Daily Journal lays off photographers, will give cameras to reporters

The Los Angeles Daily Journal had two staff photographers, Todd Rogers in San Francisco and Robert Levins in LA. They have been cut loose in favor of freelancers and pictures taken by reporters for the legal paper. New cameras are on order, editor David Houston says in his note to the staff this morning.

All,

I have terminated our staff photographers in Los Angeles and San Francisco.. Starting next week, we will use freelancers and photos taken by reporters.

We will use outside photographers for some potential display stories and for profiles, especially of small law firms and of GCs. Take your own judge profile photos. All freelance photography requests go through me.

I have ordered new cameras for all of the offices. They should arrive next week.

Today, please send Caitlin Johnson any outstanding photo requests you have. She will do an audit of which photos have been taken. I will assign a freelancer for the rest. Please bear with us during this transition.

Finally, thanks to Todd Rogers and Robert Levins for their service to the company. They have been great colleagues and they will be missed.

David Houston

The Daily Journal has been struggling with the business model like most print papers. A few years they did away with copy editors.