ever thought of joining NG?


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denis

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Feb 24, 2004
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hi there, is there anyone ever thought of joining National Grographic photographer?

if Yes, what have you done, where u're now? experirence?

if No, Why?
if your ans is hard, pls, save it. nothing is easy in this world. if is was that easy, there's no acomplishment.
 

Pls dun flame me, as this is my view of many Singapore photographers.
Many would wannna act pro when they are not, they would see what the pro use then they follow blindly and buy those equipments. A big big DSLR and big big lenses hanging on their necks makes them a 'pro'. But the problem is does they take the pictures as good as the real pro? That is a big big question mark and only they themselves will know!
 

XXX Boy said:
Pls dun flame me, as this is my view of many Singapore photographers.
Many would wannna act pro when they are not, they would see what the pro use then they follow blindly and buy those equipments. A big big DSLR and big big lenses hanging on their necks makes them a 'pro'. But the problem is does they take the pictures as good as the real pro? That is a big big question mark and only they themselves will know!

Hi XXX Boy,

Frankly, I don't see how your post is related to the topic. Please do not be mistaken, I am not flaming you. :) Just stating the irrelevance. Maybe you just had a bad day :)
 

meepokman said:
Hi XXX Boy,

Frankly, I don't see how your post is related to the topic. Please do not be mistaken, I am not flaming you. :) Just stating the irrelevance. Maybe you just had a bad day :)
Maybe he's implying that prolly very lil of us is qualified to??
 

Well, its very true, there are photographers out there who carry big lenses and stuff like that to look pro, but some who carry these equipment do actually use and get great photos...

Would like to join NG, but right now its practice practice practice... Doesn't mean that we cannot practise till we get to NG quality... Its more of the intermidiates like meeting and talking with people and having a lot of patience... We can practise that! :)
 

Interesting thread. I was fortunate enough to interview 2 NG photographers before, and it seems to me there is really no set way to get into that magazine. One of them regularly sent in his books and his updated portfolios for some time before they noticed him. But he didn't shoot for the magazine right away - they tried him out in small jobs in Traveller first before handing him a test assignment in the yellow-border mag. The other photographer belonged to the staff in the 80's I think, when he was noticed for his newspaper work. Whatever the case, to get an assignment from NG, you have to propose a damn interesting story idea to them and then prove to them that you're good enough to tackle it.

Nevertheless, I asked a fellow Filipino photographer who succeeded in getting an assignment from NG Traveller. He moaned and said: "To get an assignment from National Geographic, you need to be 'white'".

I'm pretty sure he didn't mean white - WHITE... he just meant that there really is some sort of discrimination involved. Come to think of it, can you name any homegrown Asian talent who was pulled out of his country to do an assignment for NG? Chien Chi-Chiang is a New Yorker (I think), while Mike Yamashita sounds more American than Japanese when he speaks. Why do Steve McCurry and R. Ian Lloyd shoot OUR countries, instead of our local big guns?

I guess the gist of it would be: It's possible, but its gonna be verrrry difficult for a local to shoot for NG.

But hey, if you're ballsy enough to take on the challenge, maybe you do deserve to be in that mag... :)
 

WHITE? WHITE LENS? L? Canon? : P

juz jokin!
 

I wonder if it's easier to join Magnum instead... :think:
 

had the thought b4, but come to think of it, the expenses are heavy...may have to travel here and there very often (not sure whether NG will sponsor u)...also, it'll be very difficult to get NG to notice you..and their standards are very very very high...
haf to practice for months, maybe years before i can even dream of joining NG.. :nono:
 

devilicboy said:
had the thought b4, but come to think of it, the expenses are heavy...may have to travel here and there very often (not sure whether NG will sponsor u)...also, it'll be very difficult to get NG to notice you..and their standards are very very very high...
haf to practice for months, maybe years before i can even dream of joining NG.. :nono:

if u r commissioned by NG to shoot an assignment, then they will sponsor u, based on a daily rate of USD450.
 

is interesting to see others ppl view, pls keep them coming in..

a super tough job to get in but it would be good to be in there and is also good, for us singaporean to get in, make us proud.

do keep your views, comment etc etc. come in..
 

zaren said:
if u r commissioned by NG to shoot an assignment, then they will sponsor u, based on a daily rate of USD450.

it's not that much money though...
 

XXX Boy said:
Pls dun flame me, as this is my view of many Singapore photographers.
Many would wannna act pro when they are not, they would see what the pro use then they follow blindly and buy those equipments. A big big DSLR and big big lenses hanging on their necks makes them a 'pro'. But the problem is does they take the pictures as good as the real pro? That is a big big question mark and only they themselves will know!

you are totally out of topic dude....
read the title carefully
 

XXX Boy said:
Pls dun flame me, as this is my view of many Singapore photographers.
Many would wannna act pro when they are not, they would see what the pro use then they follow blindly and buy those equipments. A big big DSLR and big big lenses hanging on their necks makes them a 'pro'. But the problem is does they take the pictures as good as the real pro? That is a big big question mark and only they themselves will know!

well... perfection comes wif practices...
 

not likely, at least within the next 5 years. look at any pro's shots, there's usually a style, a unique style. if the photographer is famous enough, like ansel or edward, u can easily notice his style from his photographs. most likely it's going to take me the next 10-20 years to develop a unique style of my own.

~MooEy~
 

Well, as with many things, it depends on grabbing opportunities.

I don't think just being armed with good photography skills will end you a job with NG. It depends very much on about to get them to NOTICE you (as Conan's post has pointed out), and that will require connections of sorts.

Think again: what is the motive of getting into NG? For personal fame and glory and achievement? Or to show the rest of the world stories and pictures that will otherwise never be seen?

I believe a lot of us belongs to the former cateogory (me included)...but I have a conviction that with all things, photography included, we should aspire to go beyond personal glory.
 

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