What is a pool photo?
November 22, 2011 11:17 AM Subscribe
What does it mean when a newspaper photo caption says "pool photo?" This is a New York Times article with an example. Thank you!
Pool photos are generally used if only one or a few photographers are allowed into an event (usually because it's sensitive -- say, a funeral -- and not really suited to a ton of cameras descending upon it), then the photog(s) share, or "pool" the photos with various media outlets. Hooray, news jargon!
posted by dekathelon at 11:22 AM on November 22, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by dekathelon at 11:22 AM on November 22, 2011 [5 favorites]
The photo you linked is probably a pool photo because of the radiation situation; it would be too risky or cumbersome to admit a gaggle of photographers.
The real importance of the "pool" designation, though, is how rarely it appears in top newspapers like the NYT. From the NYT's perspective, ideally, every photo would say, "Rembrandt Q. Einstein for the New York Times," indicating that a photographer on assignment for them took the picture. Second best would be pool photographs (which indicate that there were NYT staff on scene, but a non-NYT photographer took the picture), and finally third best "wire" photographs, from a service like Reuters, AP, Bloomberg, AFP, etc., which could come from anyone.
posted by wnissen at 12:21 PM on November 22, 2011
The real importance of the "pool" designation, though, is how rarely it appears in top newspapers like the NYT. From the NYT's perspective, ideally, every photo would say, "Rembrandt Q. Einstein for the New York Times," indicating that a photographer on assignment for them took the picture. Second best would be pool photographs (which indicate that there were NYT staff on scene, but a non-NYT photographer took the picture), and finally third best "wire" photographs, from a service like Reuters, AP, Bloomberg, AFP, etc., which could come from anyone.
posted by wnissen at 12:21 PM on November 22, 2011
To get more specific for a person to be part of the pool distribution list they need to have a representative there.
Example that happens often: a court case. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal are covering a case. The judge only allows one still camera and one video camera into the courtroom. That creates a pool situation where one photographer goes in shoots it and shares it with the other media outlet(s). Now if the next day only the Wall Street Journal showed up to shoot the trial then there is zero obligation to share the images because the New York Times didn't send a photographer and therefore they weren't eligible to be part of the pool. As for who goes in to shoot it, in that situation it's just either whoever shows up first or whoever feels like it.
In other situations preference for pool shooters is given to major outlets and local outlets first. Smaller wires and papers get access to the pool if they send someone.
posted by WickedPissah at 8:35 PM on November 22, 2011
Example that happens often: a court case. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal are covering a case. The judge only allows one still camera and one video camera into the courtroom. That creates a pool situation where one photographer goes in shoots it and shares it with the other media outlet(s). Now if the next day only the Wall Street Journal showed up to shoot the trial then there is zero obligation to share the images because the New York Times didn't send a photographer and therefore they weren't eligible to be part of the pool. As for who goes in to shoot it, in that situation it's just either whoever shows up first or whoever feels like it.
In other situations preference for pool shooters is given to major outlets and local outlets first. Smaller wires and papers get access to the pool if they send someone.
posted by WickedPissah at 8:35 PM on November 22, 2011
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Sometimes for lesser events, a group of news organizations take turns covering. That's particularly common for TV. Everyone gets to use the footage, not just whoever it was that happened to be there that particular time.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 11:20 AM on November 22, 2011