From photo to photography: does newspapers need photographers?

Abstract

Adopting as a symptomatic case the collective dismissal of the entire Chicago Sun Times photographers staff, in June 2013, and the transfer of this task to reporters, the text examines the fact in a multiple way: through technological and professional transition of photojournalism; the gradual disintermediation of photojournalism as a set of practices linked to newsmaking, and the adoption of digital convergence and its consequent setting of multiskilled professional with flexible competence. After this preliminary discussion, it approach the ontological path of photojournalism under the hypothesis of these factors act in an epistemological replacement of repertoires involved in the production of news photography. Resulting thus in possible trends that restructure the professional concept of photojournalism and the press photographer.