Diary of a Press Photographer

[Vic]

I think this is great work Scott. Pictures look really good and I admire your determination. I agree with some posters above, you really do have some great things ahead of you if you are already doing this stuff at your 15!

Please keep up the blog as much as possible.

 

[Arkady]

Not being funny but the amount of work seems rather low to be keeping a roof over your head... or maybe national newspaper jobs pay even more than my plumber charges me to fix a leaky tap - and even he has a dozen jobs per day to keep his family fed (on caviar and champagne presumably).

Having never shot any jobs for a national I couldn't tell you what they pay...

Last shots I had in the 'Indy' were £250 each for a half- and quarter-page image inside...

 

[artona]

I spent ten years working as a press photographer in the eighties, first staffing on local weekly and evening papers and then freelancing for the nationals.

I will try to find a copy of the photograph that got me noticed, it was a top comedian of the time who decided to throw a punch at me

I am over 6ft tall and used to wear a bright top - orange if I recall.......as this would get me noticed. If there was a group of photographers, call us a pack, a scrum whatever it was every man for himself when the action occurred but afterwards we would, if time allowed have a bevvy together (an 80's pint named after Don Revie, ok we were in Lundun ).

We were based away from London and one of the problems was getting the shots into Fleet St ) forever the home of the nationals even if they are not there now ). You guys able to transmit from where ever are very lucky.

Good luck with your career Scott. As for your photography post some shots here without explaining what they are about and ask people to try to work it out or at least guess. Good press photography should be dynamic, attention grabbing, tell the story. Look at the magnum shots and see if they need words or whether they stand on their own.

Look at your diamond shot and the handing over the lunch shots and ask yourself whether you could work out what was going on.

The next month or so is a great opportunity for you. As you have identified its silly season. Parliament will go on holiday and it all goes quiet. You should search out as many human interest stories as you can. A portrait customer was rambling on the other day about her sky fitter. He had the same surname and when he called her to confirm the time apparently he could hardly talk he was so excited. His father had died the previous month and told him he had relatives in a nearby town he did not know about and he should search them out.......and yes my customer was one of those relatives, what great material for a story.

Another one you can develop is yesterday I saw a women in her forties riding a rayleigh chopper. By pure co-incidence I then, later on in the radio that rayleigh choppers were making a comeback from the 70s, again material that will catch picture editors attention as most of them will eb of an age to ahve grown up with them.

Anyway good luck and keep at it.

stew

 

[admirable]

I spent ten years working as a press photographer in the eighties, first staffing on local weekly and evening papers and then freelancing for the nationals.

I will try to find a copy of the photograph that got me noticed, it was a top comedian of the time who decided to throw a punch at me

I am over 6ft tall and used to wear a bright top - orange if I recall.......as this would get me noticed. If there was a group of photographers, call us a pack, a scrum whatever it was every man for himself when the action occurred but afterwards we would, if time allowed have a bevvy together (an 80's pint named after Don Revie, ok we were in Lundun ).

We were based away from London and one of the problems was getting the shots into Fleet St ) forever the home of the nationals even if they are not there now ). You guys able to transmit from where ever are very lucky.

Good luck with your career Scott. As for your photography post some shots here without explaining what they are about and ask people to try to work it out or at least guess. Good press photography should be dynamic, attention grabbing, tell the story. Look at the magnum shots and see if they need words or whether they stand on their own.

Look at your diamond shot and the handing over the lunch shots and ask yourself whether you could work out what was going on.

The next month or so is a great opportunity for you. As you have identified its silly season. Parliament will go on holiday and it all goes quiet. You should search out as many human interest stories as you can. A portrait customer was rambling on the other day about her sky fitter. He had the same surname and when he called her to confirm the time apparently he could hardly talk he was so excited. His father had died the previous month and told him he had relatives in a nearby town he did not know about and he should search them out.......and yes my customer was one of those relatives, what great material for a story.

Another one you can develop is yesterday I saw a women in her forties riding a rayleigh chopper. By pure co-incidence I then, later on in the radio that rayleigh choppers were making a comeback from the 70s, again material that will catch picture editors attention as most of them will eb of an age to ahve grown up with them.

Anyway good luck and keep at it.

stew

Good post!

 

[EdMoss]

TV quick and interview, in the same sentence

Nice post Jim, problem is that some of the picture desks these days are run by non photographers and wouldn't know a decent press picture if Robert Capa hand delivered it himself in a Sinclair C5.


The Chopper story was doing the rounds a couple of years ago when they released an anniversary model, yes it's silly season.
Best one recently was one I think Ross Parry sent out, Swan attacks duck shocker, made the Daily Mail though so good on him!!

 

[artona]

Good post!

thanks

 

[scottcampbell]

Not being funny but the amount of work seems rather low to be keeping a roof over your head... or maybe national newspaper jobs pay even more than my plumber charges me to fix a leaky tap - and even he has a dozen jobs per day to keep his family fed (on caviar and champagne presumably).

Having never shot any jobs for a national I couldn't tell you what they pay...

Read some other posts - I'm 14 going on 15 .

 

[scottcampbell]

Sorry for the lack of posts also - been in France for the last week.

Major events coming up include the Fringe, Edinburgh Tattoo and World Pipe Band Championships.

 

[scottcampbell]

With regard the story about other Photographers hogging the allotted time: you need to be more forceful.
Medals: as you can imagine we do a lot of these at the moment and take it from me, there's only one way to do it - photograph the medal next to the head, similar to what you've done with Sir Angus Farquharson: Pure Cheese; tight, bright, upright and shyte, but it works.

Yes, I do need to be. First medal shots I've done actually, was quite pleased with the results!

 

[scottcampbell]

Not being funny but the amount of work seems rather low to be keeping a roof over your head... or maybe national newspaper jobs pay even more than my plumber charges me to fix a leaky tap - and even he has a dozen jobs per day to keep his family fed (on caviar and champagne presumably).

Having never shot any jobs for a national I couldn't tell you what they pay...

In the Scottish papers it tends to be about £130 for a medium sized picture, although some papers pay £90 even for a tiny postage stamp-sized image.

Obviously if it's printed bigger, they pay more - around £150ish upwards.

 

[scottcampbell]

Bumpity-bump.

 

[lauren_t]

Read some other posts - I'm 14 going on 15 .

Wow really?!
I'm 16 and I'm kinda shocked haha, but shocked in a good way of course. But yeah, I feel behind now as I haven't actually sold anything yet haha! Still, I don't get much opportunity to do any really, nothing happens around here and I'm not allowed in London without my parents which is a bit rubbish really.

All the best though and I'll be following this thread

 

[Arkady]

Wow really?!
I'm 16 and I'm kinda shocked haha, but shocked in a good way of course. But yeah, I feel behind now as I haven't actually sold anything yet haha! Still, I don't get much opportunity to do any really, nothing happens around here and I'm not allowed in London without my parents which is a bit rubbish really.

All the best though and I'll be following this thread

Arrange for a 'photo-buddy' from here to accompany you. Get them to meet the folks so they can be vetted first, obviously...

 

[scottcampbell]

Wow really?!
I'm 16 and I'm kinda shocked haha, but shocked in a good way of course. But yeah, I feel behind now as I haven't actually sold anything yet haha! Still, I don't get much opportunity to do any really, nothing happens around here and I'm not allowed in London without my parents which is a bit rubbish really.

All the best though and I'll be following this thread

Thank you and good luck! If you need any advice definitely post on the Talk Photography forums and someone who knows what they're talking about will most likely find the thread.

I suppose London is quite big compared to Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as Aberdeen!

 

[scottcampbell]

Arrange for a 'photo-buddy' from here to accompany you. Get them to meet the folks so they can be vetted first, obviously...

Or get some work experience at a London paper.

 

[scottcampbell]

Up here most papers let you out of the office with photographers once you're 16, I think.

 

[Arkady]

Up here most papers let you out of the office with photographers once you're 16, I think.

But only after you've mastered the intricacies of the tea-pot and kettle, that is...

 

[camerassassin]

Doubt if teapots and kettles are allowed in most workplaces now - those darn elfin safe tea ' thingies'

 

[artona]

wow arkady you have been away for a long time, now its a run to the local latte shop . Only when you can run back with 10 cups of latte can you be let out with a camera and lens

 

[Lunaticsamurai]

Hi Scott. some good shots there, i agree about making the images pseak for themselves..

What's the average number you'll shoot in an average day?.

 

[Arkady]

wow arkady you have been away for a long time, now its a run to the local latte shop . Only when you can run back with 10 cups of latte can you be let out with a camera and lens

Latte..??? What no tea in chipped, stained mugs???
WTF???

What's happened to the Press Room - sounds more like an episode of Ally McBeal or Sex in The City...:shrug:

 

[cherokee1111]

scott, good thread and some very good pics, this is a thread thats really interesting as you HAVE to get pics, will follow daily if I can work out how to

 

[Sonriendo]

Really interesting - thanks for giving us a glimpse into your life

 

[scottcampbell]

But only after you've mastered the intricacies of the tea-pot and kettle, that is...

Ha ha. When I did work experience at my local paper, I was worried it was going to be like that. Luckily, it wasn't!

 

[scottcampbell]

Hi Scott. some good shots there, i agree about making the images pseak for themselves..

What's the average number you'll shoot in an average day?.

Really all depends. Can send out between 6-30 depending on the job.

 

[scottcampbell]

Monday 26th July 2010
Aberdeen, Scotland

Today is really a planning day for me.

After a couple of emails, I'm now getting a missed payment sent to me as urgent - £90.00 so not too bad.

Will be attempting to find out more about various accreditations and suggesting things to picture editors later.

 

[cherokee1111]

a hot topic just now is police harrassment of TOGS especially around govt buildings or military marches etc, how do you handle these situations or do you flash a press badge and they leave you alone?

 

[scottcampbell]

Aberdeen, Scotland
Thursday 29th July 2010

Today I travelled into Aberdeen to take pictures of the launch of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

The main reason for covering it was that yesterday I received an email advising that Scottish FM Alex Salmond would be in attendance, so a national angle is added.

There were two other photographers, one from a local newspaper and one from a freelance. The freelance is a person who I've always had a lot of respect for, but after some incredibly discouraging comments he made at the start of the event he's lost my respect.

I asked one of the PR people if we could get the FM sitting among some violinists. Alex Salmond is a great photographic subject - I had the shot I needed within minutes. My idea was to have him holding a violin as if playing it...

As I was taking the next shot, the brusque freelance (who had already taken his shots) decided that I was getting in his way. He shouted my name a few times. I turned round and knocked over someones music, which I picked up and apologized for! It's incredibly irritating when people practically copy your set-up by using a longer lens over your shoulder.

Another shot...

I made sure to file them extra quickly from a close McDonalds after the other photographer's comments.

Afterwards I met up with Sean Press, the chairman of the Aberdeen City Youth Council. Took the following shots:

As usual, your thoughts on these pictures and questions are appreciated!

 

[scottcampbell]

Bump.

 

[chphoto]

Latte..??? What no tea in chipped, stained mugs???
WTF???

Fear not my good man, we still use good old fashioned mugs at work! Got some Adobe and Ricoh ones which have been there longer than me.


This thread is an interesting read, i'll keep checking back on it!

 

[adam*]

The first Salmond shot is good, keep it up. You got some very good photographers on your patch - Murdo MacLeod, Jeff J. Mitchell, Derek Blair and Andy Milligan.. top blokes.

 

[scottcampbell]

The first Salmond shot is good, keep it up. You got some very good photographers on your patch - Murdo MacLeod, Jeff J. Mitchell, Derek Blair and Andy Milligan.. top blokes.

How about the rest of the pictures? I've heard of all of them except Derek Blair - will need to read up on him.

 

[Big Tony]

Really enjoying this thread.
Good insight into a day in the life of.

The Alex Salmond ones are great. Shame about the other TOG trying to cut yer grass though. Cut and thrust of press I guess but still underhand.

I think the first one of the young lad is a little dark and moody, but then he is Aberdonian I suppose

Tony

 

[scottcampbell]

Really enjoying this thread.
Good insight into a day in the life of.

The Alex Salmond ones are great. Shame about the other TOG trying to cut yer grass though. Cut and thrust of press I guess but still underhand.

I think the first one of the young lad is a little dark and moody, but then he is Aberdonian I suppose

Tony

Thank you. Never had someone be as rude as this person was though - most photographers just get on with it and get along with the competition.

 

[n1kcy]

The first picture of Sean Press is not to my liking but it's quite striking, I like the fact that you are looking up to him.

With the second one of Sean Press I can see what you're going for and like the idea but his expression is terrible.

 

[adam*]

#1 tells it all in one image, is like the moment in three to be from the front so u can see the other persons face, two is a bit too abstract I think as it would have to be used v big so u knee it was salmond. All objective though so just my thoughts! Fact u have ideas and are setting them up is excellent though and the key thing. people will always get in on them, just do it from best angle so they cant! Telling the person that's enough is useful sometimes, theyll move and then everyone else is.stumped

 

[Dman]

Great thread, but one thing that confuses me - If you're only 14, how do you get the time to shoot these jobs? Surely you should be at school? Or have I missed something here?

 

[Arkady]

You will always find this at set-up shoots - one tog will have a brainwave and everyone else will copy it, sometimes getting a better shot that the originator - it's part of the territory, but it's never nice.

 

[scottcampbell]

You will always find this at set-up shoots - one tog will have a brainwave and everyone else will copy it, sometimes getting a better shot that the originator - it's part of the territory, but it's never nice.

I really don't have a problem with that - it happens all the time, but I've seen this particular photographer turn round and shout at someone for doing the same before so it's fairly hypocritical.

 

[artona]

post removed by member

stew