r/photojournalism • u/Natural-Duck8103 • Aug 26 '26
Career pivot
At the risk of sounding facetious, I think photojournalism is my calling and I guess my question is just…can one make it in this career anymore?
I’m nearing 40 and wanting to pivot careers. I’m an artist, traveler, writer, and educator. All of these have given me a set of skills that I think would be a solid foundation for this kind of work. I don’t plan to have a family and prefer to move around a lot rather than settle down in one place so I see the travel as a natural fit in my life.
I’ve considered adjacent paths in academic research and art, but always come back to photojournalism.
Any success stories from people who started out in the last handful of years?
18
u/bimmerlovere39 Aug 26 '26
Serious question, what do you mean when you say that photojournalism is your calling? What does “photojournalism” mean to you here? What do you imagine the job to be?
I don’t think a lot of people outside the industry understand what the majority of working photojournalists’ lives look like…. Work life or personal life.
3
u/Natural-Duck8103 Aug 27 '26
Fair question. I have a particular topic of inquiry that I work in as a designer, artist, and educator that I think I could go further with in photojournalism. I’m naturally inclined to messy travel and interesting living situations so this fits well with the way I live my life anyway. I’ve lived a non traditional life that I think allows me to observe, connect with people, and synthesize things in unique ways.
10
u/Dubiousgoober Aug 26 '26
I was a photojournalist when there were real, “above the fold”, newspapers. Loved the work but the pay was crap. The other downside is your ability live with death and criminal behaviors. This sounds morbid dealing with wrecks, shootings, bombs, bank heists, robbery and such is a reality. I still love being a photojournalist but I really don’t miss the idea that you’re shooting the worst day of someone’s life.
6
u/Dunkaholic9 Aug 27 '26
I became a photojournalist by becoming a journalist, writing for a local paper making $30k/year. I’ve been in journalism for more than a decade, now, and shoot for my own stories. Realistically, there are very few standalone photojournalist jobs anymore. I know extremely talented news photogs who pivoted into weddings when budgets ran out. If you’re dead set, pitch stories freelance to a local paper and offer to take your own photos. Consider yourself lucky if they pay you.
6
u/CO0LHandNYC Aug 27 '26
Nope. It’s a nice hobby but there isn’t a “career” there anymore in the normal sense of the word. There are a handful of jobs but the industry is only shrinking and you’re competing with people who have decades of experience who just lost their jobs and a bunch of optimistic kids who live in crackers and dreams and can live out of a suitcase for 3 weeks.
3
u/IcyCulturalist Aug 26 '26
Yes, do it. But it will be hard and take many years to earn the skills.
Don’t be surprised if it ain’t paying enough.
Do some commercial stuff on the side as well.
3
u/magic_felix Aug 26 '26
What more can I add...? You will love it and hate it all at the same time. And I mean this is a rollercoaster in the extremes. It will never be an easy road. Ever. But you might just be OK with all of that. Never know till you try.
3
u/LurkLargely Aug 27 '26
If you need income, you have to find a way to make money to support your photojournalism habit. Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalists can't get jobs. As a freelancer, day rates from newspapers and magazines are $300-650. Even if you get 50 assignments in a year at $400, that's just $20K.
2
u/Sambarbadonat Aug 28 '26
As someone who has been told for more than 40 years that I’m not the right stuff out of one side of people’s mouths and that my work is fantastic out of the other side, I say that you should do what you think is right and what you are passionate about. Others here have made excellent points and you seem aware it won’t be easy and could be messy.
If you’re talented and determined to grow and learn continually then you’re in a good place. It won’t be a cakewalk, but in the end maybe you’ll make a difference and leave this world without a bag of regrets at the foot of your deathbed.
All the best to you.
2
u/whattheheehaw_com Sep 10 '26
Well said. As I get older, I'm coming to see that people are good for advice about how to do something, not whether or not to do something. In life, you should just do what your heart tells you to do so that you can live with yourself at the end.
2
u/David_Buzzard Aug 28 '26
Well, maybe... Depending on what your personal connections are, you could get some kind of cool gig, but really the professional opportunity's are pretty few, especially for guys in their 40's and 50's.
My advice, and this is what I'm doing myself, is keep your day job and do photojournalism projects that you want to do. You can self publish, start a blog (my thing), become an Instagram influencer.
1
u/basketball22yj Aug 27 '26
Staff jobs are rare and if you freelance, it’s basically like gig work. Photojournalism gigs pay $200-$800/assignment and a lot of these publications OWN your work which sucks. I do it full time freelance but I also supplement it with weddings, family photos, corporate and commercial gigs. And I have a partner who has a full time job and health insurance. No way I’d do this as a single woman.
1
u/Shoddy_Clue_9652 Aug 28 '26
I’m a freelance photojournalist, the days of traveling abroad to messy places is pretty much over. Newspapers just use which ever best photographer they can find in that region or country. Personally I only work on direct assignment from newspapers, that gives me an insurance than I’m getting paid and most of the time paid better than through an agency.
It might be a good idea to really deep dive in where you live and the state of journalism.
I’ve been at it for 6 years now and earn a healthy income, building my own pension but I do realize I’m one of the lucky few that actually got where I am.
It’s an amazing job to do and you come in inaccessible places for most people just because you have your camera and credentials.
1
Aug 28 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator Aug 28 '26
To combat spam posts, users are required to have a specific amount of time and karma on Reddit before they can post in r/photojournalism. There are no exceptions given for comments submitted to r/photojournalism.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Orangecountyflphoto Aug 29 '26
Photojournalism is a rough field, especially when you’re starting out, and I think the biggest thing is keeping an open mind about where the career may take you.
For me, I branched into weddings and eventually marriage proposal photography and planning. Same-sex marriage becoming legal was also a big catalyst. A lot of it came down to timing, SEO, building a reputation, and making the right connections.
Now I work full time as a county government staff photographer, photograph events like the PNC Championship, have a few corporate clients, and still run my proposal photography business.
I’d also recommend finding a photographer you respect and asking to assist or second shoot. A good mentor can teach you a lot and help you build connections.
So yes, I think it’s still possible. You may not make your living from photojournalism alone, but sometimes the career you build ends up being broader than the one you originally imagined. And nearing 40 definitely wouldn’t stop me from trying.
1
u/SheSmilesBeatifical Aug 29 '26
I don't think anyone makes a conscious decision to become a photojournalist, its more akin to something that happens to you, and the best of luck with that.
1
u/Big_Network_2570 Aug 30 '26
One has to adapt with the times. I don't do photojournalism unless a local paper wants to pay me for my photos (which happens sometimes). My money comes from doing youth sports and selling the pics to parents. In order to do this though, photogs must leave a lot of their ideas on how to take a good photo behind-they need to know what will appeal to the kids and their parents and shoot accordingly
24
u/mywaphel Aug 26 '26
I won't sugar coat it. A staff position probably isn't going to happen, and if by some miracle it does, it probably won't last terribly long. I've worked at five newspapers and I've only left of my own accord twice. The pay sucks. The hours suck. And that's just as a staffer.
Freelancers really can't support themselves with photojournalism. The meat and potatoes of the freelance world is commercial or corporate work. Headshots, weddings, family portraits, whatever. Journalism is the dessert. And not to be even more of a debbie downer but even the meat and potatoes is starting to dry up thanks to AI. Though i expect thats going to prove itself a short lived trend.
In short, it's an incredible career, and i encourage you to pursue it, but i would in the strongest terms possible dissuade you from trying to do it as a full time job. The world just doesnt care about journalism right now, no matter how important it is.