They have a lot to learn
Reportage photography is probably one of the most difficult, but at the same time interesting genres. After all, in one frame, the photographer must tell a story. And so that it was exciting and bright.
In this article, we have collected the best reportage photographers of our time. Which reached unprecedented heights in this difficult genre.
Stanley Green
In his photographs, Stanley Green shows the stories of people's lives. He does not aim to depict death or shock the public with his photographs. In his photographs, death and destruction are reflected in the faces of those who survived, and these photographs give us an idea of the war.
Seamus Murphy calls photography "half history and half magic." This brief description can serve as the title of the entire archive of his works, because his work is distinguished by a special penetration. He has been filming for a long time in the Middle East, Europe, Russia and Far East, in African countries, in North and South America. He is a six-time winner of the World Press Awards.
Polish photographer who specializes in non-commercial sports photography. Among his works you can find dynamic shots of the Mongolian horse races, street parkour, training of kung fu masters and much more. His work is actively published by such well-known publications as Forbes, Newsweek, Time and The Guardian. Tomas himself does not consider himself a sports photographer and says that each of his shots is a story about a person.
The footage of French photographer Noel Patrick Cuidi is realistic. And at the same time filled with humanism and sympathy. "War is so ugly that I do not understand those who seek to make beautiful pictures» says the photographer. For his footage, Noel was awarded the World Press Photo award three times.
Bradner is widely known for her humanistic images. Her work is actively published by New York Times Magazine, Granta, GEO, Time, Newsweek, US News & World Report, Stern. “When I am in another country, I am very open to what people tell me…” Heidi says. Apparently, this is the secret of her success.
This is one of the most famous American photojournalists. In total, he filmed 18 international conflicts, including the US invasion of Iraq, military operations in Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Chechnya and other countries. Christopher is the owner of a huge number of awards, including the World Press Photo award. "The role of the photographer in war is very important: we must face its ugliness if we want world peace." says the photographer.
A famous French photographer has been photographing wars for many years, social conflicts, poverty and suffering. Emphasized honesty to the viewer, combined with the thoughtful drama of the story - that's what distinguishes this photographer from others. His photographs are not only published in the press, but also exhibited in museums, creating truly powerful compositions.
"All my efforts are to be as neutral as possible, and also to feel as much as possible in order to allow the image to reveal to viewers the mystery of the real."
An outstanding photographer and the only Russian who has become a full member of the most authoritative Magnum agency. His works are extremely colorful, and one of the most famous was the series "Tbilisi Baths", after the creation of which he was accepted into Magnum. His pictures are published in GEO, Actuel, New York Times.
“All my best photographs are of the unexpected. You just need to destroy your own willfulness, the stereotype and surrender to the free wave ... You need to find harmony with reality, but, once again, this does not guarantee you success.
With his photographs, the photographer not only tries to draw attention to any problem, but also literally calls to solve it. The main theme of his work, which is not surprising for a South African, was the problem of AIDS. He was one of the first to describe this terrible disaster with the help of photography.
His photographs are actively published by the world's leading publications, including National Geographic, Fortune Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, GEO, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Guardian Weekend Magazine, L'Express and Stern Magazine.
War and social clashes are the main theme of his works, imbued with real pain and a call to stop violence on the entire planet. James has worked in South Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union as well as in Eastern Europe.
Devotion to the cause and humanistic ideals made James Nachtwey one of the most respected reportage photographers.
“I am half deaf. I have bad nerves and constantly ringing in my ears ... I must have become deaf because I didn’t put earplugs in my ears, because I really wanted to hear. I wanted to achieve the maximum power of sensations, even if they are too painful., says Nachtwey.
The English photographer started his career as a freelance photographer for the Guardian and Observer newspapers. The first direction of his work was the protest movement of the "greens". But since 1999, he has completely turned to reportage photography, covering numerous armed conflicts.
He received his first World Press Photo award back in 1994, and since then there have been three. His work can be seen in Newsweek, Time, Stern, GEO, Paris Match, Der Spiegel, The Sunday Times Magazine and many more.
For more than 25 years, he has covered all the significant events taking place in our country, as well as many significant world events, including the wars in Chechnya, Afghanistan and Iraq. As a result, this photographer has accumulated unique material in his creative baggage, which brought him a large number of international awards, including six World Press Photo awards.
“My work is for the soul, this is my life. And there was never a separation, there were life stages. I lived it all."
The goal of this photographer is to show the war for what it is. He filmed the battle for Vukovar in Croatia, the siege of Sarajevo, the atrocities committed in Serbian concentration camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and much more.
“It’s terrible when someone is killed next to you. The first time it happened, I was not allowed to film. I couldn't save them, but if I didn't tell the world about it, it would be even worse. And I promised myself that if I find myself in this situation again, then at least I will be able to press the button..
Black-and-white shots by Jan Grarup tell about troubles and other people's pain. Showing the life of people in conditions of wars and crises, he draws the attention of the world community to small deeds that have become an integral part of life.
"My most main advice- listen to your heart. If you shoot without empathy, you will fail. Only time spent at the shooting location with the characters, only communication and interaction, only help and empathy will help you create a real story..
One of the most famous photographers of our time, whose pictures have graced the covers of National Geographic, GEO, Time Photo and many others. His photographs are imbued with the desire for the best, the desire to "give the world a chance." In 2001, he founded AINA, a charitable association dedicated to children's education.
“Two natures coexist in me: a photographer and a humanist. Photography for me is not just an image. With my work, I try to establish a connection between cultures, as well as show the society countries and people that they have not seen”, Reza says.
Danish Eric Refner started his career as a commercial photographer. However, at some point he realized that the romance of photojournalism attracted him much more. And he began to travel the world with a camera in his hands.
But he was not limited to wars and humanitarian disasters. In particular, he received the World Press Photo award for his reportage on the "last romantics of rockabilly", who today live as if in the yard of the 1950s.
“I can’t stand listening to complaints and excuses that everything is not going the way I want. I don't like people who are cold to their work. Technically, there is nothing complicated in photography. It is important to understand and desire to do something unique, without passion for this business, nothing will come of it.
The Italian photographer entered photojournalism shortly before the outbreak of numerous armed conflicts in Europe and other parts of the world. Therefore, he began to visit these hot spots as a correspondent. He was in Angola in 1996, did two projects on Iraqi issues, and also filmed in Africa, Brazil and other regions.
The result of 13 years of his work was the book Born Somewhere, dedicated to the children of the countries he visited. Francesco Zizola has won seven World Press Photo awards and four Picture of the Year awards for his work.
This is one of the few photographers who has a deep classical education. He has achieved impressive success, becoming a recognized master of photography: his work can be found in the Cambridge Museum of Art, the International Center for Photography in New York and in many other museums. In addition, as a journalist, he actively publishes in such publications as National Geographic, GEO, Time, New York Times Magazine. Alex Webb is also the author of numerous books on photography.
“I work in color. Therefore, the quality of lighting is especially important for me, for this reason I shoot more at one time of the day than at another. I always try to be outside in the afternoon and evening.”
As a photojournalist for the famous Magnum agency, he has found his own special niche in the everyday life of photojournalism. In his bright, emphatically coloristic works, West and East meet.
“Composition suddenly formed from color, lines and movement is magic.”
“When shooting anywhere, I try to be open to the world. The camera must be ready, and the head must be empty at the same time, so that prejudices do not prevent me from seeing the world as it is.
Recognized classic of the Soviet and Russian photography. He owns many reports that honestly and unbiasedly showed the Russian reality of the 80s and 90s of the last century.
“The photograph is not taken by the photographer, but by chance. Professionals who control everything are doomed to mediocre staff. The photographer is not a creator, the same Cartier-Bresson said that life is much more unusual than fiction: no brains are enough to invent such a frame that is given to you for nothing. We have to wait for him…”
If you need a reportage photographer in Moscow, use youdo.com. Only a highly qualified performer who knows all aspects of creating such photos can qualitatively make a dynamic photo session.
Reporters are registered on the YouDo website, specializing in creating professional photographs of any celebrations, including competitions, exhibitions, corporate parties and children's events. Yudu professionals have extensive experience, they can make an interesting shot in any, even a dark room.
How much do reporting services cost?
On youdo.com you will quickly order inexpensive services reportage photographer with departure to all districts of Moscow. Experienced masters at an affordable price will organize a photo session with a shortage of time or light, they will professionally take pictures filled with semantic and emotional content in any conditions.
The following criteria will affect the cost of wedding and other photography:
- number of photos
- filming location
- type of event (e.g. presentation, concert, children's holiday or beauty pageant
- complexity of image processing
- urgency of departure
- filming duration
Also, the price of photography depends on the need to perform additional work, for example, targeted delivery of finished images, slide show creation, developing a photo application for a smartphone or printing photos on canvas in any format.
The cost of the photographer's work is displayed in the price list on youdo.com. Each shooting is individual, so the rates indicated in the price list are indicative. You will find out the final prices for the work in person. When filling out an application on the site, indicate the optimal cost for you to conduct a dynamic photo shoot.
Why you should hire the services of experienced reporters
By ordering the services of photographers who place ads on YouDo, you are guaranteed not to get boring photos in which guests deliberately pose, but lively and interesting pictures that convey the atmosphere of the event.
Specialists will make high-quality and dynamic shots from unusual angles. All Yudu professionals are attentive to details, responsible and punctual. Photographers will arrive at the specified address on time and will have professional equipment needed to create bright and clear images.
Benefits of working with experienced reporters:
- qualified performers offer a full range of services, not all types of work are indicated in the price list, specify special requirements for a photo shoot in person
- photographers will perform professional photography, including effective processing of captured frames to improve sharpness, brightness and white balance
- for printing, Yudu performers use modern equipment that perfectly reproduces colors and image clarity
- The photographers ensure that classic portrait and group shots are complemented by a creative twist, photos are taken from unusual angles to capture the emotions of the guests accurately.
To order the services of a photographer specializing in dynamic photography, fill out an application on the website, indicating in it:
- number of guests
- type of event and duration of celebration
- acceptable cost
- location
- special requirements (photo processing for publication on web resources, development of an application or personalized album)
A reportage photographer in Moscow offering services on YouDo will do a quality job in compliance with all your requirements.
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It was reportage photography that I chose as a specialization in photography. I, with pleasure, will perform work for an event, exhibition, conference or holiday for you. At the bottom of the page you can !
The page above contains photo galleries from past events, below is a fragment of an interview about the profession of a "photojournalist" and a small article about the features of reportage photography: What is a professional reportage? What are the types of reportage photography? Why and who needs a reportage photographer? How are reportage photographs used? What professional secrets does a reportage photographer have?
What is special about reportage photography?
Reportage is a dedicated area of photojournalism, which is characterized by:
- the presence of a connected plot,
- chronology of events
- highlighting the main information (essence),
- objectivity of perception of what is happening.
A professional reporter needs the ability to carefully observe, perceive vividly, instantly fix. And sometimes you have to create interesting stories, while not interfering in the ongoing events and without disturbing anyone.
The personality of a reportage photographer is also undergoing changes, which is reflected in the style of life and work. A photojournalist is ready to leave to shoot a story at any time, and a set of professional photographic equipment is always ready to go. The shooting style of the reportage is characterized by lightning speed and lightness. Seeing an interesting story out of the corner of his eye, the photographer does not hesitate to take a picture and immediately goes in search of a new story.
Enjoy viewing photos from corporate parties, official receptions, concerts, competitions and holidays.
Reportage photography can be divided into separate areas:
Order a reportage photographer - you will get interesting photo stories
Any photograph in the report is your statement, compressed, enhanced and concentrated information. And what kind of story should turn out as a result depends on the tasks set by the Customer.
Reportage photographer, how to choose?
Gradually, the requirements for photographers are increasing. Customers, news publications and websites are demanding more and more effective and dynamic shots to illustrate the report. It is now necessary to add a creative component to classic portrait and general photographs: unusual angles, unexpected emotions.
The creative perception of the work makes art out of ordinary pictures. But in every business you need to know the measure, especially commercial photography, so it’s good when a photographer has his own style and vision of events, but you need to understand how it differs from artistic photography.
A corporate photographer for shooting a reportage works differently than with.
Of course, these genres are different. The most important thing for a photographer is that reporting is always a subjective perception of what is happening around, presented as objective.
FAQ (questions and answers on photography of events)
If you still have questions about reportage photography, the equipment used by a reportage photographer, the number and processing of photos, then look for answers to frequently asked questions:
You can take both photos and videos
I strongly recommend ordering a photographer for a photo story and a separate video operator for shooting video materials. If time permits, I can shoot and edit a small video for Instagram or a video slideshow from a photo shoot.
Do you travel to other cities, how much does it cost?
If travel and accommodation are paid, then I can come to your event. The cost depends on the distance from Moscow. In the Moscow region, I travel on my own vehicle and it costs an additional 1000 rubles.
Subsequent color correction includes:
- cropping all photos;
- noise is reduced;
- white balance;
- obtaining a natural complexion;
- brightness equalization;
- increase in contrast and sharpness;
- save high resolution photos as JPG
How many photos will I receive after the event and when?
The number of finished photos depends on the dynamism of the event program.
In my experience, in one hour of reportage photography, I take from 50 to 100 high-quality photos. Processing and color correction takes approximately three business days. After that, I send a link to the archive with photos by mail.
You can see examples of photos from events on the page and order a reportage photographer
How to shoot a good report so that well-known Internet resources want to publish it? How to take great, unusual, “talking” photos at an event where, besides you, there are 100,500 other photographers just like you? Or maybe you are a wedding photographer and just want to improve your reportage part of the shooting? Then some simple but effective tips will help you.
Do not think that reportage shooting is the easiest of all. It seems to be, press yourself on the button, hit like a machine gun, and everything will be fine. But no, with this approach, you will simply get a huge pile of uninteresting shots and reduce the shutter resource in vain. Reporting is a rather complex genre. It is necessary to follow all the rules and laws of photography, but at the same time take into account the time factor, which always plays against you.
Not in vain key concept reportage photography is the term "decisive moment", and the main task of the photographer is to catch it.
At the same time, without forgetting about everything else that needs to be done to get a technically acceptable picture. The ability to choose and catch the decisive moment comes with experience, and this is precisely what is commonly called talent - the work of the reportage master Henri Cartier-Bresson will tell you better about this. But a few simple tips will help you climb one step higher in improving your reportage skills.
1
Before shooting, scroll in your head what you yourself would like to tell about this event, and take pictures already according to this text, as if supplementing and strengthening it. Make a plan for yourself. But unscheduled interesting scenes will only decorate your reportage.
2
Always think about what you can and want to say with this shot. No need to take "silent" pictures. Reportage photography should speak (shout, cry, laugh) by itself, without text.
3
Look for interesting angles. A simple head-on shot is banal. This is what 99% of photographers will do. Think about how you would shoot the majority of what is happening, and do not shoot like that. A good angle is half the battle. The popular city game "Photocross" is a great workout for a reporter of any experience!
4
Be mobile. You need to be in several places at the same time. However, plan your travel routes well so as not to interfere with viewers and other photographers. Remember: good photographer like a vampire - he is not reflected in the mirror and in the photographs of other photographers.
5
Plan ahead of time where you’ll shoot and what lenses you’ll shoot from there. It is best to have a universal lens that covers all required focal lengths. In this regard, the work of a reporter is not much different from the craft of a sniper and a killer.
6
Get a lens with a long focal length and a wide range of focal lengths. Inexpensive "station wagons" are quite suitable for reporting - ringing sharpness on faces is useless to you.
7
Film what is happening not only on the stage, but also in the auditorium. Without the emotions of the audience it is difficult to convey the atmosphere of the event. Pay attention to the broadcast of concerts and KVN on TV - the faces of the most emotional viewers from the hall make up a fairly large part of the plans.
8
Catch funny grimaces, ridiculous movements, take people by surprise. Some well-known publications are specially sharpened to use "naughty" pictures: politicians picking their noses, yawning or stumbling stars.
9
Be sure to do general plans, medium and large. This is one of the main postulates of the report.
10
Composition rules work for all types of photography, including reportage. Don't forget the rule of thirds and other compositional rules.
11
Always try to use a fast shutter speed by increasing the ISO. Even if you have a camera with a "noisy" matrix, the quality of web-size images will be OK. In addition, there are many software "noise cancelers".
12
But do not get carried away with “noise reduction” during processing. A small residual noise will disappear on its own when the photo is reduced. But the "plasticine" after excessive processing of the face will remain.
13
Do not use the flash when shooting concerts in rooms without reflective surfaces: it spoils the lighting design of the scene, thought out by specialists. In addition, the flash tends to slow down, and you risk taking a picture of a good moment when it is not ready.
14
Be aware of the current focal length of the lens and the set shutter speed. For telephoto lenses very little exposure is needed. Remember the formula: maximum shutter speed = 1 / current focal length- and make a margin in the direction of its reduction.
Learn to navigate by the sound of the shutter (“clack-clack” or “clack-clack”) and in case long exposure urgently redo the photo if you shoot in aperture priority mode.
15
Remember that a tripod makes you less mobile and does not prevent blur when shooting action scenes in low light. As a last resort, you can use a monopod to get rid of the amount of smearing due to hand and camera shaking.
16
Do not forget about framing - this is your true friend who can make a great picture out of a seemingly unsuccessful photo.
17
When shooting a report, do not forget to alternate horizontal and vertical shots sometimes: a variety of formats will help you better compose a block of photos later.
18
Shoot only in RAW. From the in-camera JPEG, nothing worthwhile can be pulled out if necessary.
19
Do not forget to take a few shots that would tie your future reportage to the scene. Let's say that buildings, monuments, and objects recognizable by everyone should fall into these shots.
20
Do as many takes of a scene as possible at all times. Have you noticed how the shutters of professionals crack at press conferences? One and at the same time a technically unsuccessful photograph of an extremely successful moment is an epic fail of a photojournalist, you can do seppuku.
21
Oh, and don't forget to buy some roomy and fastest memory cards, class 10 at least. You probably already know about the spare battery.
Today we would like to talk with you about the two most, perhaps, most interesting trends in the art of photography - about genre photography and reportage photography. As a rule, the viewer only admires and enjoys landscape shots, portraits or still lifes. But the genre and reportage makes the viewer also think about the pictures. Think, sometimes, about quite serious problems.
Let's first of all define the concepts: what is genre photography and reportage photography? How do they differ from each other and what do they have in common?
A photo essay is, first of all, a photographer's report about some event, an event that he visited. But at the same time, it is also a kind of metaphor that should attract the attention of the viewer, encourage the viewer to think about what is shown in the pictures, make him develop his attitude to the current event, which is described in the report.
Working on a photo essay requires a certain amount of work experience from its author. You can't just shoot a report like that. To do this, you need to develop the ability to see the plot, to have knowledge about what you are shooting. For example, when shooting a report from a football match, you need to at least know the rules of the game of football. To shoot a report about a theatrical premiere, you need to know at least the basics of theatrical art ... Of course, to work in this genre, you need to master the photography technique perfectly.
A photographer engaged in reportage photography must not forget about the logic of the events taking place around him, know these events, correctly track and show the viewer the relationship of its elements and stages. An experienced master of photo reportage seems to be able to present a completely insignificant, trifling event to us as a bewitching, fantastic story. If you have already decided to dedicate your work to photo reporting, then you must develop the qualities of an interesting storyteller in yourself. But do not forget when working on a report about the author's vision of what is happening, about the author's subjectivism. After all, any reportage picture reflects not only the actual fact of the depicted event, but also the attitude of the author of the photo essay towards it. Simply put, the photographer, as it were, inclines the viewer to his point of view, only he does this not with ordinary words, but with the language of photography. Thus, he, without noticing it, is engaged in propaganda of the situation, the event that is unfolding in front of the lens of his camera. However, this can be done consciously and purposefully. But this is already, as they say, aerobatics.
Thus, one can easily come to a simple conclusion: a photo essay, or even just one reportage photo, is essentially just an interpretation. But she has to be honest. Without any juggling and deception of the viewer. This is simply unacceptable here.
But genre photography, unlike reportage photography, depicts scenes that take place around us in everyday life. Shows us images of the people around us. Here it is important for the photographer to be able to see and capture unusual, bright moments everyday life. Working on genre photography allows the photographer in his work to be interesting, mobile, in some ways even unusual, sensitive to what is happening. Genre photos can be safely called unique. After all, the stories imprinted on them will never be repeated again.
What is important to know and be able to do as a genre photographer?
The main thing is to learn not only to see what is happening, to notice everything interesting and unusual, extraordinary around you, but also to clearly understand what is happening right now in front of the camera lens. It is important to be able to choose the right shooting point, take a picture from a favorable angle, instantly, even in the process of shooting, have time to work on the composition of the frame, mentally scroll through the plot in your head and much more. All this comes with experience, with skill. In order to develop this skill in oneself, the photographer must work very hard. And this work will be rewarded. You will learn to shoot as if without thinking, on an intuitive level.
To the uninitiated or new to photography, it may seem that photo essay and genre photography are very similar in essence to each other. But this is a common misconception.
The main thing that distinguishes a genre shot from a reportage one is that a person is shown close-up on it. A close-up not in a compositional sense, not a face in full frame, but in its semantic meaning. A person should be shown in all his experiences, emotions, mood. In genre photography, a person should, as it were, be snatched away by the photographer's gaze, by the click of a camera, from the general flow of events taking place in modern everyday life. A person with all his complexities, with his inner world - that's the main thing in genre photography. This is what is important to learn how to convey to the viewer.
Another sign, a distinctive feature of the genre in photography, is the warmth of intonation, a certain lyricism, softness, and penetration. A good, skillfully made genre photograph is, one might say, a whole performance with its own dramaturgy. The viewer should feel like seeing what was before the photographer pressed the shutter button of the camera. And what will happen in a minute, in an hour, and even the next day…
