"Photojournalism the Early Years"
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
12/25/2025
Becoming a photojournalist was never the plan when I was choosing a career path (1984). I first had a try at being a photojournalist when I was in High School and a friend (Robert Smith) that I had known since grade school asked me to get a few photographs of a soccer match. Robbie was on the newspaper staff and lost a roll of film that he shot and needed to fill the slot with one good photograph. That became my level of a photograph assignment. I took 15 or more photographs that day and presented my work. I need to meet the deadline. We laughed as Robbie went to see if we had photographs that would work. Robbie is a funny guy "Stop the Presses!" It was great, I was going to be a person that had a photograph in the school paper. It would be years before I was given the opportunity to photograph for editor purposes photographs. After High school I moved to Denver, Colorado, USA from the Greater St. Louis, Missouri, USA area.
While in Denver I met a guy named Gary Strassler he was an advit photographer with accomplishments such as be in print in an Audubon Society edition of noteworthy photographs. I traveled with Gary and photographed him at bicycle races and learned a few tips from him about photographing with a 35mm camera (1987). Gary shoots with a Nikon I became a Canon man. Gary tried to get me to use a Nikon more than once. "I'll show you the differences in the two cameras. I hate to say one-on-one but there we were battling it out. I will admit I was jealous I must have lost. That year I went to his house in Boulder, Colorado, USA. He said just a minute out walk three models. Are you ready, Naomi Campbell was first out the door, followed by Cindy Crawford then Kathy Ireland. I was not made. "You Scum Bum, Backstabbing, Mutha Fluttering Shutter Bug under my breath as I helped Naomi down the stair. "I'll show you how to shoot model portraits someday. You're not mad, are you?" "No." "I'm sorry if I ruined your photo shoot day." "Let's see your appointment is for two o'clock; your early." "Your just early." So, I guess you're wondering how I am in photojournalism.
It is strange how I get my start in photojournalism. I met "M" on a Military Base at around 10pm or 11pm. We were doing laundry at some point after seeing each other a few nights late. We talked and became friends. By the way "M" is Megyn Kelley the American Journalist. The craziest thing happened when I found out shew was a journalist "You mean a War Correspondent?" "Yes, a War Correspondent Reporter." I work in another part of the base in a Barricks Building. At some point I was in town and gave her a quiet place to work. She asked if I would take a camera and shoot a few photographs when in my Foxhole. I shot photographs for may a month. "M" had an idea there was a way that her mother knew of using an old camera. Video was possible but it had to be compact and durable. An old 8mm camera the 16mm was too large and heavy. Her mother had a family way of doing something and she was in the family way. Her mother said this is not going to be easy we need her father. I had an 8mm camera that I could get from James (Jimmy) Redman. It was a way to start in a family system of careers that her and father had gotten their start. Youngman what is your full name so that I am able to get it right. Shortly after that "M" was transferred off the base. I continued on with the 8mm video for months. "M" introduced me to Savanah I was a War Correspondent Photojournalist using both the 35mm and the 8mm cameras. I was crazy I was captured once as a War correspondent and held for a few weeks before being let go and found. I think there was fighting to close by and I wasn't worth the risk of moving me around. Journalism style shoot is very different than other types of photography. Editorials are not always in focus and are not always centered and balanced. I shot 300 photographs, and I have 30 that might be used. "M" said one went to print. "Sorry." "Do it again. We had to choose from 30 photographs we only needed one."
Photojournalism is not like wildlife photography but there are similarities. I many forms of photography there are ways to reshoot the photographs that don't work. Journalists are there when the event happens the photographs transpire and are locked in time for eternity. Being a war correspondent is a rare opportunity that carries a great deal of weight in photography as well as journalism. Building a reputation as a photographer means being in the right spot and delivering the photographs when given the assignment. I have been on my way to an event or area to photograph and say it to myself. "I just need one good or great photograph to submit or upload." It is a hard choice to upload good photographs when you have ten great photographs should I stop or upload another 100. Editorial stock photographs are sold in volume by circulation volume. Shooting for commercial purposes is similar but the model releases change the terms of usage. Is really the only difference between the two styles of photography beside the equipment used. Often photojournalists carry smaller lighter bags. The equipment is purchased for ease of use. In controlled environments larger lenses and more expensive equipment is used. The dirt, dust and weather ruins good cameras. Building a reputation as a photojournalist relies on the clearest fastest photograph that can be produced repeatedly. The experience pays in large dividends when you live on the reputation as a photographer that delivers the assignments photographs. Becoming an accredited and credentialed photojournalist is not an easy accomplishment. I have been trying to achieve creditability as a stock photography contributor since the 1980's. I now have editorial photographs at www.dreamstime.com and www.alamy.com. Highland Productions LLC has worked hard to become a reliable source of editorial photographs.
By Darren Dwayne Frazier
Photograph by Highland Productions LLC