Passive Photojournalism - Brief Article

PSA Journal, August, 2000 by Jack Covey

We live in fast-action, changing times and our activities often reflect this breakneck modern pace, especially our photography in the area of photojournalism (PJ). The usual photographs submitted for photojournalism competitions are taken at some fast moving local or national event. Usually the entry takes the format of a sports activity such as a basketball game, which moves so fast from one goal to the other, a blink of the eye may miss the game highlight or perhaps a rodeo needing high speed film and a fast shutter finger. Rightfully so, these formats are often exciting for most persons to watch or to photograph. I find most sports events are not that interesting, and I leave these events thinking that I have seen it before at some time or place, like a TV rerun being seen for the nth time. Still, I like photojournalism. The idea of taking a picture that will rekindle my imagination and memory long after the event is a challenge I enjoy.

I decided there must be a way for me to take photojournalism photographs and capture the feeling of the time and event while doing the things and activities that I like. Thus, I found my way to a type of photography I like to call passive photojournalism. Passive photojournalism is certainly not a photographic method I can claim to have discovered. Indeed the vast majority of photographs appearing in most newspapers or magazines (including the PSA Journal) are not high action photographs. Rather most articles tend to inform the reader, by photographs or printed word, in a relaxed, enjoyable, everyday way allowing the reader to relate to the story.

Passive photojournalism is somewhat difficult for the PJ competition judge. The evaluator must turn from a group of high-action entries to a slower-paced, passive photograph and weigh its storytelling value in a matter of seconds. I am proud to find most judges meet this challenge, so the passive PJ photo submitted to PJ competitions does have a chance of receiving a fair share of acceptances.

Passive photojournalism entries do have one distinct advantage over the normal fast action PJ entry in that they are almost always suitable for entry into other PSA competitions. Several of my photographs, originally taken for photojournalism purposes, have been accepted and occasionally have won awards in pictorial commercial print categories. For example "Sue's Revenge," accepted in many PJ competitions, was judged Best of Show in the 8th Images of Man. This image was taken as a record shot after a 250-mile canoe trip down the Mississippi. The young people were from England and had taken a big, lumbering dragon boat down river with us and felt the need to celebrate by throwing Sue, one of the fleet leaders into the river. She, of course, retaliated by pushing the kids into the river. The expressions on the boy and the young lady, their coxswain, show this was a fun event and has much to do with the image's acceptance in both photojournalism and pictorial exhibitions.

"Sailors Aloft" has done well in both photojournalism and pictorial commercial prints receiving a medal in PJ and several HMs in prints. This picture was taken during a Hartford convention field trip some 20 years ago.

"Still Harmonizing" (an elderly couple playing their harmonicas) and "Life's Pressures" (living near an atomic energy plant) are also representative of passive photojournalism pictures. These are proof that the passive photojournalism image is accepted in the various PSA exhibitions. Your images of events and activities that fall into the passive photojournalism area may also do well. We should all take advantage of the PSA exhibitions. This very fine PSA activity is open to every photojournalist/photographer--active or passive.

Jack Covey, FPSA --Naples, FL