Is photography the greatest unused asset of newspapers? Experienced photographer Alun John explains why he thinks the answer is a resounding yes..

Photography has been around for more than a hundred years.

For most of that time it involved the same processes which got quicker and cleaner to use, but basically stayed the same.

Now digital photography has transformed not only the technical side of picture taking but has opened up new opportunities and challenges for newspapers.

Pictures have been proved time and time again to be the main items attracting readers into the pages of a newspaper – see the Poynter Institute study on reading patterns.

The striking images stay far longer in the reader’s minds than the words.

Can anyone recall and quote a couple of headlines from the September 11th front pages faster than they can recall the images?

Why then at this point when news photography is perfectly poised to make arguably its greatest leap forward since it was invented are word based journalists all over the country still holding it back?

There are two main reasons.

First, visual illiterates are making the major decisions about coverage of events and choice of pictures used. They may have been doing it for many years, but that doesn’t mean that they know what they are doing.

Second, the working patterns being developed by the use of digital photography are actually forcing journalists further apart rather than closer together. Reporters hardly ever go out to talk to real people and photographers don’t need to come into the office to process their pictures.

Journalism is the ultimate team based exercise. Reporters, writers, photographers and editors have simply to deliver information to their readers in the most efficient way for them to understand the story. If a picture can tell the story better then let it have the space. If the story needs detailed explanation, then give it. There should not be competition between words and pictures.

Until everyone on a paper appreciates the value of pictures, then photography will remain the greatest unused asset of the paper. Day to day on most papers, the pictures simply fill the spaces between the words and the news desk ‘orders’ coverage of events based on their news value rather than their picture potential.

With the technology having being simplified, now is the time to commit to the use of pictures to their greatest effect. Trouble is, not enough words based journalists either know, or worse care how to do that.

Do you agree with Alun’s views? E-mail Holdthefrontpage at [email protected]