Maybe one of the most sensitive subjects in the business but clearly one of the most crucial ones is the relation between the cameraman and the reporter. In News both are responsible for the end result of, most of the time, tiring hard work.
During the 18 years that I have been in the news business I got to know a lot of good and bad professional cameramen but also a lot of good and bad professional correspondents/reporters.
I found out over the years that the ones I have learned to respect were always the ones who had at least something nice in their personal character.
From my point of view the first rule, crucial for the best results, is mutual respect; when that is not there you will always see it at the end of the day in the story.
The job of the cameraman is as important as that of the reporter; there is a reason why in some countries the term photojournalist is used to identify cameramen. The cameraman's job is to try and tell the story through the pictures. Without good pictures to explain the story, it is hard to achieve a good piece; with bad pictures the words of the reporter will not do nothing to make it better.
It is therefore the responsibility of both the reporter and the cameraman to get along very well - ok that is sometimes mission impossible - but still it is not only worth it but a necessary effort to make.
No doubt when you first meet it will take time to get to know each other, but then be relaxed, do what the correspondent asks you to do, and slowly get to know the person you are working with. At the end of the day there are always these moments to get closer to each other; try to have dinner or a drink together, don't always talk about work but try to get a little on the personal level. Believe me the next day work is better and easier.
Unfortunately there are those in my family of colleague correspondents with whom this or anything else will never work. In the TV business many of those who appear on the screen believe they are of some special breed. When you are dealing with these kind of people try and ignore it and just do your job, think about the money they are paying you and get it over with, but still, at least try to do a good job.
You can and will always do a better job when you have a decent relation, not necessarily going to bed with each other, but still, there must be a contact without too great a distance.
Always try to have the correspondent explain to you what kind of story he/she is trying to make that day, but it will always help if you read the newspaper yourself. Be informed. And then, not always but while the story is being edited, show interest - even talk about it with your reporter the following day, show interest after the story is done. This will also bring each other closer as there is a common interest in producing a good story.
Teamwork is, in my humble opinion, the most crucial thing for best results. I fully agree that it is not always possible, but when you see a chance of getting there with your reporter do it.
And then you will work with much more fun and with better results.
TV business is a crazy and hard business - but once you are really in it you love it and therefore make something out of it. Do not complain about the long hours, do not complain about missing your lunch or even breakfast that day. Do not complain about having junk-food for a week, sometimes that is life in the business. At the same time it's not always like that. There are so many great moments - and also good restaurants - great things that you are able to experience which actually nobody else can. Enjoy it and try to do it together really with your correspondent. Then your pictures will continue to make the world we live in.
