Photojournalism/ Documemntary Photography

welcome, it's always nice to see professionals pop up on /p/ and try to give advice!
I'd like to ask about how you got into the world of photojournalism - as in did you have a degree, connections, and what kinds of work you did when you started out.
anything you'd find insightful about your work would be great!

>>2903645
How does one get into photojournalism / documentary photography in a very peaceful country where no real unrest or social upheaval happens? What do I photograph?

>>2903645
Thanks for posting here. What was your first conflict zone? Ever meet Hetherington?

Since you have to remain fairly mobile, what's your setup like in a conflict zone? What kind of camera do you use? Ever had your shit stolen/broken in the field?

Why do you not value your life?

>>2903869
Why do you not english?>>2903869

>>2903740
>>2903748
>>2903758
>>2903769
>>2903869
>>2903914

Sorry for the late response, I was away from my computer for a little bit, I'll respond in a few minutes

>>2904290
Thanks for doing this. Is it true that photojournalism is a "dead" discipline? At least, that's what google results told me when I tried to get into it.

I've always been a fan of documentaries and my first major was even documentary studies so I'll just echo the other posters in asking, how does one get into the discipline?

>>2903740
>>2903748
>>2904328

(Just for ease of reply, if you could all put an alias on your responses it'll be a lot easier for me to keep track haha.)

The major question you're all asking (as well as everyone else I encounter looking to enter the field) is how does one get into photojournalism/documentary photography - so I'm going to make as strong an answer as possible.

Prior to about 15 years ago, to become a foreign photojournalist for a magazine or newspaper, you had to get a shitty job in their photo department, make connections with existing photographers, get on the good side of editors, continue to try and prove yourself and eventually you'd hopefully get sent off on assignment - that wasn't always true in that exact sense, but what I'm trying to note is that there was a system you could follow to become one.

But that doesn't exist anymore. The only real way to get into the field is to be freelance (at first at least).

You have to decide what you're going to photograph, You have to decide how you're going to do it, You have to fund it, You have to buy your kit, You have to protect yourself.

When I decided to become a photojournalist, after completing a boring semester of diplomacy at university, it was immediate - I dropped out and started working towards my first trip.

And that's the most important factor of getting into the discipline - it's entirely up to you, you don't give anyone your portfolio, you don't ask for permission, and no ones there to give you guidance.

Once you're on the ground, you make connections with the local population, you make connections with local and foreign journalists (or not), and the rest is up to you to work towards making a piece of work.

From that point you contact magazine and newspapers and negotiate whether they want to buy the story or not, and if that doesn't work -you put it through an agency like AFP/Getty/Reuters and hopefully it gets picked up by someone else.

To further make my point, the first time I sold a piece of work to a magazine, that piece of work was the first I’d ever put together.

You don’t need a degree in photography, you don’t need to work up any preconceived “ladders” of the discipline - you need determination, you need to do your research, you genuinely have to immerse yourself in every piece of work you do, and overall you need to believe that the work you’re doing is going to make a difference

>>2903748

The simple answer is you really can't, you have to buy the cheapest plane ticket you can and go somewhere completely the opposite to where you live

>>2904344
Could you post some of your unpublished work (so we can see your style and how you shoot but can't identify you?)

>>2904344
>To further make my point, the first time I sold a piece of work to a magazine, that piece of work was the first I’d ever put together.
How do you locate your market...like who do you email to possibly sell an image?

>>2904349

You call every office of the magazines you want to contact until someone picks up, if that doesn't work, you turn up to their office - But once your name becomes known, they always pick up.

New York Times, Time, NatGeo, Human Rights Watch, etc, any coverage on any magazine regardless of its notoriety is worth it

>>2903758

Unfortunately not, Tim was killed weeks before I was hoping to meet up with his group in Libya - I had been in Misurata in the days leading up to his death, but I had decided to head to Sirt at the time he was killed.

His death really shook quite a lot of photojournalists including myself - I had looked up to Tim's work when I was younger, and for him to die at the beginning of my career really made me reevaluate my decisions.

My first conflict zone, like most, was Libya - the Arab Spring really jumpstarted the career of quite a lot of photojournalists including myself

>>2904328

It infuriates me when people say that the discipline is "dead" - thats's complete and utter nonsense.

Sure, in terms of the local newspaper's spot-news photographer - yes that role is dying away with so many regular people giving in photos they've taken themselves.

But in conflict zones, areas of famine, and the far reaches of the world - no, the role is far from dead - I'd dare say there's even a stronger demand for more coverage nowadays

>>2904347

I'll have a look, but I don't particularly have a recognisable style to all my images, I prefer to make my images the product of the people I'm photographing instead of it being the other way round.

>>2903769
A backpack with 1 change of clothes and lots of socks, a solar charger, general hiking kit kind of things, then my camera gear which consists mostly of:
Canon 5d mkIII
Canon 24-70mm 2.8L
Canon 50mm 1.2L
(occasionally) Canon 100mm 2.0L

then a rollieflex 120 film with a 50mm lens

and a small sony pocket handycam

But I always pack very light - I never put anything in cargo when flying - always carry-on

>>2903869

hahaha you sound like all the girlfriends I've ever had.

At the end of the day, the risk is worth the potential good that could come to the people your photographing.

>>2904362
No netbook/laptop?

>>2904362

(correction)
canon 135mm 2.0L

>>2904365>>2904362


Oh my mistake, yes those are the 2 other things I also carry,

A laptop and 3 notebooks

>>2904367
>>2904362
>>2904365

Also a microphone

What languages do you speak?

>>2904371

I can speak quite a lot of arabic, and can communicate in almost all types of conversations at a proficient enough level.

I also speak french, but I can't understand French people very well as I've only ever learnt and used it in SubSaharan countries that speak it with an extremely different pronunciation

But regardless, I will often have someone with me who can translate, whether that be an actual translator, a local with a decent understanding of English, or a local reporter

But even then, you learn pretty quickly how to communicate without having to know the language

>>2904362

A satellite phone as well

>>2904377
That gets spendy. How necessary is it? Just when you're out of higher population areas where you could get a local provider number or just a flat out necessity because infrastructure doesn't exist/has been blown up?

>>2904380

It only costs around $1.50 a minute for phone calls and 50c for texts so it really isn't too much money

I only ever really have it for emergency circumstances, ie. Someone has a life threatening injuries, we're in a bad situation or we need to warn others of something.

>>2904380

And yes, it's only in areas where cell towers have been destroyed/ don't exist

>>2903645
Have you ever been in a situation where you're life was severely in danger? Shots fired or robbery for instance. If not what was the most risky?

>>2904383
How good of a photographer do I have to be to get that cash flow? I travel a lot and would love to do this for funsies, but I'm a very amateur photographer. I definitely don't have that $2000 camera you have either.

>>2904416

I've embedded myself with both rebel and military soldiers on multiple occasions so I've been under fire well over 100 times in the past 5 years. I manage to stay relatively unscathed in combat except for one incident in 2013 in the Central African Republic when grenade fragments sprayed across my left side, but they didn't get any deeper than flesh so I was treated in the field.

Then the only other significant injury i received was in 2012 in Syria when government jets bombed the building we were in and my leg was severely gashed by debris - but the men I were with, and myself, knew our first aid and acted quickly in tying a tourniquet, and rushing me to the nearest hospital.

However I've had men and women working with me severely injured and even killed on multiple occasions - it is in no means a safe job.

In terms of robbery, despite travelling to many dangerous countries, I've only ever had my camera stolen in New York on 2 fucking occasions by armed thieves -- first time my 5d Mk1, second time my Leica M6 -- but I keep my kit insured so they were both compensated.

The job's risky that's a fact, if you head onto the Committee to Protect Journalist's website you can see how many are killed every year - but the general consensus among photojournalists who cover dangerous topics is that it's worth the risk

>>2904571

In terms of the Satellite phone, it doesn't matter how much it is - its a necessity in staying safe.

In terms of cash flow, I've gone 6 months without receiving a penny before. But I spend most of my time living in developing countries where you can live quite happily only spending $4,000 a year on expenses.

However the more jobs you except and the more work you're putting out there, the more you'll get payed.

Having said that, I've received a few grants from numerous photographic organisations and competitions that have been a tremendous advantage.

In terms of Cameras and their cost - it's what I do for a living, so it $2000 isn't so much money (It's like a builder buying his own tools). However I was given the camera by Canon at the unveiling of the MkIII so it didn't cos me thing.

But it's not about the camera you have, it's about you and the photographs you take. The best example I have is Magnum photographer, Michael Christopher Brown's work in Libya titled "Libyan Sugar" ( http://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=2K1HRGWPN2V8#/CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=2K1HRGWPN2V8&POPUPIID=2K7O3RKFBBEE&POPUPPN=7 )
Every single one of the photos taken in Libya were shot on an iPhone 4 - and they were published in every major news outlet across the world.

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>>2904343
Super inspiring to hear your recommendations on beginings. Can you tell us about your first job? How green were you? how did you make contact with your intended subject, and how far ahead did you pre plan?

>>2904367
>3 notebooks
what are those for? scribbling notes?

>>2905103

I'm glad this is able to spark some inspiration.

The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, and the following revolts of the Arab Spring, conveniently happened just as I was becoming a photojournalist. So I and many other young photojournalists spent the next 3 years jumping backwards and forwards between Libya, Egypt, and Syria chasing riots and wars.

When I landed in Libya, my first proper assignment I had assigned myself - I had never seen combat before, I had never seen someone be killed, I had never had a photo published, nor had I ever received formal training. I was as green as you could possibly imagine.

In terms of planning? I booked my tickets a week prior then spent that week alone reading everything I possibly could about the history of Libya and the current situation, building up as strong a bank of knowledge as possible.

In this instance, the subject was all around me, I was photographing war and I was as close as I could possibly be.

However in other circumstances, when your subject isn't as ambiguous or easy to find - making contact usually only happens once you get there, sending and receiving emails isn't very easy when you live in a desert or the middle of a war zone. You have to be confident, take a risk, and be good at negotiating.

Sometimes I don't take a photo for up to a week when I'm trying to gain the trust of my subject.

Other times though, if you have contacts with local media, you can use them as a middle-man to your subject.

>>2905114

1 notebook is for information about the country Im in, the politics, the people, the religion, customs, important locations/phone numbers/ names/ etc. , phrases, and extra space for adding as I go along.

the 2nd notebook is for thoughts and visions on the piece of I'm creating and how I want it turn out etc.

then the 3rd is a general notebook for random things like phone numbers, names, addresses, scribbles, etc

How do you keep your expensive camera equipment out of the hands of grabby airport security, or motorcyclists looking for an easy grab?

Tell us about photography concerning riots, and/or protests that'll possibly turn violent. What kinds of subjects there are, what to look for in terms of getting an interesting shot.

Also, bitchin' thread. Definitely saving it.

>>2905027
>it's what I do for a living, so it $2000 isn't so much money
Absolutely agree, I just don't have the money to buy anything besides a Nikon 3300 or whatever that cheap thing is.

>Every single one of the photos taken in Libya were shot on an iPhone 4
Super inspiring. Thanks.

>>2904343
>(Just for ease of reply, if you could all put an alias on your responses it'll be a lot easier for me to keep track haha.)
Welcome to 4chan. You're just going to have to get used to it.

>>2903645
One of the best threads I've seen on /p/ for a while. Thanks for the inspo

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>>2905269

5d MkIII with the 24-70 lens stays on my shoulder at all times when travelling with the 50mm and the camcorder in my jacket pocket - it never leaves my sight with the exception of airport scanners.

Fortunately I've never encountered any sneaky motorcyclists.

However I do have a little unconventional tip for making sure your lens isn't stolen - by breaking off the lens release button it makes it near impossible for a pickpocket (or even airport security) to easily remove your lens. I'm able to activate the mechanism with my fingernail so it doesn't hinder me at all.

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>>2905014
So you are a sick fuck who gets off being in dangerous situations. At least you are honest about it to a degree.

>inb4 muh pics are making a difference.

No you enjoy the adrenal glands pumping. Go be a normal person and do extreme sports.

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>>2905294

In terms of photographing riots the first thing to remember, like all assignments, is to capture the atmosphere as close to reality as possible.

For example I'm going to use Corentin Fohlen's World Press Photo Second prize Spot News coverage of the 2010 Bangkok riots.

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo/2011/spot-news/corentin-fohlen

As you scroll through his images you'll see how well he's captured the intensity of the violence, the danger encountered by those participated, the heat and sweat of Thailand's weather coupled with toxic smoke that clogged the air, the culture and passion behind the people, etc. - Overall, he well and truly told a story.

In terms of actually taking the photos, to get images that are this raw, you need to be in the thick of action - that means in terms of your safety, you need to be just as vigilant as the rioter's your photographing. Standing and photographing while everyone else ducks for cover is a quick way to get a bullet rip through your skull.

Don't bother fiddling with your camera in Manual - this isn't Photography class, you don't have to prove how well you know your light to shutter speed predictions - chuck your camera in AV and stop thinking about the camera.

>>2905519

Of course, that's a given - there's a masculine draw to combat and danger in every man.

It's best summed up in the word of the lateTim Hetherington

>“Defining your masculinity is part of the process [of war]. You go to the front to prove yourself and you’ll be rewarded; defining your masculinity is part of the process.” (“And the same is true of photographers,” Hetherington adds, including himself as part of the process and very much more than an invisible observer.)

(source: http://www.stephenmayes.co/writings/the-theatre-of-war)

But that doesn't mean to say it's the only reason, if it was - I'd of joined some rebel group years ago. As ridiculous as it may sound to you - Photographs have a power to provoke thought and in turn potentially make a difference

Ever thought about doing an AMA on Reddit?
And do you regret seeing what happens during the war? Is it worth it?

As a freelancer, how do you actually get around with no resources? Is it really as simple as flying to the country and taking a bus to the frontlines? How do you decide specifically where to go once youre in country? Once you find the rebel group or whatever subject, how do you get them to accept you? Walk up to the entrance of their cave with a white flag on a stick?

I'm having a hard time understanding how you bootstrap all this. The way imagine it with major news agencies is they have big budgets and fixers they've used before and everyone is willing to talk to them because of name recognition. I understand over the years a freelancer would pick some of that stuff up, but what would you say to a guy who just bought a camera and wants to fly off to Syria tomorrow?

>>2905543

Haven't really put much thought into such a thing, but I've enjoyed this so far, so potentially when I have a longer break in the future I might give it a shot.

There are some events that stick out in my mind that always seem to be on the tail-end of every deep thought, while other experiences surprised me by how quickly they faded.

War is terrible, there's really no genius in knowing that. In terms of regret it doesn't really exist in terms of witnessing things. I was always aware it would be deeply traumatic.

The only lingering feelings of regret are at times when I didn't do something and wish I had.

Being a neutral observer in war is an impossibility, you always become a participant in some way.

>>2905538
You're an idiot

>>2905552

It can sound absurd to an outsider, but often it is as simple as flying to a country and driving to the frontline, finding the phone number of, or someone who knows a rebel and meeting up with them.

I mean you can even jump on a plane today, land in Tel-Aviv, cross over into the West Bank and catch the weekly riots in Hebron tomorrow morning.

In Syria however, it has truly fallen into the hands of local stringers. The war has become far too dangerous for foreign journalists - agencies like AFP flat-out refuse to accept images from Syria by foreign freelancers.

In most cases, non-hardline-ideological rebels will welcome foreign photojournalists with open arms as it gives them a chance to share their story and cause to an international audience. On top of that, no one wants to be the one who kills a foreign journalist so they protect you with their life.

To the guy who just bought a camera and wants to head to a war zone tomorrow - I'd say do you research, attend medical training, seriously evaluate your decisions, and not to rush into it once on the ground. But someone who's right for the job shouldn't need guidance.

If you have a good story, people will listen to you. That's a garuntee

>>2905566
Wtf is that inb4 filename

>>2905566
What? Who/what are you calling "fedora"?

What is the most common background of people with your career?

Also seconding the reddit AMA thing. This board has maybe 100 active users.

>>2905566

Those men are very different photographers to my colleagues and myself.

I say I'm a documentary photographer because I disassociate myself with the neutral observer style of spot news photojournalism.

I interact with the people I photograph, and if there's something I can do to better a situation - the camera is switched off and I stop being a photographer.

But regardless of whether I'm there to photograph or if I'm back at home - atrocities will continue to be committed and wars will still rage on.

But if they go unnoticed or undocumented, nothing will be done to stop them.

>>2905583

Mostly people who finished studies or travelled around, worked odd-end jobs and were moved or inspired into becoming a photojournalist.

There's no real career path that defines those who become war photojournalists, instead a common personality type I'd say.

Have you ever been questioned by intelligence agencies or suspected of being a spy by your subjects?

>>2906174

I get questioned by intelligence agencies all the time, especially by Egyptian and Israeli military.

In terms of subjects thinking I'm a spy - it only ever happens in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Which is understandable.

>>2903645
What's the worse thing you've experienced working and the best? Completely subjectively.

>>2905591
Please do you best to ignore the shitstains looking for attention

This is an awesome thread and a perfect fit for what this board is about

Have you heard of Matthew Vandyke and if so what is your opinion of him? Also to what extent are you allowed to do post-processing on photos?

>>2905591
How would you describe that personality type?

Tell us about the effect this libe of work has had on you: substance abuse, nightmares, ptsd etc.
Are you going to therapy?
Are you in a relationship?

>>2906197

The worst experiences are just the unfortunate factors of war - unjust executions, children dying, ... there's no need to go into any detail.

Probably not the answer you were looking for: but the best experiences are when a piece of work catalyses change or provokes action to be taken in solving a certain crisis.

>>2906218

Briefly ran into him while he was fighting in Libya. I understand his motives of pursuing masculinity and making worth of his life. Point and Shoot is a brilliant self-portrait documentary as well.

Post-processing is a highly scrutinised part of photojournalism. The general consensus is to not alter the image anymore than lighting contrast. Doctoring an image, whereby you change the image by means of photoshopping is unacceptable in the world of photojournalism and is a quick way to completely destroy your career

For example, Narciso Contreras - a Pultzier prize-winning photographer who doctored a single image by simply removing a camera from the bottom corner of the image. It barely changes the photo at all, yet destroyed his career.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2544662/Pulitzer-Prize-winning-photographer-fired-admitting-doctored-Syrian-war-rebel-picture-photoshopping-camera-original-image.html

I only ever lightly touch up my images in Lightroom.

>>2906219

Confident, humanitarian-minded, intelligent, highly extroverted, remains calm in stressful situations.

I don't exactly know how to describe it very well, and no one's the same. However, with all the conflict photojournalists I know, I can't imagine them being able to do anything different with their lives.

>>2906241
I mainly use lightroom as it is. Would sharpening the image slightly also be considered out of the question? Also the reason I asked about vandyke is because I have harbored some feelings about traveling to Syria and seeing what the Kurds are up to out there, maybe even do some time in the YPG. /k/, not /p/, is my primary board. However that hasn't stopped me from starting to get into photography in the last few years. You did mention that most publications will not take anything out of Syria though, right? What about other places? I know some people who live in Mindanao in the Philippines that I could try getting in contact with to see if I could get close to some of the fighting there.

>>2906226

Substance abuse has never been a problem of mine. I have bad dreams from time to time and I often can't stop thinking about certain memories, but I've learnt to deal with them myself and I'm quite open with my friends and colleagues.

not currently although I often am, but they don't last much longer than 6 months. It's not easy to have a proper long-term relationship with this career. Being a war photographer is great for picking up girls in bars, but at the end of the day no one wants to be with someone who might die every time they say goodbye to them at the airport. I will eventually stop, just not yet

>>2906248

Sharpening is perfectly fine, everything in Lightroom is acceptable with moderation.

It's only AFP that won't take images out of Syria, someone will always buy images of Syria given the colossal amount of media and politial rhetoric surrounding the war.

I've personally haven't dealt with the Kurds very much in Syria, I've only been embedded with other Syrian opposition. I have mixed emotions about the YPG and their end-goal intentions in Syria, as well as their tendency to control what journalists put out about them in order to preserve their 'hero'-like position in western media.

I haven't been to Syria since Jan 2015 because of the increased fighting and escalating danger and faced by foreign media. If you do decide to head over and join the Kurds, make sure you're prepared to die.

There's really nothing coming out of the Philippines mainly because of the danger of capture, however their will always be a publication to buy an image of anything news-worthy.

Is joining Magnum or VII the apex of your "job"?
Or is the work rewarding enough and being a member of MP just a thing outside people presume is your goal?

Would you like to join them?

>>2906256
>mixed emotions about the YPG
As have I. There have been a handful of /k/ommandos who have actually gone over, and while most report that the Kurds do love to have them around and that they have high morale, they do kind of police information being released. Then again I haven't heard much about whatever remains of the moderate opposition, to my knowledge that has been mostly wiped out. Then again I haven't kept pace with the conflict for a month or so.
>make sure you're prepared to die
I'm aware of the foreigners that have been getting killed recently in the Manbij offensive, this isn't something I take very lightly. There's some heavy fighting going on with the YPG atm.

>danger of capture
As I've heard, hence why I'd try to stick with my connections. Maybe the fact that I'm half-Flip will help a little. I've only been to the northern islands so far though.

Awesome thread

>>2906256
What is the closest you'v ever come to being killed? what happened? Has anyone ever stolen your equipment?

>>2905527
Thanks for the reply. I think we're talking about different kinds of riot, very rarely bullets flying in what I'm thinking about; more like that guy on Flickr who went around the main part of EuroMaidan with his F5 and a brick of tri-x. He had no action shots, however, mostly Salgado-tier high-contrast B&W of people sitting behind barricadework in makeshift helmets and armour.

Looking out for number one, check. Finding and documenting the impromptu culture among the occupiers / protestors / rioters, check. Good ideas under all conditions, and the idea of documenting more-or-less spontaneous self-organization does appeal to me.

Also, thanks for elevating the overall quality of the board.

>>2906256
Are you from the US? Do you have insurance? What kind of work do you do when you aren't shooting pictures? What do your folks think?

>>2906256
Oh one more question how do you find someone to sell these pictures to?

>>2906549

I answered this a little earlier

here >>2905014

>>2906299

I don't want this to divulge too far into a discussion over who's right and wrong in the conflict.

However the amount of heavily bias pro-Kurdish, and pro-Assad/Russo rhetoric making its way into western-media is extreme. I can guarantee that the moderate opposition is alive and strong despite false claims of radicalisations and disintegration among the different factions - I even read an article the other day claiming the FSA and ISIS are the same entity which is utter nonsense.

I only said the 'prepared to die' statement because of how many combatants are wounded and killed in every battle. I may not have dealt with the YPG a lot in person - however I've seen their bodies in piles on a number of occasions.

Anyway, I hope you remain safe in your endeavours - I truly mean that.

>>2906609
>>2906609

My mistake I replied to the wrong comment/ question.

here's my response: >>2906790

>>2906764

No I'm not a US citizen, however I'm hoping on attaining a green-card in the near future.

In terms of insurance - I usually buy war-zone insurance from which covers potential medical assistance and evacuation if I'm gravely injured as well as providing death payments to benefactors. The price of it differs depending on the conflict, but it usually costs around $200-400USD a month. However whenever I've been severely injured, the medical treatment was performed by Medicins Sans Frontieres so it was entirely free and I've never had to make a claim.

My kit is also insured and I've used that few too many times so they keep bumping up the price.

When I'm not photographing and I often teach photography to young students in a few schools in Central Africa, and english as well as much as I can.

I also accept humanitarian contract jobs whenever I get offered. I've also done friend's weddings and such ever-so-occasionally. As well, I continue to receive small amounts of revenue from a documentary I co-filmed. However grants help the most.
- So I'm able to relax every so often haha.

In terms of my family's opinions. My mother was always supportive of my aspirations and she still hasn't wavered in that mindset. Of course they all worry for my safety but I don't give away too much to them before I leave and while I'm on assignment. But obviously I can't stop them seeing my photographs getting published while I'm away - but I try as hard as I can to diffuse their worries.

Like I said before, its hard to hold onto a relationship for long because its unbelievably stressful to always be worrying about someone. It's a selfish job in terms of putting a burden of worry on the one's you love - but I can't be more thankful for the support my friends and family continue to give me.

>>2906766

I kind of answered them in this string of responses:
>>2904343
>>2904344
>>2904350
>>2905564

But to sum it up, it's about calling, emailing, networking, and not giving up until someone picks up the phone haha - then once they know your name and your work, they always pick up

>>2905014
>>2906805
No worries. Thank you so much this is very interesting. Fucking NY tho.

Do you have a plan for the future? An endgame?

>>2906836
Where did you get the news from in the beginning? Once you are on the ground how do you gather intel? How do you find an English speaker who will translate for you along the way? How do you find lodging? So for all the questions this is all very exciting and seems like it's up my alley.

>>2907458

Nothing more than to produce as much influential work as possible before I die. I have no idea what else the future holds for me.

>>2907902

If it's a relatively unknown event - researching local media in hotspots around the world. I also find stories/ news when I'm in a country from locals and research.

When you're on the ground, you just talk to as many people as possible, pick up as many leads as you can, follow them up immediately, and eventually you're right where you need to be.

Finding translators (if they're needed) is either through local media stations, going to local cafes/ restaurants/shops/ public places and find someone who speaks English to a reasonable degree - give them an offer, and you can usually find someone in a few days. English schools as well - there's always teachers out of work that pick up this kind of work.

Accommodation: mostly with locals - a smile, positive attitude, and helpful persona goes a long way. Other than that in cheap hostels and such, then even sleeping in abandoned buildings if its a war zone.

I'm glad to see it's been of interest to you!

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It's been a blast to write this up, truly enjoyed it.

However, I leave on assignment later tonight for the rest of the year. I'm unsure how often I'll have internet connection while I'm away, but I'll try and answer new questions when I get the chance.

I'll have a good think about the Reddit AMA idea and potentially do it at the beginning of 2017 - however, rest assured I'll post a notification here prior.

Good luck on all your endeavours, and even more so if you wish to delve into this career.

Thank you once again.

>>2908312
Best of luck. If I can get my shit straight in the next year, I might run into you one day.

Stay safe and thanks for the thread.

Hi TRIPOLI,

I want to become a photojournalist like you, but I don't want this kind of war photos, I'm trying to follow the environment patch. Already have one of my photos published at a regional newspaper when something rare occurred here. But, you need to now very quick what's happening, right? How do you do it? How can you be the first to know what's about to happen?

also,

I'm from 4chan since 2007, so I know how bad the world sees us because of the major shits (and shootings) people from this image board did in the past. So, knowing you post your pictures here, and knowing you 'browse' boards like /p/ are really this acid to people who want to get work like yours?

>>2903645
Its threads like this that makes all of the countless hours I have browsed this shit website worth it. Seriously, thank you OP for this fucking amazing thread and your great insight.

>>2908312
God speed, mang.

>>2908312
Did you ever prove you weren't making it up as you go? I'm pretty sure you made it up as you went.

I hope there's a community out there for war photographers. Maybe we can start a little community for those who are interested.

>>2908323

My best advice is to pack up with your kit and travel to vastly undocumented regions - which in the environmental world is vast. Document areas in a process of change, whether that be destruction or regeneration, or the stages in between.

The environment is a conveniently slow-moving subject (relative to humans), so hunkering-down and doing your research is no bad idea.

Being number 1 on everyone's call-list when something happens takes time.

The part about being on 4chan is only really a problem because of the other forums on the page, It's insanely odd how a community forum as informative and helpful as 'Photography', can be muddled up along side hardcore porn.

>>2908362

I'm glad i've offered you helpful information

>>2908822

Not really too sure how this would do any benefit to me if I was lying. I haven't revealed my name nor posted my work, I've only given out helpful information that isn't available anywhere else on the internet.

Forgive me if I'm not understanding you, but it doesn't really make any sense to me why anyone would waste their time doing this if they were lying.

I truly enjoy giving help to those hoping to gain footing int he industry.

>>2909635
I appreciate the concern for a stranger but none of those things interest me. I've never had a passion for anything like I do for photography and humanitarian efforts. This may be my passion and in my mind if you find something worth living for it's worth dying for. >>2909527
Once again if anyone is interested in making a small community for this topic I would like to help set it up. Maybe a Skype group or something more discreet. These types of things usually end up as shitstorms on 4chan, I'm aware of that, but I'm willing to give it a shot. It's nice to have peers and colleagues.
>>2909626
Thanks for everything. Your words are very inspirational. I hope to meet you offline someday.

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>>2909635
Keep doing what they tell you to.