Photojournalists - Essential for School, Business and Organizational Success

Photojournalists are essential for school, business and organizational success. They get the 'every picture tells a thousand words' to the general population.

Photojournalists are responsible for getting the best photos they can for their particular media outlets. Photos, like pictures, tell a thousand words - hence you need the best photo possible for your circumstances. Photojournalists will most likely have good ideas to best represent the image you or they want covered.

Photo sessions are usually enjoyable times for all involved. It is not often that people appear in the media.

The photojournalist usually works with the journalist who is covering the story. Yet it is often the photojournalist who decides which photos will be used.

There will be times when the media outlet only wants a photo and just sends a photojournalist. At other times you will need to arrange for interviews and photos at the same or similar times. However, at other times, the interview may happen over the telephone and the photo taken at a separate time. Even though most stories require a photo, sometimes it is not required.

Own Professional or Business Photos

There may also be times when the media outlet is quite happy for you to send your own photos by email instead of having the photojournalist come out.

This usually happens after the outlet appreciates the quality and content of your professional or business photos and the professionalism of your photographers.

This is more common with the smaller publications, or for photos accompanying editorial in special features and for advertising.

Rest assured that the outlets will invariably send out a photographer if you feel you need one.

Marketing Manager and the Photojournalist

The Marketing Manager, or selected well informed staff member, needs to attend all photo sessions. The Marketing Manager should treat it as an enjoyable time and it most likely will end up being so.

You are free to offer suggestions, though the final decision does rest with the photojournalist. Their employer is their media outlet (and not your business) and hence the photo taken is what they want. However, in most cases, the photojournalist is working with you and for the profession or business to be seen in the best light.

It is in their best interests to work with you for many reasons, including the media outlet's need for a good standing in the community. They will also possibly want photos, reactions or stories from your profession, business or field down the track. However, if you are being unfairly obstructive, then follow-up photos for other stories at other times may be few and far between.

For specific details of the unique school situation for dealing with photojournalists see Photojournalists and Schools - A Special Case Senario

The 'Photojournalists - Essential for School, Business and Organizational Success' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author of School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed) 2010, a 369 A4 page e-book, and Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed), 2010, with the copyright being retained by SMAPL.

Photojournalists and Schools - Special Case

Photojournalists in schools is a unique situation - particularly regarding duty of care for its students. The the following information may be applied to many differing professions and businesses also.

Stopping Inappropriate Photos and Follow-Up

You must make sure that the photos taken are appropriate for student, staff member and school.

Do not allow for anything raunchy or what might appear inappropriate.

It is strongly suggested that students and staff in the photo should not:

• hold any inappropriate prop e.g. cigarette
• appear before an inappropriate backdrop e.g. toilet or certain signage
• wear inappropriate clothing e.g. skimpy tops or short skirts
• be positioned in any inappropriate manner e.g. sitting inappropriately.

If you are not happy with the photojournalist's suggestions, then stop the photo shoot, negotiate a better outcome, or cancel it. You are responsible for trying to get the best most appropriate photo.

You have every right to do this - in fact you may have a responsibility to do this. Advise your School Principal of this situation and outcome.

Know your legal and ethical responsibilities. Seek these from qualified legal practitioners and ethicists.

If the photo session was cancelled, you or your School Principal would seriously consider contacting the media outlet's editor and advising of the inappropriateness of the photojournalist's expectations / demands. This should sort the problem out.

Further courses of action, if no success in the first instance was gained from the editor, would often be to contact the Communication and Marketing Manager within your educational system for guidance and support. Either your School Principal or the Communication and Marketing Manager would probably take the matter further e.g. journalists' association, members of parliament, etc, and even to police / court if there was any abuse. This would be a very rare indeed.

Properly and respectfully encouraging and managing the photojournalist to take the best and most appropriate photo for your story's angle is in the best interest of your profession and business. Be aware that their employer is the media outlet and not you. Often your best diplomatic skills are required.

The 'Photojournalists and Schools - Special Case' blog post was written by Bryan Foster, author or School Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (3rd ed), 2010, a 369 A4 page e-book, and Church Marketing Manual for the Digital Age (2nd ed), 2010, with the copyright being retained by SMAPL.