An e-mail leaked final week, seemingly despatched to the Guardian’s newsdesk by a anonymous aggrieved photographer, reads:
“Please can we cease referring to photographers as “snappers”. I am positive it is no person’s intention however it’s demeaning, devalues our visible journalism and is demoralising for the images workforce. For those who can kindly assist me to unfold the phrase? Many thanks.”
It is unclear who leaked the e-mail, however they’ve definitely helped the author to unfold the phrase, as it has been doing the rounds amongst amused journalists – or “journos” and “hacks”, as we frequently name ourselves.
Many photographers confer with themselves as “snappers”, not contemplating it a pejorative time period. Wedding ceremony photographer Lottie Anderson describes herself as a “completely happy snapper”, which means somebody who takes as many footage as potential throughout a shoot.
UK photographers additionally confer with themselves as “shooters” (it is unclear whether or not our US counterparts do the identical, however it could be ill-advised). We aren’t unused to sending ourselves up: there is a Fb group for feminine photographers referred to as Shoots Like a Woman whose members confer with themselves humorously by its acronym as “SLAGs”.
Some phrases for photographers akin to “pap” might undoubtedly appear extra demeaning – so some photographers would possibly agree that “snapper” is derogatory too. However for a lot of, it merely acts as a extra colloquial various. You would possibly even say that it is… look forward to it… snappier
The Guardian is the main liberal-left broadsheet newspaper within the UK, and can be thought of one of many main liberal-left information sources in America.
The Guardian didn’t reply to a request for remark.
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