A Little News

There is an old saying in the Christian world, never pray for patience. It seems if you ever decide to ask for patience the trials upon your patience redouble. In photojournalism, patience is sometimes the most difficult of photographic virtues. How often have you shown up to an assignment with the need for speed because you have to leave for the next job in fifteen minutes only to find that absolutely nothing is going on? Or you arrive at a crime scene and everyone is just standing there doing nothing. All you can do is wait. But what are you waiting for?

In the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Jack Sparrow and Will Turner are setting up Captain Barbosa and Sparrow says, “Wait for the opportune moment.” Of course he says the line with panache as he is busy stealing one of the cursed pieces of Aztec gold. Then, at the opportune moment, he and Will shed the required blood on the gold and shoot Barbosa and all the pirates are caught and condemned. Ahh, the movies!

Now back in real life I have yet to find a cask of gold, Aztec or otherwise; however, there can certainly be a golden opportunity for those who can wait for that illusive opportune moment. Waiting is a part of the photojournalists life. You show up on time and the thing you are shooting is running way late. You show up late and the event started early and you missed it. You showed up on time, the event started on time but nothing good happens while you can stay to shoot. But every now and then, you show up to a job and nothing is going on. You walk around, check the angles, talk to people, whistle, draw patterns in the dirt and wait. Then it happens. For a brief moment or two, everything comes together and you have a photo. Then it all goes back to the nothingness that was going on when you arrived but its okay because now you have your image.

I will grant you in this do more with less people journalistic world we live in, there are fewer and fewer opportunities to just wait. Most of the time you have to show up, shoot and move one. When you can wait, wait. This is pretty tough for me. I feel the need to be on the move and I hate waiting. Developing a little patience will pay off in the long run with better pictures. When you have to rush go ahead and rush. It is a long career. However, when you have some extra time, use it and hang out and wait for that opportune moment.

One of the best ways to wait is to engage someone in conversation. You will be surprised what you can find out about the situation or the people you are shooting if you just use that waiting time wisely. You might even develop a lead for a future story that will more than compensate you for the time you spend idling at this job. Most people are more than willing to talk to a person who seems more than willing to listen. I believe that most every photo assignment has an opportune moment. My job is to be there and be ready for when it happens. Stay focused on why you are there. Have everything ready so when the moment happens you are waiting for it.

About the photos: Coincidentally, both photos with this post are from fires. The first photo is becoming a favorite of mine. I went to Athens when I heard of a reported railroad warehouse fire. A half hour later I find the fire is actually in an abandoned switching station and the fire department has decided to let it burn down due to safety reasons. There was just nothing to shoot so I stood around jawing with the firemen trying to work some angle. After about a half hour after I arrived, a train came along and I have a photo that is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. The second image is from a fire investigation. Two firefighters perished in a structural collapse the night before and the state fire marshal, local fire marshal and an ATF investigation team were going through the rubble. Noting visual was happening. I waited for a good long time before the debris pile ignited from smoldering materials and the flames neatly framed the investigators.

Photo copyright The Decatur Daily. The opinions expressed in this blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.