How would I transition from Graphic Design to Photojournalism

[marcos_lopez2]

<p>I have a BFA in Graphic Design, and have been a working graphic designer for the last 7 years. I have fallen out of love with working as a graphic designer, and my passion for photography keeps growing and growing. I shoot all the time, but at a very amatuer level. Since I already have my BFA, and no professinal experience in photography, how would I go about transitioning? I really need some help and advice as I am so confused and frustrated about this. I looked into grad school but that doesnt really make any sense, and going back to school for another bfa in photojournalism doesnt really sound right either. WHAT DO I DO Thank you so much for your help.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Photojournalism is ... journalism. Increasingly, PJs write their own material and also perform videography. Photography, per se, is only a small part of the work. What sort of experience do you have in the practical aspects of reporting and of putting together multi-media packages?</p>

[marcos_lopez2]

<p>I only have experience in Graphic Design, branding, packaging, advertising etc... I hope that some of my experience will lend it self to a photojournalism career, client management, knowing creative etc, but there is alot that I would have to learn, which is the basis of my question.</p>

[jwallphoto]

<p>None of your experience translates to photojournalism, and you don't get BFA in it. Here's what a master's program looks like at a top PJ school: <a href="http://journalism.missouri.edu/graduate/masters/two-year-photojournalism.html">http://journalism.missouri.edu/graduate/masters/two-year-photojournalism.html</a></p>

[hugh_j.]

<p>If you have been working as a freelance graphic designer, then hopefully those business skills will be useful to you as a freelance photojournalist in terms of management, marketing, and self-promotion. Otherwise, the two have pretty much nothing in common. If you have been working as a salaried staff member in a design firm, then you have absolutely nothing from that experience to bring to the photojournalism table, because almost all the jobs in photojournalism today will be freelance and often on-spec. The days of cushy staff jobs are long over.</p>

<p>What you do is check out your local community college for cheap courses in journalism and photography. Hopefully there will be a campus newspaper for you to start off in. You bust your butt for a semester or two, working every assignment you can get your hands on across the entire spectrum of spot news, features, sports, portraits, and photo essay, get a 20-image (or so) portfolio together, then start showing that portfolio to photo editors at your local community newspapers and hope to score some paying assignments.</p>

<p>Just a warning - those "paying assignments" won't be paying very much, if anything at all above the cost of your gear and transportation. I hope you are independently wealthy, or fabulously talented.</p>

[redphoto]

<p>I would recommend hanging out with photojournalists in your area. There may be a group or a forum that you can join. They can give you lots of information and tips. If you are luck you can start shadowing them. Get books on PJ, I highly recommend Ken Kobre's PJ book. Read and practice. The nice thing about PJ is that it is easy to generate self assignments. Go to events and start photographing. Concentrate on telling the story visually. Keep the narrative in your mind. Practice and then practice some more. If you fall into a good story, maybe more of a documentary things than an event thing, you might approach local publications and see if they will run your story. Go to newspapers and magazines and show them a portfolio of work. Find internships where you can. Offer to help out part time or see if they can send any freelance work your way. I do not think that getting a masters degree in PJ is necessary, and I am a university teacher. Master's degrees in the arts are really for teaching. Get your education in the real world. Don't spend too much money on education because there is not much money paid to PJ. People should be photojournalists because they love it and want to make social changes. Let me know if I can help you out somehow. Good luck.<br>

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