25 Years of Being There: A Pictorial History from the Pages of the «Toronto Sun», 1971-1996

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“The ability to put oneself in position, regardless of the
consequences, to get that special frame is more than just a talent. It
is an attitude. All good news photographers have it. That is why on any
given newspaper, the photographers are the ones who stand out; they’re
the cool ones. They know it and they love the attention.” So writes
Len Fortune, the Toronto Sun’s design editor, in the foreword to this
collection of 25 years of Toronto Sun photography.

News photography is indeed a noble profession, but most of the photos
in this book depict scantily clad females and local sports heroes. To
fill in the gaps, there are numerous shots of cops, snowstorms, car
wrecks, glorious sunsets, foolish-looking politicians, and stupid pet
tricks.

Based on the contents of the book, here are some tips for those who
want to get their picture in the Toronto Sun. If you are a male athlete,
jump up in the air. If you are a female athlete, stand so that the
photographer can see up your skirt. If you are a left-wing politician,
get caught making a funny face. If you are a right-wing politician,
stand next to someone rich and laugh at his jokes. If you are visiting
royalty, stick out your tongue or get tongued by a llama. If you are a
traffic victim, find somewhere interesting to bleed. If you are an
award-winning writer, famous humanitarian, or serious intellectual, get
out of the picture.