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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Michael McNamara's article
Jack Howard, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Central Jersey | NJ | USA | Posted: 12:05 PM on 07.28.09 |
->> http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/2253
This is a fantastic read about career growth. It doesn't matter if sports photography is or isn't your primary focus, the lesson can be universally applied. |
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Michael McNamara, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Phoenix | AZ | USA | Posted: 3:21 PM on 07.28.09 |
->> Jack, thank you so much.
I was thinking about the piece last night, and wrote a bit of a post-script for it this morning. Here goes:
I often get asked about the downfall of the newspaper business and how it affects photographers, and after giving it a lot of thought and after answering the question more times than I can remember, I think I have finally refined my answer.
I’ve always thought that working at a small newspaper or two after getting out of school was a great way to learn how to be a photographer. You’re usually shooting between three and five assignments a day, and that gives you a lot of practice, and it also lets you figure out what you like and what you don’t. You get better at what you suck at, and you get really good at what you can already do decently. You also get to decide what kind of photography you’d like to specialize in for your freelancing. And everybody has to freelance. Especially today.
When I got out of school, I was going to be a sports photographer. When I took my second job, I wanted to be a sports photographer. But it took me about four years of being out of college to realize that I really wasn’t that interested in sports photography anymore. If I had pigeonholed myself as a sports photographer out of college, I’d probably be fixing cars by now.
With the decline of newspapers and staff jobs drying up, kids in college are having to decide now what they want to specialize in to start freelancing right now. Just like I won’t get calls from Sports Illustrated for my food photography, somebody who specializes in sports photography probably isn’t going to get any calls from Martha Stewart Living.
A lot of kids who are starting in the business now and in the future won’t get the time at small newspapers to hone their craft and to decide what they really like doing, not what they think they like doing. And from my perspective, there are going to be a lot of people who are photographers in their 20’s, but will probably be looking for something else to do as their primary job that makes them happy after the luster has worn off. |
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Darren Whitley, Photographer
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Maryville | MO | USA | Posted: 11:56 PM on 07.28.09 |
| ->> The challenge is to find new ways to reinvent one's self even as a sports photographer. It takes real work to do that. Sometimes I'm willing to make that effort and other times, I'm not. I have a coach who's really irritated me, but the funny thing is it's their sport where I'm most interested in making an effort to take cool photos using a remote camera. I'm certainly not doing for their thanks or benefit. I'm motivated by the end result, at least for now. |
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Gary Cosby, Jr, Photographer
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Decatur | AL | USA | Posted: 2:34 PM on 07.29.09 |
| ->> I loved what you had to say Michael. I have always worked for small newspapers and you have no choice but to be a generalist. That is what I like the best. I enjoy covering sports but covering it all the time would make me nuts. I love having a great diversity of assignments. That said, whenever I fall into the dreaded rut, it is usually sports that helps me pull out and get back on track. |
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Colin Heyburn, Photographer
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ARMAGH | NI | United Kingdom | Posted: 3:46 PM on 07.29.09 |
| ->> I thought it was interesting as noone thanks you for coming out. How very true. Having said that I have been at it four years now and still get the buzz. Then again I get the buzz with a camera in my hand period. |
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Peter Huoppi, Photographer
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New London | CT | USA | Posted: 9:09 PM on 07.29.09 |
->> Thanks for writing this, Michael. It's an important lesson not to pigeonhole oneself, and to be open to changes of direction in one's career.
Like you, I started out of college thinking I wanted to be a (only) sports photographer. After seven years as a still shooter at newspapers, I made the unexpected transition into video two years ago. In my last month at work, I spent more time editing video and writing code than I did with a camera in my hand. It's not what I expected I'd be doing when I graduated nine years ago, but it's where I ended up when I followed my interests and passions. I still love what I do, and still do sports journalism, but the platforms and methods have changed.
As you pointed out, it's important to feel personally fulfilled in your work. |
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