2003 Luau: Editing Your Work & Assembling That Killer Portfolio with Greth & Risberg

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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2003-09-20

2003 Luau: Editing Your Work & Assembling That Killer Portfolio with Greth & Risberg
By Robert Hanashiro, Sports Shooter

Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos

AP staffer Eric Risberg in the first base overhead basket at Pac Bell Park during Game 5 of the 2003 World Series.

(Note: One in a series of stories on breakout leaders at the upcoming Sports Shooter Workshop & Luau.)

For photojournalism students, especially those heading for the home stretch --- your senior year --- it's all about getting a job.

And for those fortunate enough to get a job in photography, is it all about making your editors happy ... or your readers?

Is there a happy medium between presenting work that you love and the images that get a job done?

Alan Greth and Eric Risberg, two veteran newsmen, will help participants answer many of these kinds of questions in their session "Editing Your Own Work and Assembling That Killer Portfolio" at the Sports Shooter Workshop & Luau Nov. 7 - 8.

"Photographers are often there own worst editors," Risberg, an Associated Press staff photographer says, "Often they are so excited by witnessing the moment and doing the shoot that they lose perspective. This results in filing too many pictures and diminishes the chances of the correct picture get the proper play."

"I want to talk about ways of keeping the shoot in perspective and how to 'trim' the take to get the maximum exposure and impact from the assignment."

Risberg as part of his presentation plans to bring in several actual assignments to analysis and discuss with participants to help illustrate his points.

Contra Costa Times Executive Photo Editor Alan Greth on the tarmac at Travis Air Force base before his flight on a KC-10 refueling jet.

"I plan to bring in three examples of shoots and talk about the edits," he says, "The first one is a recent NBA game where we filed too many photos on a first round match-up. Second one is a regular season baseball game I did. And the third is a non-sports photo package that I worked on over the past year. I'll demonstrate how it started out and how it got narrowed down"

Greth, the Executive Photo Editor at the 200,000 circulation Contra Costa Times, will be helping Luau participants understand the intricacies and subtleties of putting together a winning portfolio, something he calls "the complete package."

"OK, so you were lucky. The Director of Photography finally answered his or her own telephone. There you are, eardrum to eardrum with someone who can give you a job and change your life forever. What do you say? What do you present to this person is asked? What is your fate?" Greth asks.

"Well believe it or not, in most cases YOU determine the answers to these questions. At the point of contact, you must have your entire package in place. This "package" not only includes the content of your portfolio, but importantly, HOW you present it and how you present yourself."

Photo by Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Risberg's award-winning image of the Giants winning the 2002 National League Pennant.

Risberg adds, "Many of the portfolios I have seen recently have almost become a cliche. So many of them look so similar. The armpit basketball shot, the flying shortstop, the blur, the tilt-angle, the overhead remote shot, and in the news area the perennial protest, the homeless, or dying patient. Let's think beyond that and talk about how to come up with a portfolio that shows off your best skills but shows that you are innovative and have a talent that makes you stand out from the rest of the pack."

Careful thought, consideration and execution of your entire package is "the key to gainful employment" says Greth.

The Sports Shooter Workshop & Luau will be held at the Manhattan Beach Marriott Nov. 7 - 8. The main speakers are Deanne Fitzmaurice of the San Francisco Chronicle, Jose Villegas of the Sacramento Bee, freelance photographer and film maker Ben Van Hook and Vincent Laforet from The New York Times.

Some of other breakout classes include "Covering War & Conflict" by Jack Gruber from USA TODAY and Wally Skalij of the Los Angeles Times; "Getting a Life: Or, Remembering to Live Yours" a session on balancing career and family and reinvigorating your photography with Rod Mar of the Seattle Times; "Photoshop Tricks & Tips for Working Photographers" with freelance photographer and digital consultant Reed Hoffmann' "The Sports Shooter Jedi Master Series" with Peter Read Miller (football), V.J. Lovero (baseball) and Andy Hayt (basketball); "Down & Dirty: Adventure Photography" with outdoor photographer Corey Rich; "Digital Cameras, Technology, and Workflow" with Trent Nelson, The Salt Lake Tribune. There will be 15 different breakout class topics in all.

The Contra Costa Times

One-on-one portfolio critiques, mail-in contest, trade show and the opportunity to meet and network with some of the top photographers and editors in the business are also part of this fabulous weekend.

For details and on-line registration, click on "Workshops" on the SportsShooter.com web site. The Sports Shooter Workshop & Luau is sponsored by Nikon.

"As Eric pointed out, you must set yourself apart from by pack by careful shooting and editing of your portfolio," Greth says, "Once you have reached this point you are now equal to everyone else at this workshop. You have a portfolio. Great. I will expand on the art of selling all your assets combined ... 'The complete Package.'"

For more information and on-line registration for the Sports Shooter Workshop & Luau:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/workshops.html

Related Links:

Alan Greth's member page

Eric Risberg's member page

Workshop & Luau Info