Welcome to the February 2004 issue of The Digital Journalist, the monthly online magazine for visual journalism.

Two years ago, after 30 years of covering the White House for Time, I moved to Texas to start a second career as a professor for photojournalism. In many ways, it was a coming home for me. The first big job I had in the profession was as a staff photographer for The Dallas Times Herald. I have always looked back fondly on those years. Texas, and Dallas in particular was in a period of explosive growth, both economically and culturally. These were the "Giant" years, and to a young photographer, it was an exciting place to be.

Another easterner who transplanted himself from the canyons of New York is Michael O'Brien. Michael fell in love with Texas when he photographed a story on Willie Nelson for Life Magazine. He and his wife moved to Austin, and he started to photograph stories for Texas Monthly and its talented Art Director DJ Stout. Out of this collaboration, Michael spent the next few years traveling the state and photographing its people. His wife, Elizabeth, a former Life reporter, interviewed the subjects, and has produce a book, The Face of Texas, which we are proud to present this month as our cover feature. We especially commend to you the streaming video interviews with Michael as he talks about his experiences photographing the people of the Lone Star State.

While Michael O'Brien was busy compiling his Texas portraits, Allan Tannenbaum was going through the work he had done as a photographer for New York's SoHo News in the 70s. This was the era of an explosion of alternative culture, and the proliferation of huge discos. Allan had a ringside seat, and we present excerpts from his new book "NY In the 70s." P.J. O'Rourke provides an introduction.

We devoted our Dispatches section this month to the primary in New Hampshire, and John Kerry's astonishing rise. David Hume Kennerly takes us behind the scenes of the frigid madhouse, while David Burnett recounts how he has resurrected the classic news camera, the 4x5 Speed Graphic to provide a fresh look for the pages of Time Magazine, and Polaris photographer Adam Nadel gives us an overview of what has become a crucial contest in American politics. Tom Hubbard submits a thoughtful essay on what all this means in They Call It Photojournalism. Ron Steinman, who ran the NBC bureau in Saigon during the Tet offensive comments on the age-old question "should journalists in a war zone carry weapons?"

NFL photographer David Drapkin tested the new Canon EOS 1-D Mark II at the Super Bowl and reports on what he found in our camera corner. The Mark II is the highest speed digital camera on the market.

During this year's Fotofusion at the Palm Beach Photo Workshop, legendary photo agent Eliane Laffont offered advice to young photojournalists who wanted to know what they should do and say once they managed to get an appointment with a magazine photo editor. Eliane provides her Don't Do list. We recommend that students and young photographers would do well to pay attention to her advice.

Bill Pierce devotes his Nuts and Bolts column this month to how photographer Johathan Elderfield managed to turn his study of the streets of Philadelphia into a book. Jim Colburn muses about the new stratification among photographers which determines who has to shoot Digital and who doesn't. Terry Heaton is in with another part of his outstanding series about TV In the Post Modern World.

The February edition of Assignment Sheet features three journals that seem to have a weather thread running through each of them, although weather isn't the main theme.

Mark Neuling, a video photojournalist for TechTV, covers technical subjects and talks about "THE THINGS I LOSE SLEEP OVER." Last month, while those of us in the northeast were digging out from under several snowfalls, Mark and a reporter were taping a segment about an inflatable surfboard on a Pacific Coast beach. In the course of action he lost a wireless transmitter in the surf. His title refers to his feelings about that. But, you may be pleased to discover what it was that he did lose sleep over.

Susan Markisz is a seasoned newspuke, covering stories as a NY City based freelancer. Her journal, "DEADLY QUIET" covers some results of the brutal cold that has gripped New York and its environs. However, in attempting to cover these tragedies, she ran afoul of law enforcement imposed censorship that severely restricted her ability to act as a responsible journalist. There will be many readers who will be able to share her frustration.

Dick Kraus, retired staff photographer for Long Island's Newsday, reaches into his bag of past experiences to recall a humorous episode while covering a visit of Pope John Paul. Read his "THROUGH A LENS DIMLY" reminiscence, "A PAPAL BLESSING."

A reminder: We are less than 3 months away from our 2004 Platypus Workshop at Brooks Institute in Ventura California. We urge those of you who would like to attend to get in your applications as soon as possible. Next month we will also be announcing the 2004 Advanced Platypus Workshop, which will start in late June.

A lot of readers have been asking if we were planning to offer Digital Journalist and Platypus memorabilia for sale. This month our gift shop debuts, and we will be adding new merchandise in the months to come. Let us know if there are particular items you would like to see us stock.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Dirck Halstead
Editor and Publisher
dhalstead@dvnetwork.net

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