Kenneth Jarecke in Medium

[Don Denton]

Kenneth Jarecke on work for hire, image quality and directors of photography:

'Very few photographers can produce meaningful work on a regular basis. It’s a rare gift, and technical advances haven’t increased the number of people who have this gift. Standards of excellence are a problem when you can’t afford to work with excellent people. Words like journalism, photojournalism, and reportage, are troublesome.'

https://medium.com/vantage/dumb-photos-for-dumb-people-2821a8f6b3a

[David Buzzard]

Jarecke is an great photographer, and did amazing work back in the day, but I'm getting tired of him bitching about it not being 1990 anymore.  As a 25 year veteran, IMHO, it's tough to be a photographer now, but it was tough to be a photographer back then too.  I make a pretty good living as a freelance photographer because I've been able to adapt to the situation as it sits today. 

[Amber Bracken]

...but I'm getting tired of him bitching about it not being 1990 anymore.

You've just defined my career to date but you can swap "1990" with "1980", "1970" or any other damn decade I wasn't here for. I hear the 1920's were a damn riot, but it won't ever be like that again (sarcasm). Looking backward will turn us all to salt.

[Warren Toda]

...or any other damn decade I wasn't here for. I hear the 1920's were a damn riot, but it won't ever be like that again (sarcasm).

Ah, but those were the golden years. Let's look at the highlight reel:


Back then, newspapers paid freelancers enough that they could buy a flashy new convertible every few years:


Freelancers Louis Turofsky (L) and brother Nathan Turofsky in Toronto, 1912.


You worked in a fast-paced, exciting newsroom:


Toronto Daily Star newsroom circa 1908.


You learned by working with talented photo editors:





Newspapers treated their staff to fun social events and parties:


Globe and Mail staff picnic, 1924.



Newspapers had their own company airplane:


Globe and Mail staffers prepare to board The Globe and Mail plane at Malton Airport, (Toronto).



Deadlines weren't so short and there was less rush to edit and transmit (and you could wear cool hats):


Toronto Telegram photographer Albert Van, circa 1930.



The papers made sure you always had the latest gear like this new strobe:


Photographer Lou Turofsky.


Back then, the high-tech pro cameras were so small and lightweight that it was easy to carry a couple of them around all day:


Photographer Nat Turofsky.


For potentially dangerous jobs like covering a violent demonstration, newspapers worried about your safety and made sure you were properly protected:


Photographer Nat Turofsky.


Press photographers were always welcome in the dressing room:


Photographer Nat Turofsky.


News photographers could always interact with pro athletes:


Photographer Nat Turofsky (R) at Toronto Maple Leaf baseball spring training, Florida.



Photographers could jump onto the ice to give NHL players some hockey tips:


Photographer Nat Turofsky during a Toronto Maple Leafs practice at Maple Leaf Gardens.


Photographers could hitch a ride with the Canadian army at any time although they might have to fight with other photographers to see who got front seat:





Photographers always got good photo positions at pro sports events:


Photographer Lou Turofsky covering a Grey Cup game at Varsity Stadium, Toronto.


Horse racing, Thorncliffe Park Racetrack, Toronto.


In fact, news photographers were so well respected that when celebrities came to town, they would take pictures of the photographers:


US comedians Bob Hope and Jerry Colonna take a photo of a Toronto press photographer.


Even dignitaries had to get a selfie taken with news photographers:


Governor General of Canada Lord Bessborough (4-L) and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario William D. Ross (6-L) pose with news photographers.



And of course, women were always immediately drawn to a news photographer:


Toronto Telegram photographer Nelson "Nels" Quarrington, April 20, 1924.


Globe and Mail photographer John Boyd(?) at the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, August 1, 1926.


Freelancer Louis Turofsky.



But sadly those days are gone, never to be repeated.

(All pictures from the City of Toronto Archives.)

[Jack Simpson]

Hi Warren,

Firstly, hilarious  and, secondly, it would be interesting if a current Toronto
photog went out and duplicated your series of pics     Of course, I realise that
the photog and the three Leafs might be a bit of a stretch  .

Cheers,

Jack

[Robin Rowland]

Great pix Warren.
When were the good old days?
Of course we forget that photographers eventually put the "quick sketch artists" out of work,  fast sketchers who would scribble a pix and send it back to the desk by copy boy (yes boy) before there was FTP.



University College, Toronto in flames, 1890, The Telegram



The aftermath, as it appeared in the Globe



The old Teley always liked fire stories. The Toronto Crystal Palace fire,  Oct. 19, 1906

Of course even when the papers were using sketch artists, there were photographers around for the aftermath