"Among the stand-out results, we found a significant decline in the number of photographers working full-time in photography from 74% of respondents in the first survey in 2015 to 59% in 2018. The report is based on four years of surveys with photographers entering the World Press Photo Foundation’s annual photo contest. The data has been analyzed by a team at the University of Stirling in Scotland, one of the UK’s highest ranked journalism departments. Over the four years of our research, more than 5,000 photographers from over 100 countries and territories participated in the surveys that form the basis of our study. We found that more photographers are working as stringers and a greater proportion, close to 40%, admit their financial circumstances are “difficult” or “very difficult”. In an age where nearly everybody has a camera in their smartphones, in which copyright is often not respected, and in which traditional media organizations have been struggling to survive, it seems photographers are finding it increasingly difficult to make a living. Photographers are having to be more flexible, engaging in different kinds of work from teaching and exhibitions to portraiture and crowdfunding. Respondents in the survey said they were increasingly being required to shoot video even though they far preferred stills photography. Almost 40% of the photographers who participated in the research were required to take video as part of their work. They were also more likely to be part of a multi-media team." (Adrina Hadland, Dec 12, 2018 at https://witness.worldpressphoto.org)