War Correspondent/ Photojournalist= HOW?

I am a 19 year old photographer whom has been shooting a little bit of everything. Haven't really found a genre. Had an exgirlfriend which got me shooting fashion and some stuff for magazines for a while. Still doing that but it's nothing I find exciting anymore.

Just finished up editing the last couple of images which is going to pay for my 70-200 f2.8 as soon as I can show them to the client.

Lately news photography has captured my passion and I have been out shooting at football games where the hooligans have been battering eachother and the police.
I find it awesome, and would love to earn some more money of it instead of the meager bucks I get from the local newspaper.

Been considering of saving up enough money to make a trip to a country suffering from some sort of an crisis. Wondering if you guys have any tips doing a self funded photo trip? I am most likely gonna try to write and document the case with the best of my knowledge and hopefully I might be able to sell it to some paper afterwards?

Just ideas right now but they sound better each time I think about them. The downside is probably that it's going to be self funded and I might not be able to sell.

Suggestions? Tips? Experiences? Let me hear it!

What ... like Angola? Kenya? Chechnya? Mexico? Well, that ought to be a learning experience, and I would NOT take along a bright, shiny new Canon lens!

Here you go:

Look here for info.

"The downside is probably that it's going to be self funded and I might not be able to sell."

The upside is that you're young and have the passion. Save up your holiday time and start making a name for yourself. There isn't going to be an easy way into any part of the profession, so make the commitment and 'go for it'! There are parts of my city that I won't even drive through, but I don't know if there's a story to tell there. Maybe you can find something near to you by to cut your teeth on.

No offense here, but saying you want to be one is like saying you want to be a famous basketball player or something along those lines. There is a very very small pool of people doing this professionally and getting paid well to do it.

Joining the military for a photographer may be your best bet. And that's not really paid.

http://www.jamesnachtw​ey.com/
He's the master.

Pick up this DVD: http://www.war-photographer.com/

But still, align your expectations with reality.

.02

Bang Bang Boy wrote in post #11236952
Been considering of saving up enough money to make a trip to a country suffering from some sort of an crisis. Wondering if you guys have any tips doing a self funded photo trip?

Consider that the path you want to take carries some very real, life-threatening risks.

Thanks for the great response.

@ AZA. Thanks alot for the link. Definately something I will check out. Looks like an outstanding way to get into the business.

@ Mumbles. Yes I'm aware its a cocky statement but I feel like if it would be the perfect profession for me. Even James Nachtwey one day said to himself he would start covering war... And the fact is that I live in Sweden. I have done my time in the army. I spent nine months in a forest eating chocolate bars shooting at cardboard "russians". Thanks for the links but I have studied and read most of the works the big photojournalists out there have published.

@DC Fan. I know there is risks out there. Mr Silva has done this job for a long time though. And previously always made it away unscathed. It's a shame and I suggest you donate to the fund set up in Joaos name. Hes an absolute hero and has taken some of the best pictures out there.

DC Fan wrote in post #11241935
Consider that the path you want to take carries some very real, life-threatening risks.

Don't take that lightly. That is NOT a one time isolated incident. Reporters/photographer​s get killed, injured, kidnapped for what they do. Even a local photog could easily be in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Anyways, here are a few resources that I recommend:
Lightstalkers
Demotix
Photogrournalism: The Professionals' Approach

I looked into the same path, but decided not to try to do it professionally. Too hard to make a living at it especially with the economy and the current state of newspapers, but that hasn't stopped me from taking pictures on my own. Deepwater Horizon incident, G20 Riots, etc.

why dont you just join the navy/air force, fly planes (something ****ing awesome) and take a camera with you

mikekelley wrote in post #11242323
why dont you just join the navy/air force, fly planes (something ****ing awesome) and take a camera with you

I am a SWEDISH citizen.

We are a neutral country. I did my mandatory service. It was like taking a forest stroll for a year. Besides I am not longing to do this because of some contorted gun-ho patriotism.
I wan't to do it cause I believe in recording history.


This is no longer a thought process regarding what if? It is about me trying to figure out how to do it.

My best friend is from Nigeria and we have planned a trip around the northern part of Nigeria for a while. Alot of christian muslim violence, I'm thinking of perhaps doing that or maybe going to gaza.

Iraq and Afghanistan is out of the question. I am not stupid enough to throw myself into an ongoing war.

Alot of thanks for all the links and tips. I can't believe I haven't found some of this stuff before. Definately gonna start building a decent "riot portfolio" to submit for a worshop with zoriah.

Bang Bang Boy wrote in post #11242703
My best friend is from Nigeria and we have planned a trip around the northern part of Nigeria for a while. Alot of christian muslim violence, I'm thinking of perhaps doing that or maybe going to gaza.

Iraq and Afghanistan is out of the question. I am not stupid enough to throw myself into an ongoing war.

And you think it's any less dangerous in Gaza or one of the African countries?

Having personally worked in a lot of dangerous third-world countries over the years, your plan sounds very naive to me. I would be extremely hesitant to pass myself off as a freelance journalist in certain African countries, Nigeria being one of them.

That's just my partial .02 worth from having been there.

Just so you know, I'd say about 80% of working journalists and regular people think Zoriah is the biggest dirtbag that ever walked the face of the earth and about 20% think what he does is reasonable.

I would think the smartest thing you could do is sign up to be an internship for AP or some international news agency and get your feet wet covering poverty and government unrest in Russia or problems in Turkey or something before you try to go out and start dodging bullets.

Can't you go to University and do some journalism classes?

mikekelley wrote in post #11242323
why dont you just join the navy/air force, fly planes (something ****ing awesome) and take a camera with you

I don't know if you were/are military, usually there is a unit policy defining what/where/when you can take pictures, and at least in the CG, the CG "owns" your pictures, and you cannot sell or anything else with the image.

Eddie Adams Workshop

Ezekiel97 wrote in post #11243152
I don't know if you were/are military, usually there is a unit policy defining what/where/when you can take pictures, and at least in the CG, the CG "owns" your pictures, and you cannot sell or anything else with the image.

Who said anything about selling

Just seems like a more realistic option, especially in these times, and probably a safer one, to be honest, in terms of both financial security and personal health! As well as the odds of actually making it in that field.