Chicago Sun-Times Fires Photo Staff, Will Train Reporters to Use iPhones For Photos

[iMikeT]

As a professional photographer, this causes a lot of concern not only from the business side of photography but photography as a craft.

The iPhone does take decent photographs on the fly but if compelling images are needed, a professional photographer with years of photographic experience and training is needed.

Frankly, I am not surprised about this considering how the craft of photography has been slowly swirling down the toilet the past few years. No one gives a rat's tail about quality these days and settles for the mediocrity of cell phone pictures.

One thing is certain about all of this, I'll definitely have to start looking into another profession sooner than later.

 

[Sweetcheetah]

iPhone 4S is quite versitile

I'm a web designer by profession as well as using my trusty iPhone 4S to do all of the HD videography using final cut pro X to do most of my pro editing and photography work. Not to mention all the audio and lighting attachments that enhances the quality. No one can tell the difference if it was made via DSLR camera or iPhone 4S. Made TONS of money on production with it just using my iPhone for everything. My clients gives me positive response to my workmanship and they can't believe that the quality result they get on final production simply with an iPhone. Thanks to the Phocus 3 Lense Bundle which allows macro photography and wide angle shots for real estate photography or car photos or nature photos. I have the converter attachment for the Phocus 3 accessories to allow 200-600 MM PRO telephoto lense if I want to go long range, or I can use the smaller 12X telephoto if I don't want to lug around the heavy pro lens on planned journeys. I get many interest and conversational starters asking what I was using during parades when I film recognizing that I'm just using my iPhone 4S. I just say iPhone4S and attachments. Works wonders. SO I can see why Chicago Times let go their DSLR photographers and went with reporters using the iPhones. They are always around certain news and they can take quick snap shots. They can get attachments and use telephoto lens to attach to it to pass the police line. I've done that. Good enough for newspaper since they are not photo paper. Good enough for online newspaper. I should apply. LOL

 

[mrgraff]

Apple's various iPhones have become some of the most popular cameras on Flickr, outranking more advanced DSLR cameras like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

That's because the iPhone outnumbers most DSLR models, not because the iPhone is the preferred camera amongst photographers.

 

[Bubba Satori]

The great dumbing down continues unabated.

 

[dlharris382]

To even say this suggests you..

1) Don't know what really makes DSL pictures so high quality (hint: it's not something you can "bolt-onto" a camera phone).

2) Are completely missing the point that part of what makes the pictures high quality is the talent of the people taking them. This is another something you can't buy for an iPhone.​

[/QUOTE]


Hence the part that says "Now, this is not to say that photojournalist don't have a place in journalism. There are some aspects of photog that you can't teach in a one class session."

No one is denying the great skill in photography as an art form. These jobs won't be totally obsolete. There is still a need for excellent pieces of work with breath taking, thought provoking photography. I totally get what makes great photojournalism.

However, we are witnessing the decline in print journalism. Many organizations are defaulting to the web which takes a chunk out of their profits. I have my MA in New Media Journalism and New Media Journalists are smart business decisions. These are the same factors that when into requiring TV reporters to have editing skills.

 

[batchtaster]

Not defending CS-T in the slightest - indeed I think it's moronic and demonstrates their management has no earthly idea what their people do, probably heralding its imminent demise. However, I am highly amused by the outrage over amateur phone-snappers masquerading as professional photographers, given the acceptance of amateur bloggers masquerading as professional journalists. See: Engadget, Gizmodo for example, among a host of other pseudo-news sources.

Yes, it's harebrained and mind-numbingly stupid. But it's already too late - the bridge has already been jumped off when people read, believe - and the market reacts to - rubbish produced by bloggers with no journalistic credentials (or at least, no training in journalistic ethics) over credentialed news organizations. If you hit a blog site for your news over a newspaper or other news organization (and no, I don't mean tabloid rags like UK's The Sun), then you're the reason this has happened; this is the simply the photo equivalent, and sadly, next natural step in the decline towards quantity over quality.

 

[Michael73]

Plain Stupid!

I don't care how many lenses you can bolt on to your iPhone, it doesn't change the fact that it's got a tiny sensor compared to a fully frame DSLR. With tiny sensors will come the eventual realization that low light photos are next to impossible to create. And the flash...forgetaboutit. Not only is the flash small but no external flash means no bounce flash so every subject is getting hit head on frequently washing out subjects.

Don't get me wrong, I love iPhone photography and it certainly has it's place...just not as the primary source for reporters who are doubling as photojournalists.

 

[Hberg]

Quality News ...?

Without quality Photo Journalism the news will be lacking. I think the Chicago Sun-Times recent decision speaks loudly about their desire to provide quality news reporting.

 

[iJawn108]

Peter Parker's having some bad times

 

[Westside guy]

I'm always amazed at how many people think good photography is based on the quality of the equipment rather than the skill and eye of the photographer.

 

[osofast240sx]

I'm always amazed at how many people think good photography is based on the quality of the equipment rather than the skill and eye of the photographer.

One year the sports illustrated swim suit photographer was in the news for being able to take the same picture with deny camera. That year dome of the shots were taken with a point and shoot camera.

 

[Prof.]

This sums up the entire conversation.

Done.

Over.

Anyone else see the insanity in this post?

I buy newspapers when there's a major world event, not on a daily basis. Chicago Tribune, Sun Times, etc. Whichever paper is available at my local grocery store. Next time i'll skip CST.

 

[Simplicated]

This sums up the entire conversation.

Done.

Over.

Anyone else see the insanity in this post?

So people can't have an opinion now, even if they don't support a particular entity?

 

[macs4nw]

Such a stupid move, unless they're in serious financial troubles which is still crazy.

I suspect, this is all about saving money. The newsprint press is in serious financial trouble, some of them, dire straits even. This isn't something they want to do obviously, but rather part of do-or-die cost saving measures.

 

[lunarworks]

Also, there are TONS of camera lens accessories for the iPhone and they produce DSLR (if not BETTER than DSLR) quality.

Wow. Stunning misinformation.

That's like telling me that adding good spark plugs to a Honda Civic will give it better towing capability than a Ford F150.

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I'm always amazed at how many people think good photography is based on the quality of the equipment rather than the skill and eye of the photographer.

A good photographer with an iPhone can undoubtedly take a much better photo than some Joe with a thousand dollar DSLR.

But if the good photographer is being paid to take photos, that person would be wise to take a good camera along.

 

[Huracan]

Not even a hardcore Apple user can be happy to read this article. This is another sign of the decline of newspapers.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

While the later iPhones contain perfectly decent cameras for newspaper and online news site use - the lack of telephoto is a deal-breaker for many uses.

That said, I'm sure at least a few of the reporters are likely also amateur photo buffs, and will step up and use a DSLR and take great photos.

That said, there is something to be said for having separate photojournalists and print journalists. Sort of like having separate print and radio journalists, and separate radio and video journalists...

Stupid move.

 

[esaleris]

This whole thread highlights the ridiculousness of poor context.

The newspaper lets go of it's photography staff. In the article, it's pretty explicit that freelance photographers will be utilized to augment. The firm is simply managing their OPEX costs for retained staff. News organizations contract Getty, AP, and other image providers to provide high quality photographic content - because that's what those companies are good at.

The second article explains that they are training their journalists to take pictures. In no way was there any mention that iPhone photography would be the exclusive photographic content source for the newspaper.

In an age where a good cell phone picture (or security cam picture, in the case of the Boston Marathon tragedy) can be used to headline world events, this is a great idea.

 

[zioxide]

I'm a web designer by profession as well as using my trusty iPhone 4S to do all of the HD videography using final cut pro X to do most of my pro editing and photography work. Not to mention all the audio and lighting attachments that enhances the quality. No one can tell the difference if it was made via DSLR camera or iPhone 4S.

There's just no way. I just shot a live music video in my buddy's studio on my T2i this week and used my 1080p iPhone 5 as a secondary camera angle, and even in a very-well lit setting the quality difference of the video is night and day.

Not that the iPhone quality is bad by any means, but to suggest that a phone with an image sensor that's 4.54×3.42 mm is even remotely in the ballpark of a DSLR with either a 22.30×14.90 mm (APS-C) or 36.00×24.00 mm (full frame) sensor is ludicrous. Even the smaller DSLR has over 1000% more image data than the iPhone5.

http://j.mp/17HpQ22 See here for a visual representation of image sensor size.


On the topic of the Chicago Sun Times laying off their photo staff, that paper is a rag. Notice how the Chicago Tribune isn't doing anything stupid like that.

 

[michelepri]

Their photos will look like s*** compared to competition, but they might be broke, who knows

 

[GoodWatch]

Photographers are pissed! lol

Gotta embrace the tech fellas. Reminds me of how audio engineers hated the move from analog to digital and then talked down about mp3's.

It's a new world we live in. Roll with it or get rolled over.

Audio editing from analogue to digital: there still are jobs.
Press photography from photographers to journalist with iPhones: the jobs are gone.

So you are laughing out loud because people are losing their jobs? I hope you will retain yours.

 

[bgillander]

I'm surprised that they didn't fire the reporters and have the photographers write the stories instead. I'm sure the photographers could carry paper and a pen or pencil for an even lower cost than an iPhone. Sure it isn't a word processor or a typewriter, but it puts words on a page and that's the same thing, right?

That seems to be their logic and the reporters probably have the higher salaries, so I'm surprised they didn't go that way!

 

[AppleMark]

If this is so "idiotic," the Sun-Times will regret the decision, and lose tons of money. We'll see just how idiotic it ends up being.

Luddites, the lot of you!!!

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This whole thread highlights the ridiculousness of poor context.

The newspaper lets go of it's photography staff. In the article, it's pretty explicit that freelance photographers will be utilized to augment. The firm is simply managing their OPEX costs for retained staff. News organizations contract Getty, AP, and other image providers to provide high quality photographic content - because that's what those companies are good at.

The second article explains that they are training their journalists to take pictures. In no way was there any mention that iPhone photography would be the exclusive photographic content source for the newspaper.

In an age where a good cell phone picture (or security cam picture, in the case of the Boston Marathon tragedy) can be used to headline world events, this is a great idea.

Exactly.

 

[Mal67]

There used to be a day when one would pull up to a gas station and there would be a person to fill your tank, check your oil, clean the windshield and check the tires for air. Why don't we see this anymore, well, we just don't want to pay for it. The same may be for high quality professionally presented photos from a news organization.

Funny how costs just keep going up though.

 

[eawmp1]

This whole thread highlights the ridiculousness of poor context.

The newspaper lets go of it's photography staff. In the article, it's pretty explicit that freelance photographers will be utilized to augment. The firm is simply managing their OPEX costs for retained staff. News organizations contract Getty, AP, and other image providers to provide high quality photographic content - because that's what those companies are good at.

The second article explains that they are training their journalists to take pictures. In no way was there any mention that iPhone photography would be the exclusive photographic content source for the newspaper.

In an age where a good cell phone picture (or security cam picture, in the case of the Boston Marathon tragedy) can be used to headline world events, this is a great idea.

This


Not debatable:
Trained photojournalist's eye > non photographer's eye
DSLR > iPhone when it comes to capability
Photographer skill > equipment


That having been said, I am more worried about the loss of local journalism and investigative journalism to keep check on those in power. A healthy democracy needs a healthy Fourth Estate.