Media Foundation

Photojournalists discuss professional issues in rural newspapers

Jul 14, 2012
Photojournalists discuss professional issues in rural newspapers

Photojournalists gathered at Media Foundation on Saturday, July 14 to brainstorm on ways to improve the quality of pictures in newspapers published outside the Kathmandu Valley.

Participants noted the lack of a training institute specifically focused on photojournalists, and the lack of regular training for them not just in the districts but also in  the Valley. Training needs in the area of basic skills, technology, working conditions (such as how to deal with hostile situations), and ethical considerations as well as trainers’ capabilities were identified.

Although rural newspapers have made progress in terms of technology in the past several years, it was noted that they need improvement in the quality of their photographic and visual output. Some participants emphasized that skills alone would not suffice, hence efforts should be put in gaining theoretical knowledge side by side skill enhancement. For example, one participant observed that there is the opportunity in Nepal to do visual anthropology, and to adopt more creative, hands-on approaches to learning photojournalism.

Participants emphasized on the need to develop a standardized training course for photojournalists at various levels of their career.

The Media Foundation- Nepal board member and veteran photojournalist Gopal Chitrakar said that Nepali photojournalists do not study or research as much, hence they suffer more in their professional standing as compared to editorial staff of newspapers.

Arpan Shrestha, editor of The Week (Friday Supplement of Republca) observed that today Nepali photojournalism is mostly spot photography. He added that Nepali photojournalists should be trained in visual anthropology, and theoretical as well as technical skills.

Narendra Shrestha of Kantipur newspaper said that photojournalists from rural newspapers play multiple roles as media workers since they cannot subsist solely on photojournalism. Most of these professionals from the districts would like to develop professional contacts to network for their career advancement.

The program was moderated by Gopal Chitrakar, and participants included Kabindra Man Shakya, chair of the  Photojournalist Association of Nepal, Bikash Rauniyar, photo editor with Kantipur, Narendra Shrestha, photojournalist of Kantipur, and the winner of PJ Club mega photo competition 2012, Arpan Shrestha of The Week, Ashesh Rajbansh of Spaces magazine, Kailash Kumar Shrestha of Artudio, among others.

 

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