This a guest post by Ken Jarecke, a world-renowned photojournalist and founding member of Contact Press Images, an illustrious photo agency based in New York. Please also visit and read his blog, Mostly True.
The past few years it’s been hard for me to pick up a camera. We all know that the industry, at least the editorial side of it, has been at an all time low. Sure, I’ve worked to put a good face on it, like in this piece on the New York Times Lens blog, but more often than not, my desire to make wonderful images has been absent. My heart has just not been there.
It’s not the creative side. I’ve rarely cared about the choices editors make about my work. That’s never been my motivation. Besides, I figured if I made great images, they’d get published. Somewhere. Sometime.
For example, here’s a take from the Beijing Olympics. After nine Olympics, I felt this was the best job I’d ever done. Normally, the Olympics will generate tons of tear-sheets, but outside of China, where my agency had a deal with the local English language newspaper, I managed to get only a single image published (in a French newspaper).
Frustrating to be sure, but still, not something that would stop me from making pictures.
No, I’m sad and ashamed to report that my lack of desire stemmed from nothing more than a lack of money. More specifically, the constant worry, and the ongoing struggle to pay the bills had taken its toll.
It’s sad, because I didn’t become a photojournalist to get rich (I was never that crazy or misguided). I’m ashamed because much of my money problems were the direct result of poor or stubborn decisions that are completely my fault.
In the past, I hesitated to book weddings. I made the excuse that I couldn’t book something that far in advance. What if an editorial job came up? In reality, I felt this type of work was beneath me. I felt the same about the portrait market (Yes, I know where this is being read). It’s easy to say now, but what’s more important than a wedding, or capturing a child’s life? Oh well, live and learn.
I didn’t let the magazines determine if a picture was good or not, but I sure put them in charge of what was important enough for me to photograph!
Pride and arrogance, a nasty couple of vices. As you can imagine, the only people to suffer from the choices I made was my family. Over the past few years, we’ve cut expenses, and eliminated most of the extras that come with family life, in my vain attempt to reinvent the editorial market and make things right (vanity, there’s another one).
Although I never stopped loving being a dad or a husband, the only thing I accomplished was to give my family a grouchy dad who hated making pictures.
As a photojournalist, I always try to have a backup plan. I would look at every situation with the perspective of a worse possible case scenario. Like, what would happen if I got a two flat tires in a post-Katrina New Orleans?
Practical to be sure, but it also gave me a sense of being in control. Maybe we all do this. It would explain tings like always having a pocket bulging with extra batteries.
Well, about three weeks ago, I ran into a situation that I couldn’t control. One of our children came home from camp very sick. It took twelve days for the doctors to figure out what was wrong. Plenty of uncertainty. Lots of prayers. Scary times. I don’t want to put too fine of a point on it. She spent four nights in the hospital and has been home for about a week now. She’s getting better everyday and is on her way to a full recovery.
Ironically, being in this powerless situation has seemed to heal me also. I have no cares about my reputation, or my standing in the photography world. I should be totally freaked about the medical bills (on top of everything else), but instead they just don’t seem important. I just want to be a better dad and husband (I thought I always was, but I didn’t give any thought to the huge burden I had placed on my family).
Strangest of all, I also want to make some really good pictures. Go figure.
I’m working on getting some portrait jobs… I booked one yesterday! I did my first wedding back in June. I gotta say, I really enjoyed it. The pictures were good too! I hope I have the chance to do some more.
The medical bills? Well, I hope to pay for some of them with a special print sale. I’m going to offer eight or ten prints at a special price for seven days only. They’re signed, archival pigment prints made by me.
You can see a preview here. I don’t know what the final selection will be, but I’m open to suggestions. Please check the above site on Monday to find out. The 17” x 22”s will be $300 and the 8.5” x 11”s will be $97 (plus shipping).
The two black & whites shown here are from an essay I did for Time magazine in 1990 called, “The Rotting of the Big Apple”. They’ve been very popular with collectors over the years.
The image from the Tiananmen Square student protests of 1989, shows a lone hunger striker sitting in front of Chinese soldiers. It has also been popular with collectors. At some point it was named “The Rose”. The Beijing Opera performer was made in May of 2007. It’s one that I like. I think it works well.
If you have ever considered creating a photography collection for yourself, Ken's offering here would be a terrific start. In fact, I have already told Ken that I will be buying one of his prints! Supporting each other through the valleys and peaks of life is what will make us stronger. Give it some thought, but don't wait too long because these prints are very likely to be gone soon.
UPDATE: Ken sent me this slideshow that you see below. It has all the images he has on sale through this Friday (September 10, 2010). I hope this inspires you to invest in one of his images.
Trudy says
Thank you for such a beautiful and honest post. Many photographers can relate to the stress of money. Hopefully we always stay close to the desire to create beautiful photographs. I wish they best for your family.
Great photographs in this post.
Black and Geauxld says
what an open hearted honest post. I can agree from a daddy’s point of view.
thank you
Jean-Marc says
Thanks for sharing this. It is hitting home as I had to prioritize my work after the cancer of my partner. We have to adapt, it can be painful but there are times when you realize what matters …
Kristin says
Thank you. I think you will be busy printing very soon…
Tunali says
lovely post. I guess all photojournalists will agree with you when you say that we dont let magazines decide whats good or not, but let them dictate what we will shoot. Just that many don’t realise it. What an eye opener…
John H. Maw says
What a sensitive and revealing piece. Something that most of us can relate to I feel. Very best of luck to you and your daughter and well done for seeing this as a way to improve your relationship with your family.
Tod says
Thanks for sharing your heart, Ken. Sorry to hear you had to go through this tough experience, but I’m glad to hear your daughter is doing a lot better now, and that you are getting some new work. Things are really tough out there right now for a lot of photographers. I think that diversification is key to staying alive in this economy. So, onward and upward!
Kirktuck says
Wonderful post. Just wonderful.
Kent Meireis says
Ken, thank you for putting your life and that of many other recovering photojournalists into such an honest and personal perspective.
After doing 25 years of news papering, I now get a huge kick out of documenting weddings and doing the occasional portrait sessions. I still get a little nervous booking wedding more than a year out.
I look forward to your print sale and hope that it’s enough to keep you going.
Perhaps I’ll get a chance to meet you in Montana sometime!
johnwaire says
juggling is the perfect description…
best wishes to you and your family ken. having 2 kids myself, i totally get where you’re coming from. it’s a journey…
Jaycolton says
It occurs to me that the role of the photographer is changing on our society and the way we conduct our business is changing too. Ken you are an amazing photographer, a gifted artists and one who should not worry about paying the bills. The industry is reeling and business don’t kn0w what to do. They have not learned how to commoditize the paradigm shift and are unwilling to invest in it. That comes from a lack of both imagination and vision.
I am away for the next weeks but would love to both talk to you and participate in the auction as a buyer. I truly believe we are merely reeling and the sands shifting. There will be many new ways we can make a living just not the old editorial model. I read there were 25 million photographers who joined the industry last year worldwide. Though this is disparaging to most, I see it as an opportunity. There are soooo many more people interested in photography and you and many other gifted photographers should avail themselves of thsi market. Through teaching, photography trips,master classes and a few other ideas I would rather not discloses publically I feel there is an opportunity to take advantage of the millions more people who make up our marketplace. The tools of communications have changed and photographers especially should begin to market directly rather than through a medium like a paper magazine and a corporation.
Hope all works out well for you Ken. I am an admirer and a fan ( as well as a brother in the struggle) All best Jay Colton
Kristina says
Hi Ken,
I remember your image from Tienamen Square very well, I worked in the hard news business at that time with many other photo journalists that were shooting for Time, Newsweek, Us News and Life. At that time you could actually make an ok living on editorial, even as an agent, and that is hard to imagine now.
I do want to agree with Jay though, maybe something amazing will come out of this change. One immediate things is that there is no shame in going through changes or struggling – and it unites us. Hopefully the love for images and photography as a way of telling stories will bind us harder together. I am also a sister in struggle, not easy to be in this business on any end actually.
I wish you all the best, and hope that you will find personal joy in your images and your family in the future. Thank you for your post.
Your fan,
Kristina Snyder
Keith Dannemiller says
Ken:
I appreciate your gran cojones in telling it exactly like it is for many of us with smaller ones. You story is mine too. The ability to adapt to what the editorial market is today is crucial, but after so many years of doing it one way, it is no secret that that change is difficult, to say the least.
I wish you all the best and for a complete recovery for your daughter.
Keith Dannemiller
Mexico, DF
tus says
I feel for you b/c several people are in the same boat! Don’t beat yourself up about not booking weddings or portraits in the past. WE ALL HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE HAVE TO SPECIALIZE TO SURVIVE! We’ve heard it for years from AD’s CD’s so called “Creative Gurus.” Remember the phrase “Do what you love and it won’t be work?” Thats great and that is what you did and you are great at it! Don’t believe or let someone make you feel that it’s YOUR FAULT that the economic rug was pulled out from under your feet.(and everybody’s feet who made less than $125 grand annually) If you’re being told that, ask them to show you the crystal ball that told them the world would be in the worst recession since the depression.
Also,people outside the professional photography world seem to forget that with all the new digital cameras there are WAAAAY more “Photographers” and less work. Adapt? Sure, but what the hell, now everyone with a mobile phone is a photographers competition.
Keep your chin up, love your kids, and do the best you can with everything else. Some people will never be happy with the decisions they’ve made don’t let them rule your life.
Stella Kramer says
It’s been a sobering time for all of us, and the need to reinvent, re-examine and rededicate ourselves is important. But more important is to not blame ourselves, love those closest to us, and be willing to take chances again. I believe in joining together with others as a way to keep from falling into the hole of despair. And with the amazing work you’ve done over the years you have so much to give. I agree with Jay Colton and hope the two of you hook up to talk about possibilities.
Thank you for your honesty and thank you for reaching out to us all. I wish you the best.
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