Is professional documentary photography dead?

Simply because people have better access to tools doesn’t mean they can replace expert practitioners. The market is changing and shrinking but I think there will always be a space for documentary photojournalists…

Hi Miguel, I wrote a piece last year about future of photojournalism… still think it is relevant today as nothing really changed on the photoJ side since then in terms of innovation and willingness to survive beyond the golden age era.
Here’s the link: http://www.gholubowicz.com/bulb/2010/12/sortir-du-cadre-think-wider-future-of-photojournalism-in-english/

Cheers

David Campbell wrote quite eloquently about this in a series of articles called “Revolutions in the Media Economy”

http://www.david-campbell.org/2009/09/14/revolutions-in-the-media-economy-1/

My view, is that the argument that “photojournalism is dead” is not only deeply flawed and largely baseless but incredibly boring.

There are issues however, and challenges facing our industry, as with most creative industries.

I think part of the problem is also the large amount of online photojournalism and photography magazines who, despite giving story-tellers a platform for their work, don’t/can’t/won’t pay them or fund the projects. This is a double-edged sword but it’s ultimately counter-productive. It’s also a problem in journalism and other creative fields but seems very prevalent in photography.

As photographers, we need to start embracing new models of funding and revenue generation and think like entrepreneurs as well as ‘artists.’ But also, publications – print and online – need to get off their arses, generate some revenue and be prepared to invest in quality content to create a great product!

Ultimately however, with regard to your main point, I think Damaso has it spot on:

“Simply because people have better access to tools doesn’t mean they can replace expert practitioners. The market is changing and shrinking but I think there will always be a space for documentary photojournalists…”

it’s not dead yet. I’m still living from documentary.
if you need some one on the field, you can contact me.
Best Ollivier

http://www.olliviergirard.com

I’ve put myself already above this issue, I could’t care less. If some media are happy using mediocre images and if people are okay watching it, well that’s fine with me. The more crap the better.

Is pj’ism dead?….ask the editors!

It hasn’t gone the way of the Dodo, but any more doo-doo and it will join the Dodo.

Not really dead, but web use of images need a decent ethic use..fotoquote is almost totally ignored by news websites, that rely on low cost images, even if they have top-selling pop-up ads in the site..this is strongly happening here..
Market will change, I don’t think that photojournalism is dead or will die, but times are hard now, is this a new thing in other sectors perhaps?

Are we talking about making money or about good documentary photography? They might not be one and the same.

yes

By the way, citizen journalism, youtube and other things you mentioned nothing have to do with this issue. Documentary need to be done with some mint and soul, you need to know what you want to tell. Not the hard news, this is another story. The problem is that editors and heads of the media ignore a lot of issues because some entity said that don’t fit in the x media. You still can make a life working for a lot of magazines and newspapers and there was include articles about the positive increase of subscriptions with the new ipad or whatever devices you want of this kind. The problem is the contain. I doubt very good documentaries are well paid. You need a little fortune to end one. And help a lot if you cover an issue in the radar of the big capitalists countries. Documentary and photojournalism never will die. Make a live doing it yes. Hope this help.

today with your mobile phone u can make an instant and good job and send it for free to media

Is free media the same as a free lunch?

“Is free media the same as a free lunch? "

amen

I am not sure that I understand the allusion of a free lunch with regard to free media. In fact, I not sure what free media is. Would you explain, Mikethehack?

most published work in local and international media are free dowmloaded i dont or i am sure that no body pay all this image fees.