Freelance Photojournalists Redefine Their Work: Perspectives on a Precarious Field

Andrea Hudson, (forthcoming) “Freelance Photojournalists Redefine Their Work: Perspectives on a Precarious Field,” Journalism Practice. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2023.2223189

Abstract: With the digitization of news, media organizations are downsizing or removing their photo departments completely, and freelance work has become the norm for photojournalists. This increasingly precarious profession, where photojournalists go from assignment to assignment, is facing a repositioning. As scholars, it is important to understand how those working in this space conceptualize their work and its role in media and society. Doing so will help scholars better understand the evolving nature of visual communication labor. This study utilizes in-depth interviews with 14 freelance photojournalists to better understand how they view their job and its role in democracy. Analysis shows that photojournalists are reconceptualizing the field they work in, including the ethical codes that have historically guided it. These findings show the ethical consequences of the freelance-reliant business model in the field of photojournalism.