Newspaper Photographers See the Light

By: Randy Dotinga The next time your favorite photographer wanders by, take a big sniff. You might pick up the scent of smoke from a house fire or spilled beer from a baseball game. But "eau de photog" is missing something these days: the bracing blend of rotten eggs and vinegar.

Stinky photochemicals, once the curse of every newspaper darkroom, are evaporating in this age of digital photography. Photographers are spending less time squinting under a red bulb and more time sitting at a computer, surrounded by reporters and editors.

"Now that photographers have no reason to be in a black hole, their presence should never be seen as gratuitous in a newsroom," said John Kaplan, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and associate professor of journalism at the University of Florida.

But the exodus from the darkroom hasn't eliminated many challenges in the workplace for photographers, the get-no-respect Rodney Dangerfields of the newspaper business. Instead of ruining their lungs in the darkroom, photographers are developing carpal-tunnel syndrome from their painstaking work on computers. Less time developing photos may translate into more daily assignments. And giving in to the easy temptations of Adobe Photoshop could mean a pink slip.

Reporters routinely change the grammar of quotes and take out the "ums" and "ahs" that litter conversation. "But if a photojournalist so much as takes a telephone wire out of a shot, they could lose their job. They're held to a higher standard," said Michael Sherer, professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and president of the National Press Photographers Association.

Some photographers who would never dream of tinkering with a photo hope their increased exposure will lead to a better understanding of the strict ethics of their trade. "It's got to make them more visible," Sherer said. "That's always a common theme among this group -- strategies and ways to advance their visibility within their newsroom and build respect among their peers."

At the least, digital photography is allowing photographers to watch every step of the process of developing film instead of handing it over to a lab technician, said Tom Thibeault, chief of photography at The Union Leader in Manchester, N.H. "They're taking a greater role in the process, where before there were time factors that meant they couldn't always be in it. Photographers get to see the photo right from when they take it to when they give it to an editor. It gives the photographer more control and makes for a better product."

Of course, digital technology won't necessarily change the fortunes of photographers who work at newspapers that treat them as second-class citizens. And photographers at papers such as The Washington Post still get along just fine without digital technology.

"I don't think digital photography is making photojournalism a respectable profession," said Clyde Mueller, director of photography at The Santa Fe New Mexican and former president of the press photographers association. "Visual storytelling is at the heart of what we do. Digital photography is just the tool."

Mueller worries about the future, however. He says a photographer job shortage is threatening college graduates. "Where are these kids going to go? They ask me, 'What do I have to do to get a job?' I don't have an answer for these people," Mueller said.

Even small papers like the New Mexican have turned into a promised land for job-hungry shooters. About 130 photographers -- including some with two decades of experience -- sent portfolios when the newspaper announced online that it had an entry-level opening.

Kaplan, the University of Florida professor, doesn't think the job market is much tighter than usual. But he has noticed something else: young photographers aren't quite as obsessed by the business as they used to be. "They're passionate about photojournalism, but I think they're still sleeping at night," he said.

Linda Salazar, assistant picture editor at The Washington Post, thinks the up-and-comers want more balance in their lives. "I can remember just working day and night and working for free, and doing anything I could to learn and grow in the business," she said. "I rarely see that anymore among candidates for internships or new hires."