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Last week I was interviewed for “The Lead” a podcast by journalism students at the University of Georgia. Their tagline is: “How to get ahead in the news industry, told by the people who did.”
The host, Jacqueline GaNun, closed by asking me what advice I have for aspiring photojournalists, and I said that students have to understand that almost any one of their peers out of a photo program is going to have the work. They can probably all string together a tightly edited 20-picture portfolio of their greatest hits. That’s the baseline.
So the key is knowing what’s going to set you apart. It’s having really good ideas. It’s being driven and being able to get that across that in an interview or a cover letter or a conversation. And it’s finding a way to convey your passions and your ideas and showing what you’re going to bring besides your pictures. It’s constantly asking yourself (and having an answer for) the question: What else can you bring to the table?
Along those lines, I also should’ve added: don’t be an asshole, because no one wants to work with an asshole. (That also means not being a jerk online, so check your social media accounts, or better yet, ask a friend to go through yours and give feedback, because you know future employers will be.)
But, I left the interview and immediately thought of a million other things I wish I would’ve said. So consider this, an addendum to that conversation, something along the lines of… things I wish could go back and tell my younger self, things I wish I would’ve known earlier, or advice I wish someone would’ve given me.
First, and perhaps most important, would be to skip the spiky blonde hair phase.
But seriously:
Apply for internships and jobs based on the people, not the place. When you start to look at places you’d like to apply to, forget about the size or the name, and look to the people you’d like to learn from as coworkers and have as mentors. It’s the connections you make that’ll pay off more.
Along those same lines, bigger is not always better. Publications with prestige may give you a nice resume line, but they might not provide the opportunities and room for growth you’re looking for. Larger publications may also not always give younger journalists the chance to work on important stories or bring their own ideas to the table. I also think everyone can benefit from learning how to cover a community (and be held accountable in that community), talk to people, enterprise ideas, etc…
Self-imposed timelines are arbitrary and meaningless. You don’t have to do x by the time you’re 25, work at y by age 30, or win z by the time you’re 40. It’s great to have goals, but if you’re not factoring in all those external forces and life that’s going to happen in between you’ll burn out.
Stop comparing yourself to others. It’s dangerous for your mental health. Period.
Find ways to do the work that matters to you. It’s that simple. You might not get to do it all the time. And you might have to do it on your own time and dime. But if you don’t find a way to feed your soul you’ll be miserable. And believe in your ideas. If you don’t no one else will. (Related note: At my old newspaper, editors used to say “ideas are the currency of the newsroom.)
Let the word “no” be a motivator.
Cultivate interests that aren’t photography or journalism and friends that aren’t photographers or journalists. Your work and life will be better for it.
Fail big. Fail often. Play, experiment, and take risks (visually). Especially when you’re starting out. It’s the best way to learn and grow.
I’m a realist, not a pessimist. Chances are, if you’re a photographer at some point you’ll freelance: either by choice or by necessity. And chances are at some point you’ll want to buy new gear, finance a personal project, buy a house, take a vacation, live well, or (actually) retire. All of that takes money. If you’re lucky enough to have a staff job — start saving now. If not, get in the habit of putting a percentage of everything you make into a savings account. And do what you can to fund your (SEP/ROTH) retirement account. Unless, of course, you have a trust fund. In which case, just buy the Leica, the scarf, and the one-way trip to a war-torn country now.
Even the best job will never love you back. So please don’t sacrifice your personal life for your professional one. Create healthy boundaries and take care of yourself.