Frequently-Asked Questions: The Photojournalism Sequence

• What type of work do people do in photojournalism?
• What kind of background is important?
• What type of hands-on experience might I get while I'm in school?
• Where do Missouri Journalism students get internships?
• What kind of jobs are graduates getting with a photojournalism emphasis?
• What are the salaries and working environment like in this field?
• What is one tip you would give incoming students about the photojournalism sequence?
• How can I apply to MU and find other undergraduate journalism information?

What type of work do people do in photojournalism?

"Photojournalism graduates work as newspaper or magazine photographers. Many of them freelance. Most of our students start at smaller publications to gain experience and build their portfolios and eventually move to metros. We also have some students who work as editors for print publications or for online news sites." David Rees Photojournalism Chair

"Most photojournalists work for newspapers and magazines or freelance, but there are also some who work for related fields such as Web or commercial photography. The emphasis is on telling stories through photography." Jackie Bell Photojournalism Faculty

"Missouri Journalism alumni are working all over the world and are represented in every level from top management to entry-level. You might want to check out the Profiles in Success on this Web site. Alumni share information about their jobs, what they've learned and other highlights in these features." Brian Brooks Undergraduate Studies Dean

What kind of background is important?

"You need to understand both the business and the technical requirements. Therefore, you will have to learn the rules of storytelling, both written and visual, the market and the profession, the technical requirements of a camera and the way to link this knowledge into a story as you approach people." Jackie Bell Photojournalism Faculty

"It's important to be a good journalist, with writing and editing skills, and sometimes design skills, as well as good training in photojournalism. A strong sense of motivation to work in the field is necessary, as is persistence. It's not easy. Being able to generate ideas and to do the research to figure out how to bring these ideas to fruition is also important. Web design and audio-gathering skills are increasingly important." David Rees Photojournalism Chair

What type of hands-on experience might I get while I'm in school?

"Regardless of your choice of sequence, you will have at least one semester of hands-on experience at the J-School. Photojournalism students will learn reporting and photography during their semesters at the School's community newspaper, the Columbia Missourian. Students not yet enrolled in their sequence have the option of working for The Maneater, the official student newspaper of The University of Missouri. In addition to pay and experience, students who choose to work at The Maneater during their freshman and sophomore years will have newspaper clips of their work as well, which will prove valuable when applying for internships. I was successful in finding an internship at a large metropolitan daily newspaper during the summer after my freshman year." Zach Honig Photojournalism Student Voorhees, N.J.

"Our students have the best of both worlds: a liberal arts education and ample opportunities to practice photojournalism." Brian Brooks Undergraduate Studies Dean

Where do Missouri Journalism students get internships?

"Our students usually have had at least one internship by the time they graduate. These have been in news reporting, producing, advertising, photography, public relations, magazine writing, event planning, design and much more. The internships are in major U.S. cities as well as in smaller communities, representing the wide range of interests of our students, who, incidentally, come from every state in the nation and from more than 30 countries. You might want to check out a list of almost 300 student internships at media outlets, agencies and other organizations where our students have worked in recent years." Phou Sengsavanh Career Center

What kind of jobs are graduates getting with a photojournalism emphasis?

"After graduating, most of the students first get internships with newspapers. Later, they move to work as staff photographers or picture editors. They might also work for commercial magazines or Web sites." Jackie Bell Photojournalism Faculty

"The quality of the job is directly related to the quality of the student's portfolio and his or her previous experience. That's one reason we strongly recommend our students have at least one internship before graduation. Many students will do one, two or even three internships after they graduate before they find their first full-time job." David Rees Photojournalism Chair

What are the salaries and working environment like in this field?

"Salaries depend on the particular job tasks, the size of company you'll work for, and the location or region in which you work. For information on specific jobs in certain locations, two Web sites to visit for more detailed salary information are www.salary.com or www.monster.com." Phou Sengsavanh Career Center

"If you get a job as a staff photographer at a newspaper, you could work in a city of almost any size. Some photographers freelance in addition to their regular job and others do this full-time. In this case, where your office is your car, where you work depends on the city you're in and what you are covering." Jackie Bell Photojournalism Faculty

"We have some students who start work immediately at a smaller or mid-sized newspaper. A few go directly to news magazines (Time or U.S. News & World Report, for example) but they have had a fair amount of experience previously." David Rees Photojournalism Chair

What is one tip you would give incoming students about the photojournalism sequence?

"The Missouri School of Journalism is very competitive, and it is essential that you maintain a 3.0 grade point average. I'm not telling you that you can't have fun at college, but remember that classwork comes first. There are many opportunities to become involved in extracurricular activities at an institution of this size. Become involved in any way you can, be it the student government, school paper, or special interest club. Enjoy the next four years, they may just be the best years of your life." Zach Honig Photojournalism Student Voorhees, N.J.

"Get involved with journalism right away. Don't wait until you are a junior. The MU Students News and The Maneater provide great avenues for photographers with and without experience to practice their craft. Not to mention the fact that you get paid to do what you love." Elisabeth Gardner Photojournalism Student Carrington, N.D.

"Be familiar with the ins and outs of your camera, and don't hesitate to get advice from the professors. I really enjoy doing photo stories through the Journalism School." Lyle Whitworth Photojournalism Student Washington, Mo.

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