st_archer

I used to work as a photographer in a variety of war zones. My break right after journalism school came from wandering into the Baltics Balkans War ( am so old now). I got there simply by taking a train across the border from Italy. No assignment, a few phone numbers of different news agencies, and a friendly smile.

From there I just blundered my way from town to town taking pictures and then offering them up to the various agencies. Lived in other peoples homes or bomb shelters or in the field.

I got pictures published made connections and found myself with a career. It was foolish and dangerous and that is exactly what the job entails. War photographers are a special breed of nuts, the reporters a little less. Learn to smoke and drink and share stories.

If you want to do international you have to go. Sitting behind a desk doing phone interviews won't do it. You have to travel on your own because no one is going to give it to you. You get to do the job because you are there.

edit** reddit gold! Sploosh!!! Thanks :)

Here's where learning other languages really comes into play. American journals are crap. They cater to an increasingly simplistic populous that doesn't want to do deep thinking but is the primary target for paying advertisers that make the beancounters very happy.

If you go to foreign publications (I love the French writers, very gritty) or even the BBC (on a good day) you'll get much more insightful news.

With news, like most things, if you act like a child they will treat you like a child.

This is not a job to make big money. Most of the guys I knew (myself included) made considerably less than a guy working Starbucks. Almost everyone who did the job did it because it was AWESOME and was where they wanted to be. The guys (not all) trying to make their bones to get the shiny desk usually didn't last very long, scooting in and out just to say they did it.

Travel tip, sleeping in a bomb shelter is a great way to save money on hotel fees. Just keep in mind the neighbors are usually pretty loud. Whitesnake at 3am is nothing compared to the sound of random shelling just above you.

What do you get when you mix Human DNA with Goat DNA?

Usually you get kicked out of the petting zoo.

I'm so very sorry, ^I'll let myself out.