Søren Pagter

Since 1998 Photographer, Søren Pagter, has been instructor and the head of photojournalism at The Danish School of Media and Journalism.

In this film, Pagter shares and discusses with us several exceptional student work examples. He also shares his eclectic and valuable insight to photojournalism, as well as the criteria involving the rigorous selection process of perspective students.

Coaching, teaching and inspiring the young students of photojournalism fulfill Pagter completely. It is an ever-changing developmental process that challenges him, presenting him with new perspectives, on a daily basis. He believes that photojournalism is much more than the daily news picture or the traditional portrait.

Pagter goes on to further discusses in detail that, parallel to the development of photojournalism, photographs have become an increasingly important part of journalistic communication. Photojournalism is no longer limited to traditional news photos or portraits with the aim of showing what a person looks like. Photojournalism has attained a status where it is used, discussed and evaluated on par with other forms of journalism.

The genres and working methods of photojournalism are not clearly defined and photographers use terms like documentary, portrait, illustration, and feature indiscriminately although these terms may have a different meaning in the context of photojournalism than in other areas of journalism. The lack of proper terminology makes it difficult to discuss and write about photojournalism for media workers as well as those outside the trade.

Photojournalism has a variety of possibilities for story telling. Different genres, various styles and lots of media platforms that can be divided into two genres: portrait/illustration and feature/news. The main distinction between the genres is the degree to which the photographer has actively framed the photograph. In other words: The degree to which the genres allow for stage-managing.

Pagter strongly believes that photojournalism is an important language and a viable media of the future. He continues to teach this doctrine to his students, producing international award-winning photographers from The Danish School of Media and Journalism, year after year.