Member of the Month June 2021 Carl Stein
What was your last position and who was your employer?
My last position in 2014 was really my first full time position in 1974.
in the beginning, new film cameraman/ film editor for WCKT-TV in Miami
which is now called WSVN. 2014 retired from CBS where I was an ENG
photgrapher/editor at KCBS/KCAL - TV in Los Angeles.
When did you become a PPAGLA member?
I have been a member since 1993.
Please share some career highlights:
I started my first full time gig in Miami in 1974 after graduation from University of Florida
in 1973…with a broadcast journalism degree…and with no j-o-b, no experience.
moved down to Miami and volunteered to intern at the local CBS TV station, just to
get a sense of how the real work world operated. then, heard about a news camera
position open at the NBC station and went over just for the interview experience…
I had no resume… but, four interviews later had talked my way into my first job!
that turned into a 40 year career.
What advice do you have for students and those hoping to become photojournalists?
It takes both hard work and a commitment to learning…I’m still learning. today especially,
technology keeps evolving and your skill set needs to evolve and grow as well. but most
importantly…be it still or video, every picture…every frame is about storytelling. those skills
transcend generations…they are a constant and the foundation for any career in photojournalism.
it’s your eyes and ears that lead you to that moment…then you react…you capture…and, then
are charged with the task as to how to best communicate those images. you cannot think it
routine for one minute…and, often you may be asked to not only produce the image(s) but
write the story as well. writing is a mountain you can climb...all building blocks to success…
one day a stepping stone to the next. that’s what shapes and defines you…that in time…creates your career.
What is something you know now that you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?
Starting out…I wish I had know about a group like PPAGLA…even NPPA…to see great work and send
my learning curve higher than it already was at with the pros I was fortunate to work with in Miami.
What is your favorite part of being a PPAGLA member?
My favorite part of being a member was the honor of being on the Board and helping boost the video
component of membership as well as the video contest rules.