Another great session last night with the UK branch of the Online News Association. This time we met to discussed the impact of social media on photojournalism in the delightful surroundings of the Telegraph HQ in Victoria, London. The event was well attended, hosted by Kathryn Corrick, with speakers Turi Munthe from user-generated photo aggregator Demotix, and photojournalists Paul Lowe and Edmond Terkopian.

I’ve included the first ever ONA UK Livestream below, my notes/links follow.

Paul Lowe
Uncertain paths of peace – example of early ‘open text’ photojournalism
Burn magazine
Vincent Laforet – building audience through web based media
Media Storm
Emphas.is – more collaborative process with photojournalists

Turi Munthe
Modern photojournalism has been democratized with the development of technology and cheaper costs of equipment. Many more ‘voices’ are now available which is great, but the competition is fiercer than ever before. Demotix are there to help the ‘cream rise to the surface’ aka the best citizen photographs are found.

Edmond Terkopian
The increase in competition has pushed people from photojournalism into news photography to make a living. Photojournalism is a not a part-time hobby, it’s the pursuit of the truth. Many photojournalists support their work by news photography but they are not the same. It’s all about quality.

There were some good issues raise in the debate. What exactly is ‘Quality’ in a world of abundance? When 60 photographers turn up to one event, are the photographs really all that different? Who places the value on a piece of work, the photographer, the publisher or the public?

The Larry Towell Crisis In Afganistan project was held up as a good example of how photojournalists are reaching out to social networks to fund their passions. It’s a very strong collaborative approach – visitors are asked to contribute in exchange for the experience that the artist is about to undertake.

I loved this project and it’s a business model that can be applied across the whole creative industry. Electronic music artists Underworld have used this approach in launching their albums. You purchase the album, but you’re signing up for the tour experience that unfolds in the months ahead. The fan feels closer to the artist. 

Final Thoughts
I wonder if the creative industries need to do a better job at demonstrating their value in a world where everyone can have access to the same tools? Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder? Do publishers need to make more of their photographic resources? We’re all so used to seeing images every second that their value has become transient. Could publishers benefit by highlighting the individual behind the work? Could this be an area where tablet publishers (Murdoch/Branson) could really make a difference? 

A very informative session, discussing a topic that I knew very little about.