My journey towards photojournalism began two years ago this November, in 2007. I’ve spent some time considering what I’ve learned in the last 24 months and drawn out what I think are the most important in order of importance and confidence.

1. A good photograph is deliberately made and valuable.
   Again and again I’ve noticed the fear, albeit usually implicit and perhaps unbeknown, that the ubiquitous digital camera and plethora of amateurs that use those cameras will dilute the market with photographs and force seasoned professionals out of business. The current situation with the media industry is offered as supporting evidence. At first glance it’s compelling and worrisome. After closer examination, however, it becomes clear that to believe this is to believe that the only difference between a seasoned professional and an amateur is the ability to take a technically good photograph. Or to be at the right place as the right time.

   To have hope for the future of photojournalism requires the belief that well made photographs are very rarely a product of utter chance. Truly good photographs don’t just happen. They aren’t the result of a better camera or lens. They aren’t even the result of being in the right spot with the right camera and lens. Good photographs are, with very few exceptions, the result of someone who is a good photographer.

   Everything else is a parlor trick.

2. The market will adapt.
   The market for still photography continues to erode before a flood of easy-to-take and easy-to-publish lower quality digital images. Some editors and designers are willingly buying the cheapest images they can find. Others are unwillingly forced to do the same by the broader economic situation. This perfect storm of economics and media industry crisis does not diminish the potential value of a photograph; but it does temporarily make being a professional less profitable.

   Eventually, public consumers of photography will become more discriminating in regard to images they choose to view. They will learn to recognize the difference between amateur and professional images and will make purchases or clicks based on their preference.

   Without a large selection to choose from, both a “value” and “premium” product can’t exist. As the photography market is inundated with millions of photographs by millions of people, the gap between amateur and professional will become more noticeable, not less. In essence, the demand for high quality visual interpreters will become stronger not in spite of the flood of amateur photographers, flickr, etc. but because of these influences.

   As evidence of this I would point to the rise of niche high quality photography brands like burn magazine, Dispatches, MediaStorm. Or higher grade sub-brands of relatively mundane photo agencies like Getty reportage and Aurora Select. Even the rise in popularity of “wedding photojournalism” or off-beat blogs like Photoshop Disasters are evidence of an increasingly photo-literate public.

3. Photojournalists will become independent brands.
   Media giants that once recruited, employed, assigned and published images from top photojournalists are doing so less. The evidence of this is hard to dispute but I think the reason for it and, more importantly, the opportunities it creates are less obvious.The growth of the freelance market is part of a larger trend tied to low cost digital cameras and high-speed communication. The growth of the freelance market was bound to grow just by the accessibility inexpensive digital cameras afford aspiring amateurs. Likewise, the freelance market was bound to grow by the ability for nearly anyone with a laptop to publish their images instantly from anywhere in the world. The present economic situation is certainly working to accelerate this situation but isn’t the fundamental cause.The current unprecedented accessibility of photography and communication means that the financial and logistical backing of large media organizations is no longer necessary to complete and self publish top quality stories.

   This environment is going to push individual photojournalists closer to their viewers, requiring them to become independent micro brands. A ready comparison would be freelance columnists, sought out by readers for what makes them unique regardless of the media that publishes them. More and more photojournalists will be sought after for their expertise in increasingly narrow specialties.

   This isn’t particularly new. Great photojournalists have been doing this sort of thing for decades. What is new is that photojournalist are going to be doing this earlier in their careers and will have a direct connection to their audience much like writers or musicians.

   Smaller contingents of talented freelancers are already pursuing this with micro agencies like Pangea Photo, We Are MJR and Razón.

My conclusion is that the future of photojournalism is bright for those photographers who are not willing to accept mediocrity. Photographers who were allowed by the past market to rest easy are going to be forced out and replaced with talented visual interpreters who will document and communicate the twenty-first century for an increasingly eager public.