JOUR 5030 - Visual JournalismClass Notes
January 29, 2009
Three Fundamentals:◦The ‘Holy Trinity’ of Photography
Composition Focus Exposure
Don’t get bogged down by the technology is an enabler
Remember: You’re a journalist – Don’t get caught up in the moment
Learn how to use your camera◦ Find the manual
Shoot, shoot, shoot: It’s digital!◦ Change settings◦ Experiment
Become hypersensitive to all your surroundings
Use natural light whenever possible Get up close Don’t be shy!!!
http://www.j-learning.org/present_it/page/how_to_take_pictures_for_online_use/
When you look through the lens, what do you see?
Keep it simple◦ Ask yourself: ‘Is there too much in this frame?’◦ Single ideas, simple images are often the best
Remember, we’re talking about VISUAL communication.◦ Just like verbal communication, if you talk too much,
sometimes people don’t listen or the words become white noise
What are you trying to say? What is your point?
Here’s what you should do:◦ If you can move around objects, do so.◦ If you can’t, figure out a way to focus on a single object◦ Narrow down your ideas
With portraits:◦ Make sure what you see through the viewfinder is
focused on the subject Frame your shots
◦ Look at all elements in the picture◦ Tendency is to just focus on the subject◦ Scan the rest of the frame the image, and see what’s
relevant
Photographs are two-dimensional. To make images more real and alive we try to
give the illusion of depth. Helpful hints: avoid shooting people up against
a wall, pull them away from the wall, have them stand with a room or field behind them.
Light the subject or have them be the brightest object.
Or, if you're shooting a building, shoot it at an angle (from the corner) and have some branches be in the shot - close, yet out of focus (to add an element of foreground depth).
http://photoinf.com/General/ITRC_UMT/Composition_Basics_-_How_to_Get_Good_Pictures/Composition_Basics.htm
Foreground - the part of the photo that is closest to the camera - the branches in front of a park scene.Background - the part of the photo that is farthest from the camera - the mountains behind a park scene.
http://photoinf.com/General/ITRC_UMT/Composition_Basics_-_How_to_Get_Good_Pictures/Composition_Basics.htm
Portion of the photograph that is in clear sharp focus.
How much of the picture is crisp?
To get lots of the photo in focus have lots of light and have the subject farther away from the camera.
You may want to have a shallow depth of field (only the subjects eyes in focus, for example) then you would decrease the light and move the subject closer to the camera.
Can you guess which part is the Depth of Field?
http://photoinf.com/General/ITRC_UMT/Composition_Basics_-_How_to_Get_Good_Pictures/Composition_Basics.htm
Aperture:◦ Also known as “F-stop”: the higher the aperture
(e.g. F22) is used, the picure will contain a large depth of field. That means the images in the foreground, middle
ground and background will appear sharp Focal length:
◦ The long the focal length (50mm on a 35mm camera) the smaller the depth of field will be.
Distance from the subject◦ Close up photos = Narrow depth of field
LargeDOF
Wide AngleLens
Large Distance to Subject
Big F-Stop
DOF SmallDOF
Long Lens
Small F-Stop
Small DistanceTo Subject
Low Light
BrightLight
ShortShutterSpeed Long
ShutterSpeed
Variety adds to your photograph. The subject should be the lightest area of
the screen because our eyes are drawn to light.
The background behind them should be darker.
Placing the sun behind you will assist you in getting good lighting.
http://photoinf.com/General/ITRC_UMT/Composition_Basics_-_How_to_Get_Good_Pictures/Composition_Basics.htm
The amount of light entering the camera Proper light makes your best pictures A picture looks its best with proper light and
exposure. Automatic exposure will adjust the amount
of light entering your camera. Try manually controlling the lights and
exposure to see how you can improve your photos.
http://photoinf.com/General/ITRC_UMT/Composition_Basics_-_How_to_Get_Good_Pictures/Composition_Basics.htm
You want to avoid “surprises” in the background
Learn to see what the camera sees
Fill the frame Tells a better story Focuses the eye on
what YOU want the viewer to think is what’s important
Visual Weight◦ Consider all elements of the photo
Color, texture, brightness: What’s grabbing the viewer’s attention?
Yellow flower against the dark background is better than a yellow background
Be aware of the lighting Extremely bright/dark backgrounds
Be conscious of how images may be cut off
Positioning of main focal point of image Balancing image, light, background, colors,
textures
http://photoinf.com/General/ITRC_UMT/Composition_Basics_-_How_to_Get_Good_Pictures/Rule_of_Thirds.htm
Don’t shoot pictures from the same height◦ Shoot low, get high◦ Get close: Shoot from different angles
Reflections
Lines
Shadows
Great Portraits: http://greatphotojournalism.com/Portraits-2.
html Listen carefully Observe
◦ Capture details: Gestures, figures of speech, clothing
Write so that you appeal to all five senses:◦ Bring the character to life
Recreate the scene◦ Show people as they are◦ Show how they interact with others
Do your readers know why you’ve written this profile?
Have I revealed anything about the subject no one else knows?
Do I capture my person in a real-life setting? Professional setting? Family? Recreational?
Have I balanced the mundane with the spicy? Juicy?
Have I revealed the turning points in a person’s life?
Do I have enough quotes from the person and from other interviews to make this story compelling?
Have I done enough research on this person to ask the right questions?
What’s the most obvious question I FORGOT to ask?
Types of Interviewsa) News: talking to an expert for a specific storyb) Personality: seeking to reveal the character and
personality of an individualc) Symposium: talking to people participating in a
seminar, forum or workshop
Getting people to talk◦ Finding common ground◦ What’s a good icebreaker?
Be conscious of the environment/the setting◦ Where you interview someone, sets the tone
of the interviewFinding the right person to interview
◦ The right person: everything flows; the wrong person, you’re searching for questions
Maintaining control- Stay alert – avoid the rambler- Don’t be afraid to have them slow down
Types of questions◦ Close-ended v. Open-ended◦ Keep them simple!
What makes a good question?◦ ‘how’ and ‘why’◦ The more specific, the better◦ Ask yourself: ‘Is this question appropriate for
the source to whom you’re talking?’◦ Watch your tone
BAD: ‘You’re known as being a real loud mouth’ GOOD: ‘Your critics say you are really loud all the
time’.
What makes a good question?◦ ‘how’ and ‘why’◦ The more specific, the better◦ Ask yourself: ‘Is this question appropriate for
the source to whom you’re talking?’◦ Watch your tone
BAD: ‘You’re known as being a real loud mouth’ GOOD: ‘Your critics say you are really loud all
the time’.
What’s a bad question?◦ Two-part questions◦ ‘What ifs’ / hypothetical◦ Apologetic, “I’m sorry I have to ask you this,
but how old are you.”
Set up a flow of questions- From broad to specifics, from business to personal
Taking Notes◦ Create your own shorthand◦ Consider spelling words without the vowels
The actual quote “The man in the car looked like he was never going to stop.”
Without vowels: ‘th mn n th cr lkd lk ws nvr gng to stp.
◦ Immediately following the interview. Stop. Sit down. Review your notes. Fill in the blanks
of incomplete words. Place asterisks next to really good quotes and/or information you intend to use in the story.