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An endangered species in Europe?
by DaviD Mccairley • eDiteD by Nick McGowaN-lowe • JUNE 2009
European Federation of Journalists With support from the European Union
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The contents of this book are copyrighted and the rights to use of contributions rests with the authors themselves. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Published in Belgium by the European Federation of Journalists © 2009 European Federation of Journalists International Press Centre Residence Palace, Block C 155 rue de la Loi B - 1040 Brussels Belgium With the support of the European Union through a Commission grant on working conditions and adaptation to change. Design: Mary Schrider, firstname.lastname@example.com Printed by Druk. Hoeilaart, Belgium Cover image ©iStockphoto.com/blackred
table of contents
Executive summary ..................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2 The effect of the digital era..................................................................................................... 2 The new democracy of photography ....................................................................................... 3 The effect of stock photography on the editorial market .......................................................... 3 Multi-tasking and multi-skilling ............................................................................................... 4 Authors' rights ....................................................................................................................... 4 Restrictions on photography ................................................................................................... 5 2. The Survey ............................................................................................................................. 7 Author's Rights (moral and economic rights) ........................................................................ 12 Other Legal Conditions: Legal restrictions ............................................................................. 15 Training and further training ................................................................................................. 18 3. Analysis of the survey results ................................................................................................ 21 General section.................................................................................................................... 21 Problems facing photojournalists, by country ........................................................................ 21 Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 24 Social Conditions ................................................................................................................. 24 Legal and Professional Conditions ........................................................................................ 25 Fees for reuse...................................................................................................................... 26 Training ............................................................................................................................... 27 Other commercial activities .................................................................................................. 27 4. The challenges facing photojournalism .................................................................................. 29 5. The way forward ................................................................................................................... 31 Representation .................................................................................................................... 31 Best practice ....................................................................................................................... 31 On Authors' Rights............................................................................................................... 31 Networking among and with photojournalists ........................................................................ 32 Equal opportunities .............................................................................................................. 32 Multi-skilling ........................................................................................................................ 32 Photography in public places ............................................................................................... 32 Further Training and Education ............................................................................................ 32 Appendices .............................................................................................................................. 33 A. The survey as sent October 2008. .................................................................................... 34 B. EFJ Media Release, 16 December 2008 .......................................................................... 37 C. "The professional future of photographers" ...................................................................... 38 D. The Conclusions of the Paris Conference ......................................................................... 41 E. Statement by Nigel Dickinson .......................................................................................... 43 F. Reuters and image manipulation ...................................................................................... 44 G. The London G-20 protests, and the death of Ian Tomlinson .............................................. 45
executive Summary
hotojournalists face radical challenges to their profession on many fronts, whether economic, legal or social. These challenges are exacerbated by the advent of digital technology, increasing restrictions on photography, the erosion of authors' rights and falling levels of pay. This affects the living standards and quality of employment of photojournalists, and has a harmful effect on professional standards, journalistic ethics and accountability: all of which are essential prerequisites for the functioning of an open and democratic society. My conclusions are as follows: E Better representation: Unions should ensure that photojournalists are well represented within union structures and decision-making. E Best practice: Member unions should aim to promote and disseminate best practice and fair contracts. E Authors' rights: Authors' rights – both moral and economic – must be publicised and fought for. E Networking and associated collegiate activities among photojournalists should be facilitated and encouraged. E Equal opportunities: Policies aimed at increasing the representation of minority and other groups that experience discrimination should continue to be implemented. Unions should ensure equal access and equal treatment for both male and female photojournalists.
E On multi-skilling: Member unions should lobby for and negotiate enhanced rates for increased tasks in journalistic work and increase awareness that further training is a precondition for additional tasks. E On access to public spaces, anti-terrorism legislation and interaction with state authorities: Member unions and the EFJ should continue to promote the EFJ Guidelines for Photographers' accreditation to Major Events.1 E Press cards: To press for greater press card recognition by police and other public institutions, and clarification of what rules are applied. E Public-Order Reporting Guidelines: The EFJ should establish Europe-wide internal guidelines on how to work alongside the police and other official bodies in times of conflict and at public-order events. E Education and training: To increase and encourage an awareness of the role of continuing education among members and purchasers of photojournalism; and to establish Europe-wide standards of training or education for journalists at all levels, including editorial and purchasing staff. The immediate future cannot be seen as particularly hopeful. The difficulties reported here by the EFJ's member unions are only likely to increase in coming years. What is required is a coherent and unified approach from bodies representing photojournalists to uphold journalistic standards and campaign for recognition of the democratic role of trained and responsible photojournalists.
See these in PDF form at: http://www.ifj.org/assets/docs/213/158/66f05d5-bb0599e.pdf
Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe?
but as a critical ethical foundation of our cultural and political life. E Secondly the EFJ held a two-day seminar in Paris in December 2008 that brought together photojournalists. a survey was conducted among the EFJ's member unions. photojournalism has entered a critical phase of its relatively short history. social security systems. The project falls into two main sections: E Firstly. their union representatives. create strategies and find areas of cooperation that will preserve and enhance the working conditions and quality of the work of professional photojournalists. and media employers to discuss the current state of the photojournalism industry. It matters not simply as an industry and profession. by more people. The effect of the digital era The advent of the digital era should. in theory. be ushering in a golden age for photojournalism. authors' moral and economic rights. was established to examine current best practice and to improve the working conditions of European photojournalists. it is hoped. The response of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) has been to start a process of examination of photojournalists' working conditions. and the results are discussed in the next two chapters. unfair contracts. There are more images being taken. So why then do © 2009 Einar OttO Stangvik 2 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . and it is easier than could ever have been imagined to publish those images digitally through the internet.1 introduction P hotojournalism matters. However. will inform the continuing debate on the future of photojournalism. The "Photojournalists: An Endangered Species in Europe?" project. and faces a range of economic. The freedom and transmission of information is a fundamental element in the democratic ideal: a building block of the open society. It was in this arena that an exchange of ideas and information was begun: a process which. a witness in the unfolding of history. and to define strategies to help photographers working in the media survive and defend the quality of their work. supported by the European Commission. and orphan works. enabling a discussion of what examples of existing best practice. including best practices on training needs. which assessed current working conditions for photojournalists. collective agreements. A copy of the survey can be found in the appendix of this report. social and political challenges.
Many photojournalists use stock sales as a replacement or supplementary income. The stock agency operates in an industry which tends towards the economic ideal where at any time.photojournalists feel themselves to be under pressure. The supply of these images further undermines the market value of professional news imagery. Microstock – the selling of royalty-free stock photography at very low rates – has transformed the market areas previously dominated by giant agencies and professional libraries. placing an intermediary – the stock agency – between the photographer and the consumer inevitably results in a loss of control over the resale of the photographs (especially in regards to pricing) and this loss of control can lead to friction between photographer and stock library. the ability to produce images has been democratised. Equally. Payment for this user-generated material is rarely offered.000 professional and amateur contributors. and commercial operations such as Demotix3 already exist to encourage images shot by amateur photographers into the professional news market. Images captured can be distributed instantaneously. the photographer is now generally expected to both incorporate these services into their diminishing job or day rate. The majority of stock photography sales are traditionally conducted through an agency. the issue is a complex and interlinked one. a large – and growing – number of photographers are finding that their position on the labour market has been weakened and their professional future looks uncertain. both in print and online. However. In addition. Anecdotally. Where a publication has the choice of commissioning new photography." 3 See http://www. The emergence of these "citizen journalists" (amateur photographers who submit their images to professional news outlets) and "crowd sourcing" (when publishers invite images to be submitted from members of the public for commercial use) form a formidable challenge to the position of the professional photojournalist. the public and many actively encourage readers to supply photographs of news and other events for publication. Members of the public are often unaware of the true value of their intellectual property. The ability to provide news images is no longer restricted to professional photojournalists. a picture editor will be influenced by the relative prices of both. at the time of this report. The new democracy of photography In recent years. Editors can find images for publication from a wide variety of sources on the internet before having to consider using the skills and relative expense of a professional photographer. in some cases. and it is now easier than ever to produce photographs to the standard necessary for reproduction. be a substitute to commissioned editorial work. streamlined digital processes have enabled expenses to be cut and new tasks incorporated into the standard fee. A large number of those in Western societies carry a digital camera in the form of a cameraphone. there are few photographers who feel that their stock agency is selling their work for what they believe to be its true worth. Online image banks such as Flickr are populated with photographs taken by amateur photographers. Fewer picture editors will now commission a relatively expensive photographer to shoot an assignment if a cheap or free alternative exists in a picture library. all buyers and sellers have a chance to learn the other prices in the market See "the professional future of photographers: research carried out for the Danish Union of Journalists between February and May 2007" in appendix c of this report which drew the same conclusion. 2 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 3 .com . stock library images can. or using library pictures.demotix. charging a mark-up on these services. and the media organisations making profits from their ignorance are not forthcoming in informing them. Other publications have been quick to see the possibilities in sourcing their images from members of The effect of stock photography on the editorial market The state of the stock photography market has an immediate and direct impact on the photojournalism industry. which. Editorial budget cuts – whether through economic necessity or publishers' greed – have been a significant catalyst in this shift. Whereas once the photographer acted as a manager of post-production and processing. namely: "Photographers are faced with a amazing paradox: although demand for both moving pictures and stills has never been greater. while the rates for publication have in real terms been falling for many years. or when offered is far below commercial rates. for a picture editor. at the time of writing claims to have 5. However. to the point of asking whether there is a future for the profession at all?2 The present reality facing today's photojournalist is that obstacles and competition are increasing.
6 93% of respondents to a March 2009 survey by the british Photographic council survey said they had come under pressure to supply a more extensive licence to use their work for no extra money. picture libraries begin to push for either a reduction in the percentage paid to contributing photographers. dismissing 35 regional photographers. This trend will only continue with the emergence of convergent technologies. but offer little or nothing in return for their intellectual property. Corbis may have a billionaire benefactor. the traditional media industry has sought to change the working conditions of those full time photojournalists it still retains. particularly in regards to multi-skilling and multi-tasking. or the general public who are often unaware or undeterred of any legal restriction on the use of images they find.pdnonline. This leads to greater competition. The need for change appears to be faster than the need to include additional training. if laws are passed which allow 'orphaned' photographs to be published. 5 the June 2009 edition of esquire features a photographic-quality cover image which was taken from a video still: see http://www.org/2009/05/framegrabbing-the-art-of-drawing-great-photography-from-video/ See also http://www. Agencies and photographers may share the revenue from the sale of images. The technology has existed for several years. instead of sending both a journalist and a photographer on an assignment.com/pdn/esearch/article_display. Potential legislation allowing copyright exemptions for "orphan works" looks likely to make this situation worse. As well as being suppliers of intellectual property.british-photographic-council. individual photographers do not. with 76% saying they had suffered a fall in income as a result.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002765131 for how video is used in US newspapers such as the Dallas Morning News and the Detroit Free Press.org/survey/ 4 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . Firstly. many newspapers ask one journalist provide both news and words. but a desire to keep the same level of total profit. Source: http://www. and photographers using professional digital cameras will often find the capability to shoot video has been included when they upgrade their existing camera equipment. Such a situation leads inevitably to two outcomes. whether from publishers wanting to acquire greater rights from photographers for no extra payment6. Secondly. which announced in 2009 that it would now rely on regional writers to supply images for publication. Copyright is an unfamiliar idea to the average consumer who sees nothing wrong with sharing digital files over the internet with their peers. at the expense of year-on-year profit. particularly in the area of price. Authors' rights The defence of photojournalists' rights often centres on copyright issues. but that does not mean that the best interests of the agency are necessarily also the best interests of the photographer – or of the industry as a whole. faced with falling profit-margins. or seek a greater volume of sales through bulk-buying or subscription deals. just as writers are already being asked to write different versions of copy for print and web editions. place. Firstly.niemanlab. Here too there is a sustained attack. especially if that is allowed at a rate below the market value of other images. it is clear that some major picture libraries (such as the perennially unprofitable Corbis) have chosen to pursue overall market share through aggressive price-cutting as an objective.Copyright is an unfamiliar idea to the average consumer who sees nothing wrong with sharing digital files over the internet with their peers. The traditional boundaries between different forms of newsgathering are changing as a result of budget cuts and technological advances. The prevalence of multi-tasking has brought with it an erosion of professional standards. News organisations frequently ask readers to supply news pictures. The issue is two-fold. it seems clear that within a short period of time the stills photographer will be able – and be required to – take video footage as part of covering as story5. Secondly. (It is also notable that writers are asked to provide images far more often than photojournalists are asked to provide words)4 4 a recent example of this can be seen at the belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. members of the public are also con- Multi-tasking and multi-skilling In response to these pressures.
State and other organisations have tried – and have mostly failed – to dictate what the public has a right to see. However. these questions will continue to create instability in the industry. editing and recording video? Will the patrons of photojournalism be news organisations or art galleries? Until we can be sure of the changing ways in which news information is disseminated and read in the future. Technological innovations. giving an economic impetus to the industry. However.sumers. will we be able to say the same in ten years time? Will photojournalism still be the job of a skilled.tour-eiffel.8 It is clear that the ability of the photojournalist to operate freely is coming under increasing challenge. are concerned that the law will be used to stop photographers doing legitimate work. For over 150 years photojournalism has survived and thrived on new opportunities and challenges. have directed the course of photojournalism. Leaving aside technological advances. dedicated professional. to the extent that street photography is in danger of being outlawed entirely. or just one part of a wider job which also includes writing. the role of a photojournalist in 2009 is not so different from that of the photojournalist of 1999 or 1989. The future of photojournalism combines these existing issues with a more pressing question.7 These state measures come alongside an increasing level of private interference to photographers. In news reporting. Newspapers and other media organisations have acted as the unofficial patrons of photojournalism. internet publishing will continue to become more prevalent at the expense of conventional print editions. such as a shopping centre) and the attempts of property owners to extend ownership of copyright of buildings and public works of art – such as the lighting of the Eiffel Tower. Restrictions on photography The work of photojournalists has become subject to increased restrictions from both state and private bodies. at present there are very few satisfactory models to persuade the consumer to pay for intellectual property distributed electronically. the eFJ and the NUJ. both of whom have condemned the legislation.html?id=2_10 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 5 . 7 amendments to the Uk counter terrorism act. 8 See http://www. there are numerous free-for-use Pirate Bays or other peer-to-peer file-sharing websites. such as restrictions on shooting on private property (even privately-owned areas which are open to the public. As print advertising revenues and circulation figures drop. Following recent terrorist incidents. For every pay-for-use iTunes Store. the revenue available to photographers will also fall. often detaining or harassing journalists under powers granted by vague and ill-conceived legislation. from the invention of flash powder to the advent of digital.fr/teiffel/uk/pratique/faq/index. which came into force in the Uk in February 2009. contain the threat of arrest and imprisonment for anyone who takes pictures of police officers or other public servants which are "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism". state authorities have sought to limit and control the taking of photographs citing "security" reasons.
© 2009 MARC VALLé .
The survey was divided into three sections: 1 General 2 Social conditions 3 Legal and professional conditions A graphical representation of the survey response appears on the following pages. GENERAL Does your union represent PJs? Presence of photojournalism Approx. The full survey questions can be seen in the appendix. steering committees)? yes yes No yes yes yes yes No Does your union undertake any specific recruitment activities for PJs? No No No yes No yes yes No yes yes No No No No No No yes 6 belgium croatia cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece italy lithuania Poland Portugal Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Uk Total affirmatives (out of 17) yes yes yes yes yes yes yes No yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes 16 around 6% Decreasing increasing increasing (from 8%) increasing increasing (from 5%) Decreasing 85-75 to 15-25 93/7 large majority male 83/17 70/30 70/30 65/35 Decreasing increasing around 10% 99/1 Majority male 09-Jan 89/11 male No yes yes yes No increasing Decreasing (895 members) increasing (from 13%) Decreasing 70/30 male 75/25 No yes yes 66/34 yes 12 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 7 . Gender ratio (m/f) Are PJs represented in your decision making bodies (boards. and the responses currently being made by representative unions in Europe.2 the Survey The survey was intended to provide information on the present situation of the photojournalism industry in Europe.
steering committees)? No 29% 1.2 Are photojournalists represented in your decision making bodies (boards.3 Does your union undertake any specific recruitment activities for photojournalists? Yes 35% Yes 71% No 65% 8 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .1 Does your union represent photojournalists? No 6% Yes 94% 1.1.
)? Does your union provide fees' recommendations? No No * yes yes No * * yes * yes No * No yes No * 5 yes yes No yes yes yes yes No No No yes No yes * yes yes * 10 belgium croatia cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece italy lithuania Poland Portugal Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Uk Total affirmatives (out of 17) yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes No yes yes No yes yes yes No 14 No yes No yes No No yes yes yes * No No * No No yes * 6 yes yes No yes yes yes No yes yes yes No yes * No yes * * 10 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 9 . Social Conditions for Staff and Freelance Photojournalists Are PJs covered by the National or company journalists' contract? Freelances included? Individual Contracts: Does your union provide model/sample contracts for PJs Fees Social Security Systems: are there any health and safety insurances for PJs? Is there more than one fees' recommendation in your country? yes No * No yes No No yes yes (full time) yes yes yes yes yes yes yes No yes * * yes yes No * 6 yes No yes No yes yes yes yes * 14 Do employers cover the costs of digital equipment (camera. laptop etc.2.
1 Are photojournalists covered by the National or company journalists' contract or covered by collective agreements? And if yes.3.2 Individual Contracts: Does your union provide model/sample contracts for photojournalists? DK/NA 35% Yes 29% 2. are freelancers included? Yes Yes 43% No No 57% 2.3 Fees: Does your union provide fees' recommendations? 2.2.1 Are there more than one fees' recommendation in your country ? 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Any Yes No 10 6 5 6 5 2 No 36% <1 DK/NA 10 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .
laptop etc.2.4 Social Security Systems: are there any health and safety insurances for photojournalists? No 12% DK/NA 6% 2.5 Do employers cover the costs of digital equipment (camera.)? Yes 82% Yes 66% No 27% DK/NA 7% Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 11 .
Author's Rights (moral and economic rights) Are photographers' moral rights enforced in your country? belgium croatia cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece italy lithuania Poland Portugal Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Uk Total affirmative (out of 17) yes No No * yes yes yes yes * yes No yes yes yes yes yes No 11 Has your union adopted any specific policy concerning pictures modifications? No No yes yes No No yes No No No No No No No yes yes * 4 Do photographers receive any remuneration when their work is being reused in different format yes No * yes yes yes yes No * yes No yes No No yes yes yes 10 Do photographers receive any fees for reprography? Are amateur photographers' authors' rights enforced in your country? yes No No yes * yes yes yes yes No yes yes yes No yes yes No 11 yes yes No yes yes yes yes yes No No yes No yes No yes yes yes 12 12 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .
Do photographers receive any remuneration when their work is being reused in different format (internet. to oppose modifications)? 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Yes No 4 2 11 3.1. in the code of ethics)? Yes 31% DK/NA 3. other media)? No 33% No 69% Yes 67% Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 13 .126.96.36.199 Has your union adopted any specific policy concerning pictures modifications (for example. archives.1 Are photographers' moral rights enforced in your country (right to be named.3.
5 Are amateur photographers' authors' rights (economic and moral rights) enforced in your country? 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 11 5 Yes No 14 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .1.4 Do photographers receive any fees for reprography (via collecting societies or other bodies)? 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 5 12 Yes No 3.3.1.
Other Legal Conditions: Legal restrictions Access to major events throughout Europe Are they any legal restrictions to the exercise of the profession? belgium croatia cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece italy lithuania Poland Portugal Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Uk Total affirmative (out of 17) yes yes yes yes No yes yes yes yes yes yes yes * yes yes yes yes 15 Have you faced problems regarding access of PJs to major public events in your country? yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes No yes * No yes yes * 13 Are you aware of the EFJ photographers' guidelines No No yes yes yes yes yes * yes No yes yes yes No yes No No 10 Do you consider that anti-terrorist legislation is impeding the freedom to work of PJs? No yes yes yes No No yes yes No yes No yes * yes yes yes yes 11 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 15 .
public building and monuments. coverage of court proceedings)? Yes (15) No (1) DK/NA (1) 3.1 Have you faced problems regarding access of photojournalists to major public events in your country? 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Yes 2 2 13 No DK/NA 188.8.131.52.2 Are they any legal restrictions to the exercise of the profession (privacy. public persons.2 Are you aware of the EFJ photographers' guidelines? 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Yes No 1 6 10 DK/NA 16 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .
4 Do you consider that anti-terrorist legislation is impeding the freedom to work of photojournalists? Yes 65% No 29% DK/NA 6% Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 17 .3.
advertising photography. wedding and event photography? No yes yes No yes yes yes yes yes yes No No * yes yes yes yes 12 20 -30% * * * * 20% 90% > 80% 40% * * * 40% * 20-40% * * How many of them? belgium croatia cyprus Denmark Finland France Germany Greece italy lithuania Poland Portugal Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Uk Total affirmative No yes No yes yes No * yes No yes * No No yes yes No * 7 * yes No yes No No No yes No No No yes yes No No No * 5 18 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .Training and Further Training Does your union provide for any specific training for photojournalists? Is there a special training or diploma for staff press picture editors? Do PJs in your country also exercise PR photography / commercial photography like business portraits.
advertising photography.5.1 Does your union provide for any specific training for photojournalists? 8 7 7 6 4 3 2 0 Yes No DK/NA 3. wedding and event photography? DK/NA 6% No 24% Yes 70% Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 19 .5.4 Do photojournalists in your country also exercise PR photography / commercial photography like business portraits.3.3 Is there a special training or diploma for staff press picture editors? 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2 10 5 Yes No DK/NA 3.5.
© 2009 MARC VALLéE .
Competition from amateur photographers. The percentage of photojournalists in those unions ranges from 6% to 13% of total membership. While photojournalists' issues need not necessarily be represented by a photographer. Low rates. especially where a union already has similar positions for other industry sectors. There was a clear and equal split for the question of specific recruitment for photojournalists. However. The question as to whether representative posts or officer posts should be reserved for photographers is open to debate. This is especially the case now that technological and commercial convergence is blurring the boundaries between journalism and other sectors. photojournalists were not specifically targeted. by country The edited responses to the question "What are the main problems facing photojournalists today?" were as follows: Belgium E E E E Low rates for the independents. Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 21 . Prices are very different in various publishing houses. Specifically targeting membership drives photojournalists might pay dividends in increasing membership. Multi-skilling and technological advances have led to journalists taking photographs and photojournalists writing and producing video. rather than being actively excluded from membership recruitment initiatives. Photojournalists are in a precarious position and suffer from low status. including redundancies and workers leaving the sector against increased recruitment. Equipment is expensive. Croatia E E E E E The market is not specific and defined. with the male-tofemale ratio varying from a 65-to-35 ratio in the UK to a remarkable 99-to-1 ratio in Italy.3 analysis of the survey results General section As might be expected the overwhelming majority of unions consulted represent photojournalists as members. it might be argued that ring-fenced posts for photojournalists might raise the profile of the issues and guarantee their concerns are addressed by the union organisations. The presence of photojournalists is increasing and decreasing in roughly equal numbers across the different countries surveyed. Clearly there are factors pushing in both directions. Female photographers form a significant but minority group in all cases. and there does not seem to be an overall trend. with the sole exception of Greece. rather than individuals being deliberately excluded. There is no specialized agency to manage photojournalists' works. it is not possible to say whether women are under-represented in each union membership. This result seems to be due to the lack of specific elected positions reserved for photojournalists. but without statistics showing the actual gender split in each industry sector. an industry and union organisation whose raison d'etre is the pursuit of democratic ideals should not become complacent over issues such as these. especially for those photojournalists in sectors that may not have traditionally been seen as the province of a trade union. Problems facing photojournalists. This imbalance seems to mirror the gender imbalance in the news. The question concerning the involvement of photographers in union decision-making shows a surprisingly large "no" response (36%). Clearly in the "no" cases.
Low rates. E Germany E E Images supplied for free or below market rates by citizen-journalists and similar semiprofessional photographers. Low rates – mainly due to the huge supply of images from image banks and amateur or semi-professional photojournalists. Bad practices coming in from countries with less favourable labour traditions for collective bargaining. Digital photo equipment making it easier for non-professionals to edge in on the market. Competition by staff journalists who take pictures themselves. Regional papers are cutting regional photojournalists. Limited chances for employment. Being circumvented by publishers who use micro stock sites. paid by the colleagues by themselves. but now more and more even from photographers. Writers being asked to take photographs. Copyright/ authors rights buy out contracts. Newspaper management requires writers to take photos with little or no extra pay. Need for professional training. Convincing the media that cutting down on quality photojournalism will result in lower circulation and readership. E National dallies have almost no staff photojournalists. Materials are expensive and not provided by employers. including video or audio files. E E E Italy E Violation of the freedom of individual photoreporters while exercising their profession 22 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . Denmark E E Maintaining high quality. Multilevel use by publishers without extra pay. No bylines. Lack of social security. 'citizen-journalist' and other similar initiatives are handled by agreement in the work-place (or by the union on behalf of freelances). E E E Greece E E E Low rates Expensive equipment No remuneration for photos reused in different formats. which is symptomatic of poor treatment they get in general. demanding all or very broad rights. Free-for-use images or other content supplied by public relations or advertising. Competition by freelances who used to submit only written reports and now deliver also additional pictures. High-tech-equipment. Those photojournalists who are staff with news agencies are also now in crisis. Freelance photojournalists being paid less than what is set out in the collective agreements.Cyprus E E E E E E Low rates. The media houses began first to demand these from writers. Total buy-out of rights. E E E E E E E E E E E E E France E E Photojournalists are little-recognised and accorded low status by press management. Competition with citizen journalists. Non-recognition and respect of authors' rights. Finland E Unfair agreements. To ensure that multi-functionalism and multimedia. and often spend many years in precarious situations before their rights are recognised. Most regional photojournalists are pigiste. Difficulty in upholding prices at a professional level for re-use (and authors' rights in general).
editors try to take most authors' rights Photographers suffer from time pressures and thus loss of quality. Free newspapers often use non-professionals. Lack of respect for author's copyright from both businesses and the public. Competition with citizen journalists. Low rates. Low rates. time consuming stories. Problems over copyright issues.– in other words. and there is a culture or belief that content found on the internet could or should be freely reproduced. Poland E E E Low rates. Businesses and publishers often want to have extensive rights or complete copyright in work supplied and do not want to pay for re-use. E E Sweden E E Getting proper payment. Authors' rights of photojournalists are regularly violated. E E No apprenticeships for photojournalists at larger newspapers. The public are often unaware of copyright. E E E E E Slovakia E E E E Photojournalists – particularly those working for press agencies – are asked to produce large quantities of photos (often they have to cover 2-3 events per day) Staff photographers are the often the first to be fired when newspapers look to cut costs. Lithuania E E E Low rates Unemployment. Media companies entrust to freelance photojournalists the work that the staff photojournalists don't want to do and force them to be always available if something arises. E Spain E E E Expensive equipment. Large numbers of professional and semiprofessional journalists working for less and less money lowering the understanding of buyers of what quality photography costs to produce. illegitimate prohibitions. "Serious" photojournalism is falling in demand as publications tend to increase their "lighter" material. Switzerland E E E E Expensive equipment Lack of expenses. threats and beatings. Quality is less valued when some editors do not have enough skills or interest in photojournalism ("any picture that is cheap enough is good enough"). Fewer "bread and butter jobs". Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 23 . Problems with police and officials over right to photograph in public or at public events. E UK E E E Portugal E E Low rates. resulting in less money for freelance journalists to spend on larger. Expensive equipment. Competition from "citizen journalists". Expensive equipment for those who try to work as freelancers. Freelance work declining due to cutbacks in editorial budgets Expensive equipment and software which needs more frequent updating than filmbased photography. Increased use of restrictive or rights grabbing contracts given to photographers by music artists and managements at concerts. Publications demand unlimited rights to material as a condition for working for them. Maintaining authors' rights.
In a market where most members are employed by media outlets under national agreements. the rate of change for digital equipment is even more rapid than it might appear from these figures. Social conditions Almost 80% of respondent unions reported that photojournalists were covered by national agreements. iFJ august 2007: "bargaining victory ends Six-month battle for Freelance Union rights in Denmark": http://www. It is clear from the sessions held during the Paris conference that these concerns and attempts to address them are an essential part of an overall approach to ensuring the continued development of photojournalism in the future. with the D1-series (released in 1999). less than 40% of unions said the same representation extended to the freelance sector. However. the equivalent professional-specification digital camera bodies were released at three or four year intervals. and authors rights have a significant economic element. the four most recent Nikon film Slr bodies – the F3 (released 1980). However. these admittedly crude calculations suggest that the lifespan of digital photographic equipment is about a fifth of that of film equipment. 10 See . Interference in the activity of photojournalists by security authorities. The cost of professional equipment is clearly a problem. and the quality and type of work being published rank less highly among those surveyed than the overwhelming financial concerns. 9 a simple but illustrative example of the speed at which digital equipment becomes obsolete can be seen by the release dates of Nikon's professional-specification camera bodies. F4 (1988). F5 (1996) and F6 (2004) . D2series (2003) and D3-series (2006). journalistic standards and professional status will be increasingly hard to sustain. This has serious implications in a global market with an increasing freelance sector.10 At the very least. all of which had significant quality and performance increments on their predecessors.were released at eight year intervals. it is clear this provides good possibilities for collective negotiation and thus effective representation of photographers' interests. and a wider range of skills (such as post production) included as part of the overall fee. Whether this is due to a different set of social factors in the UK or differing working practices elsewhere is open to question. It seems clear that the status and representation of freelance workers constitutes a major challenge. for example. and expensive equipment – are primarily economic concerns. However. Not all member unions offer model contracts or recommended fees for photojournalists.org/en/articles/bargainingvictory-ends-six-month-battle-for-freelance-union-rights-in-denmark 24 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . and has become the major challenge facing prospective photojournalists.Analysis Breaking these comments down the main issues that emerge are as follows: Low rates Competition from non-professionals Authors' rights Expensive equipment Lack of status Lack of professional training Rights of access Lack of social security Quality of work 25% 17% 17% 12% 5% 4% 4% 4% 4% Lack of status. D2X and D3X . unrestrained market forces will lower rates to a point where expected standards of social care. most of these exist in tandem with the recommendations of other organizations in the same country. the example of countries such as Denmark shows that collective agreements can be negotiated which include freelances. taking this into account. The rapid quality developments in digital photography require a more frequent updating of equipment9. Model contracts are offered by less than half of unions and while more than 60% offer fee recommendations. and declining income for professional photojournalists.were also released. at least in terms of financial considerations and can leads to the erosion of overall rates of pay. lack of training. Given the impact of non-professional sources of photography.ifj. since intermediate models – the Nikon D1X. it is easy to suggest a link between the increasing supply of free or cheap imagery. The rate paid for photojournalism has been falling in real (and often uncorrected) terms. especially when considered relative to declining levels of pay. especially when the percentage of staff is declining. or by private organizations for commercial or privacy ranked relatively low in the survey despite the issue having a high profile in the UK. The exclusion of freelance work from national agreements can present a barrier to effective union representation. competition from non professionals. Three of the four most common concerns as reported by the survey – low rates.
training. a freelance photographer is an employee within the meaning of the law. european Federation of Journalists authors' rights expert Group gives an excellent overview of this. Under the Pige system.org/culture/en/ev.12 The econom- More detail on the künstler-Sozialversicherungsgesetz can be seen at http://portal. The overwhelming majority of respondents reported that photojournalists had health and safety insurance. provision for freelance workers is poor and individuals are expected to make private provisions or fall back on basic state aid. with the exception of the Pigiste scheme in France. and their employer becomes liable for their state contributions. are taxed at source. since there are no applicable collective agreements. A clear delineation of good practice for the commission or employment of photojournalists would enable all interested parties to be clear about what constitutes acceptable level of remunerations and terms and conditions. Nevertheless. these rights are not always respected and the law is sometimes contradictory. However. such as paid leave.unesco. the Pigiste system may be a pointer to one method of operating collective agreements across the rest of Europe where freelances are being used instead of staff. In Germany. The French Pige system In France the trade unions fought a long and hard battle for the creation of the Pige system. in keeping with the rise of freelance agreements in the working place. the details of which vary from country to country.org/ar/paris/ Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 25 .11 The scheme means a freelance pays only 50% of total contributions. although the exact definition varies from country to country. and a right to the 'conscience clause'. In general. it can be seen at http://www. the author is the person whose creativity led to the protected work being created. the 1981 Artists' Social Security Act (Künstler-Sozialversicherungsgesetz. Authors' rights have two parts. Legal and professional conditions Authors' rights Photographers' rights are an integral part of copyright law and are internationally protected by the Berne Convention. chair. or who feel that they have no alternative but to accept the rates on offer – especially since such members may be most in need of union assistance. unemployment insurance. They gain the benefit of rights normally only available to staff employees. and the quality of support is worse in the German and Italian parts of Switzerland. this may create difficulties by alienating union members who already work for these employers.php-Url_iD=34252 the presentation given at the 2007 Paris conference by Mike Holderness. This could be used for unions to differentiate between employers who conform to accepted standards and make recommendations to members on this basis. Freelance photojournalists in France who are not covered by the Pige system can find their livelihoods to be extremely precarious. with 20% paid by the government and the remainder paid by organisations which use self-employed creators. The EU is pushing for harmonisation and rationalisation of the systems in place in member countries including increasing involvement of the private sector. For example the Swiss social security system does not include freelances. There is clearly here a great need for unions to lobby and campaign for greater provision for social security for those who are not accounted for under existing schemes. Freelance photojournalists would generally have to rely on private insurance or the statutory level of unemployment benefit or other social security which can vary considerably from state to state. 'thirteenth month'. such as publishers. However this appears to refer mainly to staff journalists and freelance photojournalists may not benefit from these schemes. However. However. At present the situation varies between countries and even within regions of the same country. Fewer employers appear to be providing photographic equipment such as cameras or laptops.londonfreelance. In keeping with the ideal of the European open market it might be useful to consider the possibility of establishing pan-European working conditions benchmarks that can be referred to during contract negotiations. where freelances are treated as de facto employees.This situation seems to be one which would benefit from increased and clearer guidelines for those who purchase photography services. newspapers or PR agencies. some private schemes can be used by freelances to cover accidents or sickness. In general. or 11 12 KSVG) provides health insurance and a state pension to self-employed creators.
media monopolies.bjp-online. in these countries there are reports of these rights being eroded and surrendered under economic pressure from media purchasers. Manipulation does not include normal dodging.uk/innerPagenuj.13 The moral right of an author is based on the view that a creative work is in an expression of the author's personality: the moral rights are therefore personal to the author. 6bis. and usually cannot be transferred to another person except by inheritance when the author dies. It sets out a right to fair contracts encouraging collective (minimum terms) agreements. and provides for remuneration mainly through the granting of licenses in license contracts. If publishers refuse to negotiate. 9. servicing officer of the NUJ's ethics council. berne convention. employers' demands for complete assignment of rights.18 All respondents to the survey referred to challenges such as legal threats.html?docid=174 for the current code of conduct 17 tim Gopsill. quoted in the british Journal of Photography on 27 June 2007. The moral rights include the right to be identified as the author of the work and the right to object to any distortion or mutilation of the work which would be prejudicial to his or her honour or reputation. In short. distributed via collecting societies or other similar bodies. and primary and secondary uses are distinguished and supported by the German authors' rights legislation.org/survey 13 14 26 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . Under German copyright law ('Urhebergesetz'. colour balancing. technological threats.14 In many countries. However. However. their guidelines – plus an overview of the Hajj controversy.nuj. See http://british-photographic-council. The clause was removed in April 2007 as it was 'felt that it is the only instance when a specific technique is referred to in the Code. spotting. This right allows the author to profit financially from their creation. the moral rights of an author are perpetual. the relationship between the author of a work and its contractors. The enforcement of photographers' moral rights varies considerably within the sample with eight unions out of 12 saying that these rights were enforced. The 2006 Code of Conduct16 contained this clause: 12. photographers are entitled to be paid when their work is reused in a different format – such as the internet or other media. can be read in appendix F ("reuters and image manipulation") of this report 16 See http://www. and the developing problems arising out of digital technologies (for example the use by Google of copyright-protected works).wipo.com/public/showPage. Fees for reuse In 75% of countries surveyed. http://www. cropping and obvious masking for legal and safety reasons.bjp-online. are reported as being collected and distributed in nine out of thirteen countries art. then an independent tribunal can rewrite the contract for fairness. It is in the area of civil or private law. copyright is not transferable except by inheritance. due to market pressures. This system has been suggested as a model of good practice as best for authors in promoting fair contracts and collective agreements. which can usually be transferred by the author to other people in the same way as any other property (although some countries require that the transfer must be in the form of a written contract). which sets out general principles and not specifics'. ibid.html?page=455150 19 a March 2009 survey by the british Photographic council found that 93% of Uk photographers surveyed have come under pressure to hand over greater rights to clients for no increase in the fee.15 The UK's National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is one of the unions which had such a clause with regard to acceptable image manipulation.17 However. The German Urhebervertragsrecht (copyright contract law) standardises the use of works under German copyright law. contrast adjustment.ic right is a time-limited property right.org. burning. No journalist shall knowingly cause or allow the publication or broadcast of a photograph that has been manipulated unless that photograph is clearly labelled as such.html art. online story: http://www. the union is 'diluting' the effectiveness of the code. and includes the exclusive right to authorise the reproduction of the work in any form. or 'UrhG'). Note that the original source misspells his name. 15 reuters' own guidelines to acceptable image manipulation may serve as a useful guide to member unions. some photographers in the union have voiced concern that by removing the clause.19 Fees for reprography.html?page=455150 18 See http://www. berne convention. photographers may feel pressured to settle for less than they could or should be entitled.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/trtdocs_wo001.com/public/showPage. far fewer – less than 30% – had a distinct policy in regard to photographic image manipulation.
org/gb/presse/communiques_de_ presse/un_photographe_mandate_par_mdm_brutalise_et_aujourd_hui_interdit_de_reportage 20 21 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 27 .co. or private activities. In countries such as Belgium.Photography in public places The survey shows a clear problem of restrictions to photojournalistic activities by governmental or private organisations. A statement released by the Metropolitan Police stating that Ian Tomlinson's death was due to natural causes was undermined when video footage showing him being assaulted by a police officer in an apparently unprovoked attack was published by the Guardian newspaper. Although not all respondents reported this as a problem. One notable example shown at the Paris Conference in December 2008 is the short film "Collateral Damage" which was produced by Jason N. These figures show that photojournalists are having to operate in an increasingly illiberal environment throughout the continent. only Finland reported that there were no legal restrictions to gaining access to news-worthy events. Here we see the full range of economic activity models ranging from Belgium where no such activity is reported to Greece where the commercial activity is reported at 90%. The question asks whether photojournalists are able to survive without non-journalistic income. Croatia and Denmark – offer training to picture editors. There is already widespread evidence of state interference with legitimate journalistic activity. In April 2009. 22 See "Medecin de Monde's photographer attacked and now denied the right to photograph" -http://www. buildings. Only three – Greece. The emphasis is that photojournalism is primarily a journalistic and not a technical discipline. who are responsible for the policing of London. Additionally mid-career training is offered to editorial staff and financed through copyright revenues. The idea that the legitimate pursuit of journalistic goals in some way will compromise that safety is one which needs to confronted and opposed at every possible juncture.uk/editors/tag/press-freedom-collateral-damage/ For more detail of the circumstances surrounding the death of ian tomlinson. See "NUJ release video showing police treatment of journalists" http://blogs. Separately to this.journalism. Other commercial activities The final question of the survey referred to whether photojournalists also exercised other forms of commercial activity such as commercial photography such as weddings or public-relations photography. there are legal restrictions as to the types of other photographic work a photojournalist can undertake. Parkinson in association with the NUJ20. with Germany offering workshops and training for photojournalists.21 In Greece in July 2008. see appendix G. Some of this money funds a seminar each year for Danish photographers` groups which is used to continue to spread this message. and were accused of committing assaults upon news-gatherers. more deregulated. economies such the UK it would be rare to find a photojournalist who did not supplement their income in this way. His camera was then destroyed. during protests surrounding the G20 meeting. the Metropolitan Police. All of the unions surveyed reported difficulties in attending major public events in their country with 70% believing that anti-terrorist legislation was having an adverse effect on photojournalistic activity. The example of Denmark outlines the importance of training and further training for the future of photojournalists showing how their situation has improved thanks to training. official police statements regarding the death of a member of the public during the protests were proven to be misleading or false through the publication of stills or video footage taken by photojournalists or members of the public.medecinsdumonde. It is evident that the freedom of the press is in danger being compromised on a huge scale due to legislation ostensibly to protect the public against terrorism. In other. and most offered training which would be of benefit to photojournalists. which depicts the surveillance of journalists by police in the UK. National unions already have their own campaigns and these would usefully be augmented and supplemented by action at the European level.22 Training Half of unions surveyed provided training specifically for photojournalists specifically. the French SIPA photographer Olivier Jobard was first handcuffed. then assaulted and finally arrested by port authorities attempting to prevent him documenting Afghan refugees attempting to sail to Italy. were widely criticised for their control of journalists.
© 2009 JUPITERIMAGES CORPORATION 28 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .
wrote Norfolk. In May 2009. and that he may have to move out of the industry. "Do I have to get another job to do something? I don't know. and even after that. the two dominant picture libraries. but until a workable model for revenue generation from online news publishing is found. founder and director of the Visa pour l'Image photojournalism festival attacked this decline.com/public/showPage. web-design or accounting". December 2008:ask the experts: http://www. Flickr23."26 Nigel Dickinson. 27 May 2009: "visa founder lambasts agencies": http://www. 13 February 2009: "world Press Photo winner Struggling to Find work": http://www. a Paris-based photojournalist who exhibited some of his work at the Paris conference in December 2008 See http://www. there will probably continue to be a downward pressure on rates paid to photojournalists. The impact of the internet age on the traditional media has yet to fully be realised." Suau said he had to persuade Time to publish this series of images. Although the internet offers an almost infinite number of new publishing opportunities.flickr. technological advances.html?page=859485 25 See PDN online. leading to an inevitable downward pressure on pricing. and increasing availability. although there may be countries where this will be resisted due to strong cultural traditions.php Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 29 . the market for photojournalism seems likely to continue to diminish. a former photojournalist who became one of the world's leading landscape photographers. "My advice? Get re-skilled.25 Simon Norfolk. "Soon we'll all be amateur photographers with real money-making jobs on the side that we don't tell our colleagues about. with an increasing number of staff photojournalists becoming freelance. Jean-Francois Leroy.pdnonline.com/photos/ See british Journal of Photography. "This 23 24 D year. allowing the photographer to make a living from his work and pay his bills at the end of the month". said Leroy. the image which would eventually win the World Press Photo was only published in the web edition. fixed conditions of employment and binding agreements on remuneration is likely to come under increasing stress. publications will continue to increase their use of user-generated content and stock photography sourced from Getty Images and Corbis. Anthony Suau.4 the challenges facing photojournalism espite the crucial role that photojournalism plays in our cultural and political lives it seems unlikely that rates for photojournalism will increase. I may have to do something else besides photography.com/pdn/content_display/photo-news/ photojournalism/e3i6a1d515f274b8d4ec3fff05a9dcf0b5d?pn=1 26 See world Press Photo education. down the road I would be in danger" said Suau. stuck a similarly pessimistic note in a piece for the World Press Photo Education Department in December 2008.enterworldpressphoto. We need to get over the snobbery attached to that. said in February 2009 that he had received only one commission in the previous two months. "If the situation continues like it has in the last two months.org/ask_08.24 Even high-end photojournalists have admitted there is a severe downturn in the market for their work. The traditional model of staff photojournalists benefiting from collective bargaining. blaming the availability of cheap stock photography and photo-sharing websites.microstock agencies and other sources of cheap or free imagery are likely to continue to supply images to news publications. Keep your photographic aspirations but try to get a trade like film editing. I can count less than a dozen photographers who have gone on a magazine assignment to do a real news report. winner of the 2009 World Press Photo and a contract photographer for Time for 20 years. It seems probable that because of financial pressures.bjp-online.
The very definition of the photojournalism may change as other journalists are increasingly asked to take pictures and video. equal opportunities. for example buildings or works of art are increasingly used to restrain the legitimate pursuit of journalistic goals. It's almost as if we are like the Victorian gentlemen artists at leisure. The result of these pressures is that there will be fewer photojournalists working as full time professionals. Multi-tasking and multi-skilling are set to redefine the working life of the photojournalist. The fight to maintain journalistic freedoms is a struggle that demands continual vigilance. royalty-free images and such measures as the introduction of legislation over "orphan works" are likely to continue and may become industry standards unless vigorously resisted. maintenance of journalistic standards. mostly coming in by e-mail. Anti–terrorism regulations. "Assignments are in short supply in the high end of the glossy magazine market. they will also become more isolated from their peers and the support structures of the conventional workplace. that they don't bother. The principle of freedom of information is under threat from a variety of directions. Anti-liberal measures are the first recourse of all establishment organizations. and probably don't have the time to even answer a polite no to projects which don't past the first hurdle. If media outlets can get away with employing one person to do many jobs then it is likely they will. and probably don't have the time to even answer a polite no to projects which don't past the first hurdle. Picture editors are so inundated with proposals. This will have implications for morale. health and safety. 27 See the appendix of this report for the full text 30 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . Newsweek USA is become a monthly. support from peers. going of to shoot stories for our own enjoyment rather than earning a living.000. These are values which have sustained and inspired the collective labour movement throughout its history and one which will need to be fought for . whether governmental or private.Picture editors are so inundated with proposals. The ability for an author to be associated with their work is also essential to the veracity and authenticity of photojournalism. that they don't bother. Photojournalists are at the cutting edge of personal and political freedoms in contemporary societies. The dangers inherent in this situation are that while photojournalists will become more skilled. with those that remain being under greater pressure to produce more work at the same rates of pay or less. GEO France which used to sell hundreds of thousands is down to around 35. Vanity Fair in Germany has closed. whether of the state (such as the police or army) or the private sector (such as security guards). Attempts to increase the use of rights buyouts. Stock sales are even further down. Photographers maintain their income by being able to control the use of their images. As such by the nature of their activities they are likely to come in to conflict with bodies dedicated to the purpose of social control. shares this outlook. Authors' rights are likely to continue to be a major area of conflict between photographers and media outlets. political awareness (in the broadest sense) and collective bargaining. mostly coming in by e-mail."27 Due to technological convergence more demands are likely to made on the working photojournalist. rights to privacy and the establishment of rights of copyright on.
including in online versions. indeed. E E E On authors' rights The EFJ and member unions should: E E Increase awareness on the importance to respect economic rights and moral rights in each and every use of photographs. Without this. Explore possible co-operation and joint working with other bodies representing photojournalists. challenge restrictions on news reporting. digital and traditional archives.5 the way forward What then is to be done? The results of the survey and the results of the Paris conference show that there are steps that can be made towards preserving and enhancing the conditions and status of photojournalists. individual photographers will remain at the mercy of the market place and thus unable to maintain journalistic and social standards and working conditions. Serbia and Poland E Co-operation and co-ordination with member unions and other representative organisations to ensure that examples of fair rates and contracts are available on both national and Europe-wide levels. such as other trade associations The EFJ and its member unions should campaign against any legal obstacles of the right of trade unions to organise freelance journalists. Examine the specific needs of freelance workers and whether traditional union activities serve their interests. global – stage. Ensuring that these examples are disseminated to individual members and media outlets. libraries and databases Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 31 . member unions should: E E Best practice Member unions should aim to promote and disseminate best practice and fair contracts. especially freelances Consider the representation of photojournalists in union structures and decision making processes. The need is to share and disseminate good practice. © 2009 RENATE SCHROEDER Representation Photojournalists need to be brought as far as possible into the sphere of union representation. and work against unfair contracts across a European – and. Campaign to communicate the advantages of these standards and working conditions in terms of good journalistic practice. as is the case in countries such as Turkey. To achieve this. They should achieve this through: E Increase recruitment of photojournalists.
For only by a multinational. To continue to support the position of women within the constituent union organisations. To establish Europe-wide standards of education for journalists at all level including editorial and purchasing staff. newspapers and magazines. competitions and continued interaction through online.ifj.org/en/articles/efj-condemns-rugby-world-cup-plan-tocontrol-photographers 32 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . E E Multi-skilling On convergence and the move to multi-skilled journalists. including streets. To work towards the establishment of Europe-wide internal guidelines on how to work with the police and other official bodies in times of conflict. at public demonstrations and in shopping centres. E Equal opportunities E To increase recruitment of male and female photojournalists and establish better structures for the support of groups that suffer discrimination. local and international forums.ifj.E Campaign to ensure that no legislation on "orphan works" is passed that weakens the fundamental principles of authors' rights. the EFJ and its member unions should: E Continue to lobby for and negotiate enhanced rates for additional tasks in journalistic work The future for photojournalism cannot be seen as particularly hopeful.org/assets/docs/213/158/66f05d5-bb0599e. That the working conditions of female photojournalists should be carefully scrutinized to ensure that they receive equal treatment in both their profession and in the union. 28 See these in PDF form at: http://www.pdf http://www. E Increase awareness that further training is a precondition for multi-skilling. networks. To press for press card recognition by police and other public institutions and clarification of what rules are applied. self-help groups. What remains is for photojournalists to respond on collective basis to these challenges. E E E Further Training and Education E To increase and encourage an awareness of the role of continuing education among both photographers and purchasers of photojournalism. Consider the question of if and when collective licensing of photographs might be appropriate. the EFJ and its member unions should: E E Networking among and with photojournalists E Promote the Guidelines for Photographers' Accreditation to Major Events28 as adopted at the EFJ General Meeting in 2007 Include the need for freelance photographers to access 'media pools' To campaign for the right to photograph in public spaces. antiterrorism legislation and interaction with state and private-sector security officials. concerted effort of solidarity can the high standards and ethics of photojournalism be maintained and advanced. That fair gender portrayal is reinforced in press photography and that dialogue on this issue is increased in the unions. including photographers' rights as authors of their work. especially in relation to current proposals to digitize holdings of books. Photography in public places In regards to access to public spaces. E E Counteract the isolation of freelance workers by encouraging meetings.
Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 33 .
1 Does your union represent photojournalists? q Yes q No If yes. GENERAL 1.2 Are photojournalists represented in your decision-making bodies (boards. competition with citizen journalists. use of equipment. salary etc. please specify and possibly attach an agreement or a summary of major aspects including working time. SOCIAL CONDITIONS FOR STAFF AND FREELANCE PHOTOJOURNALISTS 2.APPENDIx A: the survey as sent october 2008 1. are there any collective agreements covering photojournalists in your country? q Yes q No If so.4 Does your union undertake any specific recruitment activities for photojournalists? q Yes q No Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. expensive equipment.3 What are the main challenges they face? (For example. low fees etc…) Explain Competition with citizen journalists _____________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 1. steering committees)? q Yes q No Explain: _______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 1.1 Are photojournalists covered by the National or company journalists' contract? q Yes q No Or. what is the percentage of photojournalists in your membership: ___________________________ q Increasing q Decreasing Male-Female ratio: _________________________ 1.: _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Does it also apply to freelances? q Yes q No 34 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .
archives.1 AUThORS' RIGhTS (mORAL AND ECONOmIC RIGhTS) 3.5 Do employers cover the costs of digital equipment (camera. to oppose modifications)? q Yes q No 3. in the code of ethics)? q Yes q No 3.)? q Yes q No Staff photojournalists q Some employers.1 Are there more than one fees' recommendation in your country ? q Yes q No 2. please indicate your rough estimate _________ % q Some equipment.2.1. laptop etc.4 Social Security Systems: are there any health and safety insurances for photojournalists? q Yes q No 2.3 Do photographers receive any remuneration when their work is being reused in different format (internet.3.2 Individual Contracts: Does your union provide model/sample contracts for photojournalists? q Yes q No 2.2 has your union adopted any specific policy concerning pictures modifications (for example.3 Fees: Does your union provide fees' recommendations? q Yes q No 2. LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONDITIONS 3. please tell us which ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ q No 3.1 Are photographers' moral rights enforced in your country (right to be named. other media)? q Yes q No Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 35 .1. please indicate your rough estimate _________ % q Some equipment.1. please tell us which ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ q No Freelance photographers q Yes q Some employers.
3 ACCESS TO mAjOR EvENTS ThROUGhOUT EUROPE 3.5. coverage of court proceedings…)? q Yes q Yes q No q No Are they justified? 3.3. wedding and event photography? q Yes.1 Does your union provide for any specific training for photojournalists? q Yes q No 3.3.4 Do photojournalists in your country also exercise PR photography / commercial photography like business portraits.5.5 Are amateur photographers' authors' rights ( economic and moral rights) enforced in your country? q Yes q No 3.5.3 Is there a special training or diploma for staff press picture editors? q Yes q No 3.ifj.4 Do you consider that anti-terrorist legislation is impeding the freedom to work of photojournalists? q Yes q No 3.1.2 how is such training financed and to whom are they offered? Explain: _______________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. estimate of percent: ____________ % q No 36 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .2 Are they any legal restrictions to the exercise of the profession (privacy.1 have you faced problems regarding access of photojournalists to major public events in your country? q Yes q No 3.4 Do photographers receive any fees for reprography (via collecting societies or other bodies)? q Yes q No 3. public persons.5 TRAINING AND FURThER TRAINING 3.5. public building and monuments.1.org/en/articles/efj-issues-photographer-guidelines-to-fight-restrictions-onphotojournalistsq Yes q No If yes.2 Are you aware of the EFj photographers' guidelines (see link below)? http://europe.3. advertising photography. have they been of any use? q Yes q No 3.
"The importance of a photo. The meeting adopted a set of conclusions. and the draft law on public broadcasting which fails to provide financial guarantees to compensate for the loss of revenue once advertising is suppressed in 2009. which included a better integration of photojournalists into EFJ policies. Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 37 . an image which tells a story and is an irreplaceable part of journalism. The meeting also expressed great concern about the state of French media highlighting in particular the following: the talks of the "Etats généraux de la presse écrite" which have been largely criticized by the trade unions for their lack of respect for professional concerns." König added. such as demonstrations on the street. EFJ President.APPENDIx B: eFJ Media release. today expressed great concern about the state of photo journalism in Europe following an EFJ seminar in Paris this weekend. and finally increased restrictions on photography in public spaces and during public events. must be protected and treated as any other editorial creative work". fair contracts and respect for their authors' rights on every media's agenda" A survey on the working conditions of photojournalists in Europe is being finalised and will be released in the coming months. the regional group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). also with regard to the respect of authors' rights. The recognition of fair contracts is essential to ensuring a safe future for professional photojournalism. an unprecedented increase in competition with amateur photographers. who participated in the meeting on "Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe. the availability of free pictures on the Internet. has negative consequences for the whole media industry. 16 December 2008 EFJ Concerned about State of Photo Journalism in Europe The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)." At a time when images and pictures form a growing part of our cultural and media environment. the need for strong enforcement of photographer's authors' rights. photojournalists are facing a crisis of survival. "We cannot just stand and watch while corporate greed is putting journalism and quality news at risk. said Arne König. "Threats to photo journalism come from all sides including a collapse in market prices. Instead we need further training. increasingly important when it comes to digitalisation of pictures. the plan to "modernise" the statutes of Agence France Presse to make it a joint stock-company. "We are in solidarity with our photojournalists' colleagues and believe that an increasing lack of respect for their professionalism.
This is the picture that emerges of advertising. This. press photographers and television photographers. In principle this threatens photographers in the news media. Replies were received from 575. The report is intended to highlight the development trends that will be of greatest importance to the future opportunities for photographers on the labour market and make some suggestions as to what photographers themselves. This represents both a threat and an opportunity for stills photographers. One of the occupational groups to find itself in the front line is that of photographers – advertising photographers. reports and articles on images and the work of photographers. 16 interviews were carried out with key figures in and around the "markets" for images. E E Work on the report revealed the following main differences and similarities between the three areas of photography: 38 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . soon to be joined by a camcorder. In addition.APPENDIx C: "the professional future of photographers" Research carried out for the Danish Union of Journalists between February and May 2007 Once a photographer. which in principle makes far more people photographers. use was made of a wide range of source material in the form of books. This threatens photographers in all three areas. Instead they will have to go out and fight for the still virgin territory where the visual specialism will be enacted and developed in future. There will be a growing need for visual skills in media jobs. Broadly speaking. Finally. interesting. but with a certain disinclination to go beyond the traditional role of the photographer as "the person who presses the button". As part of the work on the report around 1100 photographers were asked about their current work and what they would like in the way of professional development. market-related and social development. instead of knowing everything about the equipment. The research was prompted by the changes being experienced by the media industry as a result of technical. many ordinary people will be able to deliver photos from news events. is the conclusion of the report entitled "The professional future of photographers". but these skills will be expressed in a different way to before. Digitalisation has made storage and reuse of images much easier and cheaper. At the same time. Although there are many differences between the work of advertising. in brief. and as most people now have a camera on them. press and television photographers. Equipped with a strong professionalism and sense of quality. which UPDATE is publishing as the result of research carried out for the Danish Union of Journalists between February and May 2007. always a photographer. photographers will have to know everything about how to use it to create striking. The Internet has made it easy to send and receive images. a large – and growing – number of photographers are finding that their position on the labour market has been weakened and their professional future looks uncertain. Photographers are faced with a amazing paradox: although demand for both moving pictures and stills has never been greater. the media market is experiencing a period of violent change and there is much to suggest that demand for photographers as purely technical subcontractors will decline considerably. press and television photographers in 2007. they have a number of challenges in common: Their "markets" for images are under pressure from various quarters: E Technical development has made it easier to operate photographic equipment. Photographers no longer enjoy the security of a "technical monopoly". the Danish Union of Journalists and others can do to prepare photographers as well as possible for the future media market. germane and relevant images – and be able more than ever before to work in the teams that are being used increasingly in the communicative process.
In the area of television photographers are more involved in teamwork. apart from specialists in their field. it is no longer possible to ensure a working future purely on the basis of a technical monopoly. press photographers are not generally involved much in planning and developing ideas. will have to move away from the middle ground. Photographers have been seen as technical subcontractors. A relatively large number of stills photographers are finding that their professional development opportunities are limited. where other people want and are able to do photographic work of a certain quality. There seems to be great potential for media businesses in being able to involve and exploit Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 39 . Further training that initiates and supports such development would be a welcome addition to existing offerings. Only a few of them express a wish to develop their visual skills in new professional directions. Stills photographers in particular are required to see themselves as a team player more than before. more especially. institutions providing further training and. not least. the managers of media companies. This is true of core areas such as lighting. In all three areas photographers will be involved directly in the central creative process to an increasing extent. In this area more and more photographers will become multifunctional. This will. while others will benefit from further specialisation. All of them. require a great deal of effort on their part. and this has clearly rubbed off on photographers' self-image. Photographers will actively have to seek some of these new positions based on what they believe their strengths are and the areas where they need to improve. which other people will be able to do more easily and cheaply. There also appears to be a need for photographers in all three areas to supplement their core knowledge with conceptual skills that will enable them to develop and implement their own content processes. Press photographers feel themselves less valued by their professional environment than the other two groups. Some photographers will have to become multifunctional generalists. however. Advertising photographers in particular express the need to build on many years of practical experience. which in some cases crosses over into definite stress.E Convergence is winning out – particularly in the news media. In all three areas photographers will have to supply highly qualified special services rather than "bread-and-butter" work. however. Many photographers can develop into far more central media employees than they are today. E the visual skills of photographers to a far greater extent than before. photographic technique and picture editing. E Hitherto the work of many photographers has been marked by separation of the conception of the visual work and its performance. So what sort of photographer do I want to be? The report mentions lots of new positions where a pictorial core competence can be used in new ways. Stills photographers in particular plainly see themselves as photographers with a capital "P". Advertising photographers and. What can photographers do? All photographers will have ask themselves at least one – and perhaps both – of these two questions: E E Is my professional knowledge so specialised and do I deliver images of such a high quality that my work cannot be done by others? Do I have the abilities and skills for my pictorial knowledge to be deployed in new ways – beyond "pressing the button". while making them more attractive and active employees when it comes to teamwork with other professions. In all three groups the answers show considerable pressure of work. What can institutions providing further training do? The report mentions a number of areas where there is a need for programmes at masterclass level. and can I actively involve myself in the teamwork that is becoming the preferred way of working in media concerns? E E E E E E As previously mentioned. as well as on the part of their union.
most trade unions are progressing towards a new identity and raison d'être. Media managers who want to inspire. This will challenge the role and identity assumed by a trade union in the traditional Develop a professional environment for advertising photographers. sense. with DJ Training & Skills being an unequivocal expression of its intentions. encourage and demand something more are a vital element in the positive development of both media products and the employees who produce them. This applies not least to photographers. The situation and challenges being faced by photographers are a clear example of a group of members who need help with more than "just" pay issues and terms of employment in the traditional sense. E E E 40 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? .What can media managers do? "Are editorial bosses aware of the goldmine of skills that is left unexploited in their photography departments?" is the question asked by a photographer in a comment made in the questionnaire. both in terms of what it stands for in itself and with regard to establishing working relationships and networks with other organisations and businesses. Among other things the report calls on the Danish Union of Journalists to E What can the Danish Union of Journalists do? As the labour market changes. who in some ways feel "professionally homeless" after moving to the Danish Union of Journalists Provide professional and financial support for the change process that photographers will experience in the next few years Develop supplementary offerings for freelance photographers Assist the photographer profession towards new self-knowledge at the attitude level as active. to a large extent. creative partners in the processes in which they are involved. This report points to a number of areas where photographers' skills could. The Danish Union of Journalists is already among the trade unions to have indicated in the clearest way possible that it wants to work more broadly than before. be used in new ways.
The recognition of fair contracts is an essential battle ground to ensure a safe future for professional photo journalism. 3 That the EFJ and its member unions should promote existing best practices in working conditions for photojournalists. libraries and the Google corporation to digitize holdings of books. increase recruitment of men and women photojournalists. an unprecedented increase of competition with amateur and citizens' photographs and the availability of free pictures on the Internet. member unions could promote codes of ethics for photo journalism at national level. including photographers' rights as "authors" of their photos. The meeting representing about 50 participants from 20 European countries agreed the following: 1 That the EFJ should "mainstream" photo journalism in all its activities. and requests all member unions to report their views on this to the EFJ. libraries and photographs data bases. 4 That the EFJ and IFJ should demand for media employers' insurance when photojournalists go on dangerous assignments. This also includes the EFJ yearly 5 November Stand-Up for Journalism Day. establish better structures for dialogue where they do not exist and collective work at national union level. newspapers and magazines and make them available to the public online. which is a condition for quality and professional standards for photo journalism. many photojournalists are working increasingly isolated and need to be better integrated into mainstream union policy. In the past years the profession had to face crucial changes including a drastic drop in pictures' selling prizes. 2 That the EFJ/IFJ should lead a campaign in cooperation with national unions and other creators' associations on fair contracts. 2 That further training is a precondition for taking over additional skills. and should aim at a better representation of photojournalists in its expert groups. adopted at the EFJ General Meeting in 2007. 5 That member unions should promote networking among and with photojournalists. particularly considering the proposals by museums. which should be adopted in Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 41 . 3 That all member unions urgently consider the question of when and whether collective licensing of photographs (and other journalistic works) is appropriate. including in the reproduction of photographs in online version of newspapers and magazines. which has been launched this year. The meeting expressed further great concern about increasing difficulties photojournalists are facing regarding access to public spaces and surveillance by police due to restrictive laws including anti-terrorism legislation in Europe.APPENDIx D: the conclusions of the Paris conference At a time when images and pictures are increasingly an important part of our cultural and media environment. 2 That the EFJ and its member unions will campaign to ensure that no legislation on "orphaned works" is passed that weakens the fundamental principles of authors' rights. At the same time. archives. On access to public spaces and anti terrorism law and interaction with law offices: 1 That EFJ member unions should promote the Guidelines for Photographers' Accreditation to Major Events. photojournalists are under increasing threat and in fact facing a crisis of survival. On Authors' Rights: 1 That the EFJ and its member unions will raise awareness on the importance to respect economic rights and moral rights in each and every use of photographs. including in the IFJ Ethical Journalism Initiative. On multi-convergence and the multi-skilled journalists: 1 That EFJ member unions should demand in collective agreements and individual contracts enhanced rates for increased tasks in journalistic work. For example.
– possibly by organising a seminar on the issue -and that EFJ member unions should ask their governments in how far press cards are recognised by police and other public institutions and what rules are applied.each national framework 2 That the EFJ and its affiliates promote the need for freelance photographers to access pools 3 That the EFJ Steering Committee should deal with the increasing problem of journalists' lack to access to public spaces. shopping centers etc. including streets. 4 That each member union should elaborate internal guidelines on how to behave with the police in times of conflict and that the EFJ should include these guidelines in a data base and mandate a lawyer to follow these issues 5 That the EFJ should organise a seminar around this theme involving European politicians and make publicity around these practices 42 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . public demonstrations.
000. Vanity Fair in Germany has closed. GEO France which used to sell hundreds of thousands is down to around 35. All this leaves editors with less confidence. It's almost as if we are like the Victorian gentlemen artists at leisure. Newsweek USA is become a monthly. less money. photojournalist. but it means that largely we are not getting paid for our work anymore. going of to shoot stories for our own enjoyment rather than earning a living. France. mostly coming in by e-mail.APPENDIx E: Statement by Nigel Dickinson "Assignments are in short supply in the high end of the glossy magazine market. "Picture editors are so inundated with proposals. Paris. Stock sales are even further down. that they don't bother. "Unfortunately the most common ways to show work these days are on some very good internet sites." – Nigel Dickinson. and probably don't have the time to even answer a polite no to projects which don't past the first hurdle. reduced advertising revenues. Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 43 . This leaves many of us with the choice of self-funding our projects rather than working with guarantees. and photographers seeking other ways of showing their work.
which were updated following the Hajj incident. Hajj denied manipulating either this image. 0 Careful use of lasso tool Subtle use of burn tool Adjustment of highlights and shadows Eye dropper to check/set gray Those regarded as unacceptable are: E E E E E E E E E E E E Additions or deletions to image Cloning & Healing tool (except dust) Airbrush. On January 18. and that no additions or deletions should be made to the subject matter of the original image. or a subsequent image discovered by bloggers showing an Israeli F-16 bomber where similar use of the "clone" tool had increased the number of flares being dropped from two to three. including the sacking of a photo editor. darkening or blurring of the image and no excessive colour manipulation. updated following the Hajj incident.3. Reuters guidelines. 0. and subsequently removed all 920 of his images from their archive.APPENDIx F: reuters and image manipulation On 5th August 2006 Reuters released photographs taken by stringer Adnan Hajj showing the aftermath of an Israeli Defence Forces attack on Beirut on its news feed. say that acceptable changes to images using Photoshop or other editing software are: E E E E E E E E Cropping Adjustment of Levels to histogram limits Minor colour correction Sharpening at 300%. brush. state that materially altering a picture in Photoshop or any other image editing software will lead to dismissal. There should be no excessive lightening. Reuters' guidelines on digital manipulation. paint Selective area sharpening Excessive lightening/darkening Excessive colour tone change Auto levels Blurring Eraser tool Quick Mask In-camera sharpening In-camera saturation styles 44 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? . 2007 Reuters reported that a internal investigation into the photo-manipulation had led to internal changes. Reuters ended their relationship with Hajj following an internal investigation. where it changes the original content and journalistic integrity of an image. However. with repeating patterns caused by using the Photoshop "clone" tool to add more smoke to the image. Reuters withdrew the photographs (by means of a "kill" notice) after blog commentators pointed out evidence of image manipulation.
see the Guardian's coverage of the ian tomlinson incident: http://www. and so had died of natural causes.guardian. this official sequence of events was shown to be false following the publication of video and stills footage – much of it shot by members of the public – obtained by the Guardian newspaper.co. possibly as a consequence of the assault.uk/media/2009/feb/12/photographers-antiterror-laws 29 30 Photojournalists: An endangered species in Europe? 45 . or communicating information about police officers that is "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" is an offence carrying a maximum jail term of 10 years. An official post-mortem stated that Tomlinson died of a heart attack because of coronary artery disease. Under Section 76 of the CounterTerrorism Act 2008 (UK) eliciting. 12 February 2009: http://www. post-mortem. the importance of allowing the press to freely report on public order events was shown by the death of Ian Tomlinson during the 2009 G-20 protests in London on 1st April 2009. and said that protesters threw a barrage of glass bottles at police medics who were attending to him. The emergence of the footage led to a second. independent. the Guardian. and it was protesters near the incident who urged others to stop throwing any more. The Metropolitan Police originally reported that his death was unconnected with the protests.30 For more.co. which stated the cause of death was due to abdominal haemorrhage.guardian. However. publishing. Further video footage showed that police medics attending to Tomlinson had just one item thrown at them.APPENDIx G: london G-20 protests and the death of ian tomlinson In London.uk/uk/g20-police-assault-ian-tomlinson See "Photographers fear they are target of new terror law". The events surrounding Ian Tomlinson's death came just two months after the introduction of legislation which made photographing or videoing police officers a potentially criminal offence.29 Tomlinson was shown to have fallen heavily forwards after being assaulted by a police officer in an apparently unprovoked attack: at the time of the assault Tomlinson was walking away from police lines with his hands in his pockets.
The IFJ mandate covers both professional and industrial interests of journalists. non-profit organisation that promotes coordinated international action to defend press freedom and social justice through the development of strong. free and independent trade unions of journalists.The International Federation of journalists (IFj) is a non-governmental. .