Photojournalism or press photography is a particular form of photography where images are created to deliver news in order to tell a news story, which is the truth and not made up. It is very different from other forms of photography. The images taken in press photography are quick, have a meaning in context to when they have been taken, and they depict the reality and give insight to the viewer. Photojournalists are specially trained photographers who carry all the necessary equipments with them and they are sharp and fast enough to capture the image as and when the moment arrives. They take more risks than any other photographer does as they rarely have the option to stand back or wait until the dangerous parts of an event are over. The practice of illustrating news stories with photographs was made possible by printing and photography innovations that occurred between 1880 and 1897. Since the late 1970s, photojournalism and documentary photography have increasingly been accorded a place in art galleries alongside fine art photography. Luc Delahaye, VII Photo Agency and Chien-Chi Chang are among many who regularly exhibit in galleries. Photojournalism works within the same ethical approaches to objectivity that are applied by other journalists. What to shoot, how to frame and how to edit are constant considerations. The emergence of digital photography offers whole new realms of opportunity for the manipulation, reproduction, and transmission of images.

Photojournalists tell stories through their pictures. The work requires journalistic ability combined with technical skill. There are a great variety of subjects and locations and the timings may be irregular. They cover various subjects such as the life of prison inmates or drought conditions in a state or schools at work in different places and so on. The hours of work are irregular and they have to be sharp enough to choose the best shots of an event or subject.

Photojournalists work for newspapers and news magazines that commission them to provide photographs of newsworthy events, things and situations. Photojournalists combine an ability to find and record dramatic action with photographic talent. The job requires ability and may often be carried on in hazardous situations. A high level of observation and alertness is required in the field. News photographers must not only be good with a camera, but also understand the story behind an event so that their pictures match the story. They must be decisive in recognizing a potentially good photograph and act quickly to capture it.