Calling all the shots: three decades on the frontline of photography

[Vincent Lowe]

The Observer picture editor reflects on the evolution of photojournalism as he bows out after nearly 30 years - 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/20/calling-all-the-shots-three-decades-on-the-frontline-of-photography

 

One comment caught my eye - "On a slow day we receive upwards of 35,000 images from professional sources alone."

[IanDavidson]

1 hour ago, Vincent Lowe said:

The Observer picture editor reflects on the evolution of photojournalism as he bows out after nearly 30 years - 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/20/calling-all-the-shots-three-decades-on-the-frontline-of-photography

 

One comment caught my eye - "On a slow day we receive upwards of 35,000 images from professional sources alone."

I have often thought that it is a minor miracle that any of our news photos get used at all...  Not to mention the millions of photos held in the Alamy library.  
 

How does a photo editor begin to filter 35,000 images....(Asking for a friend) 

[AlexH]

I think in the case of news images it is largely about timing. The first few images that come through are the ones in the running. It isn't the best images that get used necessarily, but the first one(s) that are available and do the job. So a good news image submtted early is in reality in smaller pool. The later an image arrives on editors desktop the better or more exceptional it needs to be once the story has already started to run.