Photojournalists are pivotal in telling a news story. Photos allow the reader to experience the feelings a situation evokes first-hand. However, with the majority popularion equipped with a smartphone camera, professionals face a threat. Metrolife spoke to a range of photojournalists to discuss their relevance in a changing world.
“Most people see life as a video, we see it as a collection of freeze frames,” says Anantha Subramaniam, a photojournalist with 25 years of experience.
“Approaching every event with the same level of curiosity and passion is important. You are there to capture interesting moments and pictures that hold the attention of the viewers,” he says.
Samyukta Lakshmi, a freelance photojournalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Bloomberg, says authenticity is important. “We don’t just click a picture of what’s happening; we inquire about the situation and try to understand why something is happening,” she says.
Vaishnavi Suresh, documentary photographer and photojournalist, works with NGOs.
“The focus is on documenting an event, area or situation for a long period of time and then working towards getting it published to bring attention to a certain cause,” she says.
Subramaniam adds that intuition is a must. “One never knows what will happen. But it’s our job to know, to anticipate situations and be ready with our finger on the shutter. I was once in Sri Lanka to cover a cricket match, but on the way to the stadium there was a bomb blast in my vicinity. I was able to stay focused and deliver the pictures,” he explains.
Are journalistic ethics always followed? “There is a certain pressure from above that you can’t ignore, but for certain things you have to put your foot down,” says Subramaniam.
He explains how photojournalists are often asked to document the family of students who have died by suicide. “We are asked to take pictures that capture their grief and sometimes even inquire for happy pictures of the student. That is something I refuse to do as I feel it’s disrespectful to the family,” he says.
Samyukta says they can always take a photo and help the person after, but their consent is always important.
“I know of photojournalists covering the migrant crisis who go up to the people and help them afterwards, either by providing them with more information and food or through NGOs,” she says.
Vaishnavi says she is aware of the gaze of the camera and the effect it has. “I always try to take pictures of individuals at the eye-level, so as to not portray them as lesser than or greater than the viewer,” she explains.
Cracking the field
For the past few years, newspapers have been asking for journalists with a certain educational qualification and a portfolio.
“They should be able to write small reports, so courses that teach this are an added advantage. But with that being said, nothing can beat experience, I have no qualifications above Class 10,” Subramaniam says.
He says that the field has become extremely competitive with smartphones coming into the picture.
“Reporters, nowadays, feel like an image they click with a smartphone will suffice for their story. For us to survive, we constantly have to innovate and train the eye to see beyond the usual frames,” he adds.
Vaishnavi does not think it is an easy field to break into; she doesn’t think she has completely cracked it either. “There are stories of people who slog for months and years as unpaid interns, but still don’t get a job. It’s even more difficult for women,” she says.
Freelancing opportunities galore
Samyukta says being a freelancer does not mean you are less successful. One constantly has to hustle, but she enjoys it more than being a staff photographer. “While there is a higher risk in terms of income, it’s more fulfilling to be able to work for different publications,” she says.
Vaishnavi works freelance and in the NGO space, which she says can be a double-edged sword. “I don’t have to censor my work to fit a certain ideal, but I do wish I had guidance since I’ve barely been in the field for the five years,” she says.
A woman in the field
Samyukta says that being a woman can have its pros and cons. Safety is a prime issue: “The best way to combat it is to research and prepare. You should know where you’re going, who will be there, who your fixers are.” Vaishnavi adds that sometimes even if they are prepared, there is always reluctance to send a woman photographer to a charged situation.
Samyukta says that her gender helps when trying to get people more comfortable. “Women photographers definitely have an edge when covering women: they always open up to us more comfortably,” she explains.
Vaishnavi adds, “I’m young and five feet tall, which makes me more accessible to the people I shoot. They don’t see me as a towering figure.”
Mental health
Samyukta says that when she is on the field she concentrates solely on getting the best pictures. “In a way, I am detached until my day ends, that’s when all the physical and mental exhaustion hits. To deal with this, I’ve turned towards activities like yoga that help me relax,” she says. Vaishnavi says the kind of attachment you have to a project and how long you spend with it changes the way it affects you. “I have been covering various protests, but since they are short-term I don’t really have the time to interact with people and empathise,” she says.
On the other hand, her longest project, the movement against mining at Hasdeo, had a significant impact on her.
“On my first visit, I had taken a picture of a father and son and on my next visit, I found out that they had passed away. That took a great toll on my mental health. It’s an inexplicable feeling to think that your photograph of someone might be the last reminder of their life,” she says.