A picture is worth a thousand words. The past year demonstrated that again, as millions of photographs were posted online and shaped the news. “Selfie” becoming the word of 2013 also shows how essential photography has become to communication. This year, we can look forward to more powerful images that bring the world closer, provided photojournalists still get the chance to make them.
In an article by Reuters columnist David Rohde, I read that the rise of the web and smartphones is making it harder for photojournalists to earn a living. Fewer magazines and newspapers send photographers abroad to document stories, and their numbers are declining. That seems strange when we are increasingly visually oriented and images dominate the online world.
More than a selfie
I understand that publishers need to reconsider their businesses and reduce costs. Still, I would regret news becoming less shaped by compelling photography. A specialist’s image can be more striking, evoke emotion and say more about a situation than a selfie. Not convinced? Look at the winning photographs from World Press Photo.
I hope the decline does not go as far in the Netherlands and that media organisations and photographers find ways to support one another. As viewers and readers, we can continue expressing our appreciation, sharing and liking the images that appear on our televisions, computers and smartphones every day.
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