Photos and Words - Tomeka Weatherspoon

The photographer thinks in a way that asks, "what would make an interesting photo?" When the photographer is in the news industry (or at least into capturing images with meaning) that initial question becomes attached to, "what would make for an interesting story to tell?" In this way, there are parallels between photojournalist, street photographers and investigative reporters. During the readings, these connections were the most interesting part for me to contemplate.

For example The Great Picture Hunt described methods for finding photos for feature stories. They are the same ones an investigative reporter could use. The search is the same, though the requirements for "what is interesting" may be different. You do not need a fantastic photo to have a great story. You do not need a great story to have a fantastic photo. However, it is nice how photos and words can complement each other.

A difference between the professions is that photojournalism and street photography are primarily investigative work on humanity. They are able to gain appreciation and understanding of the human condition. There is a certain depth in storytelling only an image can show. Correspondingly, there is a certain level of understanding only words can provide. And a captivating image can be inspiration for good writing.