Excerpted from The Image, Deconstructed

Photographer Thomas Boyd:

Some time has passed since that day. The photo ran double-truck in Sports Illustrated, it’s won some awards, and a 40x60 print hung at Pro Photo Supply in Portland. I went on to be The Oregonian’s Timbers beat photographer after they entered Major League Soccer. I shot over 30 Timbers games in 2011. I know this is just a sports photo. It’s not going to change anyone’s life or make the world a better place. Even so, I think it ended up being a moment in Portland’s history when the city believed that Major League Soccer could work. It has historical significance.

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While I shoot a ton of sports, I don’t consider myself a “sports photographer.” Even so, I feel compelled to stick up for sports photography. I know that most of it is completely trivial in terms of its role in the world. I learned from watching my kids’ basketball games that struggle, triumph and growth are the subtext for every contest. No game is trivial to the athletes playing it, and it’s up to us to tell the story.

I also have to mention that shooting as much sports I do really helped me make this photo. I don’t think there’s any better way to fine tune image-making skills than to shoot sports on a regular basis. It helps me see and compose quickly. I helps me run my gear in an intuitive way. And when a photographer shoots a lot of sports, they get better at seeing the peak of a moment and they have the timing to nail it.

I bring that up because I’ve seen some photographers act like shooting sports is beneath them in some way. My message is that there's no shortcut to achieving what you want with photojournalism, other than paying your dues and doing the work.

Learn more about Thomas Boyd, how he made this picture, what it's like to shoot MLS games and his approach to photojournalism.

Excerpted from The Image, Deconstructed:

Photographer Alex Boerner:

There wasn't much complication in this situation, but I think that was because there was a lot of communication beforehand that everyone was comfortable. This assignment, in particular, was pretty straightforward. For both the nurse and for Marian, it was pretty much business as usual. Our presence didn't really change that dynamic.

In delicate situations, I think communication with the subjects is key. Discussing the reasons why you want to photograph someone is a good place to start. It lets people understand why they are important, what your ideas are and if possible, what the outcome might be in regards to publication (a lot of people ask me what I plan to do with the photos). If they are on board, then they become invested in the process and you have made a connection with them through that understanding. From there, the connection can deepen as you move forward. And if that foundation gets established, you will be more likely to work openly and discuss important developments.

And even if all of that foundation is in place, they may always change their mind or become uncomfortable. That's their right. It's their life and their story, but if you've built a relationship then you can appeal your case more effectively. This happened to me during another story. I got shut out at a critical time while photographing a woman who was pregnant and going through treatment for breast cancer simultaneously. She decided to go through with the pregnancy, despite the advice of some doctors. I was with the couple when she went into labor and was planning to photograph the birth when the mother changed her mind about me being in the delivery room with them. I was disappointed, but that's her right, however I remained at the hospital. Less than an hour after the birth, she began to feed her new daughter with her one remaining breast. I was outside the room, but able to convey the significance of the situation to her husband, who talked to her and then she let me in. I had a really good relationship with the husband and throughout the story, he and I talked about certain things that I photographed. I would like to think that those past discussions led to him having a better understanding of why it was important for me to be there after their daughter was delivered, since I couldn't be there during the delivery.

In addition, it's about building a rapport and trust. I try to be open about my personal life because this exchange is not a one-way street. I can't expect them to open up to me if I'm not willing or able to open up to them. Finding ways to connect helps build those trusting relationships that lead to more honest photos. Sometimes it comes easily and sometimes it can be difficult.

Learn more about Alex Boerner, his approach to photojournalism and how he made this picture on The Image, Deconstructed

Excerpted from The Image, Deconstructed (TID):

TID: You mentioned before that you went you through a bit of culture shock and sleep deprivation? Can you more talk about that? I imagine at times it was if you were going through boot camp as well.

CRAIG: To make the best images, I needed to live my life as Ian was living his, which involved culture shock and sleep deprivation. The first week of processing and basic training were the worst. With the drill sergeants yelling through the constant marching, exercise and 30 seconds to eat, I understood why some recruits questioned their decision to join the army.

TID: Were there any moments of conflict while shooting, and if so, how did you handle it?

CRAIG: In Iraq, Ian was assigned to the Quick Reaction Force, which responded to emergencies on and off the base 24/7. So when there was an attack, instead of taking shelter in the bunkers, we jumped in the vehicles and sped toward it.This could be stressful but my moments of conflict had little to do with photographing soldiers on the front lines or working in a hostile environment. Instead, my difficulties were with people who didn’t trust “the media” or understand what I was doing. There were a number of people who told me they didn’t want to be photographed. If those people were important to the story, I would take the time to explain to them the story’s mission and why their role in it was necessary.Those moments, though, were few and far between, and I always found that an honest conversation was the best remedy for potential obstacles. Ultimately, the people who were most important to the story understood it and were okay with being part of it.

Learn more about Craig Walker and his work on The Image, Deconstructed

Explore the full project from the Denver Post - Ian Fisher: American Soldier

Excerpted from 'The Image, Deconstructed':

Photographer Joshua Trujillo:

I am from a culture where elders are respected. So when I saw a woman who looked older than my own grandmother, yelling and choking from the pepper spray, my heart skipped a beat. I quickly gathered myself and walked toward her to document the aftermath.

At that moment, the protesters were not thrilled that I was there. I was being yelled at, told to “get out of here,” and shoved. Ms. Rainey, who was choking from the effects of the spray, actually mustered up enough energy to swear at another reporter who was asking if she was okay. Ms. Rainey was a mess. She was coughing and having trouble opening her eyes. She had a milky solution splashed in her face and was now agitated, along with the rest of the crowd.

Reading body language is important in situations like these. But in this case, words were also exchanged suggesting I was not welcome there. There was quite a bit a swearing and some shoving from the people escorting her away. The scene moved fast and emotions were high as people coughed and struggled to breathe. But as I see it, the potential news value and uniqueness of the situation overrode the subjects' desires at that moment.

I keep a list in my head when making photos in sensitive situations, especially ones where I am not sure I am welcome. News value is at the top of that list. The unique nature of a scene is probably the second element I consider. Coming in third place is compassion for a subject. I always try to work with compassion. A subject's desire to control the situation, and in effect control me, is much farther down the list. So that never really factored into my decision-making that night. I knew I had something unique, but I didn't realize how the image would later explode.

To learn more about Joshua Trujillo and his image of Dorli Rainey, visit 'The Image, Deconstructed'.

Excerpted from 'The Image, Deconstructed':

Photographer Rob Finch:

In this photograph, Lovelle is drinking the lethal barbiturate that will end her life. I am trying to make this photograph as unobtrusively as possible. I am damning the sound of the shutter – which sounds more like a boom than a click. I suppose I was tense. I did not know what was going to happen. Would she die immediately? Would she throw up? Would a family member try to stop her? Looking back, it still gives me chills. I have photographed death in many different situations – natural causes, epic acts of nature, violence – but this was a totally different experience. This was the actual act of a person ending her own life. I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around it.

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The reality of any intimate story is that you must give of yourself if you expect people to open up to you. It's simple advice but difficult to do. You are there because of your job. They are living their real life. If you are not empathic to them, you will never gain access to their lives. Those feelings must be real and genuine. You cannot fake it. Never think about your subjects as compositional elements. Respect them. Give of yourself. Treat them how you want to be treated. It's basic life stuff and they teach it in preschool.

To learn more about Rob Finch, Lovelle Svart and his approach to telling her story, visit 'The Image, Deconstructed'.

As the holidays rapidly approach, I was struck by this frame shot by William DeShazer of the Chicago Tribune for a story last Christmas Eve on children who had to spend the holidays in the hospital. As a parent, the thought of having a child in the PICU is awful...even more so if the stay were to fall over Christmas. The picture was posted today on 'The Image, Deconstructed', which examines the mental approach behind photographs and frequently shows how a situation unfolds for a photographer by including frames surrounding the final edit. I find the posts to be great reads for photographers and fans of wonderful photojournalism. To learn more about DeShazer and how Loretta Brenzek is doing now, check out 'The Image, Deconstructed'.