Antoine Doyen

Now is time for me to fill my application for 2010 press card. To get it, I must guaranty that 50% percents of my salary comes from editorial assignments. Indeed, I’d say the idea defends pretty good itself. But, wait: it ain’t that easy when it comes to photojournalism…

Press doesn’t pay photo production too well. Do Newspapers send photographers abroad? I doubt it. Does it provide some kind of insurance to a young photog on a feature?    Nope. They d’rather see the essay once it’s been produced. « Provided you go there, we’ll surely get in touch with you ». That’s what I’ve been told when preparing a trip to Western Africa (I aborted the story at the time, though I’m still working on it).

Working ain’t cost free.

Photojournalist still get assignments – I do – but it varies a lot, from 150 euros a day, or even 100, to 400 euros. Some might want to compare it to the « SMIC » (French minimum wage) since some employer sometimes do, and it does look good, but we do not earn a single compensation for using our own equipment. Which costs a lot, from camera to computer, etc. Digital dies fast: I’m still using my 96’s Nikon F5, but I’m not so sure, whether I’ll still be using my D700 in 2 years… And I’m not even talking about costs of post-processing, here.

In fact, considering I need a professional book, plus a fast and efficient computer in addition to reliable cameras, I estimate my work costs me around 400 to 500 euros per month. Add a parisian rent there, like 500 euros a months (pretty cheap in fact…) and you see why keeping good relationships with employers is nice.

The temptation reality of corporate works.

Should newspapers be a lil’ sick, I wouldn’t say so about corporate edition, though they sometimes tell us about how recessions lowered their budgets. Shooting BNP-Paribas meeting on behalf of… BNP Paribas ain’t the same as working about abortion issues in Whichita for La Tribune de Genève from an editorial point of view. But it ain’t the same fee, either: negotiating a mere 400 euros for two days in Wichita wasn’t easy, while spending half a day in Louveciennes (1hr from Paris) got me 500. Last week, I was on duty… for myself. I knew no-one would pre-order it. I’m not even sure someone will publish it! Besides, I had to turn over three assignments because I was on field…  so here’s the deal: doing corporate stuffs simply allows you to produce journalistic essays you wouldn’t easily do if you had to rely only on newspapers. Plus, you never know what you’re gonna do, two weeks from now… at least, I don’t.

…when the press card, on the other hand…

Of course, choosing to be on duty with corporations doesn’t come easily when you define yourself as a journalist. Truth be told, both works ain’t that different, especially in portraits. The only thing is people must look good with corporate assignments. But it the same with many press magazines… Anyway, though fees aren’t always much higher, I tend to find more work there: you can’t imagine how many magazine the corporate world produces! Right now, I’m still getting more from editorial work, but it might change. Many a photographer (especially in the portrait area) loses his press card those days! They do spend more time on press than anything else, though… at least that’s my case, something like a 3/4 ratio, wether I’m on a personal story or on an assignment. During my stay in New York in June, I did nothing but working on the editorial side: meeting picture editors, building small stories with Clémentine Gallot… Most of them won’t ever be published, like this story about the 405 club… that some magazine took without the pictures (toh!). I got a portrait with the Safdie brothers to be published in Trois Couleurs, though.

Corporate photography doesn’t hurt my feelings. At worst, they’re plain illustrative. At the best, they are good stories that could be featured in an actual newspapers. Meanwhile, CCIJP (commission for the french press card) still only care about about revenues… Time? oh! they don’t care…

It would definitely worry me, to lose the goddamn press card. Not that I care about free entrance to museums… I almost never use it, but it guaranties my status as a professional journo. Not bearing it could raise some silly questions about who I am.

What about you? what about working outside France? How do you organise?

Those who follow me either on Facebook or via Twitter already know I went to Wichita, KS in late June.

Wichita, KS : The pro-life crusaders’ spleen – Images by Antoine Doyen

I was there with fellow journalist Jean-Cosme Delaloye from La Tribune de Genève (CH). Shooting this story about abortion was a great experience: I went to meet controversial people, have a better understanding on a matter I didn’t know that well…

Technically speaking, I knew it would be more portraits than anything, since we had a lot of appointments in only two days. Meanwhile, I’ve done the best I could so it would also be consistent as a photo essay.  Now the story has been published in August. Once. In Switzerland. And. That. Is. That.

Truth be told, I believe there is a strong story, here. My guess is Getty Reportage thought so, too, since they’re distributing it outside France. From July til September, I emailed several papers to tell them about that story in my country. I could not count those I emailed… but I could tell how many answered.

Please bear in mind I do not feel bitter. In fact, I was warned: French press ain’t doing that okay, those days, and obviously, selling a story isn’t quite easy. Besides, being a young journalist, there could be a trust issue. Nevertheless, I didn’t guess any appointment to discuss that. Only a few conversations, some straw of interest… that’s it. What’s now? Well: I stopped trying. Getty has the story. Fine! Let them catch something. But it definitely raised a lot of questions for me… I’ve always defined myself as a photojournalist. Yet, obviously, I’m gonna make more & more from corporate assignments (that is: shooting happy white collars in firms, or nice portraits) than journalism. Not than I don’t like corporate work: in fact, I do! But feeling like I don’t get the point about how one should progress as a photojournalist really hurts.

Are you a photojournalist? How do you do, those days? Do you earn your whole life out of it? Unfortunately, I think I already get the answer…