Chicago Sun-Times newspaper fires photographers, gives journalists iPhone photography training

Is your iPhone camera good enough to do the work of a high-end SLR with a professional photographer?

According to Electronista, the management of the Chicago Sun-Times think so – they’ve fired all of the 28 full-time photographers on their payroll.

Instead, the newspaper has begun providing its reporters with mandatory training in “iPhone photography basics”, with staff now responsible for photographing and providing videos for their stories, as captured on their iPhones.

However, news of the move has prompted an angry response in a blog post from former Sun-Times photojournalist Alex Garcia.

“The reason why this is bad management and not smart Machiavellian management is because although you’ve saved your bottom line, you’ve exposed your naked disregard for your customers,” Garcia says.

“The photographers they fired were not button-pushers, they were journalists and trusted members of their communities.

“Most Sun-Times photojournalists I knew, because of their decades of experience, were unsung journalists more than photographers. They knew how things worked and what made communities tick… By eliminating their deep knowledge, connection and trust to their communities, the Sun-Times has signalled to its readership that it doesn’t really care.”