It's important to explain to Editors what the importance of the story is, so
also the current importance. Try to find a news angle or some angle that
your story fits into. I think you have to sometimes try to think as an
Editor, so try in a way to to think; okay, these Editors get so many stories sent
to them every day, how do I stand out? How do I find the news angle, which picture
should I include in my email or in my pitch PDF to make it stand out? And I
think that's the way to get a 'yes' ,you have to look at the newspaper you are
pitching to and really try to see what is the stuff they usually
publish and try to fit in with what they're looking for.
I think that's the best way to get a 'yes'. I think the storytelling part of your
documentary work in the beginning is actually more important than the
technical quality, and the technical quality will grow as you grow.
I would say being very technical is lovely once you're in this business but when you're
starting out, forget the technical stuff, it will only freak you out. I think
that's what it did to me at least. In 2011 I thought, okay, let's try video as
well and I never thought it would become such a big part of me and my
daily work because I feel more as a photojournalist than a videographer, but
clients just keep asking for video and I just finished an hour-long documentary
on Dutch television. Filmed it all by myself and I think it gives
a total different perspective to my job and I really like it.
Social media is hugely important, clients are even picking by looking at your social
profiles, stories are being more easily shared. When I share a picture on
Instagram, everyone anywhere can see it. They can ask
questions. I try to reply as good I can, but I think on the other hand it's
also important to give images time. When I see people looking through
Instagram profiles it's very quickly it's just 'Oh a story', tick tick
tick and you look through it. I really like it when people take their
time to look at images, when you kind of sit down to look at an online told story
or in a magazine, and I think social media sometimes can be too quick and
that's the good part and the bad part in a way. I think
exhibitions are hugely important and they have to be right in that
mix between social media, media and exhibitions. I think when it all comes
together in a good way, that's the perfect mix. I just finished my own
exhibition about my South Africa work - my 'Born Free' exhibition and to see your
work printed on large format it just gives such a different vibe to your work.
To see the details that you usually don't see because
as a photojournalist you see your work in magazines, newspapers, online,
social media and it's small - so when you see your pictures being printed so big,
you see your pictures in a different way, and I think it's a very important way to
to show work to the world, and that's why Perpignan is such a perfect place to
look at images and be inspired.
So the thing that I look forward to the
most this week is to meet with friends, colleagues and Editors. I just finished a
long term project about South Africa and I'm really looking forward to show it to
Editors and also to meet with colleagues that you hardly ever see because we're
all traveling a lot. This is kind of the place to meet.