It amuses me greatly that, on what must be practically thirty-five years to the day, I once again have the front page of the Sale and Altrincham Messenger. They've used two of my photographs from last Sunday's Frank Sidebottom statue unveiling! Hey, hey! I even got a byeline - and a link to my website - something we'd never heard of in 1978 - and although that's all well and good, and a boost to the ego and all that, I can't help thinking .. if the statue unveiling was such big front-page news .. why the bleedin' hell didn't the Messenger send a photographer?? I shake my head in disbelief!!
That day brought up another aspect of Press Photography that I hadn't thought about for a long time and that was .. how much I loathed being part of the 'Press Pack'! Every single photographer having to go for the same shot, and heaven help you if you threw in your two-pen'orth and suggested a different pose .. because all the other snappers would wolf down on you to get that shot as well! Now, ok, the guys have got to get the newspaper shot - I can the hear the picture desk rollocking they'd get if they didn't come back with it - but it was lovely for me on Sunday to be able to take a different viewpoint. I actually even heard one of my erstwhile colleagues call me an idiot for walking off and shooting from a different angle!
Baaaaa.....
Anyway, here's an interesting Post-Script: The picture editor of the Manchester Evening News - who I've never even met! - is leaving today and once she's gone .. the MEN is not replacing her. There will not be a picture desk at the Manchester Evening News! The 'paper's view of photographers has sunk that low! The times they are a'changing, and I'm glad I don't have to try to make a living from the press anymore!..
