Reportage is shifting focus. It used to be that photojournalists got reasonably well paid for their work, at least paid something that enabled them to keep doing what they do. However most will now agree those days are gone. It is becoming increasingly difficult to make a living as a traditional photojournalist, someone who spends time immersed in the subject and as a result produces a worthwhile body of work which tells the story in a way that hurriedly produced work, constrained by a deadline and a minuscule budget can never do. Yet we all know that there are important subjects out there and projects that should be worked on that no newspaper or magazine these days is going to pay for.

So Reportage, in an effort to address this is shortly to offer photographers a platform to seek funding for their projects. Most people are familiar with the concept of crowd funding, a few may have seen or even used any of the crowd funding sites springing up all over the internet. However we do not know of one which concentrates purely on photography or film making projects within the photojournalistic genre, which is what we intend to focus on. Whether anyone will actually fund the projects is yet to be seen, and of course it will largely be down to the strength of the idea, the passion and commitment of the photographer or film maker and the way he or she can convey the idea to potential investors. We think there are enough people out there that are interested enough to keep this medium alive and will happily contribute, be it a small or larger amount towards the cost of a worthwhile project.

So at the end of February 2012 Reportage will cease to be purely a photography showcase site and play its part in keeping great photographers and film makers doing what they do best.

If you have a project in mind, that will only happen if you can raise the finance for it then let us know. Use the project funding application form to let us have the basic idea and then we will ask for more information as things progress. Then sometime during February 2012 the site will publish all the projects, in conjunction with an aggressive marketing campaign to bring investors in to fund those projects.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12354346

Well worth listening to James Morgan (Reportage Featured: Eagle Hunters | Child Trafficking in Nepal) talk about the Coral Triangle project he has been working on for the last few months.

Photography by James Morgan

http://www.formatfestival.com/

‘Right Here, Right Now’ | Exposures from the public realm

4th March – 3rd April 2011 | Derby, UK

http://blog.leica-camera.com/guest-blog-post/john-amedick-bids-photokina-farewell-to-rescue-trapped-miners-in-chile/

John Amedick explains how his M9 became part of his engineering toolbox during the Chilean miner rescue efforts.

Photo Rio - Nat Geo Channel from Bryan Harvey on Vimeo.

We are very pleased to announce the launch of the new look Reportage web site. Lets us know what you think!

After two decades of hugely successful festivals, that have included exhibitions by established and emerging talent from all over the world, it was our challenge this year to design a programme that not only lives up to our past, but that makes a decisive stride into the future.

The festival began with distinct aims; to bring great photographers and photography to the region and to actively engage audiences, all of which remain at the very heart of our ambitions. TWENTY- co-curated by Paul Seawright – is our celebration of the festival’s legacy; a retrospective of some of the great photographers we have exhibited in the past. I’m also delighted to be presenting newly commissioned work by renowned photographer Tessa Bunney and to be exhibiting the very finest new talent in OPEN HERE, our open submission exhibition. My personal highlights being Boy, portraits of a young transgender adult by Åsa Johannesson and Becky Matthews’ series A Big Fat Ugandan Wedding. But please, make your own choice and vote for you favourite image when you visit the exhibition.

For the first time this year, HPF has also presented exhibitions outside our main festival period, continuing to reach and engage with new audiences and to make a significant contribution to the cultural life of Hereford. Common Land – our socially-engaged programme – now accounts for almost half our activity and which this year has already commissioned 6 artists and mentored 5, on projects with nearly 200 participants and audiences in excess of 10,000. We have shown work in new spaces; in hospitals, youth clubs and schools and continue to expand our list of venues. The festival and the fringe will this year occupy over 40 venues in Hereford, Worcester and as far afield as Birmingham and Wales.

More details at http://www.photofest.org

An honest, revealing and at times disturbing portrayal of the war photographer Robert King. Shot over a 15 year period the film documents the career of Robert from his first assignments through to the present day.

Shooting Robert King explores the complex web of motivations that drive someone to extremes: the insecurities and aspirations, the striving for excellence and acknowledgment and the seemingly conflicting need to be at peace and yet near danger. Over 15 years and three wars – from naivety to cynicism and finally achieving the recognition he sought, this film addresses the two questions that are always asked of those who report wars: Why do you do it? How does it affect you?

Highly recommended and available from the 27th of September.

More details at http://www.shootingrobertking.com

Great profile of sixties photographer Brian Duffy on BBC 4.

If you missed it on the TV then you can watch it again via BBC iPlayer – http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pwsns/The_Man_Who_Shot_the_60s/

If you are in to podcasts then we highly recommend checking out ‘The Digital Trekker’ podcast put together by award winning photographer Matt Brandon. Matt interviews a number of well known and hugely talented photographers and talks to them about how they work, what drives them and what they think about when they are shooting. Provides a real insight in to the lives of working photographers.

For more details about Matt Brandon, check out his web site at – http://www.thedigitaltrekker.com/