minimum requirement for pj?

[Andrew_Hendershot]

What is the minimum computer system for photojournalism. I am starting a university photojournalism program in the spring and I just ordered a Powerbook 12" G4, 1GHz, 512MB RAM, 60GB HD.

Thank you.

[Mitchell_Zachs]

Hey Sunny, won't you let the sunshine... Sunny. great song, different thread

Anyway, Your computer is way more than what you need for digital pictures. My Powerbook laptop runs very well with a 550mhz processor. More is better anyway as the future holds much bigger mega pixel file sizes. Your screen is a bit small but easy for travel. Make sure you have a service warranty. Also make sure you have a way of archiving your pictures before you delete pictures off of your CF cards. Even new hard drives can fail. Burning CD's or DVD's are the best methods for backup. An external hard drive is another option. I have one.

Remember that you no longer have negatives to go back to. It is very easy to erase something and then you are in a pickle if those images were very important.

Invest in Photoshop and Photo Mechanic for editing your pictures. They are the programs of choice for most news rooms including the AP.

Your next step is to learn and become very knowledgable in wireless transmitting of pictures from your computer or from a PocketPc using Phojo.

Hope this helps. :-)

[Ken_Bennett]

Wow, this is a new one -- most people ask what kind of cameras they need. The times, they are a-changin'.

Mitch is right about the computer -- you're going to have way more computer than most working photojournalists. It'll do fine for many years. Get an external firewire hard drive -- a LaCie 40-gig is fine and pretty cheap -- for backing up photo files and transferring between computers. You rest easier knowing that your files are on two separate hard drives. Get a good 19-inch external CRT monitor for real color work -- you can hook it up to your laptop and easily calibrate it with a monitor calibrator. An external keyboard and mouse are handy in this situation.

The real requirements for a photojournalist are (in no particular order): flexibility, perseverance, curiosity, and the ability to get along with all kinds of people. It helps to have a good eye for composition and a feeling for the 'moment'. Having a camera with you also helps.

Good luck.

Ken

[Mitchell_Zachs]

Sunny, Thanks for the private thanks

Here is my reply I sent you that might be helpfull to other students who may be reading this.

As you start your photojournalism career always think about seeing the emotion, action, reaction, interaction, background, background and background in your pictures.

I would take a class on the business of photojournalism and photography which many programs are very bad to not include in their curriculum. It is one of the most important parts of the picture biz to make a decent living.

Hope this helps.
Check out some new pix from this past week end at http://www.MagicalPhotos.com/UM/

Sincerely, Mitchell