Jesse Jackson is overcome with tears as he hears the announcement that Sen. Barack Obama is the president elect as thousands gather at Grant Park in Chicago on election day Tuesday, November 4, 2008.
So you want to be a ... highlights potential careers for students studying journalism and/or photography. In the first of the series, we talk with Suchat Pederson, chief photographer here at The News Journal.
Suchat is an award-winning photographer who has covered a wide array of news events, including the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, the 2008 presidential election, 2013 inuaguration, two World Series, the Stanley Cup finals, NFC Championships and Afghanistan.
FSF: How did you get started in photojournalism? What brought you to The News Journal?
SP: I started relatively late in my photojournalism career. I was in the field of Psychology before I finally decided to practice what I preach and follow my bliss. I’ve always had a fascination with photography though my only formal training was one semester of a black & white photography class in high school.
Photojournalism didn’t immediately pop into my mind when I decided to pursue photography, but I thought it seemed appropriate to call my local newspaper, The Sierra Vista Herald, in Sierra Vista, Arizona and asked to talk to their photo editor. I was able to get the photo editor to look at my “portfolio”, which was not much of one and lacked in many ways. The interview didn’t go too well as the editor asks me questions relating to photojournalism, to which I had the same answer over and over; “I don’t know”. To make a long story short. I got a call six months later from the same photo editor who decided to hire me. I took the job without any hesitation. Almost got fire my first day at work but that will have to be another story to tell. I realized very quickly how little I knew about photography, my equipment and photojournalism.
I worked through all of the challenges and stayed with the paper for six years till I finally felt that my career was heading nowhere and that I had more to offer so I gave my two weeks notice, packed my family and moved to Delaware in 2003 with no job in hand. It was the scariest and best decision I’ve ever made in my life. The first three months were a challenge as I couldn’t get anyone to even look at a small-time photojournalist, but I never gave up and continued to pursue my dream. My persistence got my foot in the door at The News Journal as a freelancer which led to work from the Associated Press, The New York Times, USA Today, LA Times and many other organizations. After a year and half as a freelancer, I was hired onto The News Journal as the deputy director of photography.
First State Focus: As a photojournalist, what have been some of the biggest changes you have witnessed in the transition to digital? How has this impacted your workflow? How you approach assignments?
Suchat Pederson: The technological jump from film to digital has been nothing short of amazing. The benefit of instant results is a blessing and maybe even a curse depending on whom you ask. The image quality continues to get better and better. Combine this with the technology of wireless transmission and this is where I feel the biggest change has occurred in transition to digital which is the demands to send not only still images but even video to be up and posted instantly online.
In trying to meet this demand, the workflow to do more lead me to use Lightroom for my post production of images instead of Photoshop. Combined with Photo Mechanic and Lightroom, I can edit a large amount of images in a fraction of the time it would have taken me to do the old way.
I approach all my assignments with the goal of capturing the essence of the story throw my images and video.
FSF: People often don't understand the difference between a photographer and a photojournalist, can you briefly go over what those differences are?
SP: I believe all photographers, including photojournalists, are artists, but I feel what separates the two is that photojournalists are a “jack of all trade” kind of photographer. We are documentarians capturing key moments in life that are not contrived or controlled. We are sports shooters snapping shots to get that peak action moment. When needed, we can be a fashion photographer, food photographer, commercial photographer; we are visual storytellers. Being able to capture fleeting moments that may last but a few seconds on a regular basis is a skill set that not all photographers can do.
FSF: Every now and then you get those assignments that make it all worth it. What are some of those assignments for you?
SP: I think all assignments are worthwhile. My days shooting those “boring and mundane” assignments at my small daily back in my hometown has helped me become a better photojournalist today. But I think the top assignment for me was being able to travel around with back then Sen. Joe Biden during the 2008 presidential election which ended with a bang when I was witness to one of the most historical moments in my life when I documented election day in Chicago as I stood at the base of the stage facing President Elect Barack Obama as he gave his victory speech while Oprah Winfrey and Jesse Jackson cried behind me. All this emotion and I got the opportunity to document all of that. It still hasn’t fully soaked in how special that moment truly was for me. And it didn’t end there as I travelled on a private jet with Vice-President Elect Joe Biden back to Delaware for Return Day. In the middle of the flight, Joe Biden comes to the rear of the aircraft, sits down next to me, puts his arm around me and says to me a just a few other reporters, “Let me tell you how I became a Senator”. All I could think of was “somebody pinch me please”. It was a hilarious story that can only be told by Joe Biden. There are many other assignments that I am honored and grateful to have done but none quite like this.
Sen. Biden's son, Hunter, is reflected in the window as Sen. Joe Biden sits quietly before speaking at a town hall style forum at the Wellness Center at Nashua Community College Wednesday, as a Secret Service agent stands guard nearby. The event is being called “Change We Need Town Hall with Senator Joe Biden." The forum is to rally Granite State voters and discuss the Obama/Biden blueprint for change.
FSF: Are there any common traits or characteristics that you see in successful photojournalists?
SP: Passion, passion, passion. With that said, all the passion in the world can’t make you a good or even great photojournalist if you don’t have the talent to do the job. The best photojournalist is one who continues to learn, improve and is humble in their talents. We can’t be everywhere at every moment but I’m always looking and anticipating for what might happen and positioning myself to capture “the moment” that defines the story.
FSF: What advice do you give your students who are planning on entering the field of journalism?
SP: Have passion for what you do. I say this not only for those entering journalism but for everyone doing whatever their own individual path has taken them in life. If your passion is photojournalism, then be prepared to adapt to change for change is the theme in this industry. Change and adapt. Learn more, do more and be on the lookout for emerging trends that will evolve our profession. Keep current on what is going on as best as you can. The last thing you want is to be left behind while everyone else is looking ahead.
FSF: Who are some of your inspirations (photography or otherwise)?
SP: Because I never studied photography or photojournalism in college, I really don’t have any one particular photographer that inspired me but many images that I’ve seen through books and magazines have inspired me to be a better photojournalist. During my martial arts days in high school, my biggest inspiration has to be Bruce Lee. As I speak of change and adaptability, I will end with a quote from Bruce Lee.
Empty your mind
Be formless
Shapeless
Like water
You put water into a cup
It becomes the cup
Put it in a teapot
It becomes the teapot
Water can flow
Or creep or drip or crash
Be water my friend
To view more of Suchat's work, visit his website or check out his blog.