Photojournalism: Then and Now

The 1940s, 50s, and 60s are considered to be the peak eras in photojournalism, with LIFE Magazine being THE place you wanted to get published. Today, things are a little different. When photojournalism first emerged, there were no rules as to what you could and could not do with a photograph; today, the only "editing" you're allowed to do is basic color, brightness, and contrast correction-anything more could get you fired. The internet has also changed photojournalism alot, with anyone being allowed to publish things online; you have to be one of the best to get your pictures published in print these days. Being a photojournalist today is hard; you have to think of new ways to do things, and a lot of the time if the pictures aren't of celebrities or well-known leaders, the public tends not to care. Strictly comparing images of the 40s, 50s, and 60s to today also shows how much photojournalism has changed. Back then, there were a lot of photographs of the wars in every publication; today, we are in two wars, and there are hardly ever any photos, online or in print. It just goes to show how the times have changed. To make a career out of photojournalism today, you have to not only be the best, you have to want it. If you are not willing to fight to get the pictures people want to see, there is no point in trying to be a photojournalist in today's world.