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Photo Source: https://thebppa.wordpress.com/tag/photography/
Satellite phones have made a huge impact on photojournalism; they are convenient and can be taken further to remote areas because they transmit to the nearest satellite. Although they are more expensive, for a photojournalist who is traveling to a remote area to gain coverage they are almost essential. As Global Data Systems explained, “The fact that satellite signals are transmitted far above the earth and do not rely on towers is what makes them useful in remote areas. It would be impossible to place cell phone towers everywhere to ensure continuous signals”. The photos are transmitted via email on the satellite phone, they are particularly useful and critical in war zone coverage. But they have there dangers, as Professor Nordell said, "In Syria there was reports that photojournalists transmitting there images with satellite phones, the Syrian government has developed the technology to track where they are…recently they fired into that building and killed two journalists and injured a couple others." The area's photojournalists tend to need these phones in can be quite dangerous. But these phones still have increased the levels of what a photojournalist is able to capture and transmit.
Digital photographic technology affected the jobs of photojournalists greatly. Like Professor Nordell explained, “There used to be a lot of people employed making film, processing the film, or when I talk about going to the airport and shipping film via the couriers. There is new jobs coming up but it’s a huge shift." Not only were those affected who made film, but also newspapers and their employees. Roy Greenslade stated, "Since 2008, more than 166 newspapers in the United States have closed down or stopped publishing a print edition, according to Paper Cuts, a website dedicated to tracking the US press industry downturn. More than 39 print titles shut down in 2008, and 109 did so in 2009. So far in 2010, more than 18 papers have vanished. Since March 2007, there have been nearly 35,000 job losses or redundancies." Greenslade's article was posted in 2010 so I am sure there have been more newspapers closing, or converting to online newspapers. Magazines have become alot less popular and jobs have suffered in that area as well. On the bright side technology has increased the quality and precision of photojournalists work today. It has reduced extremely heavy loads of equipment to just a backpack full.
When comparing and contrasting pre-digital and digital technologies I really focused in on how the new technology we have acquired can get out of hand. With drones and photojournalism there is a topic circulating of security issues. Jason Bache stated, “Technology does not care whatever we feel it’s right. Its very difficult for a crane to be deployed purely for a camera, we need very clear guidelines like rules of engagement for this type of photography.” I agree with Jason's statement that drones will lead to a new era of simplicity for journalists. But what I worry about is those who do not use technology for the right reasons. Technology can be used greatly to save lives collect data, and even for photojournalism. But on the other side of the spectrum technology can be risky, dangerous, and abused. So the rules of engagement Jason talked about will be essential.
The quality of photographs photojournalists are able to capture has increased and been very beneficial. The traveling of photojournalists has been eased with the decrease in size and equipment. The camera's today are easier to manipulate and focus Professor Nordell explained,“Before this time about the 80's or so there weren’t really good systems for the cameras to automatically focus." Now for an inspiring photojournalist events and news almost automatically pop up on online news, social media, or subscriptions/applications on smart phones. So an inspiring photojournalist can go to the site and try to achieve some coverage. Back in the day like Arthur Fellig said, “And the way to start off is you have a police radio in your home, something happens in the immediate neighborhood, go to it, take pictures of it, take it down to the local paper.” So we have gone to needing a police scanner to find events, and news happening to now just picking up a smartphone and doing a quick search. I don't want to say photojournalism is easier today, it's definitely more convenient though. Which is going to make the field of photojournalism more competitive, because the aid of the technology has increased results and made the art and work more timely and efficient. Overall technology has increased the the actions of capturing photographs and transmitting them, but it has also hurt photojournalism by decreasing jobs and pre digital technology skill decline.
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