3.4.1. Photojournalism & Storytelling Assignment

Welcome!

06:00

Reminders & Important Dates

• The home page & resource page has guided notes, study guides, vocab list, & quizizz reviews!!

• Remember to use YOUR own ORIGINAL photos! You should be taking new photos for each project!

• Today: Photojournalism Assignment
• 4/25: Work Day
• 4/28: Unit 3 Test
• 4/30: Unit 4 begins

Review 3.3.2.

• Abstraction occurs in art when an artist uses a recognizable subject but portrays it unrealistically.
• 🔥Abstract photography portrays a recognizable subject unrealistically to express ideas and emotions.
• How to identify works of abstract photography
• Tips and techniques for capturing abstract photographs

3.4.1.

Photojournalism:

Capturing a Visual Story

Start

3.4.1.

Learners can...

• Define journalism
• Explain the purpose of photojournalism
• Categorize ethical and unethical practices in photojournalism
• Describe the job of a photojournalist
• Identify the skills and qualifications required to become a photojournalist

Today you will also complete a photo story assignment.

Print and broadcast media would be incomplete without photographs.

Photographs narrate stories of people, society, and their surroundings and contribute to the world of journalism. These images must be accurate, informative, socially relevant, and convey what is happening at a particular moment in time.

What sets the photographs in the gallery apart from other photography types covered in this unit? Did you notice anything common to all the images?

What is photojournalism?

🔥Photojournalism is the process of narrating a story using the medium of photography as the primary storytelling device. While it is a form of journalism, it is different from reporting, and while it is a form of photography, it is different from capturing other types of photographs. 🔥Today, photojournalism can cover a broad spectrum of topics including:

• Current events in politics
• Sports
• Culture
• Climate
• Conservation
• Human rights
• Other issues of social interest

Photojournalist:

Pete Souza

The Purpose of Photojournalism

Imagine if a local newspaper were to print an article about a protest without any photographs. In such a case, many readers might only skim the article without really thinking about it. Some readers might overlook the article entirely. 🔥Photojournalism acts as a medium to engage readers, or viewers, delivering information about real-life events occurring in the world around them. It tells news stories mainly through pictures, using little or no text.

Observe the photograph above. It depicts people coming together to support racial equality and stand up against injustice and discrimination.

Goals of Photojournalism

Profile of a Photojournalist

A photojournalist is a person who captures photos of news events. While journalists narrate stories using words, photojournalists tell stories through pictures, helping people visualize what is happening in society. 🔥Photojournalists are often present at sports events, political events, government events, and political gatherings. Margaret Bourke-White, one of the earliest female photojournalists, is pictured at right.

🔥Qualities of a Photojournalist

Here are some things you need to do to succeed as a photojournalist:

• Always be prepared. You may need to work on a job on short notice, such as when an area is hit by a natural disaster.
• 🔥Be unbiased. Show all aspects of a story, and aim to present the objective reality of a situation.
• Research your subjects to capture a scene that accurately communicates what is happening.
• Keep yourself informed about current events.
• Stay up-to-date on new tools that can help you capture eye-catching, impactful photographs.

Interactive question

🔥Ethics

Photojournalists also act as visual journalists who bring textual information, images, and graphics together. Photographic and video images can reveal great truths, expose wrongdoing and neglect, inspire hope and understanding, and connect people around the globe through the language of visual understanding. However, photographs can also cause great harm if they are callously intrusive or if they are manipulated. Photojournalists are responsible to society. Therefore, they must adhere to a code of ethics when photographing or recording subjects. 🔥Ethics are the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.

Ethics

The code of ethics of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) states, "Visual journalists operate as trustees of the public. Our primary role is to report visually on the significant events and varied viewpoints in our common world. Our primary goal is the faithful and comprehensive depiction of the subject at hand. As visual journalists, we have the responsibility to document society and to preserve its history through images."

🔥Some of the major principles a photojournalist must adhere to include the following:

• Maintain accuracy while representing subjects.
• Always present the truth. Do not manipulate or show bias or false claims.
• Respect and be considerate toward subjects being photographed.
• Never accept gifts or favors from people who might be trying to manipulate the truth with their influence. Likewise, never offer gifts or favors to subjects or other people in return for information.
• Respect other photojournalists, and behave professionally at all times.
• Preserve the authenticity of an image. Do not edit it in any way that hides or alters the truth.

🔥Categorize practices as ethical or unethical in the context of photojournalism.

Ethical

Unethical

Skills of a Photojournalist

A photojournalist needs to be skilled in both photography and journalism. In addition to having a professional degree and technical photography skills, it is necessary to have the soft skills that are desirable in most professions. Some skills a photojournalist should possess include determination, dedication, flexibility, resourcefulness, creativity, patience, concentration, and attention to detail. Photojournalists also benefit from being outgoing, communicative, and ready to take up any challenges that come their way.

Photojournalist of the Year, large market: John Thompson, a close friend of Philando Castile, castigated St. Anthony police for the death of his coworker, a person he called a "brother." Photo by Richard Tsong-Taatarii of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Read More, Learn More

Keep abreast of news happening around the world, particularly in your area of interest. A well-informed photojournalist can grasp a situation to produce impactful photographs.

Work on Your Frame

Practice capturing photographs from different angles and distances to determine what suits a particular situation best. Focus on the subject, and avoid cluttering your frame with too many people or objects. To do this, either take a close-up or crop the photograph. Professional photojournalists often use telephoto or zoom lenses to capture their subjects. Ensure that your image frames are unique so that they stand out from the crowd.

Find Your Light

Shooting under time and location constraints means that the quality of light may be insufficient, be excessive, or vary constantly. Practice adjusting your camera angles and perspectives to capture the shot with the appropriate exposure and the correct amount and quality of light.

Keep Steady

You may find yourself taking photographs of subjects at sporting events or rallies that involve a lot of movement. Using stabilizing equipment, such as tripods or other supportive structures, will help you capture perfectly focused shots.

Practice Communicating

As a photojournalist, you will often visit unfamiliar places and interact with people you do not know. Practice your communication skills to become comfortable with interacting with new people, asking them questions, and gathering information from them. While interacting, be sure to be polite and considerate and not invasive of someone's privacy.

Qualifications Required to Become a Photojournalist

It is recommended that photojournalists have proper training and education, although it is not essential to have a college degree specifically in photojournalism.Many colleges and universities offer degrees in photojournalism. In addition, a college degree in photojournalism can provide opportunities to connect with mentors who have worked in this field and to develop a portfolio. There are also certificate courses for those who do not want to pursue a degree. A self-taught photojournalist could have a bachelor's degree in another subject, such as anthropology, economics, foreign languages, international relations, political science, psychology, or sociology. These areas of study can help give context to a scenario. Self-taught photojournalists can acquire work experience by doing internships at newspapers or magazines and by doing freelance work. Work experience is essential to building a good portfolio and getting more photojournalism jobs.

Summary 3.4.1.

In today's lesson, you learned:

• Photojournalism and its purpose
• The ethics of photojournalism
• The skills, qualities, and qualifications required to be a photojournalist

In an upcoming lesson, you will learn about pet and wildlife photography.

Questions?

Please answer the survey question before you head out. Have a great rest of your day!