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Photographer thanks readers after taking VR to go freelance

A regional daily photographer who took voluntary redundancy after 14 years has thanked readers as he prepares to go freelance.

Mike Sewell, pictured left, is one of four photographers to leave the Leicester Mercury after new owner Trinity Mirror announced plans in February to increase the use of contributed picture content within the paper.

The Mercury’s photographic department has gone from a chief photographer, four full-time photographers and two part-time photographers to a new team of one picture curator (previously chief photographer), one full-time and one part-time photographer.

After a consultation into the proposals was launched, Mike decided to take VR and launch his own business as a freelance editorial and commercial photographer.

Writing on his personal blog, he said: “Redundancy is a scary word, but only if you let it. I am genuinely excited to start a fresh today working with some fantastic new and creative clients.

“I am happy, of course, for my new beginning but I am also sad to be leaving such amazing team at the Leicester Mercury. It has been my pleasure to work with some of the most talented journalists, photographers and designers in the industry and it is due to their dedication that the Leicester Mercury has been a brilliant newspaper.

“As well as my colleagues at the newspaper I have made so many wonderful friends over my years working in Leicester and its beautiful county. Through the stories I have covered for the Leicester Mercury it has been my privilege to meet some amazing people and witness truly incredible events.

“Each working day was an education. I have learned so much about Leicester’s communities, its businesses, its sporting talent and its diversity. I have done things and been to places which I would never have experienced and I am grateful to the people of Leicestershire for making me feel so welcome.

“I realise it’s a bit strange having a camera stuck in your face and being told what to do and how to pose so to all of my willing and unwilling models, I thank you very much. Thank you Leicester, you’ve been brilliant.”

The Mercury, now owned by Trinity Mirror, was one of two former Local World titles to undergo a radical restructuring of its photographic department, along with the Nottingham Post.

10 comments

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  • April 21, 2016 at 8:08 am
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    VR? Is it so common it gets its own shorthand these days?!

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  • April 21, 2016 at 9:02 am
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    “picture curator”

    Has the industry finally come to just one person overseeing reader supplied camera phone pix and shots of wildlife and skies,dear oh dear.
    good luck to Mike ,a good photographer is becoming a rare beast and will always find work for those who value quality

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  • April 21, 2016 at 9:26 am
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    VR? How to confuse readers in two letters!

    Did it not even cross your mind that using VR in a story about a photographer would actually be misleading since so many people would see that as: “photographer leaves to pursue a career in Virtual Reality” – something that many a photographer may well start looking at (top tip for any photographers taking voluntary redundancy or otherwise: VR has a big future ahead of it, especially given that YouTube has only recently announced live streaming 360-degree videos – well worth considering)?

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  • April 21, 2016 at 11:01 am
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    The clue is in the modern job title.
    Image editors! ie shifting into shapes all the crappy out of focus badly composed free snaps that fill so many papers, especially weeklies.
    Good luck to this guy. There is life after JP, NQ, TM et al.

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  • April 21, 2016 at 11:04 am
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    Am I right? The Argus at Brighton advertises on this same page for a picture editor.
    I thought they had dumped the job years ago.
    They have certainly lost some superb photographers in past few years.

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  • April 21, 2016 at 11:42 am
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    VR? Nikon’s Vibration Reduction system? Headline confused me.

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  • April 21, 2016 at 12:50 pm
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    I’ve always liked the term ‘redundo’ as the short form for the redundancy wedge. Scouse slang, I believe.

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  • April 21, 2016 at 3:54 pm
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    Worked with Mikey at the Mercury. Great photographer. If anyone needs a freelancer, employ him – strongly recommended.

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  • April 21, 2016 at 4:54 pm
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    Welcome to the fold of the over populated world that is freelance photography.

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  • May 9, 2016 at 12:46 pm
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    Good Luck Mikey….always room for a really good photographer.

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