Prosthetic Device

That’s photojournalists, not pajamas.

Leonard Witt at PJNet asks, “Do We Need Photojournalists?” then answers his own question with a resounding, “Yes!”

I agree.

Most snapshooters don’t know how to frame a photo, or tell a story with a single shot.

Most casual picture-takers don’t understand how close, medium and long affect the information content, for good and for bad.

If there are no pro photogs about — the example that instantly pops to mind is the London tube bombings — then videos and snaps from cell phones must suffice.

But the pix shot by pros (and passionate amateurs knowledgeable about composition) will almost always stand head-and-shoulders (and knees-and-toes) above point-and-shooters.

Take care to realize that I am not arguing for credentialism here. I am arguing for mastery of craft. A framed certificate from a photojournalism program proves only that you endured through graduation.