Today in Apple history: Newspaper replaces photo staff with iPhones
May 31, 2022 21:51:21 #
Wondering what people think of this article from Cult of Apple?
https://www.cultofmac.com/484054/today-apple-history-newspapers-replaces-photo-staff-iphones/?utm_campaign=Cult%20of%20Mac%20Today&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter
I'm not a professional - nor claim to be.
I've shot film since 1980, moved to digital in 2004 once the D300 came available.
Have since moved on to another crop and a full frame DSLR. Will likely move on to a mirrorless at some point - but my equipment now serves me well.
But still feel that for true professional pictures - whether it be studio/field/photojournalism - the quality does not compare between a DSLR (regardless of brand) and a cell phone.
I use my cell phone for quick off the cuff pictures such as of my dogs doing dog things. But otherwise - I use my cameras for my hobby.
Your thoughts?
https://www.cultofmac.com/484054/today-apple-history-newspapers-replaces-photo-staff-iphones/?utm_campaign=Cult%20of%20Mac%20Today&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter
I'm not a professional - nor claim to be.
I've shot film since 1980, moved to digital in 2004 once the D300 came available.
Have since moved on to another crop and a full frame DSLR. Will likely move on to a mirrorless at some point - but my equipment now serves me well.
But still feel that for true professional pictures - whether it be studio/field/photojournalism - the quality does not compare between a DSLR (regardless of brand) and a cell phone.
I use my cell phone for quick off the cuff pictures such as of my dogs doing dog things. But otherwise - I use my cameras for my hobby.
Your thoughts?
May 31, 2022 22:02:51 #
If the phone takes a great picture, ship it!
I've seen some cell phone shots that rival a DSLR. Without someone saying what took the picture or viewing the EXIF info, one would never know.
I've no problem with cell phone images at all. I simply prefer the ergonomics of a <D>SLR.
A camera is a camera, only the camera "container" is different. (Save the minute functional details.)
As for replacing the photo staff, probably cheaper to give everyone cell phones (they make them).
So is it the staff replacement or the fact that they will no longer be using DSLRs that upsets you.
I've seen some cell phone shots that rival a DSLR. Without someone saying what took the picture or viewing the EXIF info, one would never know.
I've no problem with cell phone images at all. I simply prefer the ergonomics of a <D>SLR.
A camera is a camera, only the camera "container" is different. (Save the minute functional details.)
As for replacing the photo staff, probably cheaper to give everyone cell phones (they make them).
So is it the staff replacement or the fact that they will no longer be using DSLRs that upsets you.
May 31, 2022 22:30:32 #
cpl3 wrote:
Wondering what people think of this article from C... (show quote)
We're talking about newspaper photos here, and after they are screened and printed on newsprint, I doubt you could tell that much difference. Newspapers are having a hard time these days, so it's understandable they need to cut costs.
May 31, 2022 23:08:48 #
Personally I find it, I don't know, unfair(?) that they fire, or terminate or some other PC term, all the professional photographers and then require the editorial and reporting staff to take the photos. A professional photographer will obtain better organized and overall better ones than someone who (probably) doesn't know how to get appropriate poses and composition or even well organized groupings. Example, in a recent local newspaper edition I saw a photo with taller persons in front of shorter ones and the shorter persons had to contort themselves to be visible in the photo. A pro would not let that happen.
Jun 1, 2022 06:21:33 #
cpl3 wrote:
Wondering what people think of this article from C... (show quote)
Immediate thoughts are that the quality of news-worthy photos will go down significantly, not because of the iPhone, but because it will be in the hands of non-photographers, and not have the reach that is necessary to achieve many of the photos the fired photographers got with longer lenses. Expecting "staff" to go out and get photos in addition to their office jobs is also expecting a lot; those 28 photographers spent many hours traveling and waiting to get their shots. What office staff can put in that time and still do the office work??
Jun 1, 2022 07:09:16 #
ELNikkor wrote:
... What office staff can put in that time and still do the office work??
Jun 1, 2022 07:12:58 #
Jun 1, 2022 07:53:29 #
Jun 1, 2022 07:58:02 #
ELNikkor wrote:
Immediate thoughts are that the quality of news-wo... (show quote)
Even "news photography" should be Louvre quality?
Many news shots are spur of the moment/quick shots. Not usually much time for exquisite composition.
I never look at news shots as being potential hangers, just news.
Jun 1, 2022 08:11:47 #
larryepage
Loc: North Texas area
PhotogHobbyist wrote:
Personally I find it, I don't know, unfair(?) that... (show quote)
One of the major papers in my area stopped producing a print version a few years ago. The viable market just evaporated. One is still struggling to survive, but the price got so high that we dropped it about that same time. They have combined sections and eliminated huge chunks of staff and are still limping along. The online version of both papers is more expensive than the value returned for us.
So those still employed probably consider themselves among the lucky ones.
Jun 1, 2022 08:48:03 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
cpl3 wrote:
Wondering what people think of this article from C... (show quote)
Cell phone is great for 99% of what a local paper would need.
Jun 1, 2022 09:02:56 #
Retina
Loc: Near Charleston,SC
cpl3 wrote:
Wondering what people think of this article from C... (show quote)
If a newspaper can't afford to allow their photographers to leave by choice or retire, it indicates they are probably cutting corners in all areas. Or did some higher up at the paper get a gift from the iBank to make an endorsement? I will be more impressed when the members of the Capitol press corps and the White House photographer leave their cameras home and show up to work with just their phones. I am curious whether this was taken with a phone camera by the guy who wrote the article. Or maybe the paper let reporters uses their personal cameras to illustrate their stories.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2022/5/30/23148037/tommy-pham-joc-pederson-reds-giants-padres-dodgers-cheek-slap-fantasy-football
Jun 1, 2022 09:08:03 #
Newspapers use a fairly coarse halftone screen so for most photos, 1MByte is probably enough. The advantage of a phone camera for a newspaper is the instant transmission of the photo.
Jun 1, 2022 09:28:49 #
cpl3 wrote:
Wondering what people think of this article from C... (show quote)
That event was not about iPhones. It was about dismissing an expensive photography staff that the newspaper could not sustain as the market for newspaper advertising and subscription sales both plummeted at the same time! The fear was that the newspaper would be bankrupted if they didn't cut costs.
Newspapers no longer play the dominant role in news that they once did. Now we have a blend of TV, radio, Internet, and print, with the decided emphasis on Internet.
Unfortunately, the quality is worse, and truth has been replaced by opinions and lies. Apparently a third of the public believes anything that scares them... and it is much easier to scare them with horse hockey data pucks thrown over the Internet.
Jun 1, 2022 09:36:38 #
yvesfeder
Loc: Bath, ME
Absolutely agree. Use my 'droid (Galaxy S22+) of course it has a superb video/still capture ability, 2 separate lenses, even macro, portrait, various modes, and lots of filters for pretty decent post processing, but.......... for serious stuff with BETTER definition I use my Nikon Z6 fullframe, and also a D7500 which I had before and still like very much. The menu options on both cameras, as well as the topside selectable wheel control for shooting, are terrific.
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