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Annabel Symington talks to ePHOTOzine - Annabel Symington spoke to ePHOTOzine about life as a multimedia, freelance journalist and photographer.
Posted: 18th January 2010
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Jargon Buster: OffAnnabel Symington is a multimedia, freelance journalist who writes and photographs a variety of subjects. She's just returned from Africa with some amazing stories. Annabel has covered many issues such as press freedom in The Gambia, teenage pregnancy in Sierra Leone and self-sustainable farming practices.
Here's a little bit about the person behind the lens:
How and why did you choose photography?
"I am primarily a journalist but you need to be ‘multimedia’ in this day and age, so moving into photography as well seemed like a natural progression. As a journalist I’m interested in documenting people’s lives and images are essential part of that. They give people an immediate connection with what I’m writing about."
Did you have any formal training or is photography something you've learnt on your own as you've gone along?
"No, I haven’t had any training. I’ve picked things up from the internet, talking to other photographers and a lot of trial and error."
Is your job varied? Is everyday different? Does this make your work more enjoyable and a challenge?
"One of the reasons I became a journalist was to avoid the 9-5. I love waking up in the morning and not knowing how the day is going to turn out - and that certainly was the case in Africa. Sometimes the unpredictability of my work makes me wish for more routine, but one rush hour tube ride is usually enough to wipe that idea."
How long have you spent in Africa and what were you documenting there?
"I was in West Africa for two months. I travelled overland from Morocco and Ghana. West Africa is a very under-reported part of the world, and the stories that do percolate through into the mainstream media tend to be about corrupted governments or human rights abuses. Big stories. I wanted to learn a bit about the realities of life for people in West Africa. The stories that lie behind the headlines."
How do you decide on topics to cover and do you pick your own assignments?
"When I headed off to Africa I had a couple of ideas of stories that I wanted to cover. They were mostly stories that I’d come across from reading between the lines, and doing some more research, on stories that had been in the mainstream media. But none of my planned stories ever materialised. Instead I followed things that interested me or caught my eye when I was there, like the crazy architecture of Freetown, Sierra Leone and the abundance of Obama memorabilia across the continent."
Do you have a style? Or do you find you just have to adapt to the situations you find yourself in?
"My photography is about what I’m shooting rather than me. I suspect that over time I will develop more of a style, but at the moment I just concentrate on trying to capture the life I see in front of me - and that’s challenge enough at the moment."
Do you work from a plan or work as you go along and pick the best at the end?
"I take hundreds of shots in any styles and from a variety of angles and then figure out what worked, and why, at the end of the day."
What equipment do you use and why? Is this a personal choice or one that makes your professional role easier? Do you have one piece of equipment you can't be without? If so what is it and why?
"I use a Sony A380. I’ve only had it since the summer, and my trip to Africa was my first big adventure with it. The camera was great and I took some wonderful photos. Although it is a DSLR it is compact, lightweight and easy to travel with but still allows for fantastic quality shooting. I couldn’t be without it now as a photojournalist. The next time I travel in the developing world however, I’ll take a smaller compact with me as well. There were times when it would have been easier, more appropriate and even safer to get out a very discreet compact camera, and that’s when having a compact would be really useful. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself with expensive looking equipment."
Are you a fan of post production? Is it something all photographers have to do now?
"I think that post production is important but it can’t beat getting the right moment and capturing it in the right way. I think that there’s something honest about capturing a good photo in the moment but that comes with luck, patience and practice. Saying that, post production can be a great way to maximise the impact of a photo- it depends how I’m going to use the photo."
What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you about photography?
"I can’t think of one piece of advice that a colleague has given me, but I try to follow the famous war photographer, Robert Capa’s advice: If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough."
Visit Annabel Symington's website: http://annabelsymington.com.
Here's a little bit about the person behind the lens:
 |
How and why did you choose photography?
"I am primarily a journalist but you need to be ‘multimedia’ in this day and age, so moving into photography as well seemed like a natural progression. As a journalist I’m interested in documenting people’s lives and images are essential part of that. They give people an immediate connection with what I’m writing about."
Did you have any formal training or is photography something you've learnt on your own as you've gone along?
"No, I haven’t had any training. I’ve picked things up from the internet, talking to other photographers and a lot of trial and error."
Is your job varied? Is everyday different? Does this make your work more enjoyable and a challenge?"One of the reasons I became a journalist was to avoid the 9-5. I love waking up in the morning and not knowing how the day is going to turn out - and that certainly was the case in Africa. Sometimes the unpredictability of my work makes me wish for more routine, but one rush hour tube ride is usually enough to wipe that idea."
How long have you spent in Africa and what were you documenting there?
"I was in West Africa for two months. I travelled overland from Morocco and Ghana. West Africa is a very under-reported part of the world, and the stories that do percolate through into the mainstream media tend to be about corrupted governments or human rights abuses. Big stories. I wanted to learn a bit about the realities of life for people in West Africa. The stories that lie behind the headlines."
How do you decide on topics to cover and do you pick your own assignments?
"When I headed off to Africa I had a couple of ideas of stories that I wanted to cover. They were mostly stories that I’d come across from reading between the lines, and doing some more research, on stories that had been in the mainstream media. But none of my planned stories ever materialised. Instead I followed things that interested me or caught my eye when I was there, like the crazy architecture of Freetown, Sierra Leone and the abundance of Obama memorabilia across the continent."
Do you have a style? Or do you find you just have to adapt to the situations you find yourself in?
"My photography is about what I’m shooting rather than me. I suspect that over time I will develop more of a style, but at the moment I just concentrate on trying to capture the life I see in front of me - and that’s challenge enough at the moment."
Do you work from a plan or work as you go along and pick the best at the end?"I take hundreds of shots in any styles and from a variety of angles and then figure out what worked, and why, at the end of the day."
What equipment do you use and why? Is this a personal choice or one that makes your professional role easier? Do you have one piece of equipment you can't be without? If so what is it and why?
"I use a Sony A380. I’ve only had it since the summer, and my trip to Africa was my first big adventure with it. The camera was great and I took some wonderful photos. Although it is a DSLR it is compact, lightweight and easy to travel with but still allows for fantastic quality shooting. I couldn’t be without it now as a photojournalist. The next time I travel in the developing world however, I’ll take a smaller compact with me as well. There were times when it would have been easier, more appropriate and even safer to get out a very discreet compact camera, and that’s when having a compact would be really useful. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself with expensive looking equipment."
Are you a fan of post production? Is it something all photographers have to do now?
"I think that post production is important but it can’t beat getting the right moment and capturing it in the right way. I think that there’s something honest about capturing a good photo in the moment but that comes with luck, patience and practice. Saying that, post production can be a great way to maximise the impact of a photo- it depends how I’m going to use the photo."
What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you about photography?
"I can’t think of one piece of advice that a colleague has given me, but I try to follow the famous war photographer, Robert Capa’s advice: If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough."
 |
Visit Annabel Symington's website: http://annabelsymington.com.
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