Photojournalism is more than just pretty pictures ... it's hard work

Dear photojournalism students:

Let me start by saying this: Journalism is hard work but experienced journalists make it look relatively easy. To be a part of the media (or marketing team), it takes a different kind of caring about the world we live in; a certain way of seeing our communities as a whole; and a big thirst for knowledge and curiosity that drives our pursuit of justice and truth.

 

As far as visual journalism goes: that takes a whole new skill level. Photojournalism means being able to quickly read a room and know when a moment might happen. It means knowing when to capture that moment when it does happen. 

You also have to make that moment look good, and that’s when an instinctive knowledge of how to manipulate exposure control and composition matters.

 

Let me tell you what photojournalism is not: grip and grins, static images of things, quick snapshots, cutting off body parts, too much sky and ceiling, shaky videos, bad audio, missed moments.

 

It’s also not documenting the backs of people, or people just standing around, or people eating and drinking. It's not taking a photo of someone giving a peace sign or waving at the camera.

 

Those are the common issues amateur photographers make when they first start out, which is why you take classes like photojournalism. Let me assure you that there's a limited chance that you will become a strong image maker in just four months ... but it’s a start. 

This class also gives students a basic knowledge of their  ethical and legal boundaries and responsibilities, and that's just as important as making the image.  

 

My goal is to expose you to a different way of thinking and seeing. This course gives you a starting point, and through experience you will improve along the way. Some of you won’t go any further than what you are forced to do here. But some of you will take what you’ve learned and expand on it, and, hopefully some day, share your honed skills with the world.

 

You need to know that it took me years to develop my writing, photography and audio skills, so throughout the semester I expect you to make mistakes, get confused, become frustrated and have panic attacks. All I ask is that you do your best with the limited tools you currently have.

 

So, in your future, when you fall down, get back up and try it again. Keep striving to learn more, do better, continually educate yourself every step of the way. I’m learning all the time, even at my age, and I still fail.

 

Photojournalism is an honorable civic duty that is pretty much a calling. Sure, it’s tough out there right now – newsrooms are being taken over by greedy hedge funds that only care about profits and power. But your generation should fight back because without a free, robust press, we wouldn’t be America  – we wouldn’t be free to expose corruption within our government and business community. We wouldn’t be able to educate the masses about important issues like global warming, voting and civil rights, diseases, etc. etc. That’s our job, as journalists and photojournalists.

 

Throughout this semester, I want you to post your assignments as if you were a working journalist. Your website was built to be your portfolio and to showcase what you’re capable of. So, I really hope you continue to post on your social media well after this class is over.

 

Remember this: If you have AP style errors, misspellings, bad punctuation, weak story leads and crappy photos throughout your posts … well, I wouldn’t hire you, and neither will anyone else.

 

Again, photojournalism is more than pretty pictures ... it's hard work but well worth the effort.

Teaching photojournalism: New year, new textbook, same enthusiasm

It is another year and a new semester, and I couldn't be more excited about getting back into the classroom and back to the roots of what I know - photojournalism. 

I've been teaching photojournalism for more than a decade, and have had to adjust to small and large changes in technology and career expectations over the years.

One of the three biggest changes is requiring students to shoot assignments with a smartphone camera. I really struggled with that change, but it has come to the point when most students don't have access to a DSLR/mirror camera. However, every one of them has a phone with a camera, so they all are able to participate in creating real photojournalism assignments that will be a part of their visual portfolio. 

Although smartphone photography is a directive, I still teach the basics of photography: ISO, shutter speed and aperture controls. I also encourage students who have DSLR cameras to use it for at least one assignment, as long as those cameras have manual mode. Students need to be able to shoot completely on manual so they control light, depth of field and motion. As for the smartphone, they are required to download the Yamera app, or any app that allows them to control the camera settings on their phone. They need to understand how photography works, no matter what kind of camera they use.

There is now an expectation that, at some point in their journalism or communication career, these students will provide their own visuals. In the old days, we either worked with visuals or words. Unions rules, for the most part, kept our skills separate. But those days are gone, and now even audio reporters at NPR are shooting/producing videos and TikToks to tell their stories.

Speaking of TikTok, the second change is that I've added that platform to the curriculum. Even though the U.S. Senate is working to ban federal employees from using TikTok on their government-owned devices, it's still a very important, influential platform. I've been teaching TikTok in the advanced classes for several semesters now, but it's time to add it to the photojournalism classes.

One of the social media platforms I considered removing from the curriculum is Twitter. With the new ownership of Elon Musk, Twitter is not as respected and trusted as it used to be. Claiming 'freedom of speech' issues, Musk has made dangerous, authoritative decisions to censor the press and promote disinformation in the name of 'free speech.' 

However, I still think it's an important way to engage, crowdsource and share content. In fact, I often use Twitter to search for journalists whom I want to have as guests on my two podcasts. Despite the diminished trust of that famous blue checkmark, and other concerning issues, I have decided it's too important to ignore. 

Last but not least, the third change is ditching my favorite, longtime photojournalism textbook, Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach, 7th edition, last published in 2016. Though much of the information is still relevant and timeless, like the two chapters dedicated to law and ethics, it's just too outdated for the modern world. 

The title of the new textbook says it all: Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World, by broadcast journalist and journalism professor Seth Gitner. It was just published this year and covers more than just the photojournalism field, like visual storytelling in entertainment and strategic communication. I can use that book for my other multimedia classes: integrated media at the University of Toledo, and fundamentals of new media and journalism and new media at Wayne State. One book for multiple classes - that's a big savings for students who take more than one class with me.

Because I'm only teaching three classes this semester (I taught four the past two semesters), photojournalism and visual communication and UT and digital photojournalism at Wayne State, I'll hopefully be able to write more posts on lesson plans and instructional how-to stories on this blog, so please subscribe!