06 Jan 2010
Photojournalist: one of the worst jobs in 2009
Olivier Laurent
The Wall Street Journal has published its list of the 200 best and worst jobs in 2009. At the top of the list is Actuary with a top-level salary of $161,000 and software engineers, who can hope to earn $129,000. Photojournalists, on the other hand, are way down in that list, coming in 189th position with a starting salary of $16,000 and a top-level salary of $60,000.
Only 11 other positions are considered worse than being a photojournalist. They are: Butcher, Mail Carrier, Meter Reader, Construction Worker, Taxi Driver, Garbage Collector, Welder, Dairy Farmer, Ironworker, Lumberjack and Roustabout...
Comments
Only 11 worse jobs that being a photojournalist?
I often wonder why the arts are so poorly valued when it comes to compensation for work. I suppose I'm biased, but I think the work we do as photographers is far more important to the world than anything an actuary could do.
Shame really, but I suppose that's life.
Alex
The arts professions are paid poorly at the bottom. The stars are always compensated handsomely. I don't think of photojournalist as an artist. Rather a craftsman. Sort of like a haberdasher. Soon to be redundant due to cheap knock offs from the mass producers.
But what you will find is that many of those in the 188 jobs better than being a Photo-Journalist would give their eye teeth and both arms to do what we do....as I always say at the end of one of my lectures,'.....It's better than working'.
We are incredibly fortunate !! Just a tad broke.
Brian Harris
Photojournalists chronicle history
SAD. Even if somebodys closest dies in a family or you have a wedding, no matter what, right in the morning you have to egt you paper or read an e-paper. And a paper or a magazine would only look like a IPO form if they dont have visuals. Photographs are earned by each photojournos working their sweat out. What they shoot today they show that tomorrow & it becomes a part of the history. Never the less the companies like Canon,Nikon, Sony, Lieca etc wouldnt have paid huge to their research & develop cameras if photo journalsim was a thankless job. As it is Wall Street uses very less images & the world should think properly & stop paying attention to cheap TV entertainments while read & see relevant issues. Thats why we are all reaching to a brink.SAD.
Photojournalsits chronicles history
SAD. Even if somebodys closest dies in a family or you have a wedding, no matter what, right in the morning you have to egt you paper or read an e-paper. And a paper or a magazine would only look like a IPO form if they dont have visuals. Photographs are earned by each photojournos working their sweat out. What they shoot today they show that tomorrow & it becomes a part of the history. Never the less the companies like Canon,Nikon, Sony, Lieca etc wouldnt have paid huge to their research & develop cameras if photo journalsim was a thankless job. As it is Wall Street uses very less images & the world should think properly & stop paying attention to cheap TV entertainments while read & see relevant issues. Thats why we are all reaching to a brink.SAD.
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