Reuters grants for a new generation of photojournalists | Reuters News Agency

Reuters grants for a new generation of photojournalists

Although anyone can take a photo, investing in the the right person behind the camera can matter as much as what’s in front of it.

Oct 10, 2017

Photos are crucial for driving engagement and adding value to a story. Although everyone can take a photo, investing in the the right person behind the camera can matter as much as what’s in front of it. That’s why Reuters has created a program to provide eight USD$5,000 grants for budding photojournalists or photojournalism students. The program aims to cast a wide net to provide an entrance to photojournalists whose promise outmatches their resume. John Pullman, global head of video and pictures for Reuters explains the importance of recruiting a diverse range of candidates,

We are constantly looking for human stories from new perspectives. The best way to find these is to work with photographers from different cultures, from different backgrounds and from different parts of the world. ”

“I jumped in, and I guess they liked my work.”

Yannis Behrakis, now senior editor, special projects for Reuters was not a professional photojournalist when he started. Behrakis’ first gig came in the form of a basketball tournament, for Reuters.

“I jumped in, and I guessed they liked my work. I knew photography, I knew the technical part, but I didn’t know about photojournalism.”

Three months later Behrakis was hired as a stringer (a freelancer with whom a media organization has a regular relationship) and a year later, he was hired full-time.

He has now been with Reuters for almost three decades. Based in Athens, Behrakis was part of the Reuters photography team that won the 2016 Breaking News Photography Pulitzer Prize for its work covering the immigration crisis in Greece.

Behrakis said he wants to be part of helping the next generation of photojournalists.

“The chances are still there. Maybe not as many, but they’re still there,” he said. “I think we have an obligation to make sure that new photographers can find their way into the profession.”

“I want to see people who have the talent and the eye for photography, even if they haven’t gotten to the professional photojournalism part yet. I want to see a new generation.”

I think we have an obligation to make sure that new photographers can find their way into the profession.”

Interested in applying?

Interested applicants are asked to submit a CV and a portfolio of no more than 50 images (JPEG format) illustrating both single-image and multi-image stories, as well as a detailed cover letter explaining the project for which the grant would be use. Visit the application site to apply.

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This article was originally published in Thomson Reuters Answers On blog