Customer Reviews

Truth Needs No Ally: Inside Photojournalism

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This book will give you the inside scoop on the concept, history and day-to-day life of a photojournalist. The book is extraordinarily well written and very insightful. Mr. Chapnick, the retired President of Black Star, explains the "concerned photographer", developing a portfolio, fulfillment as a photojournalist and creative and ethical issues in photojournalism. This book has no peer on the topic.

This is the only book any photographer should read. It tells you every kind of career there is in photojournalism and more. Descriptions on how to do everything from selling pictures to agencies to holding on to your self in a world that demands that you change along with it.

There are many must-read about photojouanlism. Among these, this should be the first you buy. It leads you to the professional field. It tells you how you can get into the business and what you should know. I cannot find something compete.

This book was fascinating. Howard Chapnick's observations and comments on the world of photojournalism were wonderful to read. Reading it was like sitting down to a dinner conversation with a very smart man. His comments on the craft and business of photojournalism were enlightening. This book is well worth the money.

I have honestly say that I expected more from Mr. Chapnick. While some chapters ARE informative, others - like how to present yourself at an interview - are routine and almost obvious. Any so-called professional should NEVER show up looking like a bum. Or, (if I recall correctly) to use Mr. Chapnick's example, 'Animal' from the old Lou Grant program. You better have the rep of an Avedon or an Adams, and even THEN, you might not get the job. While I did see some pages on amazon, to judge from the title, I feel the title is a bit misleading. While Mr. Chapnick DOES cover some points of 1st Amendment, ethical and legal issues, I was expecting the bulk of the book to deal with these issues from a journalistic/freedom of the press point of view - both in America AND abroad. While he DOES touch on this when discussing shooters killed in the line of duty, I was expeceting more. For example: How did BLACK STAR photographers (or any other photog he knew about) deal with the Chinese Army and censorship during Tiannamen Square? What about shooters in previous years working in Central and South America (ie: Susan Meiselas)? As a counterpoint, the story about Don McCullin is interesting. At what point do you HAVE to stop looking at man's inhumanity to man and almost force yourself to walk away from being a war photographer? Mr. Chapnick discusses this. All this said, Mr. Chapnick never, EVER denigrates a shooter! From Adams to Nachtwey and every one known and unknown in between, Mr. Chapnick writes about every one with respect and the kind of thoughtful patience he showed me when I was in his office one day more than 20 years ago surrounded by photographs by James Nachtwey. For me, I learned about photojournalism by going out and doing it. Books are nice, but experience is your best teacher.

"Truth Needs No Ally: Inside Photojournalism," Howard Chapnick, Univ. Missouri Press, Columbia, 1994, ISBN: 0-8262-0955-6, PC 370 pgs., (Table contents 2 pgs, 48 pgs photos, Biblio 12 pgs. Index 8 Pgs.) 6 1/8" x 9 1/4"

Author Chapnick, 50-yrs experience in freelance PJ, photo-agency presidency, & as monthly columnist, amassed salient sagacity that sanctions him to write, rigorously, of the many faces of photojournalism (PJ). He illustrates 4 broad miens of PJ - its foundations, basic components, career evolutions, & creative and ethical issues in 24 chapters of succinctly written prose. His style & clarity of delivery reveals he is a gifted writer.

He interprets the essence of eyewittness PJ, responsibilities, of "concerned" photographers, & PJ essays using examples of renowned PJs, & of how one enters the field via portfolio, dress code, gender, education, specialization, minority ranks & agencies. He summarizes fundamental assets of 29 successful PJ photographers.

In describing the evolution of PJ field, he notes importance of ideas, aesthetics, personal projects, writings, photo book projects, workshops, grants awards, etc. Importantly, he devotes coverage of ethical concerns including invasion of privacy, manipulations, setups, marital break-ups, demands of wartime PJ & re-affirming news photographs as sacrosanct.

Throughout the book are short accounts of PJ greats as Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, Newman, Karsch, Lange, W.E. Smith, Leibovitz, Arthur Fellig (Weegee), & 2-time NPPA awarded Lisa Larsen of LIFE whom I met on photoshoot of Paul Robeson. He quotes the 1990 AP statement: The content of a photograph will NEVER be changed or manipulated in any way," but then details some deviations & manipulations by mags as LIFE, Nat. Geographic (pyramids), TV Guide (Oprah Winfrey's head on Ann-Margaret's torso) etc., & notes damages are done to alter public's perception of truth.

Howard Chapnicks book on Photojournalism should be a standard text book on any PJ course... ooops it already is. And rightly so. The book is an absolute mine of information. This man was a genius and deserves much wider recognition.

The contents of the book are great, its just a really tough book to sit down and read for a long period of time. Doesn't seem to flow very well, but the content is great.

this book it reads like a text book. It is very informative.