Yesterday, we learned about the deep and severe cuts that happened at two storied publications, The Washington Post, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Unequivocally, these cuts further harm not only the journalists, photographers, and others directly affected, as well as their families, but also hurt society at large. At a time when the erosion of truth, and the overwhelming need of truth in journalistic photography, is omnipresent in our media and culture, we need more, not fewer photographers and journalists of the exact mold that were so unceremoniously laid off. In total, the entirety of the staff photographers at the Washington Post were let go, as well as 8 of the 14 photo editors. These numbers are more than sobering, they are shocking.
We share the sentiments of our colleagues and friends over at NPPA who have been at the forefront of these issues as visual journalists have been attacked from all sides in recent weeks. And we stand ready to help not only these affected photographers, but also stand up for the rights of all visual creators as they are assailed near-daily.
The news, editorial, or documentary photograph is the distillation of truth. Without images so much of our history would be lost and both the horrors and triumphs of life would go unnoticed. We need look no further than the current events taking place in Minnesota and around the country to know with immediacy how vital these journalists are. The work of the photographers at the Washington Post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was (and remains) important to us all, and the world is now poorer for these short-sighted and harmful decisions.