For many working photographers, this change means you can use a phone to take serious photos, especially when you need to move fast or carry less gear. While not every phone can fully replace a high-end camera, the gap is getting smaller. This has helped people who want to start photography but don’t have much money to buy big equipment.

Even some photojournalists and content creators now use smartphones during travel or at events. It’s not just for fun anymore—it’s become a useful tool in professional work.

The Rise of Mobile Editing Tools

It’s not just the camera that has improved—editing tools on smartphones have become more advanced too. Today, apps like Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, and VSCO let you do a lot of what desktop software does. You can adjust color, brightness, contrast, and even remove objects from your pictures.

This change means you can take and edit a full-quality photo from start to finish using only your phone. This saves time, especially if you’re working on a fast deadline or sharing your work online. You don’t need a laptop for every shoot anymore. Some brands even ask content creators to deliver work directly from their phone.

If you’re working on tight schedules or moving around often, mobile editing gives you a fast and easy solution. The fact that these tools are now in your pocket means more flexibility and less stress while working.

New Styles in Photography

Smartphone cameras are also changing how photos look. Because of the way phone cameras work, with smart filters and AI features, many images have a different visual style. You might notice smoother skin in portraits or more color in the sky. These changes are often automatic, especially in built-in camera apps.

Some photographers like this, while others try to keep their photos natural. Either way, these tools have made it easier for you to shoot in difficult light or improve your shots without extra gear. Some phones even offer long exposure and night mode without using a tripod.

As a result, new trends have developed around mobile photography. You might see more bold colors, heavy contrast, or unique angles. These styles are now common in fashion, travel, and even news photography.

Job Roles Are Expanding

Because of smartphones, more jobs now ask for photo skills—even if you are not a full-time photographer. Social media managers, journalists, and bloggers often need to take good-quality pictures during events or while traveling. In some companies, you might be the only one covering a project, and using a smartphone is the quickest way to do that.

This means professional photography is no longer limited to people with full studio setups. You can be part of a project even if all you have is a phone and a few simple tools. More schools and online classes are also teaching mobile photography, showing that it is now taken more seriously.

In short, if you know how to use your phone camera well, it can help you in many career areas—even ones that didn’t need photography before.

More Affordable Gear for All

Smartphones have made photography more accessible. Before, if you wanted to become a photographer, you needed to save a lot of money for a good camera, lens, and editing software. Now, many phones under 500 dollars come with cameras that can take high-quality images. You don’t need to spend as much money just to start.

This shift is important in countries where fewer people can afford expensive gear. For example, in areas where most people use phones for internet access, mobile photography is often the only option. It gives more people a chance to join creative fields.

This is similar to how online games like non GamStop casinos have changed access to entertainment—giving users new ways to join without limits tied to location or high costs.

Today, photography is open to more people because phones are more common and powerful. It’s no longer about what gear you have, but how you use it.

Fast Sharing and Instant Feedback

Smartphones allow you to share photos right after taking them. If you’re covering a live event or working on social media, this speed can be very important. Instead of waiting to transfer files to a computer, you can upload directly from your phone.

Instant sharing also means you get fast feedback. If you’re a content creator, your audience can comment right away. You can see what works and what doesn’t, and change your style quickly.

Some professional photographers use this speed to test new ideas and see reactions in real time. This helps you grow your skills faster and stay connected with your followers or clients. The ability to adjust your work quickly is now part of the photography process.

Hybrid Workflows: Phones and Cameras Together

Many photographers now mix phone and camera use. For example, you might use your DSLR for planned portraits but use your phone for behind-the-scenes shots. Some even use phones to record video while shooting still photos with a main camera. This hybrid style gives you more content and better coverage.

You can also use your phone as a second screen or as a remote control for your main camera. Some apps let you send camera images to your phone right away, which helps when working with clients who want previews.

So, while phones have not replaced full camera setups completely, they’ve become part of the regular tools many professionals use. It’s about choosing what works best for each job, not picking only one device.

The post How Smartphone Cameras Are Changing Professional Photography appeared first on Nativesphotograph.

For some, this means you can save time and focus more on your creative ideas. You don’t need to know every detail of how to use complex software. The tools help guide you. But for others, it feels like you’re not learning real editing skills. The computer does it for you.

Still, many people find these tools helpful—especially when working on deadlines or handling large amounts of photos. In that way, AI acts like a helper, not a replacement. But it’s still important that you understand the basics, so you know what the software is doing to your work.

By the way, even unrelated tools like those used in casinos not on GamStop use similar tech to make the user process faster—just like AI does in photography now.

How AI Changes the Creative Process

One of the biggest changes AI brings is how you start a project. Some tools can now suggest ideas for you. You can type a short description, and the program makes an image or shows editing options. This can help when you feel stuck or don’t know where to begin.

But some people feel this is a problem. If a machine gives you the idea, is it still your own? This is a big question in creative work. You might still make the final choices, but the starting point is not always yours.

It depends on how you use it. You can see AI as something that gives you a base to build from. Or you might avoid it if you want every part of the photo to be your own decision. There is no one correct answer—it depends on your style and purpose.

Who Gets Credit for the Final Image?

When AI helps create or edit a photo, it’s not always clear who should be named as the creator. If a photographer takes a photo and uses a few AI edits, the credit usually goes to them. But what if the photo is completely made by AI with just a few words from you?

Some contests and platforms now require you to say if AI was used. Others do not. If you don’t tell people, they might think you made everything by hand. This can be unfair, especially when others spend hours on similar work without AI.

As AI tools become more powerful, this topic will become more important. You should think about how much credit you want to take and how much you want to share with the tools you use. Honesty helps people trust your work more in the long run.

AI Can Learn from Your Style

Some programs are now able to study your editing style. They watch how you fix photos, then try to copy it in future images. For example, if you always make the sky more blue or the skin tone a little warmer, the tool can do that for you automatically.

This sounds helpful, and it is—especially for people who edit hundreds of photos a day. But it also means the software is learning from your choices, and that data can be stored. You might lose control over your own style if the tool starts changing things without clear reason.

To avoid this, always double-check what AI tools are doing. They are fast, but not always right. Keep an eye on each edit and decide if it really matches your style. You are still in charge of your work, even if the machine tries to help.

Is AI Taking Jobs Away?

Another concern is about work. If AI can do editing and even create images, will fewer people be needed in the field? This is already happening in some places. For example, AI tools can now make marketing images, product shots, or simple portraits with no camera needed.

This means some photo jobs might become less common, especially the more basic ones. But it also creates new work in different areas. For example, people are needed to teach the tools, test the results, or write the words used to guide the AI.

So, AI is not only taking jobs—it’s also changing them. If you work in photography, you might want to learn more about how these tools work. That way, you can stay useful in this new version of the photo industry.

New Creative Styles Are Emerging

AI can also help you try new styles. Some tools let you turn a simple photo into something that looks like a painting, cartoon, or futuristic artwork. Others can mix parts from many photos into one new piece.

This kind of work was hard to do before. Now, it’s much easier. You can test ideas quickly and see what you like. This opens new creative paths for you, even if you’re not a full-time artist.

But it also means the world is full of images that look similar. If too many people use the same tool, the results start to look alike. So, if you want your work to stand out, try using AI tools in a way that still reflects your personal taste. Combine them with your own editing or photography methods.

Editing Photos vs. Creating from Scratch

There’s a big difference between using AI to edit a real photo and using it to make a whole new image from nothing. Both are common now, but they serve different purposes.

If you take a real photo and use AI to fix lighting or clean up the background, it’s still your photo. You made the choices about what to capture and how to frame it. AI is just helping clean it up faster.

But if you write a sentence and the AI makes an image from scratch, you didn’t use a camera at all. This is a different type of art. It might still be creative, but it’s not photography in the traditional sense.

You should know which tools you’re using and what they are doing. That way, you can explain your work clearly to others. And you’ll know which skills you’re building—and which ones the software is handling for you.

The post AI in Photography: Help or Harm for Creative Work? appeared first on Nativesphotograph.

Photojournalism is very different from regular art photography. The only thing they have in common is the ability to handle a camera or a smartphone camera. However, the subjects and subsequent processing of the photos are completely different.

Take photojournalism from the world of casinos, for example. The atmosphere of gambling, the emotions of the players, the lights of the roulette wheel and the tense faces at the poker tables – all of this can be a great subject for photojournalism. Casinos are not only a place of entertainment, but also a stage where dramatic stories of success and failure unfold, which makes them an interesting subject for reporters’ lenses.

Photo processing in photojournalism

Let’s start with the simplest thing – processing. In artistic photography, anything that makes a photo more impressive and expressive is allowed and encouraged. Photographers actively use special programs for image processing, and now also services with artificial intelligence. You can change the color of a face in a portrait, draw a cloud in the sky, or turn day into night.

In photojournalism, serious processing is strictly prohibited. Only minimal adjustments are allowed – making the photo darker or lighter, adjusting the exposure (amount of light), but no more. This has both pros and cons. The downside is that the photo remains as the photographer captured it at the time of shooting. But the upside is that the reporter does not waste time on processing, and his work remains as reliable as possible. This article was written by Antonio Matias, founder of the CasinoReal.pt website dedicated to the casino industry and gambling.

Working in Photojournalism

A staff photographer is someone who works for a specific publication and who takes photographs as a full-time or part-time job. A freelance photographer, on the other hand, works for different publications, taking assignments for specific shoots or for a limited period. Freelancers usually have a list of clients for whom they work. The third most popular employers of photojournalists are news agencies such as the Associated Press or Reuters. Newspapers and other media often obtain information through subscriptions to such agencies, as they cannot always afford to send their own reporters to remote areas.

Photo essays from the world of casinos often become popular among journalists and publishers. Exciting moments of big wins, tense faces of players, luxury of gaming halls and glow of neon lights – all this creates a unique atmosphere that attracts readers and makes photos come alive. Photojournalists working in the gambling industry can cover not only the glamorous side of casinos, but also the hidden side of the industry, for example, the work of the staff or the daily life of regulars.

This trend began in German illustrated magazines in the 1930s and reached its peak in publications such as Picher Post and Life in the 1940s and 1950s. The main goal of such portraits is to attract the attention of readers. The authors of such works often have to take into account the wishes and even preferences of the art editor, who can give specific instructions on how to develop the theme. The shooting should take place in a familiar environment for the model.

Before you start working, it is recommended to choose the most unusual and attractive location for the shoot. Since the editor needs to have a choice, offer several options for the environment. For example, if you are photographing a writer, let him visit his office and then the place where the events of his novel unfold. It is absolutely necessary to avoid static poses. All shots should be lively and informal. There should not be too many details in the frame, and it is also not recommended to place the model in the center without good reason.

The casino industry also offers many interesting photo opportunities. Richly decorated rooms, flashing neon lights and the expressions of players experiencing both triumph and defeat make for great shots. A photographer working in this field must be able to convey an atmosphere of excitement and intrigue, paying attention not only to the players, but also to the dealers, waiters and other casino employees. Such images are especially in demand in advertising campaigns and news articles dedicated to gambling, for example, on sites reviewing online platforms, such as casinos minimum deposit 1 euro (casinos depósito mínimo 1 euro), where users can find the best offers for playing with a minimum deposit.

Where possible, attract the viewer’s attention with unusual details, unconventional angles and original techniques. A little humor is always welcome. However, be careful – too much caricature of a photo can show the hero in an unflattering light, which will negatively affect your future cooperation. If you are a professional photographer, it is important to remember that a portrait shoot should always correspond to the personality of the model, her character and even profession.

Top tips for photojournalism

Whether you are a freelance journalist or a staff photographer, never be without your camera.

You never know when a news event might happen, when an editor will send you on an assignment, or when you will have to take action. Be prepared to cover events outside your comfort zone. Even if you usually cover social events, be prepared to cover political events.

For editors selecting the right images, any image is better than no image. High-quality photos taken with a DSLR or mirrorless camera are ideal, but publishers never know what will resonate with their audience. “Just document the event so I know what’s going on,” says Marie. “No matter what technology you have, be there. Get the right photo. I don’t care if it’s a screen grab from a live feed—we want documentation.”

When you’re out on the road, keep your camera with you so you don’t miss out on the best photos in any scene. If you come across something newsworthy, you can quickly make adjustments to your camera settings.

Understand the lenses for your camera

Whether you use a prime lens or a telephoto lens, the more familiar you are with your camera lenses , the faster you will be able to decide how to get the best shot in any situation. A prime lens has a faster aperture speed, allowing you to shoot in low light, but you will have to move closer or further away from your subject to frame the shot. A 50mm lens is a reliable choice for wide shots and portraits. A zoom lens offers flexibility, but can be bulky and heavy compared to a prime lens.

When using a DSLR, remember to periodically calibrate the lens to ensure sharp autofocus by fine-tuning the focal point. A brand new camera lens should work perfectly, but over time you may notice a slight blurriness in your photos. If you are happy that you got the perfect shot, you may later find that a slight shift in the focal point was enough to ruin the photo.

Pay attention to camera settings

There are optimal settings for each situation. When shooting outdoors, when there is a lot of movement around, you will need a high shutter speed. You can start with 1/125 or 1/200 and see how it works. In good lighting, an aperture (f) value of 5 to 8 will put enough of the background in focus, and your subject will be inseparable from it. In low light, you may need to open the aperture to f/2.8.

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In this article, we explore some of the best and most challenging destinations for photojournalists, highlighting what makes a location inspiring or difficult for visual storytelling.

Best Places for Photojournalists

1. Iceland: Nature’s Raw Drama
   Known for its stunning landscapes of glaciers, waterfalls, and volcanic terrain, Iceland offers endless opportunities for capturing dramatic nature shots. The country’s sparse population and open access to most natural sites make it a haven for environmental photojournalists.
2. India: Vibrant Cultures and Festivals
   India is a treasure trove for photojournalists looking to document diverse cultures, bustling cityscapes, and colorful festivals. From the chaos of markets to the tranquility of rural villages, every corner of India tells a story.
3. Japan: A Blend of Tradition and Modernity
   Japan’s seamless mix of ancient traditions and cutting-edge technology offers rich material for storytelling. Events like cherry blossom season or Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri festival provide excellent opportunities to explore themes of heritage and change.
4. South Africa: Wildlife and Social Narratives
   South Africa is a hotspot for wildlife photographers and those documenting the country’s social and political complexities. Safaris offer access to some of the world’s most iconic animals, while cities like Johannesburg tell stories of resilience and urban renewal.
5. Italy: Timeless Architecture and Everyday Life
   The historic streets of Rome, the canals of Venice, and the rolling hills of Tuscany provide a stunning backdrop for stories about art, history, and culture. Italy’s rich visual diversity makes it an enduring favorite for photojournalists.

Challenging Places for Photojournalists

1. Conflict Zones
   While war-torn regions like Syria or Afghanistan provide critical stories, they are among the most dangerous places for photojournalists. Safety concerns, restricted access, and the emotional toll of documenting human suffering make these assignments profoundly challenging.
2. Authoritarian Regimes
   Countries with strict censorship, such as North Korea or Turkmenistan, pose significant risks to journalists. Photojournalists may face surveillance, equipment confiscation, or even imprisonment for capturing unapproved images.
3. Dense Urban Centers in High-Crime Areas
   Cities with high crime rates, such as parts of Caracas, Venezuela, or Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, can be risky for photographers, especially when carrying expensive equipment. Understanding local dynamics and working with fixers is essential in these locations.
4. Extreme Weather Locations
   While places like Antarctica or the Sahara Desert offer breathtaking visuals, the extreme weather conditions can make photography logistically and physically taxing. Equipment must be specially adapted to withstand harsh climates.
5. Remote Areas with Limited Access
   Regions like the Amazon rainforest or the Arctic can be challenging due to their isolation, lack of infrastructure, and unpredictable conditions. Photojournalists venturing to such locations must prepare extensively for self-sufficiency.

Tips for Photojournalists Traveling Abroad

1. Research Local Laws and Customs
   Understanding the rules around photography in your destination is crucial. Some places restrict photographing people, government buildings, or cultural sites.
2. Invest in Lightweight, Durable Equipment
   Traveling with heavy or fragile gear can be burdensome. Opt for lightweight cameras and protective cases to safeguard your equipment in tough conditions.
3. Build Local Connections
   Working with local fixers or guides can provide access to areas and stories you might not reach on your own. They can also help navigate cultural sensitivities and ensure your safety.
4. Stay Discreet
   In challenging environments, drawing attention to your equipment can increase the risk of theft or interference. Keep a low profile whenever possible.
5. Adapt to the Environment
   Whether it’s extreme cold or urban heat, prepare your equipment and yourself for the climate. Carry backup batteries, lens-cleaning kits, and protective covers to ensure smooth shooting.

Balancing Risk and Reward

Traveling as a photojournalist requires balancing the pursuit of powerful stories with the realities of safety and logistics. While some destinations may be inherently more inspiring, others demand resilience and preparation to navigate their challenges.

Whether you’re capturing wildlife in South Africa, documenting cultural festivals in India, or braving conflict zones, each place offers unique stories waiting to be told. By preparing thoroughly and respecting the environments you enter, you can turn any location into an opportunity for impactful storytelling.

Ultimately, the best and worst places for photojournalists are shaped not only by external conditions but also by their willingness to adapt, learn, and connect with the world they seek to document.

The post Traveling with a Camera: The Best and Worst Places for Photojournalists appeared first on Nativesphotograph.

The category of informational genres of photojournalism includes photo reportage, photo correspondence and photo exhibition. The analytical genre includes photo-correspondence and photo-feuilleton. In many aspects of art and journalism, similarities can be found, in particular in genres such as sketching and portraiture. The relationship between the art and science of photojournalism is interdependent.

In photojournalism, genres can be divided into two categories: informational and journalistic. The informational genre is aimed at reproducing the facts of an event that is reflected in newspaper publications, online publications or magazines, where it is important for readers to receive fresh and relevant information. In this context, it is important to focus on simple, everyday situations in life. However, the information genre is characterized by an objective reflection of facts, efficiency and quick response to events.

The journalistic genre, in turn, covers a wider range of realities. It aims not just to reflect one fact, but to highlight several aspects of reality. Facts in such materials are used not just as empirical data, but also as a means of argumentation and disclosure of a phenomenon. A photojournalist, working on a journalistic piece, usually does not limit himself or herself to just one event, but tries to identify the connections it has with different aspects of reality.

Photojournalism has a variety of genres, each of which has its own characteristics and peculiarities. A photo essay is one of these genres and acts as a form of prompt reflection of various aspects of social reality, including both positive and negative aspects. Photo reportage, which also plays an important role in photojournalism, can have different manifestations, including individual shots that reveal the development of a particular event. Obviously, photojournalism has qualities that are characteristic of the information group of genres. It answers the same questions as a photo essay: what? who? where? when? But the main question-answer of a photo essay is how?

As a genre, the photo sketch emphasizes important aspects of contemporary life, although it often has no journalistic coloring. A photo essay, in turn, is an attempt to concisely reflect the realities of contemporary society through the actions and aspirations of a person.

The formation of a photo essay is characterized by the laconicism of reflection. The object of reflection of a photo essay is the phenomena of modern social life. Moreover, it is revealed through the actions and relationships of a person. Therefore, a photo essay often appears as a form of storytelling about a person’s fate.

Photomontage, in turn, allows you to combine several fragments of reality to create new images or ideas. Photographic portraiture, as a high artistic genre, focuses on the reproduction of a personality through figurative means. A photo series, regardless of the form of presentation, allows you to create a single work that is dedicated to a specific topic or problem.

Thus, it should be emphasized that the variety of genres in photojournalism reflects a wide range of possibilities for reproducing various aspects of social reality. Each genre has its own unique features, which are reflected in the way it is shot, approaches to image processing and the purpose of information transmission. Photojournalism, as an art and journalism, continues to evolve, and the diversity of its genres provides a deeper and more complete understanding of the modern world.

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Matthew Brady – Known as the father of war photography, Brady had to get permission from Andrew Lincoln to go and photograph the Civil War for Harper’s Weekly. His heavy and clumsy equipment made it difficult for him to go into battle, but he was always quick to cover soldiers in camps and after battles. His images were so early that at first they could only be printed as engravings in the magazine.

Dorothea Lange – Her portrait of a migrant mother is considered one of the most viewed photographs of all time. She took this and many other shots documenting American migrants and the poor, which at the time was considered public awareness work.

Henri Cartier-Bresson: a man whose influence is felt in almost every aspect of photography, Cartier-Bresson is also considered one of the fathers of photojournalism. His style, which often consisted of walking through cities to see what he could capture, combined skillful framing of the flâneur with current events and clever social commentary.

Albert Eisenstadt: sailor bends nurse backwards and kisses her in Times Square. You know the shot! Eisenstadt was around for many culturally important moments in the forties, fifties, and sixties – and beyond.

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Enter cryptography and non-fungible tokens (NFTs): two groundbreaking technologies that are redefining how photographers secure and monetize their work. By leveraging blockchain technology, these tools offer innovative ways to authenticate, distribute, and control photographic rights.

What Are NFTs and How Do They Work?

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are digital assets stored on a blockchain—a decentralized and secure digital ledger. Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which are interchangeable, NFTs are unique and cannot be replicated. This uniqueness makes NFTs ideal for representing ownership of digital assets, including photographs.

When a photograph is minted as an NFT, it becomes a verifiable digital file with metadata detailing its origin, creator, and ownership history. This cryptographic proof ensures that the photograph is both authentic and traceable.

Key Benefits for Photographers

1. Provenance and Authenticity
   With NFTs, photographers can establish indisputable proof of ownership and authorship. Every transaction involving the NFT is recorded on the blockchain, creating a transparent history of the photograph’s lifecycle.
2. Monetization and Royalties
   NFTs enable photographers to sell their work directly to collectors, bypassing traditional intermediaries like galleries or stock agencies. Additionally, smart contracts embedded in NFTs can ensure that photographers receive royalties every time the NFT is resold.
3. Global Reach and Visibility
   The NFT marketplace is global, allowing photographers to reach a wider audience. Platforms like OpenSea, Foundation, and Rarible have become popular hubs for artists and collectors alike.
4. Digital Scarcity
   By minting a photograph as a limited-edition NFT or a one-of-a-kind piece, photographers can create digital scarcity, increasing the perceived value of their work.

Challenges and Criticisms

1. Environmental Concerns
   The blockchain networks used for NFTs, such as Ethereum, consume significant energy. Although newer technologies like Ethereum 2.0 aim to reduce this impact, environmental concerns remain a hot topic in the NFT space.
2. Market Volatility
   The NFT market is highly speculative, with prices often fluctuating wildly. For photographers, this means potential risks in relying on NFTs as a primary revenue stream.
3. Copyright Confusion
   Minting a photograph as an NFT does not automatically transfer copyright or licensing rights unless explicitly stated. Educating buyers and ensuring clear terms is essential to avoid disputes.
4. Access Barriers
   Navigating the world of NFTs requires technical knowledge, from setting up wallets to understanding blockchain networks. For some photographers, these barriers can be daunting.

Cryptography’s Role in Securing Photographic Rights

Beyond NFTs, cryptography plays a crucial role in protecting photographic works. Watermarking, digital signatures, and encrypted metadata allow photographers to secure their images and track unauthorized use.

1. Digital Watermarking
   Advanced cryptographic techniques can embed invisible watermarks into images, making it possible to trace their origins even if the photograph is altered.
2. Encrypted Storage
   Cryptographic systems enable photographers to store their work securely on decentralized platforms, reducing the risk of theft or loss.
3. Smart Licensing
   Blockchain-based licensing platforms allow photographers to automate usage agreements and ensure compliance. For instance, a license could be programmed to expire after a certain period or limit the number of reproductions.

How NFTs Are Changing the Photography Landscape

1. New Revenue Models
   Photographers are exploring creative ways to monetize their work through NFTs, such as selling time-limited access to exclusive collections or auctioning behind-the-scenes content.
2. Collaboration Opportunities
   NFTs facilitate collaborations between photographers, digital artists, and animators, enabling the creation of hybrid works that combine photography with other art forms.
3. Empowering Independent Creators
   By decentralizing control, NFTs and blockchain technology empower photographers to retain more control over their work and earnings, reducing reliance on traditional gatekeepers.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Photography and Blockchain

As technology evolves, the integration of cryptography and NFTs into the photography industry is likely to deepen. Photographers may see new platforms that combine AI-driven copyright protection, blockchain-based authentication, and advanced monetization tools.

While challenges remain, these innovations offer exciting possibilities for photographers to protect their work, build global audiences, and thrive in an increasingly digital world.

By embracing these technologies thoughtfully, photographers can redefine how their art is valued, shared, and preserved in the 21st century.

The post How Cryptography and NFTs Are Transforming Rights to Photographic Works appeared first on Nativesphotograph.

Some people think that being a good photographer means having a good camera. This is definitely not the case! A good camera can increase the quality level of your pictures, but it’s important to have a photographic eye. If you don’t have it, you won’t be able to take good pictures. To develop your eye with constant practice – frame and reshape the world around you. What is working? What’s not?

Protect yourself

Working in photojournalism can be dangerous. You may be working in a war zone, participating in a protest, or even just walking down the street where you may happen to have a traffic accident. You need to protect yourself as much as possible. Have insurance for both yourself and all of your equipment, and consider using automatic uploads to the cloud so that your work is permanently saved. You don’t want to risk your life and health just to lose your images! Keep safety in mind and try not to expose yourself to hazards that could cost you your life or cause serious injury.

Know your stories

While there’s something to be said for being spot on with the biggest news of the year, it’s not always the best tactic. Working with what you know can give you better results.
For example, if you’re really involved in the climate change movement, you’re better off photographing protests and other climate change events than you are chasing a serial killer or covering skirmishes in Syria. You know the key players, you know the narratives and you have insider information on what might happen and where – it’s just wise to use these advantages.

Be businesslike

Photojournalists are often freelancers, which means you’ll essentially be running your own business. You’ll need to know how to manage your finances, negotiate contracts, protect your rights, and so on. Even if you are hired as an employee, you should know your worth and be pay yourself enough. Understand what to charge, how to negotiate, and how to exercise your legal rights.

Accept rejection

Be prepared for rejections – lots of them! You’ll need to post images by the thousands if you want to publish hundreds. Don’t send out one submission and wait for it to come back – move on to the next one and keep going. This is the only way to generate enough income to live on. Rejection can happen for many reasons other than the quality of your work: the editor may already have another job, they may have a staff photographer, they may not cover the story, they may want to show a different point of view…

Expect fewer photos

As a photographer, you might think that most of your time will be spent on photos. Not so!!! You will find that most of your time is spent editing, billing, invoicing, negotiating, receiving payments, managing your archive, updating your website, marketing and so on.

Stay ethical

Unfortunately, there is a lot of unethical photojournalism out there. There have been countless scandals involving photoshop, misrepresentation, staging and so on. Don’t be tempted to let your own opinions or the pursuit of more money lead you into these tricks. When they are discovered, they can end a career. Stay true to the ethics of photojournalism, which requires only honest observation. Don’t interfere or try to change the events happening around you.

Don’t expect riches

Think photojournalism will make you rich? Think again. While there have been isolated cases where images have gone viral and brought in long-term royalties, in most cases this doesn’t happen (and if you’ve sold your rights, you still won’t make any additional profit). According to a 2016 World Press Photos survey, the vast majority of professional photojournalists make less than $40,000 XNUMX dollars a year. You’ll need passion to move forward in this industry, not a desire to get rich.

Be prepared for a lack of diversity

There isn’t much diversity in photojournalism – white males make up the vast majority of professionals working in this field. If you don’t fall into this category, prepare to meet some resistance. Things are starting to pick up, with representation groups and calls for more diversity in the industry, but it’s still going to be a challenge to make it happen.

Develop a personal style

The quickest way to get noticed in this field is to develop your own personal style. This will help you stand out from the crowd – and make your presentation one that the editor will pick out of all the ones in your inbox. It’s also more likely to get you assignments that you know you’ll get paid for.

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That’s why all important events today are accompanied by photos. And while journalists write texts, photojournalists take photos from the scene of an event, a photo report.

Photo reportage or reportage photography is a general term that characterizes photography in journalism. However, photojournalism is only one of the genres of photojournalism. Among them are photo fact and photo note, terms that are less common in our vocabulary. Their general characteristics are identical, so today we will focus on reportage photography.

• First of all, realize that this is a very exciting process, but you need to be resilient. You can work early in the morning and in the evening, in case there is an event that needs attention. To do this, in addition to the equipment, you should have a good and comfortable bag so that you can easily move around and change lenses if necessary. Often, photojournalists use a special lens belt or a so-called unloading system to keep everything they need at hand. A monopod, a tripod with a single support, is often used for reportage photography. It’s quite convenient to shoot reportage with it, because you can increase the shutter speed, unload your hands, and shoot from the desired angle;
• Also, you should definitely remember the rules of composition, “thirds of the frame” and lines, because, as we said above, this is a photo that should not be processed, and its author should be well acquainted with the theory of photography;
• And the most important thing for you is to capture the moment. The moment that can become a great picture on the cover of a magazine or newspaper. So don’t be afraid to take pictures. Catch the moment, change the angle to get what you want. Of course, it’s great when you get a good image from a single shot. However, this is not always the case. To do this, take a lot of pictures, look for an interesting moment to find what works for you;
• If you’re shooting in your hometown, you probably know where important events often take place. Go there and see where you can get a good view. In general, if you know in advance where the action will take place, then look around the area beforehand to find a good place to shoot from which you can catch a great shot;
• And, of course, if you need not just one photo, but a series of photos, then don’t forget about the plans. Always alternate between close-ups, medium shots, and general shots. A close-up is a great key to good reportage photography, because you can easily make a reference to the place and time. This way, the viewer can immediately understand where the event is taking place and when it is happening.

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It is especially important to distinguish between these areas of photography in the early period of its history, when it was difficult to draw a clear line between some of them. For example, species photography by geographers, ethnographers, and travel reporters often fulfilled not only its natural science functions but also had an aesthetic character, and eventually became a historical document. The same can be said about individual and group portraits taken for private, domestic purposes, but which eventually become scientific and documentary evidence of an era.

The emergence of photojournalism

Photographs for magazines were engraved, which complicated the process of replication, which is why they were not used much in printing. Only in the late 70s and early 80s of the 19th century, when new types of reproduction of photographs (phototypes, zincographs), generated by photography itself, appeared in printing, did photographs appear more and more often in mass printing.

Engraving (French: gravure). A type of graphic art in which the image is a printed impression of a convex or recessed pattern made by various engraving techniques on the surface of a plate (“board”). The second meaning is the plate itself or an impression from it. Often lithography (“flat” engraving) is also referred to as an engraving.

Photo-tintype engraving is a photo-painting, the most common way of replicating photographs of city views and genre scenes in the second half of the nineteenth century.

Phototype – A method of flat printing from a glass or metal grain plate covered with a photosensitive layer, on which a reproducible image is photographed. When printing, only the printing elements are wetted with ink. The second meaning is an impression obtained from such a plate.

Zincography is one of the types of letterpress reproduction plates. It allows the negatives obtained from iso-originals, including those made by photography, to be copied onto a zinc plate coated with a photosensitive layer, and then to produce zincographic clichés with the help of an acid etchant that does not remove the white space elements that were not duplicated during copying.

Photolithography is a form of graphic art. It is based on the lithographic method of printing using photography, when a stone is covered with a photosensitive layer to obtain the initial image. It became widespread after the discovery of photography in 1839 and before the invention of zinc printing in the 80s of the XIX century.

Since then, photography has become more widely used in periodicals, which was, in fact, the beginning of photojournalism.

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