Sure there are many other newswire photography blogs out there, just to mention the Denver Post’s Photo Stories, Boston Globe’s The Big Picture, The Atlantic’s In Focus or the Los Angeles Times’ Framework. But even closer to the craft of the working lensmen and lenswomen are the dedicated photographers blogs by Magnum and Reuters. Great way to spend time online.

Take Magnum’s recent entry on Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk’s cremation ceremonies by Johan Vink. Most of the images are taken with the Sony RX1, in timeless black and white, in the great tradition of photo reporting.

What newswire still produces black-and-white photography?

As you know Magnum Photos is a photographic cooperative owned by its photographer members. That shines right through the Magnum Photos Blog. It’s also a way to get better access to new work and engage with it to integrate the community.

Looks like Magnum photographers, such as Steve McCurry with his Power of Play, decide themselves what’s shown on the blog and that they read it, meaning amateur and enthusiast photographers can get in touch with leading pros by simply posting a comment.

Magnum Photos Blog brings high quality snippets, tidbits and glimpses of moments not found anywhere else. Entries are mostly on the artful side, technically however not always in the league of what you’d expect from mighty Magnum — whereas the Reuters Photographers Blog‘s strength is unpretentious visual storytelling.

Accompany, for instance, photographer Goran Tomasovic documenting deadly sniper fire in the Syrian civil war.

War photographer Tomasovic reports from the front in a Damascus neighborhood, witnessing the slaying of a rebel by a sharpshooter. Not every photographer’s preferred operation area.

Says Tomasovic:

The other day there was a rebel next to me who was struck by shrapnel. The rebels and the government forces are close enough to be throwing hand grenades at one another. You can hear them shouting at each other.

Be it Magnum or Reuters, on either blogs you’re mostly shown wide angle territory. Well it also comes as no surprise that you’ll hardly ever discover an awarded photo shot with a tele lens. That’s just the nature of good photography that gets under the viewer’s skin.

Now and then photographers talk a a little about their work on mentined blogs. But both websites are mainly about photographers’ interpretation of the world’s peoples, events, issues and personalities. Mostly inspiring, stirring, excellent stuff.

Still, the Magnum blog isn’t updated as frequently, but more diversified by offering subcategories such as the magnificent Featured Essays.

I have both sites bookmarked. A solid way to start the day with.