Chicago Sun-Times Fires All Staff Photographers in Favour of iPhone Snappers

[Maura]

[FONT=&amp]

There’s no doubt that for many people their iPhone has replaced their camera as their sole means of taking photographs, but a story from AppleInsider today highlights just how much the iPhone is taking over from standalone SLR cameras, with the news that the Chicago Sun-Times has sacked all its staff photographers in favour of training up its reporters to take pictures with their iPhones. The training, referred to as “iPhoneography training,” and the move by one of the oldest daily papers in the US to replace staff photographers with iPhone-wielding reporters, was first revealed by former Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder on his Facebook page.[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp] “Sun-Times reporters begin mandatory training today on ‘iPhone photography basics’ following elimination of the paper’s entire photography staff,” wrote Feder, referencing a memo on the matter from the Sun-Times’ managing editor Craig Newman. This is obviously very sad news as far as the photographers are concerned, and AppleInsider notes that one of the photographers let go by the paper is Pulitzer Prize winner John H. White. [/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]Source:[/FONT] Chicago Sun-Times axes all staff photographers, offers reporters 'iPhoneography training'

 

[Combatmedic870]

....Welcome to the death of photography. Awesome

 

[pwfletcher]

Lol ... that is absolutely INSANE!

 

[KevinJS]

I suspect part of the reason is that with everyone and his dog wielding high quality cameras (well, good enough for newspaper copy) around there is enough material without employing photographers. It's a rare event that doesn't get snapped by a smartphone. Photo-journalists can't hope to compete.

Years ago, a friend of mine tried his hand at joining the paparazzi. Any photographs he managed to take had to be wired to the newspaper, and lost detail in the process. Now, you can email a digital photograph in seconds without loss of quality. If it looks good enough on the phone, it's good enough to send.

 

[VTR]

....Welcome to the death of photography. Awesome

Lol ... that is absolutely INSANE!

Agreed mostly with those comments.

One newspaper doing so though is not definitely meaning all media outlets in print media will follow suit.

As far as tabloids go they need the paparazzi with their high MP count DSLR's and zoom lenses of mass proportions to get the kind of shots their readers want to see.

Also an iPhone (or any other smartphone) is not going to be able to do sporting events covered in news.

It's someone who is trying out an idea and it may have some results that are acceptable from a broader view of the needs of a media outlet be it print or online this has it's limitations.

 

[scifan57]

One good reason not to fire all your staff reporters is that Joe Citizen and his iPhone do not have the same access to newsworthy events that a staff photographer with a press pass does.