PHOTOGRAPHY, and worse photojournalism, were this week ranked among the worst careers based on stress levels, pay and working environment.
In the survey, by job site CareerCast.com, the job of a photojournalist was ranked only marginally higher than that of a dishwasher.
But on our weekly feature, Through the Lens, Archant Suffolk photographer Su Anderson, proves there is excitement, adventure and plenty of variety in the job.
She looks at the highlights of her week, and offers tips to anyone looking to develop their photography skills.
This week, Su said: “It’s not often that you walk into to a farm shop and find a man behind the till wearing a home made Batman costume.
“Frank Peacock, who works for Birchwood Farm Shop in Dedham, is dressing in one of three Batman costumes for 24 hours a day from April 1 to June 16, except for 120 minutes a week.
“A court granted Mr Peacock two hours a week with his two-year-old son and Peacock is trying to raise awareness of the Father 4 Justice campaign that helps dads like himself deal with custody battles.
“It is hard to take such a funny sight and compose a photograph that also conveys the gravity of the situation the subject was in. I had him holding a sack of potatoes, a reporter’s idea, and tried to show him looking strong but not looking like silly.”
• Tip- Keep in mind the comfort level of your subject if he or she is holding something hefty. I told Peacock repeatedly to take a break from holding the sack if he needed to.
On a more serious assignment, Su covered the High Sheriff awards recently.
She said: “The laws in England don’t allow photographers into courts (which is quite different in my native US). My first chance into an English court came when the new High Sheriff Sir Edward Greenwell was sworn into office.
“I didn’t need to be at the court so early, but I had time and I am intensely curious at what goes on inside - I had a million questions about the wigs! I couldn’t photograph the actual ceremony but I had a photo opportunity at the end.
“I was able to capture a cute moment between Sir Greenwell and his grandson Theodore Logan, four, who gave his grandfather a portrait he drew.”
• Tip- You shouldn’t even point a camera into a court in England because you could get in trouble. Outside the court is where you’ll sometime see the press waiting for people accused of committing offences to emerge.
Share your favourite photos at suffolk.iwitness24.co.uk
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