A photojournalist always needs certain tools when going to shoot a story. These include the camera itself and the necessary lenses, back-up batteries and memory cards.
In addition to these essentials, the camera bag should contain a flash and some spare batteries. It is good to take a shot or two at the office to make sure that the camera is equipped with a memory card and that everything is working as it should.
Cameras are sensitive machines and sometimes they break. The photographer also has to make sure that they can take photos even if the camera breaks down during the trip itself. Nowadays, should the need arise, the photo can be taken with a smartphone.
A photojournalist must carry note-taking equipment, to make sure the names of people who have been photographed are recorded. The journalist can interview the event’s organiser while the photographer makes their rounds, so the journalist does not necessarily know where the photographer has been and whom they have met.
There are no such things as bad conditions for taking a photograph, only lack of preparation. Before embarking on a shooting session, the photographer must prepare for both their own comfort and the forces of nature: light, wind and other natural phenomena. The photographer must also take into account what kind of event and situation they are going into in order not to attract unnecessary attention.
Keep Reading:
Photography glossary; How far can your camera see?; The basics of video expression
Go back to the beginning of this section.
This article was updated on January 10th 2020.