[Leica] Ted on Bravo

[kargue at sympatico.ca (Kevin Argue)]

Ted,
         Watched the doc on Bravo tonight-- well done! Inspirational  
yet depressing. Inspirational
as it showed a body of great work from an era when it meant  
something. Depressing because
photographers don't count anymore. I live in the Niagara area and I  
have been a freelancer
since the 80's. Our work is disappearing just as the photo jobs are  
going. 9 staff photogs have
been eliminated in the last year. Newspapers no longer have  
photographers. Papers like the
Welland Tribune where Douglas Kirkland began had 2 photogs and 2  
freelancers have no
photographer just reporters. Niagara college has a journalism program  
that will cancel their
photo courses that are part of the program. Papers like the Hamilton  
Spectator and Toronto Sun
now have photogs carrying video cameras for the web pages or Sun TV.  
How can a still shooter
do video at the same time? Just today I learned that one of Canada's  
largest papers has a photog
at Blue Jay's spring training. The paper normally covers the complete  
preseason but this year
no money for travel. Wire photos only. Even when you get a hot photo  
there is no budget or no
room. In June 2006 I was the personal photographer for a Royal during  
a visit to Niagara. I had
exclusive photos! 3 local papers and the Ottawa citizen is the best I  
could do and for --$150.!!
I did better through my UK agent. Photogs are starving.
       Well done Ted!

Kevin Argue
St. Catharines, Ontario
Canada