About
Welcome to my blog about NGO photography. As the photo editor for a large NGO, I am often asked many questions by photographers, like how do you break into shooting for NGOs, how do you find work and what’s a standard day rate? To answer these and many more questions about shooting for NGOs, I decided to start a blog as a resource about NGO photography.
WHO IS THIS BLOG FOR?
Photographers wanting to break into NGO photography. Over time, this blog will provide a lot of information about how to break into this field: what you need to know, what skills you need to gain, how to build an NGO-related portfolio, and much more.
NGO photographers who want to improve their skills. We’ll cover a number of topics that will help you, especially how to find work.
NGOs who want help navigating the sometimes foreign world of hiring photographers.
UPCOMING TOPICS
We’ll cover a lot of ground, including:
- the four things I look for when hiring a photographer
- how to find work with NGOs
- how to market yourself to NGOs
- new skills you need to make yourself more marketable
- interviews with experienced NGO photographers
- equipment reviews related to shooting for NGOs
- and a whole lot more.
ABOUT ME
My name is Jim Stipe, a photo editor for one of the largest international NGOs based in the United States. I know NGO photography from both sides of the fence. As a photo editor for the past five years, I have the inside scoop on exactly what NGOs are looking for in a photographer and the types of photos that NGOs want and need. I also know how much NGOs do and don’t understand about dealing with professional photographers.
On the other side of the fence, I’m not just an editor sitting at a desk: I’ve also worked as a freelance NGO photographer for years, so I know exactly what it’s like to be on the other side, shooting for NGOs. I know the challenges photographers face in the field, the joys and difficulties working with NGOs and the stress of constantly looking for work.
I know NGO photography from both the inside and the outside, and I’d like to help other photographers build their skills in shooting for NGOs. I’m passionate about the ways photos can be used to make the world a better place, and I’d like to do what I can to help you create photos for NGOs that truly make a difference. I hope you’ll find my blog helpful to you as you use your camera to create a better world.
All the best,
Jim Stipe
Note: opinions expressed on this blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any NGOs that I worked for, either currently or in the past.
