Training and motivating your shooters
Help them take control of their photo assignments and avoid turning in boring images …  by Matt Hevezi

     At my command in Okinawa, we gather as many military and civilian shooters as possible every other Tuesday evening. We swap our uniforms for shorts and T-shirts pop a few Mountain Dews and get together from 7-9 pm to discuss photography and look at military and civilian photos.
     As a Syracuse Military Photojournalism Program grad (Class of 2000), I feel a heavy responsibility to pass down the knowledge to all who have a desire to be good our craft. For those who do not yet have the desire, I use our sessions as a way to plant and grow desire.
     I firmly believe all military PJ's who've been given the golden opportunity to attend Syracuse or RIT automatically inherited the holy obligation to seriously engage and train all those who have not been lucky enough to get one of those coveted school seats.
     In the few months since starting these bootleg night classes, we've had some pretty solid growth in the guys and gals who've gone out with their cameras and applied some of the lessons learned. And it's only going to get better with every class.
     One comment that's been expressed during these sessions sounds something like this:  "My life as a photographer sucks because I always get the shitty assignments."

This is a great discussion point.

     Yes it is true. We get assignments that are dogs from time to time. It's part of the job. But it doesn't mean that we have our hands tied by shooting these. It's been said - not sure who came up with the phrase - that "there is not such thing as a bad assignment … only bad photographers."
     Well, we all know that when the general arrives with the big scissors or a golden shovel at noon light, we're in for a heck of a challenge.
     But wait. Is there a way out? Can this actually be a hidden opportunity to make great photos? If the story is on deadline for Friday's paper and your shooting it Wednesday, you may not have the time luxury of turning the penny image into a silver dollar.
     Think of it this way. You go out and shoot the job right? Get your exposure and focus and all that. Be ready to capture a moment or two if it's there. But for God's sake bring back the image that will please the boss, whether your working for the general himself or a grumpy photo editor back at the shop. That's the easy part. It's the approach that is used most of the time on these kind of assignments.

Now here's the not so easy part, and perhaps, more important part.

     While you're at the shoot, find the key people concerned. Talk to them. Ask them questions about whatever it is they do. Dig a little. Don't just show up, slap a 200mm on, fire off ten frames @ 50 yards and call it a day.
     Take some time so speak with the people who are in your photos. When you do this, you'll likely find some solid ideas for additional photo possibilities that are strongly related to the original "boring" scene you just shot.
     Too often there is the misconception among us that we only shoot the literal event. Ribbon cutting ceremony = photo of subject cutting ribbon. Ground breaking ceremony = photo of person subject pushing golden shovel into the dirt.
     Stop thinking like that! Go ahead and shoot those pictures if that's what the boss wants. But know in your heart that's not the "real" photo you're after.
     Find a way out of turning in just the boring shots. What are they cutting the ribbon for? Let's say, for example, the general is dedicating a new building for a family support center or something along those lines.
     Now ask yourself whom will this center benefit? Who cares about this issue? Now think of compelling images that can carry this story or issue. Ah, now the creative possibilities start to flow inside your mind right? Is it working?
     How about this? You talk to the director of the new family center after the initial shots. You ask, "By the way, do you know of any families who might allow me to spend some time with them to help illustrate the great benefit and impact this new family center will have on the military community?"
     Let's say the family center offers financial management classes. Okay, let's go find a family shopping for a new vehicle and follow them as they shop for a new car. Or a new whatever. Something visually compelling that people care about and can relate to.
     Okay, okay. It's true. This is perfect world formula and the above scenario doesn't always work out. But that's not the point.
     The point is that you as the photographer are rejecting the idea of turning in the ribbon cutting shot and being happy with that. The point is your way of thinking of your assignment, no matter how dry, dull, and boring it may seem at the time.

It's all about changing your approach to each assignment.

     How can I escape from the boring photo? This is what you need to be asking yourself on each and every assignment. When you make this your SOP, you'll begin to discover powerful, story-telling photos that people care about from assignments you previously would have categorized as a "dog."

Editors Note: Matt Hevezi is a graduate of the Syracuse Military Class of 2000.
He is currently serving at Marine Corps Base, Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan where he is the operations and training chief.

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