Vegard Sletten:
Chairman of the Norwegian Press Association

It is very common to talk about journalists and press photographers as two different groups. But the truth is that photographers are as good journalists as anyone. The writing journalist and the photographer probably use different means of expression. But the decisive thing for both is whether they are real journalists - with a sense of the current situation and with the ability to make it come alive for the readers, regardless of whether it is the word or the image they use to convey their impressions. No one can then doubt that a photograph can often tell much more about something that has happened, than the reportage in words with which it goes together - in other words, the photograph is high-class journalism. But no one becomes a good press photographer just because they have journalistic flair. The press photographer must have his technique in a way that is completely unknown to the writing press, and he must be nimble on his feet - and just as willing to act quickly and efficiently as his colleagues. Clever press photographers have certainly not come to their results while resting on their laurels.

Now, anyone who is a journalist himself will not feel sorry for them for that reason. But he will be happy every time a flash shot from a press photographer puts the finishing touches on a reportage. And he would want to go to an exhibition like this in the hopes of being able to find that the competition between photographers is as great as ever and the capacity for renewal just as vital.