纽约时报摄影师Michael Kamber给年轻摄影师的若干忠告(转)
6月10日
我正在巴格达的纽约时报记者站执行任务期间写下这些文字。
我曾经收到成打的信，这些来自刚开始自己职业生涯的记者的信询问关于这份工作的建议。我正在写的就是这些问题的回复，这也是对将来其他人来信的部分回答，因此我也可以不用花费时间来作再次冗余的回答。
一些刚开始职业的记者询问关于器材的建议，另一些则想问怎样才能寻找到任务并把他们的工作成果出售。在这里我将描述我自己的进入记者的职业轨迹并给予一些一般性的、有用的建议。
不管如何，这并不是最权威的解答。这只是一个概括的关于我20年职业生涯后简单的观点和建议。毫无疑问，其他人可以根据自己的观点和经历来重新掂量和解读它。
我作为一名记者的开端是进入一家艺术学校。当时我想成为一名优秀的艺术摄影家和风光摄影家。但我选了一门新闻摄影课并对它入了迷。一年以后我用光了钱，退出了课程，但是继续以一名助教的身份参与新闻摄影课程。也许我以这个身份穴道的知识远多于我作为一名学生学到的多。我没有获得现金收入，但其中（学到）的摄影知识是精华。在20多年的时间里，我从来没有被要求出示我的文凭，在摄影的世界里，你的作品剪贴本（portfolio，个人理解为摄影师个人作品集）就是你的文凭。
我花了大量的时间在图书馆学到了很多：阅读关于新闻学的书籍，并花大力气查找了很多我偶然发现的每个新名字（的作家的书）。用这种方式，我找到了罗伯特卡帕，罗伯特佛朗克，拉里克拉克，亚力克斯韦伯以及数十个其他人（著作）
如果你将要成为一名摄影记者，你需要对新闻学的历史有相当的知识并从中得到良好的应对你工作知识储备。你可以向我展示20世纪以来那些有名的照片，我可以告诉你谁拍摄了他们，在哪里拍摄的。我非常认真的学习这些照片并记住他们的细节。这无比的有用并将帮助你提高拍摄水平。
当你学习照片时，你需要思考在摄影师在哪里开始与他们的拍摄项目产生了关联。她或他是怎样控制曝光并掌握相机的。究竟是使用长焦镜头压缩景深还是使用广角镜头获得更宽的视觉。以及这些记者是怎样靠近的，如果你在类似的情况中，你会怎么做？
我相信那些书籍（可能指相关文化书籍），照片以及影片他们是相互关联的。无论利用什么媒介，艺术家们都是在讲故事。关键是要从中发现他们的相同点，举一反三。在这篇文章的结尾我烈出了一些参考书目以及电影——都是我个人喜欢的。
作为一个记者，你必须是见多识广的。几年前在海地，一群摄影师曾经让我感到惊骇。他们不知道谁是Duvalier（？），甚至不知道这个国家的历史。这些（战乱或出新闻的国家）并不是让你来练习技巧或者渡假的。你所记录的是人们的生命。所以你有必要学识渊博并对他们表示应有的尊敬。
非常重要的一点，你必须每天阅读阅读报纸和网站的首页的新闻。 either the Washington Post, LA Times or NY Times. The New Yorker has the best long-form journalism in the English language. I read it every week.
二外可能是最重要的一项技巧。远大于摄影装备或者从学校获得的证书。学习他们很花时间，但你要在英语之外能说一点法语，西班牙，阿拉伯语。或者学习中文，这是一个不错的选择，尤其在2007年这个时候。
我开始职业生涯是从在纽约的扫街开始的。并为通讯社拍摄照片。当你刚开始时这种方式相对容易获得新闻。甚至当我的照片无法卖出时，它依旧帮我建立起了我的相册，我也很快开始了我的长期摄影计划。
我不能夸大长期拍摄计划的重要性，尤其是那些含有数百张的大计划来说，可能更好的选择是花几个星期或者一个月与一个家庭，一群人在一起。你的任务将会和你融合到一起（comfortable with ），认真选择你的摄影计划——因为有上百个重要的计划等待着你的发现和拍摄。编辑们知道这种深度工作的意义和价值，他们尊重这种劳动成果。一个优秀的摄影小品将会被记住并帮助你获取任务。
你将要争取一份工作，如果你害怕拒绝，那就去找另外一份摄影以外的工作吧。你必须带者你的成果到出溜达，并经常的寄给编辑们。大多数时候你会被拒绝。那其实是这个行业的常态。你要习惯它而不是胡思乱想。1985年的时候我被乡村之声彻底打击到了。Fred McDarrah，一个编辑，只用了30秒钟浏览了我制作了几个月的相册，然后轻轻的挥了挥手就拒绝了我。那次花费了好长时间让我重新捡起勇气，最后我确实进入了乡村之声杂志，随后跳到一家主流杂志。
所以你必须坚持，并且必须记住编辑是非常忙碌的。你只能期待他们花费几分钟的时间浏览你的成果，不能再多了。他们不需要看上百张照片，所以20到25张照片将使他们记住你并获得好印象。
技术方面的建议：当我拍摄时，我尽量靠近我的拍摄对象并向他们解释我在做什么，然后请求他们允许我拍摄他们。在理想的状态下，我会花费数小时或几天的时间来完成任务。他们将会适应我的存在，那样我可以拍到我想要的画面。有时候我会随身带一本小的相册并向人们展示，这会帮助他们了解我是谁以及我在干什么工作。有给予就要有回报。人们乐意感觉到我不仅仅是在挖掘或者掠夺他们。请在这个问题上保持敏感。
在新闻现场我从不请求许可，或者做影响正在发生的一切的动作。如果我在街上看到一瞬间，而那一瞬间将会因为我的介入被破坏掉，我将会静静的把它拍下来。我觉得这是我的艺术活动的一部分，并且我有权力去实践它。我不为我的拍摄向被摄对象付钱。这是不道德并且可能让你在今后的工作更多的付钱。
关于设备方面的建议：世界上没有一台具有魔力的相机让你拍出精彩的照片。使用那些为你工作的相机。去熟悉发现一套适合的，并且能让你感觉舒服的设备。在任何情况下，不要在你的任务中使用全新的装备。我不介意它是不是最好或者最新的。通常他们会有些一些尚未解决的新问题以及小故障。你不会希望当你面队枪口时出现这些问题。
在这20年的工作中我一开始使用莱卡联动测距相机。现在更多的工作中我使用佳能的EOS数码相机，最多的是5D和24-70MM镜头。在我常住的非洲，我通常使用哈苏来拍摄肖像。也依然使用莱卡。我始终信任胶片，但也必须认识到对于新闻记者，这也有些不切实际。
我有一点设备狂。当进行一个长期的项目时，我携带很多装备并且经常试用一些新的设备看他们是否能给我们带来一些好的东西。但我知道许多比我优秀的摄影师支身携带单镜头完成了伟大的工作。我讨厌闪光并尽一切可能的避免使用。我敬佩的另一些则任何时候都使用闪光灯。并没有所谓“正确”的方法。我经常说一个大光圈镜头，1。4或者2。0光圈的镜头是很好的投资。我频繁的在夜间拍摄，在巴格达我经常同士兵们一起进行夜间搜索并进入室内，使用闪光灯是毫无疑问的。
我所描述的有个例外：在战斗环境下，我不携带很多相机，通常只带一个机身和一个镜头。在战火下是没有时间换镜头的。用你手头有的东西拍摄。
当我有新主意时，我将修正这篇文章，并贴到我的网站上。
参考电影：Harlan County, USA - a documentary movie by Barbara Koppel; My American Girls - a documentary video about a Dominican family; Anything by the Maysle brothers; Anything by D.A. Pennebaker.
影像书籍：尤金理查德《可卡因的真相》 罗伯特弗朗克《美国人》 Gilles Peress - Telex Iran 玛利 艾伦 马克 《关于她的所有》 William Klein - anything you can find.
新闻方面： Joseph Mitchell - Up in the Old Hotel
Joan Didion - anything she’s ever done
Michael Herr - Dispatches
Guy Trebay - In The Place to Be; William Finnegan - Cold New World;
Anything by Charlie Leduff or Barry Bearak in the New York Times
乔治奥威尔：任何他写的书，特别推荐《向加泰罗尼亚致敬》 《巴黎和伦敦流浪记》
原文:
10 June, 07: I am writing this from the Baghdad bureau of The New York Times where I am on assignment.
I have received dozens of queries from photojournalists starting out in the business. I am writing this in response, partly so I can refer others to it in the future and not spend time on lengthy replies.
Some beginners ask for advice on gear, others on how to get started finding assignments and selling their work. I will describe my own path into photojournalism here and give some general advice that may be useful.
This is not definitive in any way. It is simply my experience and opinion formulated from twenty years experience as a photojournalist. No doubt others can weigh in and improve this with their comments and ideas.
I started as a photojournalist by going to art school. I thought I would be a fine art or landscape photographer, but I took a photojournalism course and was quickly hooked. When my money ran out after a year, I dropped out of school, but continued to work as a teaching assistant for photojournalism classes. I may have learned more in this way than I did as a student. I received no credit, but photography is a meritocracy. In over 20 years, I have never been asked for my degree; in the world of photojournalism, your portfolio is your degree.
I also learned a great deal from spending days in the library, reading about photojournalism and looking up, and discovering, each new name that I chanced upon. In this way I found Robert Capa, Robert Frank, Larry Clark, Alex Webb and dozens of others.
If you are going to be a photojournalist, you should have a good working knowledge of the history of photojournalism, and of the medium’s iconic images. You can show me nearly any often published photograph from the 20th century and I can tell you who took it and where. I’ve studied the pictures carefully and memorized details about them. This is extremely useful and will help you later as you shoot.
As you study images, you should think about where the photographer is in relation to the subjects, study how he or she has managed the light and the angle of the camera. Is the photo effective because it is compressed with a telephoto, or opened up with a wide-angle lens? And how did they get access, how will you gain access to a similar situation?
I believe that the written word, still photos and film are connected. Artists in the above disciplines are telling stories, whatever the medium. It is important for those in one area to study the work of documentarians and artists in the others. At the bottom of this page is a list of recommended writers, photographers and filmmakers—all personal favorites.
To be a photojournalist, you should be informed. I was appalled at a group of photographers who showed up in Haiti a few years ago, but did not know who the Duvalier’s were, or know even the most rudimentary history of the country. These countries are not there for you to practice photo-tourism and have an extended holiday. These are people’s lives you are documenting. Be knowledgeable and show respect.
At the very least, you should read the front page or lead web stories each day from either the Washington Post, LA Times or NY Times. The New Yorker has the best long-form journalism in the English language. I read it every week.
A second language is probably the most important skill you can acquire—far more important that the latest camera gear or a diploma from a photo school. It takes time, but you should speak at least basic French or Spanish in addition to English. Arabic, or a language spoken in China, would be an excellent choice also, especially as I write this in 2007.
I began my “career” by photographing street demonstrations in New York and taking the pictures around to newspapers and wire services. There was easy access to what was happening, which is important when you’re starting out. And even the pictures I was not able to sell helped me to build a portfolio. I also began, almost immediately, to work on long-term projects.
I cannot overstate the importance of long-term projects. Rather than run around taking hundreds of pictures of dozens of subjects, it is much better to spend a few weeks or a month with a family, or a group of people and get to know them. Your pictures will reveal your commitment as subjects become comfortable with you. Choose your projects carefully. There are hundreds of important projects out there waiting to be discovered and photographed. Photo editors know the commitment behind this kind of in-depth work, and they respect it. A good photo-essay on one project will be remembered and will help to get you assignments.
You are going to have to promote yourself and your work. If you’re afraid of rejection, find another line of work. You have to take your work around, or send it out to editors constantly. Most will turn you away. That’s the nature of the business. Get used to it and don’t take it personally. I was crushed in 1985 when Fred McDarrah, an editor at The Village Voice, spent 30 seconds flipping through a portfolio I had spent months creating, then dismissed me with a flip of his hand. It took me a long time to get my courage up again, but I eventually did “break in” to The Village Voice, then a major photo publication.
So you must be persistent. And remember that editors are extremely busy. Expect them to take a few minutes to see your work, not more. They don’t need to see hundreds of photos on many subjects. Show them 20 or 25 photos they will remember and you’ll be much better off.
Notes on technique: When I am photographing, I often approach my subjects and explain what I am doing, then ask permission to take their picture. In the ideal situation, I will spend hours or days with a subject; they become comfortable with my presence and I can capture what I want. Sometimes I will carry a small album with my pictures, which I will show to people. This helps them to understand who I am and what I’m working on—there is some give and take. People always want to feel that you are not there to exploit them. Be sensitive to this.
In a news situation I never ask permission, nor do I do anything to alter the situation as it is happening. Likewise, if I am on the street and see a moment in time that would be destroyed by my asking permission, I shoot without asking. I feel that this is my art and I have the right to practice it. I do not pay my subjects—it is unethical and makes it impossible for those who come after you to work without paying also.
Notes on equipment:
There is no magic camera that will make you take great pictures. Use what works for you. Develop a system that is reliable and that you are comfortable with. Never, under any circumstances, go on a major assignment with brand new equipment that you have not used. I don’t care if it is the latest and greatest. Often there will be glitches and growing pains, you don’t want these when you’re under the gun.
For two decades I used primarily Leica rangefinders. I’m now doing a lot of work with Canon digital EOS models, mostly a 5D and a 24-70 zoom lens. In Africa, where I’m based, I always have a Hasselblad for portraits and usually a Leica as well. I still believe in film but have to acknowledge that for a newspaper photographer, it is impractical at best.
I’m a bit of a “techie”, I carry a lot of gear when doing long assignments and am always experimenting with some new piece that will give me an edge. I know photographers far better than me that walk around with one battered body and a single lens and do great work. I hate flash and avoid it at all cost. Other photographers who I admire shoot with flash all the time. There is no right way to do it. I would say that a low light lens, preferably a wide-angle f1.4, or at least an f2, is a good investment. I shoot at night frequently, and here in Baghdad I am out with soldiers on night raids inside homes - flash is out of the question.
There are exceptions to what I wrote above: in a combat situation, I do not carry a lot of gear. Usually one camera and one lens. Under fire is not a time to be fumbling with gear. Shoot what you can with what you have.
I will update this as I get new ideas and suggestions and post it on my website
Some of my recommended materials:
Photo books: Eugene Richards - Cocaine True; Luc Delahaye - Winterreise; Robert Frank -The Americans; Gilles Peress - Telex Iran; Mary Ellen Mark - anything by her; William Klein - anything you can find.
Movies: Harlan County, USA - a documentary movie by Barbara Koppel; My American Girls - a documentary video about a Dominican family; Anything by the Maysle brothers; Anything by D.A. Pennebaker.
Journalism: Joseph Mitchell - Up in the Old Hotel; Joan Didion - anything she’s ever done; Michael Herr - Dispatches; Guy Trebay - In The Place to Be; William Finnegan - Cold New World; Anything by Charlie Leduff or Barry Bearak in the New York Times; George Orwell - anything he’s ever written: Down and Out in Paris and London, and Homage to Catalonia, are particularly good
译文来自这里:http://hungrywolf.ycool.com/post.2730962.html & http://hungrywolf.ycool.com/post.2731764.html
我正在巴格达的纽约时报记者站执行任务期间写下这些文字。
我曾经收到成打的信，这些来自刚开始自己职业生涯的记者的信询问关于这份工作的建议。我正在写的就是这些问题的回复，这也是对将来其他人来信的部分回答，因此我也可以不用花费时间来作再次冗余的回答。
一些刚开始职业的记者询问关于器材的建议，另一些则想问怎样才能寻找到任务并把他们的工作成果出售。在这里我将描述我自己的进入记者的职业轨迹并给予一些一般性的、有用的建议。
不管如何，这并不是最权威的解答。这只是一个概括的关于我20年职业生涯后简单的观点和建议。毫无疑问，其他人可以根据自己的观点和经历来重新掂量和解读它。
我作为一名记者的开端是进入一家艺术学校。当时我想成为一名优秀的艺术摄影家和风光摄影家。但我选了一门新闻摄影课并对它入了迷。一年以后我用光了钱，退出了课程，但是继续以一名助教的身份参与新闻摄影课程。也许我以这个身份穴道的知识远多于我作为一名学生学到的多。我没有获得现金收入，但其中（学到）的摄影知识是精华。在20多年的时间里，我从来没有被要求出示我的文凭，在摄影的世界里，你的作品剪贴本（portfolio，个人理解为摄影师个人作品集）就是你的文凭。
我花了大量的时间在图书馆学到了很多：阅读关于新闻学的书籍，并花大力气查找了很多我偶然发现的每个新名字（的作家的书）。用这种方式，我找到了罗伯特卡帕，罗伯特佛朗克，拉里克拉克，亚力克斯韦伯以及数十个其他人（著作）
如果你将要成为一名摄影记者，你需要对新闻学的历史有相当的知识并从中得到良好的应对你工作知识储备。你可以向我展示20世纪以来那些有名的照片，我可以告诉你谁拍摄了他们，在哪里拍摄的。我非常认真的学习这些照片并记住他们的细节。这无比的有用并将帮助你提高拍摄水平。
当你学习照片时，你需要思考在摄影师在哪里开始与他们的拍摄项目产生了关联。她或他是怎样控制曝光并掌握相机的。究竟是使用长焦镜头压缩景深还是使用广角镜头获得更宽的视觉。以及这些记者是怎样靠近的，如果你在类似的情况中，你会怎么做？
我相信那些书籍（可能指相关文化书籍），照片以及影片他们是相互关联的。无论利用什么媒介，艺术家们都是在讲故事。关键是要从中发现他们的相同点，举一反三。在这篇文章的结尾我烈出了一些参考书目以及电影——都是我个人喜欢的。
作为一个记者，你必须是见多识广的。几年前在海地，一群摄影师曾经让我感到惊骇。他们不知道谁是Duvalier（？），甚至不知道这个国家的历史。这些（战乱或出新闻的国家）并不是让你来练习技巧或者渡假的。你所记录的是人们的生命。所以你有必要学识渊博并对他们表示应有的尊敬。
非常重要的一点，你必须每天阅读阅读报纸和网站的首页的新闻。 either the Washington Post, LA Times or NY Times. The New Yorker has the best long-form journalism in the English language. I read it every week.
二外可能是最重要的一项技巧。远大于摄影装备或者从学校获得的证书。学习他们很花时间，但你要在英语之外能说一点法语，西班牙，阿拉伯语。或者学习中文，这是一个不错的选择，尤其在2007年这个时候。
我开始职业生涯是从在纽约的扫街开始的。并为通讯社拍摄照片。当你刚开始时这种方式相对容易获得新闻。甚至当我的照片无法卖出时，它依旧帮我建立起了我的相册，我也很快开始了我的长期摄影计划。
我不能夸大长期拍摄计划的重要性，尤其是那些含有数百张的大计划来说，可能更好的选择是花几个星期或者一个月与一个家庭，一群人在一起。你的任务将会和你融合到一起（comfortable with ），认真选择你的摄影计划——因为有上百个重要的计划等待着你的发现和拍摄。编辑们知道这种深度工作的意义和价值，他们尊重这种劳动成果。一个优秀的摄影小品将会被记住并帮助你获取任务。
你将要争取一份工作，如果你害怕拒绝，那就去找另外一份摄影以外的工作吧。你必须带者你的成果到出溜达，并经常的寄给编辑们。大多数时候你会被拒绝。那其实是这个行业的常态。你要习惯它而不是胡思乱想。1985年的时候我被乡村之声彻底打击到了。Fred McDarrah，一个编辑，只用了30秒钟浏览了我制作了几个月的相册，然后轻轻的挥了挥手就拒绝了我。那次花费了好长时间让我重新捡起勇气，最后我确实进入了乡村之声杂志，随后跳到一家主流杂志。
所以你必须坚持，并且必须记住编辑是非常忙碌的。你只能期待他们花费几分钟的时间浏览你的成果，不能再多了。他们不需要看上百张照片，所以20到25张照片将使他们记住你并获得好印象。
技术方面的建议：当我拍摄时，我尽量靠近我的拍摄对象并向他们解释我在做什么，然后请求他们允许我拍摄他们。在理想的状态下，我会花费数小时或几天的时间来完成任务。他们将会适应我的存在，那样我可以拍到我想要的画面。有时候我会随身带一本小的相册并向人们展示，这会帮助他们了解我是谁以及我在干什么工作。有给予就要有回报。人们乐意感觉到我不仅仅是在挖掘或者掠夺他们。请在这个问题上保持敏感。
在新闻现场我从不请求许可，或者做影响正在发生的一切的动作。如果我在街上看到一瞬间，而那一瞬间将会因为我的介入被破坏掉，我将会静静的把它拍下来。我觉得这是我的艺术活动的一部分，并且我有权力去实践它。我不为我的拍摄向被摄对象付钱。这是不道德并且可能让你在今后的工作更多的付钱。
关于设备方面的建议：世界上没有一台具有魔力的相机让你拍出精彩的照片。使用那些为你工作的相机。去熟悉发现一套适合的，并且能让你感觉舒服的设备。在任何情况下，不要在你的任务中使用全新的装备。我不介意它是不是最好或者最新的。通常他们会有些一些尚未解决的新问题以及小故障。你不会希望当你面队枪口时出现这些问题。
在这20年的工作中我一开始使用莱卡联动测距相机。现在更多的工作中我使用佳能的EOS数码相机，最多的是5D和24-70MM镜头。在我常住的非洲，我通常使用哈苏来拍摄肖像。也依然使用莱卡。我始终信任胶片，但也必须认识到对于新闻记者，这也有些不切实际。
我有一点设备狂。当进行一个长期的项目时，我携带很多装备并且经常试用一些新的设备看他们是否能给我们带来一些好的东西。但我知道许多比我优秀的摄影师支身携带单镜头完成了伟大的工作。我讨厌闪光并尽一切可能的避免使用。我敬佩的另一些则任何时候都使用闪光灯。并没有所谓“正确”的方法。我经常说一个大光圈镜头，1。4或者2。0光圈的镜头是很好的投资。我频繁的在夜间拍摄，在巴格达我经常同士兵们一起进行夜间搜索并进入室内，使用闪光灯是毫无疑问的。
我所描述的有个例外：在战斗环境下，我不携带很多相机，通常只带一个机身和一个镜头。在战火下是没有时间换镜头的。用你手头有的东西拍摄。
当我有新主意时，我将修正这篇文章，并贴到我的网站上。
参考电影：Harlan County, USA - a documentary movie by Barbara Koppel; My American Girls - a documentary video about a Dominican family; Anything by the Maysle brothers; Anything by D.A. Pennebaker.
影像书籍：尤金理查德《可卡因的真相》 罗伯特弗朗克《美国人》 Gilles Peress - Telex Iran 玛利 艾伦 马克 《关于她的所有》 William Klein - anything you can find.
新闻方面： Joseph Mitchell - Up in the Old Hotel
Joan Didion - anything she’s ever done
Michael Herr - Dispatches
Guy Trebay - In The Place to Be; William Finnegan - Cold New World;
Anything by Charlie Leduff or Barry Bearak in the New York Times
乔治奥威尔：任何他写的书，特别推荐《向加泰罗尼亚致敬》 《巴黎和伦敦流浪记》
原文:
10 June, 07: I am writing this from the Baghdad bureau of The New York Times where I am on assignment.
I have received dozens of queries from photojournalists starting out in the business. I am writing this in response, partly so I can refer others to it in the future and not spend time on lengthy replies.
Some beginners ask for advice on gear, others on how to get started finding assignments and selling their work. I will describe my own path into photojournalism here and give some general advice that may be useful.
This is not definitive in any way. It is simply my experience and opinion formulated from twenty years experience as a photojournalist. No doubt others can weigh in and improve this with their comments and ideas.
I started as a photojournalist by going to art school. I thought I would be a fine art or landscape photographer, but I took a photojournalism course and was quickly hooked. When my money ran out after a year, I dropped out of school, but continued to work as a teaching assistant for photojournalism classes. I may have learned more in this way than I did as a student. I received no credit, but photography is a meritocracy. In over 20 years, I have never been asked for my degree; in the world of photojournalism, your portfolio is your degree.
I also learned a great deal from spending days in the library, reading about photojournalism and looking up, and discovering, each new name that I chanced upon. In this way I found Robert Capa, Robert Frank, Larry Clark, Alex Webb and dozens of others.
If you are going to be a photojournalist, you should have a good working knowledge of the history of photojournalism, and of the medium’s iconic images. You can show me nearly any often published photograph from the 20th century and I can tell you who took it and where. I’ve studied the pictures carefully and memorized details about them. This is extremely useful and will help you later as you shoot.
As you study images, you should think about where the photographer is in relation to the subjects, study how he or she has managed the light and the angle of the camera. Is the photo effective because it is compressed with a telephoto, or opened up with a wide-angle lens? And how did they get access, how will you gain access to a similar situation?
I believe that the written word, still photos and film are connected. Artists in the above disciplines are telling stories, whatever the medium. It is important for those in one area to study the work of documentarians and artists in the others. At the bottom of this page is a list of recommended writers, photographers and filmmakers—all personal favorites.
To be a photojournalist, you should be informed. I was appalled at a group of photographers who showed up in Haiti a few years ago, but did not know who the Duvalier’s were, or know even the most rudimentary history of the country. These countries are not there for you to practice photo-tourism and have an extended holiday. These are people’s lives you are documenting. Be knowledgeable and show respect.
At the very least, you should read the front page or lead web stories each day from either the Washington Post, LA Times or NY Times. The New Yorker has the best long-form journalism in the English language. I read it every week.
A second language is probably the most important skill you can acquire—far more important that the latest camera gear or a diploma from a photo school. It takes time, but you should speak at least basic French or Spanish in addition to English. Arabic, or a language spoken in China, would be an excellent choice also, especially as I write this in 2007.
I began my “career” by photographing street demonstrations in New York and taking the pictures around to newspapers and wire services. There was easy access to what was happening, which is important when you’re starting out. And even the pictures I was not able to sell helped me to build a portfolio. I also began, almost immediately, to work on long-term projects.
I cannot overstate the importance of long-term projects. Rather than run around taking hundreds of pictures of dozens of subjects, it is much better to spend a few weeks or a month with a family, or a group of people and get to know them. Your pictures will reveal your commitment as subjects become comfortable with you. Choose your projects carefully. There are hundreds of important projects out there waiting to be discovered and photographed. Photo editors know the commitment behind this kind of in-depth work, and they respect it. A good photo-essay on one project will be remembered and will help to get you assignments.
You are going to have to promote yourself and your work. If you’re afraid of rejection, find another line of work. You have to take your work around, or send it out to editors constantly. Most will turn you away. That’s the nature of the business. Get used to it and don’t take it personally. I was crushed in 1985 when Fred McDarrah, an editor at The Village Voice, spent 30 seconds flipping through a portfolio I had spent months creating, then dismissed me with a flip of his hand. It took me a long time to get my courage up again, but I eventually did “break in” to The Village Voice, then a major photo publication.
So you must be persistent. And remember that editors are extremely busy. Expect them to take a few minutes to see your work, not more. They don’t need to see hundreds of photos on many subjects. Show them 20 or 25 photos they will remember and you’ll be much better off.
Notes on technique: When I am photographing, I often approach my subjects and explain what I am doing, then ask permission to take their picture. In the ideal situation, I will spend hours or days with a subject; they become comfortable with my presence and I can capture what I want. Sometimes I will carry a small album with my pictures, which I will show to people. This helps them to understand who I am and what I’m working on—there is some give and take. People always want to feel that you are not there to exploit them. Be sensitive to this.
In a news situation I never ask permission, nor do I do anything to alter the situation as it is happening. Likewise, if I am on the street and see a moment in time that would be destroyed by my asking permission, I shoot without asking. I feel that this is my art and I have the right to practice it. I do not pay my subjects—it is unethical and makes it impossible for those who come after you to work without paying also.
Notes on equipment:
There is no magic camera that will make you take great pictures. Use what works for you. Develop a system that is reliable and that you are comfortable with. Never, under any circumstances, go on a major assignment with brand new equipment that you have not used. I don’t care if it is the latest and greatest. Often there will be glitches and growing pains, you don’t want these when you’re under the gun.
For two decades I used primarily Leica rangefinders. I’m now doing a lot of work with Canon digital EOS models, mostly a 5D and a 24-70 zoom lens. In Africa, where I’m based, I always have a Hasselblad for portraits and usually a Leica as well. I still believe in film but have to acknowledge that for a newspaper photographer, it is impractical at best.
I’m a bit of a “techie”, I carry a lot of gear when doing long assignments and am always experimenting with some new piece that will give me an edge. I know photographers far better than me that walk around with one battered body and a single lens and do great work. I hate flash and avoid it at all cost. Other photographers who I admire shoot with flash all the time. There is no right way to do it. I would say that a low light lens, preferably a wide-angle f1.4, or at least an f2, is a good investment. I shoot at night frequently, and here in Baghdad I am out with soldiers on night raids inside homes - flash is out of the question.
There are exceptions to what I wrote above: in a combat situation, I do not carry a lot of gear. Usually one camera and one lens. Under fire is not a time to be fumbling with gear. Shoot what you can with what you have.
I will update this as I get new ideas and suggestions and post it on my website
Some of my recommended materials:
Photo books: Eugene Richards - Cocaine True; Luc Delahaye - Winterreise; Robert Frank -The Americans; Gilles Peress - Telex Iran; Mary Ellen Mark - anything by her; William Klein - anything you can find.
Movies: Harlan County, USA - a documentary movie by Barbara Koppel; My American Girls - a documentary video about a Dominican family; Anything by the Maysle brothers; Anything by D.A. Pennebaker.
Journalism: Joseph Mitchell - Up in the Old Hotel; Joan Didion - anything she’s ever done; Michael Herr - Dispatches; Guy Trebay - In The Place to Be; William Finnegan - Cold New World; Anything by Charlie Leduff or Barry Bearak in the New York Times; George Orwell - anything he’s ever written: Down and Out in Paris and London, and Homage to Catalonia, are particularly good
译文来自这里:http://hungrywolf.ycool.com/post.2730962.html & http://hungrywolf.ycool.com/post.2731764.html
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