PhotoJournalism 3 Million View Contest

3/13/22 Update: Congratulations to the winners. See y'all at 4 million!

2/12/22 UPDATE: I realized that I had the wrong email address, the correct email address is DFWmark21@gmail.com so I am extending the contest to 3/12/22. If you sent your information before, please send it again. Thanks!

If you like photography or photos, you can win a prize in honor of the PhotoJournalism blog getting more than 3 million views. I never expected to get 5,000 visitors, so this achievement is remarkable.

To celebrate this milestone, I'm offering a signed print of my work to three different blog visitors (one for each million views). I normally don't sign prints, so these are rare.

What's the prize?
I’ll print and mail a signed 11x14 photo print to three winners. Winners will select which print they want from any photos on my blog or Instagram feeds (personal or business) except my photo mosaics or images with © (copyright symbol) next to The Dallas Morning News.

In other words, y'all can pick any image I've posted with a © next to my name, DFWmark or The Beaumont Enterprise that isn’t a photo mosaic.

For example, this image isn't included, but this image is. They were both shot for DMN, but the first is as staff and the second is freelance. Simply look at the copyright symbol location and pick your favorite.

Older images may look out of focus on the blog, but it's an image compression problem from back when Blogger was new. They're as sharp and clear as any of the newer images.

Everyone who enters gets my monthly Information Of Value newsletter (you can download the book for free from my Google Drive). You can unsubscribe at any time.

What's the catch?
Winners will be selected in a randomized computer drawing after the contest period ends on 28 Feb. 2022. Winners’ names will be posted on the blog and those winners will be notified to select a preferred image.

Contest is limited to one entry per person/email address/phone. I need each entrant’s name, email address and phone number to verify. If the winner is under 18, the winner’s parents/guardian must approve their photo selection.

I'm only going to pay shipping inside the U.S. If the winner is outside the U.S., we can work out some arrangement to get the print to you. Otherwise, whomever wins gets a prize.

How to win?
Email your Name and phone number to DFWmark21@gmail.com. Each complete entry (name and phone number via email) will be assigned a number. On March 1, I’ll load the number of complete entries into a randomizer and allow it to pick three numbers. The people assigned to those numbers will be notified to claim their prize. I’ll need physical mailing addresses at that point for the winners.

If I only get a comment, it's not a winner. I'll add the winners’ names and general location (city, state, country) to this post when there are confirmed winners.

Good luck to all. Please share a link to this information and invite your friends to enter!

Enough for now,

TREC Consumer Protection Notice update

 

Farewell to NewsEagles

Well folks, I've decided to shut down NewsEagles. It will be up through February. This change will affect the SoundSlides shows on the PhotoJournalism blog, but I plan to reformat those as YouTube videos in the future.

My new website is DFWmark.com. It's a real estate website with direct access to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). If you or an associate is ready to buy, sell or lease, it's the best first stop.

Enough for now,

Video Portfolio playlist on NewsEagles

I created a new video Portfolio playlist on the NewsEagles Channel. It includes both PhotoJournalism and Squadron TV work. I'll add more in the future.

Enough for now,

What Is A Photojournalist?

video © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com
photos © Mark M. Hancock, The Beaumont Enterprise or Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

This presentation is an updated version of a speech given at the New York Press Association Annual Convention in 2008. This presentation is intended for non-photojournalists and especially students considering photojournalism as a career. To see more videos, please visit and subscribe to the NewsEagles channel on YouTube. More to come. 


Enough for now,

Welcome to a new academic year

Like it or not, a new academic year has started. If you’re new to PhotoJournalism, welcome. If you’re an old timer, I’m still alive. ;-)

While I plan to fill the missing gaps with slideshows, I also plan to post slideshows (with and without sound) onto my YouTube channel at youtube.com/NewsEagles. Then, the images will have a home long after I’m gone. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel to see everything.

For newcomers, please read through the links at the top of the sidebar. Of primary interest should be:
Welcome to PJ 
What is a PJ? 
All PJ-related posts

Enough for now,

Catching up in 2012

If y'all haven't guessed, I'm forcing myself to catch up on old files this year. Some of these folders literally contain thousands of images to cull, edit, tone and (sometimes) caption before I make the slideshows.

Additionally, I'm still shooting assignments for newspapers, magazines and businesses while editing and publishing as many as three books each month. I also have two other major projects (unrelated to PJ) in the works.

Once I catch up, I'll start digging through my archive. As noted in December, I got a negative scanner and have several million images on the shelf.

Consequently, I have plenty of images to present in the future. Stay tuned and thanks for your patience.

Enough for now,

PJ Challenge Competition

One hard-working PJ/reader is about to EARN an Urban Disguise 50 V2.0 laptop/camera bag valued at $179.

In honor of this blog’s 2 millionth milestone (not really, but it’s a happy coincidence), the good people at Think Tank Photo have offered the rockin' prize posted above.

Rather than a regular (subjective) PJ contest for the best quality images, this contest is for hard-working PJs. Let’s reward the PJ who works the hardest on all the subjects a PJ should do each week.

A shopping list of PJ subjects is posted below. To win this prize, a PJ must be the first to shoot and post links to ALL of the subjects*.

* Rules:
1) The subjects must be shot on or after August 9, 2011.
2) All photos, videos, slideshows and captions must be posted to publically-viewable locations on the Web (newspaper website, blog, portfolio websites, etc.). The spot news photo MUST be on a news site (it must be vetted by an editor).
3) PJ must shoot and post links to ALL subjects listed below. Simply cut-and-paste the list into the comments section and add a link to EACH example of YOUR work. Each subject and/or link may only be entered in one category below. Only entries submitted as comments for this post will be considered (no e-mail).
Again, contestants can only enter ONE entry in the comment section of this post with ALL subjects and links in the ONE post. The post should have exactly 13 links.
4) Each image link must have an appropriate photo(s) and/or video for the category and a complete cutline (names, dates, locations, etc.).
5) All entries will be time-stamped by Blogger when the entry is submitted. The first to complete the PJ challenge wins.
6) Once a winner is determined, the winner must be willing to e-mail their personal information to me for Think Tank Photo to mail your prize.
7) Mark M. Hancock is only responsible for verifying the completion of this challenge. The winner is subject to any additional rules required by Think Tank Photo (I don’t think there are any, but I’m covering all bases).
8) PJ's only provide links to the images/videos as evidence. Copyright owner(s) keeps all rights.

Please see the Labels section of this blog to clarify terms.

Categories
Please provide a link to ALL of the following:

1) Spot news (must be a news link rather than personal site)
2) General news
3) Sports
4) Feature photo
5) News photo story (three photo minimum)
6) Feature photo story (three photo minimum)
7) Concert or theater
8) Education
9) News or business portrait
10) Wildlife
11) Product photo (a restaurant review is fine)
12) Slideshow
13) Video

Good luck and get to work.

Enough for now,

2 Million page views

Thanks to everyone for helping this blog achieve more than 2 million page views. It was never expected, but is appreciated.

Enough for now,

Going to NOLA

Sorry about the lack of posts lately, but I've been working, working, working. I have plenty of shoots to post, but no time to organize and post them.

Some recent shoots are actually on the buy site if anyone wants a sneak peek or to purchase a print.

My goal is to start catching up on posts when I return from vacation next week. I may even post a few months worth in a single day. We'll see.

My career shifted

As I foreshadowed, I've accepted a job as associate editor of book publications at Squadron Signal Publications. I'm still in the publishing industry, but I'm utilizing other skills (research, editing and layout) as well as my dusty military knowledge. I began work yesterday (Dec. 1).

Modelers and military history buffs should recognize the company. Squadron has specialized in military models, books and modeling supplies for 40 years. It's a rapidly-growing company with a bright future. If you're looking for unique gifts, check out their products.

In addition to being a cool job, I'll also have predictable work hours and income as well as a daily mission to accomplish. :-)

I'll continue to be a freelance PJ after 5:30 p.m. and on weekends. I'll still post images as they roll off embargo. Additionally, I plan to write PJ-related posts to bridge some knowledge gaps on this blog.

The interview with CPOY-winner Tim Hussin will post later this week. Afterward, there should be enough images rolling off embargo to fill most of December.

I remain dedicated to the Freelance Project because it's critical to stop the industrial bleeding of talent and public information. The project's intent is autonomy. Once it's funded and operational, it should stand on its own.

In a short time, many journalists have already expressed interest on the Facebook group. We still need to identify qualified reporters for the board of directors. Please take the Reporter Challenge and send your results for consideration.

Enough for now,

Hurricane Dolly

As most folks know, Hurricane Dolly is heading toward the southernmost Texas coast. It's expected to make landfall tomorrow somewhere around the King Ranch (hundreds of miles of cows and no access).

As of 10 p.m. CDT, NOAA states it's still a Category 1 hurricane (like Hurricane Humberto) and not expected to strengthen much more overnight.

I'll direct everyone to visit Michael Zamora's blog. He's a PJ at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. He's covering the storm's northern edge, and his images are likely to be on the front pages of your favorite Web sites for the next few days.

We've exchanged e-mails, and he's in good spirits, but I'm sure he could use some supportive comments on his blog. :-)

I planned to cover it if it became a Cat. 2 or higher over the Gulf. It didn't, so I stayed in Dallas.

Although both cities are in Texas, Brownsville is about as far from Dallas as South Carolina or Quebec are from New York. I was willing to invest in a major storm, but can't justify the out-of-pocket expense for a Cat. 1 storm.

Enough for now,

No longer daily

Although I've had a great week with many assignments, I made a difficult decision. Starting today, this blog won't be a daily endeavor. It's been fun and motivating to deliver new images every day for the last few years, but I must now show current images as they becomes available.

I have an extremely deep archive (thousands) of images I could post. However, they don't reflect the work I'm doing now or want to do in the future. PJs are only as good as their last shot. Old images simply water-down everything else I'm currently doing.

Going forward, I'll post new images as I make them (self-assigned) or as publication embargoes end. I've been in Dallas more than a month, so newspaper images are rolling off embargo each week while magazine work is on hold for months.

Instead of posting stock or dragging out a story for a week to make a daily quota, I'll post the complete stories and won't post again until something new becomes available. I'll break up a few sets to spread them out some, but the volume of work I'm producing isn't the same as when I was a daily staffer.

Between the shooting time and fuel costs, I can't afford to personally finance run-and-gun feature hunts. I am, however, building up the DFW events blog for future assignments as well as updating sections of this blog.

I have too many brands in the fire to mention, and I hope to return to creating the same volume of images daily. However, it won't happen in the next two months.

Meanwhile, I plan to write more (shooting tips, how-to pieces, interviews and other PJ-related posts as well as stories to accompany my images). Those entries are likely be my only post of the day (rather than a photo AND a written piece).

Some folks have this blog on RSS feeds. It's a good way to keep up with this blog. Folks on RSS will probably see more posts because I plan to back-fill some images into the archive. For the folks who visit each few days, there will always be something new.

I'm not going away. I haven't hung up the cameras. I've recently invested thousands into better equipment. I simply refuse dilute my work to make a daily quota.

Enough for now,

Moving day

Fayrouz and I move back to Dallas/Fort Worth today. I'll be offline for the next week or two as we settle into our new home in Plano.

In the meantime, I'll post some freelance gigs I've shot. These images should function as the official transition images between my time as a staff photojournalist and a full-time freelance photojournalist.

I have some commitments in Dallas (familiar publications to long-time readers). I'll also start looking for more clients once I settle down. Consequently, the scope of this blog isn't going to change much.

I've started selling stock images in Europe. While most stock photos are editorial (news), some are commercial and conceptual illustrations. Once I have a better handle on the industry, I'll post suggestions about the best way to navigate the stock photo market minefield.

Many thanks go to fellow bloggers Michael Rubenstein and Andy Goetze for their guidance and help with this process.

I plan to accomplish several tasks by the end of this year. Almost everything should appear on this blog in one form or another. Stay tuned, it could become really exciting around here.

Enough for now,

I made my goal

PJs make lofty goals to keep motivated. Sometimes those goals are elusive. They don't even seem possible. One of my personal goals fell into this category - until today.

When I was hired at The Beaumont Enterprise, I promised I was worth my pay. The only quantifiable measure I can access is print sales. So, I latched onto it. My goal was to sell more than the rest of the photo staff combined.

To make it fair, I didn't push image sales or pad folders to increase sales. I wanted people to buy images because they wanted the images. My only promotion was a link from the copyright notification on this blog to the purchase site.

Additionally, the images from Hurricane Rita were only available on request for various reasons I don't fully understand.

I've chased this goal since I arrived. At times I was within $50 of my goal and other PJs would nail some great images. Each dollar they earned put me two dollars behind. It's been frustrating.

For the record, the income from print sales goes to the company. Therefore, I have no financial interest in print sales. However, I do have an interest in braggin' rights.

After three years, I'm about to leave Beaumont. I didn't think I'd make my goal before I left. However, I finally made my goal today. I'm actually slightly over my goal. Thank you for your support! :-)

Enough for now,

Goin' back to Dallas

Fayrouz got a great job in Collin County. I'm very proud of her.
:-)

This means after three years in Southeast Texas, we're moving along. Yup, Fay and I are moving back to Dallas. I presented my resignation Thursday morning, so it's official.

As of June 1, 2008, I'll be a full-time freelance photojournalist based in Dallas. I'm already working a few angles, but I can't really do anything concrete until I'm back in Big D.

When Fay and I were cyber-dating, we once daydreamed that she would get a great job in America, and I would become an "artist." She reminded me of the conversation tonight. So, this is what may happen. I'm not sure.

At the moment, this process feels like a zero-gravity ride. I expect to land on my feet, but this is simultaneously startling and exhilarating. Whatever happens next is best.

I'm preparing a going-away slideshow of images from the last three years. I'll post it on May 16, 2008, which is my last work day. Yes, it will be long.

The next installment of the Black Star series will post around May 1 and the final piece of the series will run around May 15. They'll post the following day on this blog.

I've been holding several freelance commercial shoots this year. I'll post them between the time we leave Beaumont, and I start producing work in Dallas.

While this may mean I won't produce many hard news images during June, I'll probably have lots of extra time to write some important text posts. I may even start compiling this darn book I've threatened for the last four years.

Uncertainty is the only thing I seem to be certain of today. But, it's best.

Enough for now,

Last day in Albany

© Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

The Egg performance arts center contrasts angular construction of buildings in Albany, NY on Saturday, April 5, 2008.

I'm flying back to Houston via Cincinatti today. I'll have a slideshow later this week from the New York Press Association spring convention.
&nbsp

I'm flying to NY

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

A Great Egret is startled by a ferry's horn near the ferry crossing over the waterway between Calcasieu Lake and the Gulf of Mexico in Cameron, La. on Tuesday, July 3, 2007.


I'm flying to Albany, NY today for the New York Press Association Spring Convention. I'll be the old guy with the boonie hat and Texan accent. If you attend the convention, please say howdy to me after my presentations (I'll be freaking out until I'm done).

On Friday, I'll be presenting "What is a Photojournalist" from 2:15 - 3:30 p.m. followed by "Quick Ways to Improve Your Images" from 3:45 - 5 p.m. (this one may run long). These presentations are at The Hampton Inn.

Here are the session descriptions:

What is a photojournalist?

This session is intended for non-photojournalists, who want learn about professional visual journalism. Learn what makes photojournalism different than other photography styles. Learn how photojournalism can be the most powerful form of communication. Learn how to effectively work with photojournalists to maximize reader impact. Put on the boots of a photojournalist for a while and understand why they love this work so much.

Quick ways to improve your images

This session is intended for working news photographers and photojournalists. However, it's helpful for anyone who makes images. This session includes fast, effective, proven techniques to improve everyone's images and make images pack more punch when they hit the newsstand. This session reveals pro techniques in story telling, composition, exposures, focus, access, cutline accuracy and more. Some working knowledge of photography is suggested to keep up with this fast-paced session.

While the first session states it's for non-PJs, some PJs may want to attend and think of it as a "Defense Against the Dark Arts" class. I'll explain what PJs do in journalism terms.

I'll be around the whole weekend if anyone wants to shoot the breeze or show me their work. I'll be staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Expect to see a shot or two from the trip. :-)

For the record, think twice before you accept a speaking gig. The semester of speech I took in college never prepared me to give two separate back-to-back speeches this long. Whew!

Since I've spent weeks getting these ready, I may turn them into a images-and-words training video later this year (minus the "where was I?" moments of the live version).

For all three of this blog's regular readers, I'll post the Quick Tips cheat sheet on Friday. It won't be linked immediately and some of it may not make sense yet, but it may be helpful to y'all anyway.

Next week I'll be finishing a multi-media sports project I've been working on since last year. It should post sometime the following week.

I plan to be back on blogging target (daily PJ questions will return) around April 15th, which happens to be the first day I'll deliver a post for the Black Star blog. It'll be cross-posted here as well, but it may go over the heads of casual shooters. I may have some other interesting news about then as well.

Enough for now,

No PJ questions this week

This year has been insanely busy. This week should pump up the volume more. So, I don't have time to make PJ questions this week. I'll make up for the posts when I get time. There will still be 366 Qs (it's a leap year) by Dec. 31.

Meanwhile, on Friday and possibly Saturday, I'll be photoblogging live as part of a project with the newspaper. For folks who come here via Google Reader, Bloglines, Netvibes or similar notification, this blog will be overly active for a day or two this week.

Enough for now,

Goin' to New York

It's official now. I'll be stuttering speaking at the New York Press Association annual spring convention and trade show at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Albany, New York on Friday, April 5, 2008. I'll make two presentations:

2:15 - 3:30 p.m. - What is a Photojournalist
3:45 - 5 p.m. - Quick Ways to Improve Your Images

The first presentation is mostly for non-PJs. The second presentation is for PJs. But, PJs are welcome to attend both. Then, y'all can make fun of my accent.

The convention takes place on April 5-6, 2008. I'm only speaking on Friday, but I should be there through Sunday morning. So, anybody who attends is welcome to swap stories or get a critique during my "down time."

It would also be nice to finally meet some NY bloggers there. I've been assured they have enough coffee. :-)

I couldn't locate convention registration information, but the Web site suggests contacting Rich Hotaling, association and creative services manager. They're still getting everything settled, but they should post full details soon.

Enough for now,