News Photography for Non-Photographers

Photography or journalism?

What is the difference between:

A photographer, and

A photojournalist?

What makes a good news photo?

Improves understanding – adds to story Helps readers know their community Tells a story without words Gives context Timely – not yesterday’s news Useful - Readers can use the

information in the photo Unique and compelling

Tips Close-ups vs.

landscapes

There is emotion in this photo above, and it gives context to the story.

At left, if you snapped the whole troop, the story would be different

Action, action, action Get people doing

something Show the essence

of their action and emotion

Photo above about a bridge that flooded illustrates the point by showing action

Inaction, inaction, inaction Mug shots are

boring! Unless they show

emotion, tell a story Sometimes they

ARE the story; e.g., candidate shots

Can be overdone -- 41 mug shots in Thursday’s New Vision!

Does the police chief’s picture advance the story about arrests after the riots? (Sunday Vision)

Check-passing photos …… or in this case, chick-

passing!- Does the photo give

any information?- Does it illustrate the

main point of the story?

- Remember the reader!- If the chicks had

escaped, that would be a great picture!

Tips: It takes time

Good pictures rarely just happen

The photojournalist who took this picture waited hours for just the right moment …

How could this have been better?The article was about why kids want to

be leaders. The boy at left is Head Prefect at his school. He talked about why he campaigned and why he likes being a leader

•Does the picture help me understand the subject of the article: leadership?

•Does it add to the article?

•Does it tell a story by itself?

•Does it tell me more about the boy than what he looks like?

More tips

Take your camera everywhere you go Shoot from the hip, literally Be spontaneous Put the subject in the front Make the subject comfortable Never take pictures of people’s backs, unless

that’s the story Capture the essence of the task Take more pictures than you need Use a simple, clean background Use a sequence of photos

News shots that tell a story

Ask yourself what the story is really about

For example:•Football fan when a goal is scored•Storks and kids on garbage pile•Wrinkles on an old farmer’s hands

What story does this picture tell?

Lines-only photos Produce great visuals to reflect

community, but don’t need a written story

Entire story is contained within the picture

Can use on a page with stories that don’t lend themselves to photos

Are VERY compelling to the (lazy!) reader

Issues: To snap or not to snap Those gory images – how much is too much

Dignity and respect in death Does it offer insight, context, perspective? Or just

drama? Describe what the reader is seeing in the caption

What’s wrong with staged photos? Doesn’t tell a story Panders to interests

Ask why you are taking this photo Is it for the reader or the subject?

Boring, a waste of space Space is valuable

Taking a picture to show you were there

Issues: Dealing with the subjects

Objections: who has the right to object In public places Asking permission Politicians, public figures

Weighing news value vs embarrassment Is it fair? Context Your friend asks you to – or not to When the subject asks for money

Issues: Accuracy - again

Captions are important Writing a good caption

Tells what the viewer is seeing Can add information to the image and

story Get the details and names right

That’s all!