This feature highlights visual journalists in small markets who often do it all on their own with little support. Nominate someone (or yourself) by sending an email to [email protected] with the subject line: Small market nomination.
Name: Joel Rosenbaum, NPPA member since 1986
Publication: The Reporter, Vacaville, California
Social media: @jbrosenbaum on Twitter and Instagram, Facebook
How long in the business: 30 years
Size of photo staff? One (Me)
Photo editor on staff? I guess since I am the only photographer, that makes me the photo editor as well.
Success can look different in most situations. What was a big success for you in this position and why?
When I first started at The Reporter 30 years ago, we had five full-time photographers, and we covered all of Solano County, from Vallejo to Dixon, and even made trips to the Bay Area to cover professional sports and news.
Over the years those numbers have diminished (either through retirements, layoffs or death), and I am now a “one-man band.” So our coverage area has shrunk, and my job responsibilities have grown. In addition to providing images for the paper, I am now responsible for setting the daily news budget, editing copy and writing the occasional story.
The fact that I have been able to change with the tide of journalism through all the layoffs, cutbacks and obstacles placed in our way and still feel proud of my work and the newspaper we publish is a big win in my book.
Why do you love photojournalism?
I fell in love with photography shortly after my dad gave me his old Nikkormat camera for my 13th birthday. He taught me how to take pictures, develop film and make prints, all in the darkroom that he had built in our home.
That love of photography grew into a love of photojournalism with my first assignment as a student at a community college. As I covered a general election night party, I found myself on the floor of a hotel ballroom, shoulder to shoulder with photojournalists whose work I admired. I felt a rush of emotion I couldn’t describe — it was in my blood from that point on.
To this day, I still feel that rush. Even on those days where I am searching for that elusive stand-alone feature image, I think back to that night and remember why I love photojournalism.
Contact info and website:
[email protected]
thereporter.com
More pictures below