What do I need to know to become a photojournalist?

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I'm looking for info. on becoming a photojournalist for my research on careers.Can you tell me what school should I go to,what credits do I need,history of photojournalism,how much do you get paid(weekly,monthly,and yearly),and other useful information about photojournalism?(By the way I'm a sophomore,10th grade.)Thanks!

-- Robert Reardon (www.oxfist12@hotmail.com), February 25, 2002

Answers

Robert, I am almost 20 and i have been a writting,keeping journals, and working on a book right now. I know that I am probably not the best source of information, but I can tell you that you would deffinetly need to take journalism, grammar, photography, and photojournalism classes when you leave senior high school.If your school offers those classes already, then stick to it. Remember that journalist are not paid too highly at first; I would say you would get paid as much as a teacher at first, but your pay rises with your experience and quality that you put into your work.This type of job is about creativity, art, and most of all its for the love of writting. Don't worry about low pay, because if you work for a brochure in the traveling agency, then you will see the world for free.One thing to remember about writting in jornalisim,(novels as well), you have to write it first, then prof-read, then edit, then type up the final draft. If you prof- read before you edit, you might become dissatisfied with your work, and lose intrest. Keep writting Robert, be a creative person. One more thing, never write to become rich; it defeats the creativity in a person,(life is about happiness, not greed).

-- William Mc. ('foo@bar.com'), April 03, 2002.

Look, these days you can't get a decent job without any college, unless you're pursuing a career in photojournalism. I had to interview a person in the career that I wanted to get into and the guy I interviewed said he started his career straight out of high school, he has never attended any college, gotten any kind of degree, certification, or anything like that and now he's Chief Photo Editor at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, which is a small newspaper in California. The only thing you must have is connections. You need to know people, start internships, remember it's not what you know, it's WHO you know.

-- Jose D. Ramirez (definit284@yahoo.com), May 18, 2002.

easy one. find a college program that offers a degree in photojournalism (Ohio University would be a good one) ... graduate (after serving several internships at newspapers during summer vacations) ... prepare yourself to make small cash at a small newspaper (unless you're blessed to land a job at a large market daily) ... prepare to work in all kinds of weather and photograph all kinds of people (some will like you, some will hate you) ... call the local newspapers photo editor and talk to him/her and the staff photographers, or at a small paper, the staff photographer ... you will not work 9-5 ... but, the profession will open doors for you that the average guy on the street will never get behind ... you will have access to great events .... it is very rewarding, a new product everyday (every single day the paper is published it is a new product, nothing of the day before is in the paper) ... develop your people skills - you have to like people to do this job ... I know some photogs that would be better off working in a morgue ... hope it helps ... start shooting and keep shooting (film or digital) ... bill

-- Bill Kennedy (artguy313@aol.com), November 03, 2002.

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