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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BackdoorArts" data-source="post: 216355" data-attributes="member: 9240">OK, sorry for the photo above.  Self censoring.  Photojournalism and news photography is a subject that's incredibly close to my heart, and I know quite a few people in the field whose jobs (and family incomes) hang precariously from threads as newspapers contemplate when precisely to fire the photo department.  So please keep that in mind as I tell you that posting substandard photos to a newspaper website that also contains the work of men and women who have made news photography their life's craft reflects just as badly on them as it does on you, and maybe even more poorly.  Because you must realize that anyone visiting NJ.com won't think long and hard enough to realize that the substandard snapshot next to that story isn't the work of a photojournalist.  It's not you they'll be thinking about as they shake their heads at the photo, with or without a "Photo by" accompanying it.  My biggest bitch is that an editorial staff would never even consider asking one of their photographers to write 300 words on the game they just saw, let alone accept an article submitted by one of them unsolicited. And yet they seem to have no problem when a writer, who obviously has no idea how to properly capture live action sports, chooses to post his unedited shots along with his story on their site.   It shows the contempt with which most of them hold the photo staff. Look, I know you're only wanting to do your best, and you didn't come here looking to stir something up, so please understand my anger is not directed at you.  I know you're only doing this because the assignment editor didn't send a photog out with you and you want to be read.  Yes, that photo to go with the story draws the eye and makes them want to read it, as you've already implied.   But you do every one of those people in the photo department a huge disservice when you post your crap online next to theirs, and you know that some of those photos are crap or you wouldn't be asking us for help.  They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so make your words count without the picture (and God, don't call it a "snap").   Go get yourself a book on basic photography, do some internet research on what everything means, and study up on sports photography and how to shoot whatever sports you'll be covering.  Practice at your games, practice at games you're not covering, practice on your friends, but don't post anything just because you have it.  Don't post anything that can't stand up next to the shots you get the days someone is there shooting with you.  Because when you do you're essentially giving them all the one-fingered salute, and I suspect the level of effort and cooperation you'll get those days a photographer does show will be sorely lacking because they see you're willing to debase their craft.  Show them some respect and maybe they'll even help you learn to shoot if you ask - but give that some serious time before you do, for bridges are already smoldering.That's as nice as I can write it, and I'd be willing to put this online without any accompanying photos.  Sometimes words alone are enough.</blockquote>

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