SportsShooter.com - Multimedia Journalists...

	Durham \| NC \| USA \| Posted: 10:24 AM on 07.01.11
	->> Greg, for the amount of different things you are doing I would imagine you are somewhat in the minority. Most of photographers/multimedia journalists are doing more writing but you seem to be in an extreme situation.

Chad Ryan, Photographer

Fort Wayne | IN | USA | Posted: 11:38 AM on 07.01.11

->> I am actually a member of our Sports staff. I have a regular high school sports beat each season, and I write about all other kinds of sports too. I shoot all the photos for my stories, and I end up shooting 99 percent of the rest of the sports photos for our section, not including national stuff. I also do video for various sections on occasion when I can actually have time to do it.

We had four full-time staff photographers until two years ago when our new owners (we were part of the Knight-Ridder fire sale) decided to repurpose me to Sports and another guy to Metro and keep a two-person photo staff. The guy who went to Metro left the paper a short time after that, so they took one of the two remaining photographers and slid her into the Metro spot. Last year, they decided that we no longer needed a photo staff at all, so they called our chief photographer in while he was on vacation and let him go after 20+ years. Now, I believe we are likely the only Pulitzer Prize winning (1983) daily newspaper that does not have a single staff photographer. I could be wrong.

These days, I consider my job title to be utility player. I am surprised design hasn't been added to my duties yet. When it does, I'm sure delivering the newspaper will soon follow.

There are some benefits to being in this position, I suppose. I decide how to illustrate my stories, I only write about sports (for now), and I still have a job. But it can be a real pain. I never have time to actually do anything creative anymore, and my pictures definitely show that. I usually only have time to get the "safe" pictures because if I'm not writing about a game, I usually have to go to two or even three other games in the same night. That's basically just so we can have a picture that says we were there.

I understand that for many, the good old days of just shooting are over. I'm fine with that. I just wish publishers and editors didn't have the opinion that photo quality doesn't matter. There is plenty of research that suggests otherwise, but we'd rather strap me with a byline quota than let me try to make pictures that grab people's attention.

Michael Granse, Photographer

	Urbana \| IL \| USA \| Posted: 1:44 PM on 07.01.11
	->> Photographers with note pads and pens will ruin the writing industry! Do you want to be known as the GWP (Guy With Pen)? I am kidding, of course. I have occasionally written stories for football games that I have photographed and I have really enjoyed it.

David Brooks, Photographer

San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 2:20 PM on 07.02.11

->> Chad your situation is amazing and I applaud your perseverance and ability to adapt but I know you appreciate the regular paycheck, at the same time it sounds like a challenge. I'm not sure how well I would handle wearing so many hats.

In response to Greg, you have a unique set of responsibilities, I shoot and edit video, mainly, but at times I am tasked with stills and video... and although I can do it, when it comes to a daily assignment it can be difficult, while you're shooting one, video or still, your missing the other, you can do grabs from the video but it's not the same. I can't imagine that I could juggle writing tossed into the mix. I don't know anyone taking on as much as you are but if you want someone to toss around ideas or just chat, you are welcome to contact me. I just had a thought... does writing captions count as being a writer? This past weekend was the first time, or maybe the second, that the caption I wrote, appeared in print as I wrote it. Baby steps. Small victories.

Greg Kendall-Ball, Photographer, Assistant

Abilene | TX | USA | Posted: 5:09 PM on 07.02.11

->> Thanks for all the responses, folks.

Perhaps a little background is in order: I started working for a Scripps paper in October, as part of a "multimedia journalism fellowship" program. One of the staff photographers was out having a baby, and for 6 months, I was basically a staff shooter- sports, breaking news, portraits, etc. The six months ended, and I was looking at going back to being a freelancer, or, taking this "general assignment/cops beat" spot that had just been vacated.

So, I weighed shooting 100% of the time as a stringer (a few times a week, maybe), or, working every day, and getting to shoot semi-regularly. The paycheck won out.

Now, I cover the cops/courts beat (basically all by myself at this point, since our other cops reporter left). I do get to shoot a lot of breaking news- accidents, fires, etc. And I shoot a few non-cops assignments at night- concerts, dinners, etc.

Now, on the one hand, my boss and others at the paper say I'm becoming more valuable, as the era of the "one trick pony" is quickly passing. In their estimation, soon there will no longer be people who only shoot, or only write.

But on the other, this feels untenable as a long-term career. Being expected to master a beat, develop contacts, catch every breaking news story that comes down the pike, as well as shooting portraits and editorial stuff not associated with my beat, seems like a great way to get burned out quickly.

I was wanting to find others who might be in a similar situation, to see how they manage their time, what sort of ground rules they have established with their editors, to protect their sanity, etc. I do feel like within the next six months, I'm going to have to make a decision, and either give up the shooting to focus on reporting (which I would hate to do), or give up the reporting (and the full-time gig) to focus on shooting.

Anyway, thanks for hearing me out. I will probably follow up with some of you who have posted in the next few days, provided I can find the time! :)

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