With cameras in their hands they go about shuttling wherever there's a newsbreaking story. It's as if they carry a special pass which reads, "priority," in which everyone steps aside to make way for them.
They capture those fleeting moments in history and fulfill the curiosity of the people who have got to see things with their own eyes before they will believe them.
This privileged class of people is known as press photographers.
As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words."
Photographs are an international language. When we see such pictures of the starving in Ethiopia, they always manage to bring out our natural compassion. On the other hand, when we see a photo of Miss World with a great figure, it will naturally cause people to feel excited.
Since photos can convey so much and be easily understood, therefore the mass media strive to find the best shots to attract readers. The quality and quantity of photos in the news therefore develop hand in hand with photographic materials, technology, and the field of communication.
Cartoons or caricatures were the earliest to appear in newspapers. In the 1750's, Benjamin Franklin used a piece of wood on which he carved the image of a snake. The caption read, "Join or Die." Like a seal, it was on the newspaper he published called the Pennsylvania Gazette, in which he protested the colonial policies of the British.
Modern news photos were actually in newspapers after the development of printing and photographic technology in 1897. On January 21 of that year, the New York Tribune published a photo of the new senator Thomas C. Platt which could be seen on every street and in every alley in New York ten days later. This was the first time in which people could actually see history in the making with their own eyes.
China's press photography began in 1928. At that time Huang Po-hui, owner of the Shanghai Shen Pao discovered that each time the newspaper included a photo, its sales would increase. Lang Ching-shan accordingly became Chinese first press photographer.
Another person of importance in the history of our nation's press photography is Wang Hsiao-t'ing. During the War of Resistance he worked for an American company taking press photos in China. In 1939, when the Japanese bombed Shang-hai, he got a shot of a baby all covered in blood who had just lost his mother as he sat in front of the Shanghai train station. This photo, which moved the hearts of so many, was published in newspapers around the world. It increased the awareness on an international scale as to the Japanese invasion of China.
In the 50's, when the government moved to Taiwan, there were a number of neglected matters that needed to be taken care of first. Camera equipment was not on the list of priorities. Therefore, press photos at that time were scarce.
Today, the economy of the ROC has developed rapidly. The information industry is also rather advanced. However, the quality and quantity of press photography has not developed at the same pace, but rather it has moved at a snail's pace.
"When compared to the United States, Taiwan is about twenty years behind," says Hsia Chia-ch'ing, a graduate of Missouri State Institute of Photography in the United States. He has also taught in the department of journalism at the Chinese Culture University and is presently head of the photography group at China Times.
How can this be so? This has to be discussed from the angle of photography education and the mass media.
The U.S. had specialized photography education at an early date. Domestically, we have yet to have a department of press photography. Most news education specializes in the field of written language, advertising, television, and so forth. Photography only accounts for a small portion.
At present, not more than ten have gone abroad to learn press photography techniques. In addition to Hsiao Chia-ch'ing, only Lin Shao-yen and Lo Hsu-kuang of the Min Sheng Daily and CommonWealth Magazine hold practical posts in press photography.
Lin Shao-yen, in the department of journalism at National Cheng Chih University, has called for an early establishment of a press photography department. However, before this can be done, sending photographers abroad for a half year or even one year of intensified training may be the quick solution.
Another problem is the mass media itself. Take the newspaper for example; the number of pages is limited. Since space is so limited, there's often no room for even just one photo. This should not be taken so lightly.
In addition to Sinorama, which places heavy emphasis on photography, recently there are two magazines Ren-chian and Taipeinian whose contents are mostly photography. In addition to the photos, these magazines are also very particular about the printing and quality of paper.
At the beginning of next year, the restriction on the number of pages a news paper may have will be lifted. With this in mind, everyone eagerly awaits a new turn in the area of press photography.
This change will surely bring about much competition. For the longest time the press photography in domestic newspapers and magazines has been pretty much the same. Now it's time for a change.
What constitutes a good photo? This can't be answered so easily. However, below are some opinions.
--A photo must tell a story.
--The photo, like an essay, must be provocative.
--It can't be common; it must leave a lasting impression on people.
--It must capture the fleeting moment.
In the end, it's up to the photographer to capture that fleeting moment in the history and life of mankind.
[Picture Caption]
Wang Hsiao-t'ing brought worldwide attention to the Japanese invasion of China with this photo, taken in 1937 in front of the Shanghai train station. (Sinorama files)
During the National Day celebrations photographers from around the nation appear on the scene. (photo by Chiu Sheng-wang)
Press photographers use about anything to get just the right shot.
Taking a rest between photos.
Taking a shot while prostrating on the ground gives a different angle.
Chuang Sheng-hui (right) exposes the film of photographers and evidence gatherers. This contradicts with the sign held up in the background which reads "Where is freedom and democracy?" (photo by Lin Hsi-ming)
During the National Day celebrations photographers from around the nation appear on the scene. （photo by Chiu Sheng-wang）
Press photographers use about anything to get just the right shot.
Taking a rest between photos.
Taking a shot while prostrating on the ground gives a different angle.
Chuang Sheng-hui （right） exposes the film of photographers and evidence gatherers. This contradicts with the sign held up in the background which reads "Where is freedom and democracy?" （photo by Lin Hsi-ming）
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