Visual information news and information for the U.S. Navy public affairs and visual information community. This edition focuses on what the MC needs to know when working with still photos. Let us know what you want to see in future editions by emailing the staff at [email protected]
Text of Navy Imagery Insider Summer 2013
U S NAVY OFFICEO F IN FORMATION NI L NISI VERUM AMERICAS NAVY: A GLOBAL FORCE FOR GOOD703.614.9154 Full story on page 5 NAVYIMAGERYINSIDER Summer EditionFor members of the PA/VI community DAY INTHEL IFEOFA N AVYIM A GE
AMERICAS NAVY: A GLOBAL FORCE FOR GOOD [email protected] Problems with Your Photo Submissions? Update your email to send to [email protected] By Oscar Sosa, Still Photo Editor I f you are having problems sending email to [email protected], you arent alone. The email account has been moved to another Navy Marine Corps Intranet server. While the move considerably improved our access to the account and our ability to work after hours and on weekends, some of our contributors are having problems sending email to the new server. If youre one of them, you most likely need to clear [email protected] from your cache, which is directing your email to the old server. On a Navy Marine Corps Intranet computer: 1. As you type the [email protected] address in the To: field, delete the address after it autofills. 2. Keep the email window open. 3. Go to the Global Address List and select [email protected] 4. Your email to [email protected] should now go to the new server. If you still cannot send emails to [email protected], you may need to contact NMCI. In the meantime, you can use [email protected] However, use the Gmail account as a last resort. We prefer to receive images in the [email protected] email account. If you need to use the Gmail account, please make sure that you contact us at 703-614-9154 between 6 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EDT Mondays - Fridays, or send an email to [email protected] mil, [email protected] or [email protected] after sending imagery to the [email protected] address. Remember do not send images to [email protected] since the email account is no longer active, and do not send image files to our individual email addresses; it will clog our mailboxes and bring the process to a screeching halt. DIRECTORS CORNER We have all heard the expression You cannot win if you dont play. Many equate that phrase with the 176,000,000 to 1 dream of winning the Power Ball lottery. Just ask Gloria MacKenzie, the 84-year-old widow in Florida, who recently received a lump sum payment of $370.9 million before taxes after winning one of the largest Power Ball jackpots in history. She played and won. What does this have to do with Visual Information you say? For me, the results of Military Photographer of the Year 2012 competition were underwhelming; why? Because, I have first- hand knowledge of what our mass communication specialists are producing every day. The quality of the work is further evidenced in the content that is submitted every year for what was previously the CHINFO Merit Awards now the Russ Egnor Media Awards Program. I do not wish to take anything away from those who won, but I am saying our MCs are more than competitive; we need to submit our content to win. Whats the big deal anyway, right? Its just a competition. We are not here to win awards; we are here to tell the Navys story. True, but that argument undervalues what our MCs do. We are here to tell the Navys story and we should be challenging ourselves to achieve individually as professionals to continuously improve as communicators. The result is a better public affairs community supporting the Navy team. Competition breeds exceptionalism. The MCs strong suite this year was the Military Graphic Artist of the Year competition, where MC2 David B. Danals placed 1st and MC1 Chad D. Runge placed 2nd overall. Thats awesome! I encourage everyone to visit the MILGRAPH site at http://go.usa.gov/jjZY to see examples of their work. It is not too soon to begin planning now to compete in CY 2013 judging held in March 2014 particularly when access to web-based awards programs can prove problematic for our deployed communicators. Bookmark the VIAP page on the DINFOS website for up-to-date information on the entire program. Go to http://go.usa.gov/jjZQ. DIRECTOR Christopher Madden DEPUTY DIRECTOR Paul Taylor LAYOUT/ART Director Tim Mazurek EDITORIAL Editor Jason Kelly Staff Writers Lt. j.g. Eric Durie MC1 (SW/AW) Arif Patani Margaret Reborchick Oscar Sosa Contributors Mary Calvert Randall Greenwell MC1 (SW/AW) James Stilipec USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Media Department Navy Office of Information Pentagon RM 4B514 Washington, D.C. 20350-1200 Office: 703-614-9154 DSN: 224 Download Insider at: www.slideshare.net/NavyVisualNewsService http://issuu.com/NavyVisualNewsService
AMERICAS NAVY: A GLOBAL FORCE FOR GOOD703.614.9154 3 InsiderPerspective Photo Illustration by Tim Mazurek | Photos courtesy of Mary Calvert and Randall Greenwell Working the Speed of Life In todays high-speed, post-it-now environment, photojournalists face increased pressure. Shrinking ad revenues have caused newsrooms to reduce their staffs. At the same time, anyone with a smart phone can capture breaking news and share it with the world before a professional photographer can even reach the scene. We asked two professional photographers Mary Calvert, who worked as a staff photographer for 11 years for The Washington Times and now works as a freelance photographer and Randall Greenwell, director of photography for The Virginian-Pilot to share their insiders perspectives about the state of professional photography today. 1. What do you see as new trends in photojournalism and how do you apply them to your projects? Mary Calvert I see new trends in shooting styles and more multimedia. I always try to be true to my subjects and tell their stories the best way that I can. I avoid gimmicky ways to shoot like tilting frames and lots of blurry stuff. I am a photojournalist, and it is not about me; it is about the people I photograph. Randall Greenwell The news cycle is much faster today. We have to do a great deal of planning and logistical support to get photos and multimedia published in minutes instead of hours. We have always been focused on a very thoughtful, documentary style of news photography, so it has taken some workflow adjustments and a lot of schedule juggling to ensure we can meet the demands for fast and still have the time for good. 2. How do you prepare for projects before you snap the first frame? Mary Calvert To prepare for a new project, I do exhaustive research online on the country I will visit and non-governmental agencies that may be working in the region. I also look at as many news stories about the topic to see what has been written and photographed on the subject. Then, I make my travel arrangements. Before I travel, I make contact with the people on the ground who may be of service like drivers, fixers and translators. I visit medical to get any medications or inoculations I may need. When I arrive at the destination, I secure any documentation that may be needed by the government for me to work as a journalist.
[email protected] AMERICAS NAVY: A GLOBAL FORCE FOR GOOD Randall Greenwell We have a meeting that we call the maestro where we bring all of the players in and talk about what we want to accomplish. The writer, the photographer, the designer, the online producer and the various editors bat around ideas on how best to tell the story. Well come up with a list of items that were shooting for and figure out timing and deadlines. The photographer and picture editor will research the possibilities, make contact with the subjects and start ticking the visual elements off the list. 3. With quality in mind, what is the most critical element to consider when photographing? Mary Calvert I shoot with a clean camera and lens and the lowest ISO needed for whatever light. Randall Greenwell I think the most important thing is an understanding of the subject and the story. When you know what it is that youre looking at and you understand the significance of each moment, youre able to make more thoughtful and evocative images. This helps the reader feel more immersed and more informed. 4. The editorial process is difficult. How do you pick and choose which images to use? Mary Calvert At the end of every shooting day, I unload all the IDs and notes from my notebook into the caption/metadata area of Photo Mechanic, ingest my discs and then do a first edit. I look for pictures with good light and compelling moments. I like frames with emotion and interesting compositions. All the while, I am picking story-telling frames. My goal is to advance the story with each picture. Randall Greenwell For a daily assignment with one or two photos, I look for the images with the greatest intersection of storytelling and craft, with an emphasis on storytelling. When you have that one chance to communicate the message, you have to be very practical and get it in one frame. When Im editing a project where more space is involved, I can be a little more relaxed with the edit and allow different images to play different roles. So I might include an image that doesnt pull a lot of weight in the narrative but is just really amazing to look at or helps to transition me to the next situation. In the end, an image needs to inform or entertain or surprise me. The best do all three.
AMERICAS NAVY: A GLOBAL FORCE FOR GOOD703.614.9154 5 5. What is the best advice you can give to a new, young or aspiring photojournalist? Mary Calvert The best advice I can offer a young photographer is not to look for a short-cut to success. Be kind to people on the way up and dont be [arrogant]. Work hard. Always have a personal project to work on. And really, just keep shooting, look at lots of pictures and get to know other photographers. Never be stingy with your knowledge. Learn
