Bethany Baker
Verified
As seen in:
The Salt Lake Tribune,
Miami Herald,
The Charlotte Observer,
The Sacramento Bee,
Kansas City Star,
Lexington Herald-Leader,
Thrive Global,
Arizona Daily Star,
The News & Observer,
Omaha World-Herald,
Tacoma News Tribune
and
Covers:
Daily news, breaking, drought in the American West, public land and water issues, sports, features
Visual journalist for @sltrib with interest in water, public lands. Fmr @coloradoan @billingsgazette Dog mama & outdoor junkie in the West IG: bethanybakerpics
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
I was hired as a visual journalist for The World, a daily newspaper in Coos Bay, Oregon.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No, I haven't actually. I have developed images in a darkroom though.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means being an advocate for the truth, fighting misinformation, and holding people and agencies accountable.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Photoshop, Photo Mechanic, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Lightroom
Why did you become a journalist?
I fell in love with photojournalism while studying the 1950's and 60's, often referred to as the Golden Age of photojournalism.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, I actually didn't start working for a newspaper until I went to college.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be persistent. Find solutions. Proofread. Then proofread again. Spend time developing sources. Find mentors.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I'm most likely hiking with my dog or on a paddle board.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
It is that all we do is hit a button, or that we are *just* photographers. We are journalists, and do so much to capture the right images.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.