about staying alive.

Recently, I covered a county-wide warrant roundup. We didn't know what any of the offenders had done. Considering how heavily-armed the deputies were, I guessed it wasn't helping little old ladies jaywalk across the street.

When we arrived at the first location, the deputies surrounded a house. I settled down with a telephoto lens behind a large steel air conditioner within site of the house and made myself as small as possible.

Meanwhile, one of the TV folks stood in the middle of the street with his feet planted and a camera on his shoulder. Luckily, nobody was home, or there could've been blood and camera parts scattered throughout the neighborhood.

Most working photojournalists (PJs) aren't in combat zones, but a hostage standoff or warrant roundup can turn ugly fast. At least once each year, I've needed to know how to avoid bullets. Hopefully, this knowledge won't be used. However, it's too late to figure out what to do once bullets start flying.

Don't go out in someone else's blaze of glory

The speed of sound is 1130 feet per second (fps). A 9mm pistol round moves at 1175 fps. Military-grade 7.62mm and 5.56mm rifle rounds travel at about 2850 fps. In other words, nobody is going to hear the first shot before they're hit.

If surrounded people don't want to go to jail, they may decide to go out in a "blaze of glory." If these people are well trained and armed, they're going to take out the easiest targets first - namely the TV shooter standing in the middle of the street without body armor.

While this may make our front page more interesting, I'd rather get photos of a docile arrest or maybe a tackle and arrest. Everyone lives through the event, and everyone goes where they belong.

What's concealment?

Concealment is the ability to disappear from the view of others. Most people can't kill what they can't see with a direct-fire weapon. In practical terms, it means the bad guys won't put a bullet through our lens.

To me, anyone firing live rounds at unarmed PJs is a bad guy.

Practical concealment is like a game of hide-and-seek. PJs find a bush or some other object to mask our presence. This makes it easier for us to work without notice and, sometimes, without a trip to the hospital.

Often, police try to clear an area for "safety reasons." Many of my colleagues have images of governmental authorities doing some not-so-safe things to people when they think they're out of the limelight. Consequently, it's important to quickly find concealment and vanish not only from the subject, but also from authorities.

A thick bush is the fastest and easiest form of concealment. Shadows on sunny days can work if there are no other options. A combination of the two is always good. The point is to avoid being seen. This lets us stay in the area where breaking news is happening and live to tell the story.

What's cover

While concealment reduces the risk for PJs, cover ensures reasonable safety. Cover is an area of protection. Cover may also conceal a PJ, but it's primarily a place to avoid fire.

There are different levels of cover, but there's also a tradeoff with the ability to work. We need to find something thick enough to absorb or redirect rounds or shrapnel while allowing us to make images.

A tree with a thick trunk is cover. A brick wall is cover. A concrete or steel post is cover. An armored car or personnel carrier is cover. All of these items will absorb or redirect potentially harmful projectiles. Each also creates challenges for PJs to do their jobs.

All a PJ actually needs is a hole in a cement wall large enough for a lens. Unfortunately, this is all someone with a rifle needs as well. However, the less exposed we are to fire, the less damage we're likely to receive.

Types of fire

We must choose cover based on the firepower we're facing. If we encounter a single gunman in a one-story house, a low brick wall could be enough cover.

If we're facing an incoming army with artillery and tanks, we'll need more fortification and overhead cover.

The key is to understand the weapons we face. There are two basic kinds of fire. These are direct and indirect.

Direct fire
Direct fire involves a line-of-sight weapon. Pistols, rifles and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) are the most common direct fire weapons. A projectile is aimed and fired at a target.

Basically, if a PJ can focus on a person with one of these weapons, that person could do the same with a direct-fire weapon. Aren't we glad we understand concealment now?

Indirect fire
Indirect fire involves using an arc to place a solid, fragmentary or combustible projectile in a location where direct fire isn't possible or feasible. Molotov cocktails, rockets, artillery, mortars and launched grenades are the most common.

These weapons give little or no warning before they explode beside someone in a seemingly "safe" environment. Indirect fire weapons are the most difficult to protect against and require solid overhead cover.

Types of projectiles

While we now understand we can face direct or indirect weapons when we get called away from the annual kindergarten parent's day, we also need to understand how particular weapons work for more unstable assignments.

Solid rounds
Most common weapons fire solid rounds. From slingshots to rifles, a solid object is hurled downrange toward a target. The purpose of the weapon is to place a single round in a single target.

As stated, these are the most common weapons PJs face. As long as we keep our eye on the weapon, and have adequate cover, we should live to tell the story.

While solid round weapons may appear easiest to avoid, it's important to understand the round can ricochet or create a fragmentation of other objects it hits. Consequently, it's best to find forward cover, but leave plenty of room behind yourself to let the round continue traveling. It sounds logical to hunker down between two walls until a round starts bouncing back and forth overhead.

Fragmentary
Fragmentary weapons break apart and send shrapnel in every direction. Common fragmentary weapons include grenades and almost all indirect weapons. The goal of the weapon is to inflict damage in every direction around the point of explosion.

Almost every terrorist device is fragmentary. The entire point of the weapon is to maximize damage. If PJs cover a known fragmentary attack, understand a delayed, secondary attack is very likely. It's important to stay low and move from cover to cover. Drop to the ground if there is a flash of light.

Combustible
Combustible weapons are similar to fragmentary weapons, but create additional problems after deployment. Common combustible weapons are Molotov cocktails as well as many military-grade bombs.

PJs are most likely to face Molotov cocktails during riots and other domestic disturbances. The best defense is to make images from the sidelines as a crowd faces authorities or another crowd.

As soon as a these devices are spotted, stay away from walls or other solid structures. The bottle can be broken against a building or tree and rain liquid fire and glass shards onto PJs.

Calculate the risks

Last time, we discussed the importance of living to tell the story. This involves taking calculated risks. When in doubt, err on the side of caution because a dead PJ doesn't make deadline.

This post explains the potential weapons we can face as we cover breaking news. While most tense situations allow a few minutes of mental preparation while we're en route, others can erupt without warning during a city hall meeting.

Most conflicts we cover end in an arrest or suicide. However, good PJs react quickly to breaking news and often arrive before S.W.A.T. teams. We better know what we're facing and how to deal with it.

Next time, we'll discuss how to apply this knowledge to survive dangerous situations.

Enough for now,

PJs have a "life wish"

This is my first contribution to the Black Star blog. They prefer contributors to include anecdotes to establish authenticity. I'm still in the air about this approach. I'd like to hear what y'all think.

Hurricane Rita was still blowing when I left the office. The streets were flooded. Those streets were located somewhere under the piles of trees, downed power lines, broken glass, misplaced roofs and twisted steel objects. I had recently returned from covering Hurricane Katrina, so I was trained and mentally prepared for what I might find. I had a first aid kit, food, water, gas, spare tires, an inflatable raft, emergency illuminators and a truck full of other possible needs.

I wasn't speeding, but I probably broke every other motor vehicle law in the department of public safety handbook. In one hour, I had driven the wrong way on freeways, driven in reverse up exit ramps and stopped on overpasses to make photos.

I was the only person on Interstate-10 for probably 100 miles in either direction. I knew the police and fire department weren't cleared to leave "safe" locations yet. I also knew I was on my own if something bad happened. There was no way to communicate, no tow trucks and no emergency workers. I needed to stay alive if I wanted to tell this story.

Dying Is Easy

Many people think photojournalists have a "death wish." The opposite is actually true. We have a "life wish." If anything, we're trying to cheat death as frequently as we can. We feel most alive after we've survived a harrowing experience.

Dying is easy. Living is the hard part.

Telling the story is our goal, but the process itself is the drug making us go into forest fires, ride out hurricanes and wade through gators and toxic sludge. We tell the story to our readers and the story of the process to our friends.

We're addicted to the speed of difficult situations. We think it's cool to see at f/22 and in slow motion when the adrenaline pumps. Otherwise, we wouldn't do this work.

However, we must live to tell the story. A dead photojournalist has failed.

Avoid Bad Decisions

Over the years, I've seen photojournalists make bad decisions. Some bad decisions cost people their lives. Most didn't. We can learn from both types.

A bad decision can lead to serious injury or death. A bad decision means a photojournalist isn't going to make deadline. They'll either be in jail, the hospital or the morgue. None of these options are good.

It takes training to avoid bad decisions. We must consider the options and choose the right one in advance. When the time comes, we'll only have one choice to consider:   the good option.

We should know exactly what to do, and how to do it, for any danger we're about to face. We must also decide what we're willing to do - and unwilling to do - to ensure we deliver the story. This often means erring on the side of caution rather than recklessness.

At other times, it means we might need to take an undesired action to ensure our own survival. The situation dictates this to us. We must have already considered our options before this moment to avoid a bad decision.

Think It Through

The key to surviving daring assignments is to consider as many dangers as possible before we're placed in those situations. If time allows, research everything there is to know about these dangers and ways to avoid being injured or killed.

If a photojournalist is covering a story about a particular kind of animal, for example, we need to know a lot. We need to know the animal's habits (particularly regarding food and reproduction). We need to know when and where they can be found. We also need to know how they attack, when they attack and how to avoid these attacks.

Furthermore, we might need to know how to survive in extreme cold or heat and how to keep our equipment functioning in these temperatures. We need to research heat stroke, frostbite, hypothermia, snow blindness and possibly simple things such as how to keep water from freezing or how to find water in a desert.

Once we know this information, we can tell stories without putting ourselves or our subjects in serious danger.

Train for the Event

Next, we should train for our assignments. If we're unsure about mountain climbing, scuba diving, surviving in a combat zone or other dangerous environments, we need to train before we go.

Not all assignments require training or allow training time. It's best to be in relatively good shape to handle most assignments without major fitness hurdles. Martial arts provide good fitness training with more practical benefits than spin aerobics. However, some assignments require additional work to ensure survival and image delivery.

Efficient photojournalists can make stories while they train. Most communities have clubs for everything from rock climbing to diving to paintball. The photojournalist can acquire needed skills while creating a publishable story about the club.

If anticipating a trip to a combat zone, it's better to have a few paintball bruises and a bruised ego, than a bullet lodged in a kidney.

Enough for now,

Please continue reading this series.

NYPA presentation links

For folks who attended today's first NYPA session, most of the session's information is listed at the following links:
What is a photojournalist?
How photojournalism affects the brain
Find a new word

Enough for now,

Quick tips to improve your photos

Additional information is located on the All PJ-related posts section of this blog.

Basics:
Read equipment manuals three times.
Have the right equipment for the job.
Know the difference between nouns and verbs.
Pre-consider potential visual problems and solutions.

Photo basics:
Fill the frame.
Have sharp focus.
Get the right exposure.
Time the images.

Fill the frame:
Get close.
Use long lens.
Crop in camera.
Get wide.
Back away when necessary.

Focus:
Stabilize the camera.
Focus on lead eye.
Adjust plane of focus / angle.
Use depth of field.
Adjust focal length for available light.
When focusing manually, use one finger.
Zone focus.

Exposure:
Zone V.
Hand meter the area.
Use alternative meter techniques: Sunny 16, palm, grass.
Understand the dynamic range.

Timing:
Have patience.
Look for repeated action patterns.
Anticipate the action.
Shoot at apex.
Shoot before collision - wind through reaction.
Get reflective shots (quiet moments)
Seek "timeless" images.
Time of day.

Composition:
Shoot horizontals and verticals.
Start with a clean background.
Have dark corners.
Place subject in background.
Use subject and foreground to cover unwanted elements.
Leave leading space.
Use Rule of Thirds/Fifths.
Build a strong skeletal structure.
Frame items within other items.
Avoid tangents.
Have clean edges.
Lead eyes with light and focus.
Layer the image.
Employ leading lines.
Employ repetition of pattern.
Block corners.
Juxtaposition (harmony / irony)

Where to crop:
Avoid cropping joints.
Contain subject within rectangle (Golden Ratio).
Avoid lights, reflections and voids.
Frame arcs and lines.

Before shooting:
Research stories - find those with emotional elements.
Verify location, access.
Double-check equipment.
Have business cards, pencil and notepad.
Refuse access contracts.

Upon arrival:
Arrive early. Stay late.
Shoot signs and rosters. Collect paperwork. Shoot name tags and numbers.
Shoot basic package: scene, normal, tight
Shoot story: lede, transitions, kicker, emotion.
Get cutline information (5W & H). Get sound if possible.


Selecting subjects:
Hunting techniques: shadows, oblique angle, concealment, pre-compose, pre-focus
Emotion
Activity
Color
Sound
Use attention span limitations.

Goals:
Tell the story.
Get main subjects.
Get emotion.
Shoot 100-frame minimum.
Use each lens.
Shoot each angle (left, right, high, low).
Shoot reflection / refraction.
Shoot silhouette / isolation.
Shoot blur.

Before leaving:
Understand the story.
Be able to tell the story in one frame, three frames, five frames, 20 frames.
Have all cutline information.
Have 100+ images.
Count equipment.

Advanced:
Find new word.
Make unique (rare) images: access, subject, news value, combination.
Multi layers
Multi meaning

Artificial light:
Use flash whenever it's helpful (no light, too slow).
Use flash from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. outdoors (fill light).
Get flash off the camera.
Understand what causes red-eye.
Try to keep flash angles from 45 to 90 degrees.
Diffuse light.
Color balance artificial light.
Learn to light large areas.
Use multiple lights to add depth.
Be ready to manually calculate exposure (guide number).
Understand inverse square law of light.
Speed techniques (stop action).
Light painting with mixed light and flash.
Increase depth of field with artificial light.

Know your rights (most is covered on this link)
It's best to be courteous to defuse confrontations.
Don't be belligerent.
The First Amendment provides the right for anyone to make photos.
Anyone can shoot in public places, streets and sidewalks.
Anyone can shoot where access is granted.
Property owners have the right to deny access.
Understand trespass law by state.
Generally, PJs can shoot until asked to stop.
Exceptions include military facilities and some areas within nuclear plants.
Model releases aren't required for editorial use (but pubs may still require).
Celebrities, politicians and emergency workers limited their right to privacy (injected themselves into spotlight).
Felony criminals have no right to privacy until in prison.
The right to privacy is seriously limited in public places.
The exception to this is medical facilities (which include ambulances in some states).
Business security isn't sufficient to prohibit photography.
Trade secrets aren't in public view. Trade dress doesn't apply to photojournalism.
Police may limit access, but can't prohibit photography (prior restraint).
You aren't required to explain the purpose of your photography.
Coercion and harassment by private security is a criminal offense in all states.
Private parties have limited rights to detain and could face criminal and civil charges.
Without a court order, private parties can't confiscate film.
Ask what law was specifically violated.
Ask for this person's name, and who they represent.
Report rights violations to police. Call before the offender does.

Enough for now,

Basic VJ copyright

video by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


Doctors and other medical professionals in the Beaumont area gather to relieve stress by playing rock music in a studio above a three-car garage (3CG). The 3CG band performs a jam session of blues.


Music has three copyrights. They are: the composer, the performer and the production company. For music videos, the VJ holds the fourth copyright, but is subject to the first three.

As new VJs ask around, they might hear about the "20-second rule." There is no such rule for individuals or businesses (including newspapers). I won't say what it equates to in the real world, but we'll say a lot of folks get babies by applying a similar fictitious rule.

IF - and only IF - a radio or TV station has all the proper ASCAP record-keeping and payment processes in place, they can use 20 seconds (or more). Since ASCAP licenses are outrageously expensive, don't expect a newspaper to pay the bill. Even if they do, it only applies to the newspaper's Web site - not to a VJ's personal site or blog.

To play music, show a theater performance or even a specific choreography routine, it must be original and a VJ needs the composer's AND performer's permission (preferably on tape).

Then, the VJ becomes the de facto production company (if sound is live) and also retains the shooting copyright.

When a band only performs covers of other people's work*, VJs can ask the band to play "Blues in B." Almost any band can play this. It's the standard jam-session song. It doesn't step on any copyright and actually lets the performers shine.

This isn't foolproof because one of the players could start playing something from another band, but it's the best we can do without taking years of music lessons and law courses.

* If the performers cover Bach, you're OK. We're talking about contemporary pieces from the last 70 years.

Background sound
If music is playing in the background at an event, I've read it isn't a problem to record natural sound while covering news (this might be the infamous 20-second rule). This applies to situations such as festivals and other events where VJs have no control over the sound system.

However, adding music after-the-fact as background is still forbidden unless the VJ has appropriate licences.

Enough for now,

NPPA clip contest goes dit

We knew dit competition was coming. It took a little longer than expected, but monthly digital clip competitions are finally here. :-)

This is great for most National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) members. It should save us lots of money (shipping and printing), allow our images to compete rather than layout and press reproduction, raise the bar for our work, speed the entire process, provide inspiration (and ideas) and increase association membership.

I'm not certain if we'll be able to see all the entries or just the winners. If it's like the multimedia competition, this will be extra cool because we'll be able to see both the greatest and the average images each month.

Because it's new, and they're a little late announcing the change, the January contest period is three-weeks. After January, it'll be due on the 7th like before. However, this is now a global deadline (instead of the way it was).

I'm excited about this because it should radically improve the number and quality of contestants. I think I only entered in August last year and got 3rd for Feature / Multiple. It makes me wonder what could've happened if I competed the other 11 months. It also makes me wonder how many other NPPA members didn't enter all year (and could've easily beaten my shots).

We've discussed the advantage before. But for new PJs with talent, this is the fastest way to get some pro PJ competition wins. For folks who want to become PJs, it's a fast way to see if you have what it takes. Join NPPA and enter. If you're winning, you've got it handled and can snag a job or enough gigs to keep a pizza in the freezer.

I've updated the PJ Contest Calendar to include the changes. I look forward to seeing the best work from everyone each month.

Enough for now,

Guiseppe's PJ heroics

The Enterprise hires young independent contractors to sell newspapers near busier intersections on Sundays. They're a modern continuation of the celebrated paperboy.

These young entrepreneurs have decided to honorably earn money on the weekends. Most folks at the paper are very proud of these kids because they're doing something positive with their lives. They work and earn money the old-fashioned way.

They stand in the rain, cold or heat to make a few bucks to help us tell the news. It's a thankless job. We're indebted to their dedication.

I don't carry cash most of the time. But when I do, I'll buy a paper from these kids. Not because I need it (I get as many as I want at work), but I want to support these young businesspeople.

So, I became furious when I read "15-year-old newspaper vendor beaten, robbed" on The Enterprise Web site.

The story is about one good kid and three bad kids. It's also about one rockin' PJ.

Guiseppe Barranco is the newest addition to the photo department. When he saw one of these young vendors get beaten and robbed in broad daylight by three other teens, he jumped into action.

Guiseppe made sure the newspaper vendor was healthy and safe. Then he tracked down the thugs, called the police while he tailed them, and later gave chase on foot while police detained two of the three.

It was Guiseppe's day off. He was going to the store with his girlfriend when he saw the violence. He could have continued, but he made good choices and did what was right. All it takes is one person to do the right thing to make this a better planet.

My thanks go to Guiseppe. I also want to thank all the young entrepreneurs who sell our papers on Sunday. It's a rough job. Sometimes it's even worse. You're all my heroes.

Enough for now,

PhotoJournalism New Year

Until this year, this blog was either firmly above or below the competence level of other PJs. During 2007, several PJs graduated with their master's degrees or otherwise moved into or advanced in the pro world. Some are already kicking butt.

I've stated several times that I'm an average PJ. To this extent, my work is the acid test. If your work is consistently better than mine, you're doing well. If you're work isn't consistently better than mine, your work needs to improve. As you try to improve your work, so do I. Through this process, my work should continue to be average.

This brings us back to the first sentence of this post. In a way, I feel new PJs are my children. I've watched many grow into fine PJs over the last four years. This year, many have spread their wings and flown from the nest.

I applaud their achievements. I wish them all the luck they'll need to excell in this changing profession. I encourage them to raise the bar and make us all want to work harder.

Meanwhile, I plan to do my best each day. I'll work for this community (Southeast Texas), for my profession and for this blog's readers.

With this said, it's time for me to dig through the old posts and fill some missing gaps. The PJs who are advancing beyond this simple advice are encouraged to do so. The folks who are beginning to walk down this path are encouraged to read previous and future posts about this profession.

I know experienced pros have no need to reexamine what they already know. However, several are kind enough to visit occasionally and add their voice. To them, I say thank you. This is why I always request your comments and e-mails about posts. Together, we're paving the road for the next generation of PJs.

When we're young, we are immortal. As we age, we realize how little time we have on this planet. The exponential growth of knowledge and its delivery in recent years allows us to hasten the scientific process. Although it's a drop of water in the ocean, I hope this blog allows new PJs to avoid my mistakes. My New Year's wish is they'll learn this business better and faster than I.

Enough for now,

Take the PJ quiz

Strangely, one of the most popular posts on this blog is the environmental portrait quiz. To me, it's too easy. The AP style pop quizzes also got some responses from readers. Personally, I like to take the Newseum's trivia quizzes.

Since I plan to spend a lot of time this year combing through and updating previous blog posts, I'll start posting questions from those posts. I'll post the question on the front page and link it to the post with the answer(s). PJs who know the answers can skip the link, others might want to follow the link and read the post.

I started drafting the questions and already have January covered. So, it shouldn't be a problem to create one question per day during 2008.

Since some folks are new to the blog and/or visit via RSS and may not read this post, I'll turn off the comments on the quiz links. This should keep folks from giving away the answers.

I'll link the quiz page on the sidebar (important links) and add new quiz questions to the post for instructors to use in classroom studies. Since the answers are already provided, it's an open-book test. However, I'm not going to provide an answer key. If someone doesn't know the answer, follow the link.

Enough for now,

The PJ quiz

Questions are linked to previous posts on this blog with appropriate answers. New questions are added daily during 2008.

Categories
A. Basic
B. Composition
C. How to...
D. Get a job
E. Business
F. Sports
G. Lighting
H. Writing
I. General PJ
J. Multimedia
K. Legal / Ethics
L. Applied PJ
M. AP pop quizes

Basic
Back to top

1. What's the difference between a photographer and a photojournalist?
2. What is the most common type of camera used by newspaper PJs? Why?
3. What three camera variables can adjust exposure values?
4. What are the three minimum requirements of most successful photographs?
5. What's an ISO?
6. What is the average start-up costs for a beginning PJ?
7. What's the minimum shutter speed a PJ should use with an 80~200mm zoom lens?
8. What determines an image's sharpness?
(This question has a general and a specific answer.)
9. What happened to the delivery speed of PJ work during the last 10 years?
10. From a PJ's position, what angle and direction should a shadow lay for most assignments?
11. What does a PJ see through the viewfinder when s/he squeezes the shutter release button?
12. What does a tripod prevent?
13. What's depth of field?
14. What's the most important part of a camera system?
15. What is a stringer?
16. What are four of the eight major fields of photography?
17. Which type of light meter reading is most accurate?
18. What is composition?
19. Who is responsible for the actions of a photographer?
20. What is one of the easiest and cheapest pieces of equipment to improve image quality?
21. What functions does a flash card wallet perform?
22. What does the golden ratio determine?
23. What is a cutline?
24. Which university is currently considered the best for photojournalists? Why?
25. What is a clean image?
26. What is the dynamic range?
27. What causes red eye?
28. What is a photograph's skeletal structure?
29. How do PJs define tangents?
30. What is a critique?
31. Where is the plane of focus located?

Composition
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32. What is composition?
33. What does it mean to shoot "full frame"?
34. Of the four dimensions, which two can't be captured with a still photograph?
35. What compositional device holds an image together on a printed page?

How to...
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61. What should PJs do before dramatic weather changes?

Get a job
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92. Are elected officials or PJs subjected to the most thorough background checks?

Business
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122. In what two ways does "A penny saved is a penny earned" affect a PJ's business?
123. Why should business cards be thermographically printed?

Sports
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153. What should be the first shots taken at any sporting event?

Lighting
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183. What are the Kelvin-degree color temperatures of daylight and tungsten light?

Writing
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214.

General PJ
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244. Why is photography considered the most powerful form of communication?
245. What sells newspapers?
246. Before charging off to breaking news, what should a PJ do?
247.When it comes to PJ, what is the primary concern of a publisher or assignment editor?

Multimedia
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275. What is the difference between a "photo clump" and a photo story?

Legal / Ethics
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305. Who is considered "press" or "media" in America?
306. The U.S. government can close a U.S. newspaper only if it does what?
307. How does the Fairness Doctrine and Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1937 apply to a PJ's coverage of elections?

Applied PJ
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336. Why would PJs make more than one portrait of a single subject?

Deadline pop quizzes
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Where in the AP Stylebook can a journalist find the guidelines to write the following?

1. The name of military educational institutions and its students?
2. The title of a clergy member?
3. The type of gun used in news stories?
4. The name, personal pronouns and capitalization for dogs?
5.