us army photography course ss0516-a - introduction to special photographic assignments

8/14/2019 US Army Photography Course SS0516-A - Introduction to Special Photographic Assignments

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SUBCOURSE EDITIONSS0516 A

INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSIGNMENTS

EDITION DATE: SEPTEMBER 1994


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INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSIGNMENTSSubcourse Number SS0516

EDITION A

United States Army Signal Center and SchoolFort Gordon, GA 30905-5074

6 Credit Hours

Edition Date: September 1994

SUBCOURSE OVERVIEW

This subcourse presents you with information on how to accomplish specialphotographic assignments in photojournalism, group and awards photography,investigative photography, clinical/medical photography, and architecturalphotography. Topics covered include selection of equipment, lens, filmformat, and film. You will learn the professional way to approach anassignment from idea development and planning to layout of the finalpictures. Techniques for use in investigation and documentation photographywill be examined. In addition, this subcourse will cover perspectivecontrol in architectural photography when using the view camera.

There are no prerequisites for this subcourse.

This subcourse reflects the doctrine which was current at the time it wasprepared. In your own work situation, always refer to the latest officialpublications.

Unless otherwise stated, the masculine gender of singular pronouns is usedto refer to both men and women.

TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE

ACTION: You will identify and describe procedures for photographinggroups and awards ceremonies as well as investigative andclinical/medical photography.

CONDITION: You will be given information from TM 11-401-2, STP 11-25S13-SM-TG, and Photographer's Mate Training Series NAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83, MOD 2.

STANDARD: To demonstrate competency of this task, you must achieve aminimum score of 70% on the subcourse examination.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

Subcourse Overview .................................................. i

Lesson 1: Introduction to Photojournalism ........................... 1-1

Part A: News/Sports Photography ........................ 1-2

Part B: Picture Story ................................. 1-12

Part C: Photo Essay ................................... 1-22

Part D: Basic Photojournalistic Techniques ............ l-26

Part E: Photo Layout/Captions ......................... 1-37

Practice Exercise......................................... 1-47

Answer Key and Feedback .................................. 1-50

Lesson 2: Group and Awards Photography............................... 2-1

Part A: Formal and Informal Group Photography .......... 2-2

Part B: Recognition Photographs......................... 2-5

Practice Exercise ........................................ 2-15

Answer Key and Feedback................................... 2-18

Lesson 3: Investigative Photography.................................. 3-1

Part A: Aircraft/Vehicle Accidents ..................... 3-2

Part B: Criminal Investigations ........................ 3-5

Part C: Fire and Arson Investigations .................. 3-8



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Section Page

Lesson 4: Clinical/Medical Photography............................... 4-1

Part A: Types of Clinical/Medical Photography........... 4-1

Part B: Autopsies ...................................... 4-6

Part C: Photographing Surgical Procedures .............. 4-7


Answer Key and Feedback .................................. 4-14

Lesson 5: Architectural Photography ................................. 5-1

Part A: Types of Architectural Photography ............. 5-2

Part B: View Camera Operation and PerspectiveControl......................................... 5-6

Practice Exercise......................................... 5-13


Appendix: List of Acronyms........................................... A-l

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LESSON 1

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOJOURNALISM

Critical Tasks: 113-578-1005113-578-1011

OVERVIEW

LESSON DESCRIPTION:

In this lesson you will learn how to define an event as news, be given basicguidelines on how to obtain sharp images of moving subjects, and learn tochoose the best film and lens for news/sports action. You will learn totell a story with your pictures, using basic layout composition, ideadevelopment, research, and script planning. You will define a photo essayand a picture story. You also will learn various photographic techniquesthat lend themselves to portraying interpretive or subjective ideas.

TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

ACTIONS: a. Describe the qualities which define an event a snewsworthy.

b. Explain various methods which can be employed to obtainsharp images of moving subjects.

c. Identify lens selection for sporting events and variouspictures.

d. Identify the relationship of individual pictures to thecontinuity of the overall picture story.

e. Describe the four elements of layout composition anddescribe cropping and scaling.

CONDITION: You will be given information from TM 11-401-2, STP 11-25S13-SM-TG, and Photographer's Mate Training Series NAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83, MOD 2.

STANDARD: Photojournalistic techniques and development of a picturestory/photo essay will be in accordance with TM 11-401-2, STP11-25S13-SM-TG, and Photographer's Mate Training SeriesNAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83, MOD 2.

REFERENCES: The material contained in this subcourse was derived from the

following publications: TM 11-401-2, STP 11-25S13-SM-TG, andPhotographer's Mate Training Series NAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83, MOD2.

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INTRODUCTION

This subcourse will not turn you into a full-fledged photojournalist likeRobert Capa or Margret Burke White overnight, but it will get you started inthe right direction. Many people learn to do specific photographic jobstechnically correct. A school photographer may shoot hundreds of pictures aday against a fixed background with fixed lighting and exposure; or amilitary photographer may excel in recording damage to equipment; anothermay consistently produce aerial photographs with sharp detail. Are thesepeople only good technicians or merely good craftsman? Who then, are thephotojournalists?

These are the ones who can sense and capture the feeling and emotions of asituation and transfer them through his pictures to the viewer. A fashionphotographer can make you desire the latest style in a gown. The newsphotographer is able to capture and make you feel the tragedy of an accidentor the joy in the face of child. A combat photographer can make you feelthe anguish of war. These are the photojournalists!

Intangibles such as these mentioned are not learned in a short time.Indeed, they may never be developed unless you begin thinking aboutphotography in terms beyond the technical. To be successful you must study,develop skills, and be receptive, sensitive, and concerned. But above all,you must have a desire to share with and communicate to others.

Technical competence is necessary. The foremost requirement to be asuccessful photojournalist is to master your equipment and have it ready foruse at all times. These things, plus your imagination, are the means bywhich you can produce pictures that will be appreciated by a great manypeople and be satisfying to you.

PART A - NEWS/SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

1. News.

a. Qualities of a News Item. To consider an event or subject as newsor newsworthy, it must be of interest to the general public to which it willbe presented. That may sound simple enough, but in reality there are somespecific characteristics or qualities which separates a news item fromordinary information. Those qualities are:

(1) Immediacy (timeliness). This is why news is NEWS. People areinterested in current events. What happened today?

(2) Proximity. People are interested in what is going on in theirown community.

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(3) Consequence. Does it affect the majority of the people ratherthan just a few?

(4) Prominence. Relates to the greatness or notable recognition ofthe subject.

(5) Oddity. An unusual event that is inherently newsworthy. Manbites dog.

(6) Conflict. Depicts man against man or man versus nature and theelements.

(7) Human Interest. An event or subject that has emotional elementswith which the public can empathize.

(8) Progress. Good news that shows a change for the better.

b. Summary. One or more of these qualities should be present in yoursubject matter and pictures in order for them to be newsworthy. Often youwill have to draw on your power of observation, sensitivity, and imaginationto capture and communicate to your readers the essence of the event. Goodnews photographs do that and thereby leave an indelible mark on the mind ofthe viewer.

2. News Coverage.

News coverage is divided into three types:

a. Spot News. Spot news is an event that happens without warning.Most experienced photographers agree that a spot news event is the mostdifficult and nerve-shattering assignment. Why? Because they are rapidlyoccurring events with little time to think and a pressing need to get thenews out.

(1) Normally a spot news event requires that you work at top speedand under the pressure of a deadline. This is a time when mastery of yourequipment and technical competence is a key factor. Your own movement andcontrol over the subject may be limited; however, you are still expected toobtain complete coverage.

(2) Complete coverage may include long, medium, and close-up views.You may be limited to camera angle, choice of lens from your equipment bag,and the instant of exposure. Considering the environment of a spot newsevent, it may very well be the most difficult event to photograph.

b. General News. General news is usually an event that is scheduled

and for which you have time to preplan the coverage.

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(1) General news events may include sporting meets and ceremoniessuch as a change of command, awards, advancements, ribbon cutting, etc. Youwill know what, where, when, and who about the event and have some idea ofthe type of photographs needed.

(2) You will be able to roughly preplan the coverage, but maintainsome flexibility to decide the exact pictures to take during the event. Youwill probably still have a deadline to meet, but these will generally not beas short-fused, as those for spot news.

c. Feature News. Feature news is reporting on the activities of someperson, organization, or group that you have selected in advance. Sincespeed in publishing is not an overriding factor, a more in-depth story ispossible.

(1) More time is available to research the subject and gain anunderstanding of the elements. You can previsualize the entire featurewhether it be a single picture or a series of pictures.

(2) Ideally, you should compile a shooting script. A shooting scriptis a written guide you use for planning the coverage. Later in this lessonwe will discuss researching and scripting the shoot in greater detail.

3. Action and Sports.

a. Goal of the Photojournalist. When you photograph people in action,at work, or at play, the name of the game is anticipation, staying alert,and expecting the unexpected. Your goal is to capture the peak of actionor that moment which best imparts to the viewer the feeling or emotion youwant them to feel. Whether it is the precision movement of the post drillteam or that interception that won the championship, you want the viewer tofeel the intensity of that moment as if he were actually there.

(1) Action pictures of people. The best pictures of people willusually have action--implied or apparent. Action will enhance the emotionalmood and impact of your images. The action should be appropriate to thesubject.

(a) Even a posed picture can have action and interest. Avoiddull, static pictures of people looking into the camera. Plan and shoot foraction, such as shots of a speaker making gestures, audience's facialreactions, applause, people shaking hands, etc.

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(b) It is not easy to capture action in pictures because peoplehave a tendency to ham or look at the camera. By understanding theimportance of action in your pictures and the abundance of action availableeverywhere, you will soon become adept at recognizing and capturing it onfilm.

Figures 1-1 and 1-2 illustrates action pictures. In figure 1-1, thephotographer panned with the action which froze the player but blurred thebackground. In figure 1-2, the photographer kept his camera trained to theaction. A fast shutter speed froze the action in place.

Figure 1-1. Football action picture

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Figure 1-2. Baseball action picture

(2) Action pictures in sports. While photographing sporting events,most photographers concentrate on the obvious action; the jump shot inbasketball, the pass reception/interception or the tackle in football, orthe slide for third base. Don't miss those moments, but open your eyes andlook around. Catch the coaches reaction to a touchdown, the water personrunning the water bucket onto the field during a time-out or the tired slumpof the players' shoulders who are sitting on the bench. Remember, action isall around you. Refer to figure 1-3 for a crowd reaction shot.

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Figure 1-3. Crowd reaction shot in a sports event

4. Important Factors in Taking Action Pictures.

There are several things you must be aware of and take into yourcalculations when photographing subjects in motion: speed of the subject,angle of travel relative to the film plane, the subject's distance from thecamera, and lens selection.

a. Speed of the Subject. When the action you are photographing is

violent or rapid, problems may arise. The images may be blurred andunusable. You can eliminate or control blurred images by choosing theproper shutter speed to freeze and change the technique the action. Keepin mind that when you increase the shutter speed to stop the action, youwill need to adjust your f/stop in order to maintain the proper exposure.

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b. Angle of Travel Relative to Film Plane. Subject movement mattersmost when the subject of the photograph is traveling parallel to or acrossthe film plane. If a subject is traveling straight toward or away from thecamera at 50 mph, it will appear as if it is hardly moving and will recordas a sharp image on the film. This is true even at a shutter speed as slowas 1/60 of a second. However, if that same subject was traveling across thefield of view or parallel to the film plane, its speed would be quiteapparent in the blurred image produced on the film. To eliminate theblurring, you must use a faster shutter speed, such as 1/1000 of a second orfaster. Refer to the chart in figure 1-4.

c. Subject's Distance from Camera. You must also consider thesubject's distance from the camera. The closer a moving object is to thecamera, the faster the shutter speed must be to capture a sharp image. Forexample, an aircraft flying at a great distance can be captured as a sharpimage on film at a slow shutter speed, while the same shutter speed willgive you a blurred image of a plane flying much nearer the camera.

d. Lens Selection. Another factor that you must consider for actionshots is the lens selection. You may use a variety of lenses in sports andaction photography, depending on your distance from the action.

(1) For sports like boxing, wrestling, golf, or activities where youcan get close to the subject, a normal angle lens, or on occasion a wideangle lens, can be used.

(2) The preferred lens for field sports is the long focal length(telephoto or zoom) lens. By using a long lens, you can bring the subjectaction up close. The inherent shallow depth of field of these long focallength lens can also help you isolate the subject (separate it frombackground and foreground). There are technical problems which you shouldbe aware of when using a long focal length lens.

(3) Because of the shallow depth of field, keeping the subject infocus can be more difficult, especially when the subject is constantlymoving. Camera movement or shake is more pronounced.

(4) A rule of thumb which helps to eliminate this problem is to use ashutter speed which is the reciprocal to the focal length of the lens beingused. For example, if you are using a 250mm lens, you should not use ashutter speed that is slower than 1/250 second. This will help you obtainsharp images on the film.

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Figure 1-4. Action stopping shutter speeds for normalfocal length lenses

Recommended Focal Length and MinimumShutter Speeds to Capture Action

50mm 1/60th105mm 1/125th200mm 1/250th300mm 1/500th

e. Additional Factors to Ensure Sharp Images.

(1) You may further ensure sharp images by using either a monopod orchestpod. A monopod, unlike a tripod, has only one

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leg. It provides a steady camera support for long lens use but is easy tomove rapidly from position to position. A chestpod does have three legs butthey are short and mounted under a swivel head which allows you to brace itagainst your chest and provide firm support for your camera.

(2) Using electronic flash equipment to augment low-light levelconditions is another way to capture fast action on film. Their inherentspeed of 1/1000 of a second or less will freeze action and allow you toselect a reasonable f/stop to maintain depth of field. Be aware of theelectronic synchroflash speed of your camera. Cameras with focal planeshutters usually sync at 1/60th of a second or slower.

(3) The faster shutter speeds sometimes required to obtain sharpimages of subjects in motion become an important factor in choosing the filmwhich you will use. Faster shutter speeds will probably require fasterfilms. Over the past few years the selection available for use hasbroadened considerably due to ongoing research and development by filmmanufacturers.

(a) Film with International Standardization Organization (ISO) 400speed once considered fast are now overshadowed by ISO ratings of 1600,3200, and higher.

(b) Both color and black and white films come in these fasteremulsions. The advantage to you as the photographer is that you can makeaction photographs under natural or existing light.

(c) Gymnasiums are notorious for poor lighting conditions. Yetwith special care, a fast film, and a practiced eye, you can create dramaticphotographs. Under normal light conditions where the action is fast, suchas an auto race or a football game, you may wish to use the faster film toobtain stop action photographs and still be able to select an f/stop thatgives you plenty of depth of field.

(d) Remember the sunny f/16 rule. Set your f/stop at f/16 anduse the reciprocal of the ISO to determine your shutter speed. Using acolor film with an ISO of 400 gives a reciprocal of 1/400 of a second.Select the shutter speed closest to the reciprocal. The closest on mostcameras will be 1/500 of a second. You will now be able to stop action andobtain sharp images.

f. Blurring Techniques. Up to this point we have been directing yourattention to techniques used to stop or freeze action. There is anothereffective way to illustrate action. Why not create some blurring?

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(1) By selecting shutter speeds slower than those that completelyfreeze all the action in a scene, you may obtain blurring that will impart agreater feeling of motion to your viewer. For example, a picture of abaseball pitcher may show his head and body in sharp detail while hispitching arm is blurred, or a soldier running may be sharp except for hislegs. You may have to experiment and practice with this technique.

(2) Panning, or following the action with the camera, will give youa sharp image of the subject and create a blurred background. For example,an aircraft on its takeoff or a crash vehicle speeding to the scene of anaccident.

(3) To get the feel of this method, practice with an empty camera.Simply pivot at the waist, keeping the camera lined up on the passingsubject. Remember, these techniques require practice to master. Figure 1-5illustrates panning.

Figure 1-5. Panning with a moving subject to stop motion

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PART B - PICTURE STORY

5. What is a Picture Story.

A picture story is a complete unit which you plan, research, and oftensupport with text and captions. It presents an in-depth account of aninteresting and significant event, personality, idea, or other topic.

a. The production of a picture story is one of the most exciting andchallenging assignments in photography. For Army photographers, it is aneffective method of telling the Army's story. However, the picture storydoesn't just happen. Your idea forms the foundation upon which the story isbuilt.

b. If the idea is good and you support it with good photography, youhave an excellent chance of producing a professional story. If the idea ispoor and the planning weak, no amount of photographic skill or technicalperfection will make it better. Look at the foldout of figure 1-6 for asample picture story. In this picture story, the lead photo introduces thesubject. There is a beginning, middle, and end. The photos lead into thelayout. The last photo provides closure by facing to the left, directingthe eye back to the beginning.

c. Regrettably, the development of picture story ideas is a majorstumbling block for many photographers. All too frequently you hear thecomment, There is nothing in my command on which to do a picture story.This is a most unfortunate attitude. Army men and women are surrounded by afantastic wealth of picture story material.

d. Army personnel take their environment for granted. It is the sameold story of not being able to see the forest for the trees. All you haveto do is look around. When you say you can not find any subject for astory, you are admitting that you are not very alert, or observant. You canget ideas by subjecting yourself to stimulating experiences, talking toother people and observing the world around you.

6. Picture Story Composition.

Composition is of great importance in photojournalism. Photographs thatpossess a center of interest are composed using the rule of thirds. Theyare pleasing to view, and are generally considered to be well-composed.

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Figure 1-6. Picture story

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Figure 1-6a. Picture story

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In this subcourse, we will discuss composition in terms of how your picturesmust relate to each other and allow the viewer to follow the story line frombeginning to end. Each picture must have visual appeal and clearlycommunicate an idea or feeling that relates to the point or theme of thestory. This relationship is called continuity. Five continuity types thatare frequently used to hold picture stories together are as follows:

a. Simple Commonality. A photojournalist uses simple commonality whenhe has a group of images on the same subject that can not be arranged in anyparticular order. In other words, the pictures have no starting point andno conclusion.

(1) For example, suppose a photojournalist has prepared a picturestory on Army journalism training. Individual pictures might show thefollowing;

(a) Two students tape recording an interview in the radio studio.

(b) A student setting Foto-type headlines for the front page ofhis photo-offset paper.

(c) An instructor pointing out a speed graphic to a small group ofstudents gathered around him.

(d) A student, with pencil and paper in hand, interviewing aforeign officer.

(e) A general classroom scene showing the students seated and theinstructor using the chalkboard.

(f) A student struggling under the weight of an armful of booksissued to him the first day for use during the 12-week course.

(g) A group of students viewing the rotary presses during a fieldtrip to a local newspaper.

(2) Each photograph features a different pose, scene, students, andinstructors, but the common denominator is that they all show journalismtraining. The photographs have no starting point or conclusion, but thephotojournalist has established or maintained continuity by the fact thatall the pictures pertain to the same general subject matter.

b. Narrative Chronology. Unlike the simple commonality, the narrativechronology is presented with a definite time sequence in mind. A narrativechronology will present pictures with a definite beginning, middle or body,and conclusion.

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(1) Each image is closely related to the one that precedes it and tothe one that follows. The photographer must display the pictures insequence.

(2) The first picture should have the visual impact to grab thereaders' attention, the middle pictures should be informative, and the lastpicture should impart a definite feeling of conclusion.

c. Repeated Identity. This type of continuity is one of the simplestto develop and the one photojournalists most commonly use in publicationstoday.

(1) In its basic form, it involves the repeated appearance of thesame person or subject (repeated identity) in every scene of the picturestory. For example, if you want to develop a picture story of recruittraining in the Army, the easiest way of doing it is to select a typicalrecruit and follow him through a day of training from reveille to taps. Thesame recruit in every picture, but with every picture showing a differentscene and different action.

(2) Remember, this continuity presentation applies not only topeople, but objects, scenes, moods, and situations as well. The basictechnique is the same; however, more ingenuity may be necessary to make thepresentation interesting and effective.

d. How-to-do-it Continuity. This type of continuity employs a tasksequence of pictures showing step-by-step procedures for doing something.You can use it to show how to make anything from an eye splice in a line tobuilding one's own boat. This type of continuity is frequently seen intoday's newspapers and magazines. Publishers commonly use this type ofcontinuity in how-to-do-it articles dealing with carpentry, hobbies,homemaking, cooking, building, and sports such as bowling and golf.

e. Parallel or Contrast Continuity. Using this style a photojournalistemploys the do and don't, right or wrong, or before and after approachin his presentation of pictures in the story. He will frequently use thisstyle to present two divergent points of view. As an Army photojournalist,you might use the do and don't approach. For example, in a story onsafety you may find that the "right and wrong" technique can be effective ina feature on military courtesy. The "before and after" comparison is mostcommonly used in picture stories dealing with progress.

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Now that you understand the various types of continuity and how they helpcommunicate the theme of your pictures, let us look at some things that allgood photojournalists do before they even pick up their cameras.

7. Researching Your Picture Story Subject.

Research is one of the most important steps in doing a picture story. Youmust have some knowledge about your subject. Before you outline theshooting script and load your camera, you need to learn as much as possibleabout the place, situation, object, and people involved. The morecomplicated the story the more in-depth research you will have to do. Thisis when you will flesh out that idea, clarify the objective of the story,and gather information from which to write the shooting script, captions,and supporting text. The following steps will help you to efficiently andeffectively produce a top quality picture story.

a. Contact the person in charge of whomever or whatever you will bedoing the story on and explain what it is that you desire to coverphotographically.

b. Obtain names, phone numbers, work schedules, and backgroundinformation on those persons who will be portrayed in or are important toyour story.

c. Observe the subject of your story, without interfering, and makenotes of picture possibilities. Also think about which lenses to use, theangle, lighting, and implied or apparent motion.

d. Stay with your subject until you are fully satisfied that you knowand can anticipate the next probable move or step that may occur. Watch forfacial expressions, gestures, and mannerisms which may be useful in thedevelopment of the story.

e. Schedule an interview with the people in your story in order to gainadditional information. This information may give you more picture ideasand help you write the captions and supporting text for your layout.

Don't short change yourself by skipping any of these steps. Some storiesmay require only a few hours of research while others may take days. Onceyou have completed your research, sit down and prepare your shooting script.

8. Preparing a Shooting Script.

In order for a carpenter to build a strong sturdy house he must have ablueprint to follow. A pilot who is making a

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cross-country flight must have a flight plan. The shooting script, like thecarpenter's blueprint and pilot's flight plan, is essential to you as aphotojournalist. It enables you to visualize the entire picture storybefore you start taking pictures.

a. Importance of a Shooting Script. Shooting a picture story without apositive concept and plan of what you are trying to say is, at best, agamble. Remember, the shooting script is a blueprint or guide from whichyou will build your story.

(1) The shooting script will help you identify weak areas, gaps, andavoid including material which may cloud the main point of your efforts. Ifproperly prepared, it will keep you from wandering about or gettingsidetracked once you start taking the pictures for your story. With itsuse, you are not likely to forget a key element or lose track of your mainidea.

(2) You must remember that the shooting script is only a guide. Itis not carved in stone, it's not binding. Don't let it stifle yourcreativity once you begin shooting. Be alert to developments and actionsthat offer new perspectives on pictures that may enhance your picture story.

(3) Having too many photos when you begin composing the layout is nota bad thing. Having too few can necessitate your going back to shoot more.

(4) Remember that the time you spend preparing your shooting scriptis compensated for by the time and possible confusion you save while you areshooting the job.

b. Preparing the Shooting Script (First Step). The first step inpreparing a shooting script is to write a short objective statement.Writing an objective statement will help you to focus on the key element inthe story and strengthen the overall impact. It should clearly identify thesubject, who or what the story is about, and what you are trying tocommunicate to the reader/viewer. The objective statement should answer the5 W's: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY.

(1) WHO. Identify the subject or people who will be photographed.Include names and/or titles, duty responsibilities, and functions.

(2) WHAT. Describe the exact nature of what the subject will bedoing in support of the overall theme of the picture story.

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(3) WHEN. List the dates and times that the subject will bephotographed. Coordinate this with the subject or point of contact toensure subject is available when specified.

(4) WHERE. Select the exact location or locations that thephotography will take place.

(5) WHY. State your reasons for shooting the story.

c. Preparing the Shooting Script (Second Step). The second part ofyour shooting script will outline how you will put across your idea andstory objective by listing the shots you plan to take. Review the notes youmade while conducting your research, and list each photo idea you picturedin your mind. Each one should be followed by a description of thecomposition you visualized. Whether it should be a long shot, medium shot,close-up, high or low angle of view, what the point of focus is, and anyunusual lighting conditions or requirements.

The following is an example of a portion of a shooting script:

(1) Shot 1. Medium shot, wide angle lens, syncro-sun fill.

WHAT: Instructor in the field with students. Shoot between two rows ofstudents from a low angle to separate subjects from background.

WHY: To show the reader the size of the class and the method used toacquaint students with the Speed Graphic.

(2) Shot 2. Medium shot, normal angle lens, syncro-sun fill.

WHAT: Instructor working with two students, adjusting the Speed Graphic orpointing out to the proper method of viewing a scene. Use shallow depth offield, about waist level camera position.

WHY: To identify the instructor and a couple of students attending thephoto school.

(3) Shot 3. Medium shot, normal angle lens, Multiflash.

WHAT: Instructor and student discussing a problem. Show student showingsomething to instructor. Shoot from low angle to see faces bent over itembeing discussed.

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Figure 1-7. Picture story sketch

9. Picture Story Elements.

Your picture story, like all good picture stories, must have certain keyelements; a beginning, a middle, and an ending.

a. The beginning. The lead photograph is the most important singlephoto of a story. It has the responsibility of gaining the reader'sattention and making them want to read the rest of the story. It must havevisual impact.

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b. The middle (body). The body of the picture story should proceed ina logical order, with each picture contributing something fresh andsignificant to the development of the story line. You should vary in thebody with long shots, medium, and close-ups. You should vary the angle orperspective of the shots. Within all of this variety, you must maintain acontinuity which enables your readers to proceed smoothly from the beginningto the end without becoming bored or confused.

c. The ending. The last picture of the story is the second mostimportant photograph. This photograph should present a feeling of finalityand enable the viewer to arrive at the desired conclusion.

The Army is a vast reserve of picture story ideas that lend themselves tokeeping the Army in the public eye.

PART C - PHOTO ESSAY

10. Picture Essay.

a. What is a Picture Essay? A picture essay, unlike a picture story,does not have to follow a logical order, have continuity, or be objective.A picture essay has no plot, theme, beginning, middle, or end. You may basean essay on opinion rather than fact and be subjective rather thanobjective. It allows you to present a subject from a personal point ofview. For example, how does a main battle tank affect you emotionally? Doesits massive bulk overwhelm you? If so, you might photograph it abstractlywith a fish eye lens or-wide angle lens to emphasize this feeling. Thefoldout of figure 1-8 provides a sample picture essay. This essay shows aseries of photos on a television station. The lead photo, the largest,provides information with the surrounding photos supporting what we see. Weget a glimpse of what it's like at a busy TV station.

b. What the Picture Essay Requires. Like the picture story, creating apicture essay still requires an idea, research, and planning. You will haveto decide just how subjective you want to be. Will you use a broadinterpretation or a tightly knit, artistic approach? What technique will youemploy?

(1) As a rule, subjective photographs show the subject in an unusualform which makes it more interesting and stimulating because it is presentedin a new light; a way that they have not been seen before.

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Figure 1-8. Picture essay

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Figure 1-8a. Picture essay

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(2) The picture essay uses pictorial interpretation techniques toportray the feeling or emotion the photographer wishes. A few that you maywant to consider for inclusion in your shooting are:

(a) Infrared. You can use black and white infrared film totransform a landscape from a dull photograph to a thing of beauty. Becauseof the amount of infrared radiation absorbed or reflected by the subject,infrared film renders unnatural tones compared to the same subjectphotographed on regular black and white film. (When you use infrared, filmfoliage and grass appear lighter than normal because chlorophyll stronglyreflects infrared radiation.)

(b) Motion. In still pictures, you can use blurring to suggest orenhance action. By using a slow shutter speed and panning with the movingsubject, you will produce a sharp subject with a blurred foreground andbackground.

(c) Posterization. Sometimes called the "poster effect" becausethe images are usually large and uncomplicated. You can use posterizationto capture the viewer's attention quickly and to present a strong point.

(d) Grain. Although many photographers generally consider thistechnique objectionable, you can use grain to portray certain subjects orfeelings. A grainy rendition is highly effective when it is used toemphasize war, violence, dark and somber moods, etc.

(e) High Contrast. Photographers use high contrast forsymbolization. The result is a stark black and white print with little orno detail. All middle tones are eliminated. In order to make this workeffectively, you need a strong graphic image with leading lines or patternsand strong highlights.

(f) Image Distortion. When printing, you can use image distortionto create odd angles and give unnatural appearance to your subject. You canaccomplish image distortion by tilting or arching the printing paper duringexposure. This provides an uneven surface for the projected image anddistortion is the result. You can also use this technique to correct orreduce unwanted camera distortion.

Whichever technique you choose to use, do it with good reason and not justto doctor poor pictures. Remember, you are limited only by your own skill,creativity, and imagination.

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PART D - BASIC PHOTOJOURNALISTIC TECHNIQUES

11. Photojournalism.

Photojournalism is communication of a very special type. It is "in-depth"reporting with photographs and words. To do so effectively, you mustunderstand certain fundamentals.

a. You must know and understand your subject. You can not communicateinformation about a subject with which you are not familiar. It isn'tnecessary that you like the subject, but unless you understand your subject,how can you expect someone looking at your pictures to understand it?

b. A photographer should have a purpose for the message he is trying toput across. Otherwise, there is no need for it. Your purpose might beprofound or you might simply want to share an emotion of experience, butidentify your purpose.

c. You should know to whom you are communicating. For example, is itto a specific audience which possesses some knowledge of your subject? Is itto adults? Or is it to a mixed group of men, women, and children? Answers tothese types of questions should determine the way you will approach andcover your subject.

12. People are Interesting Subjects.

Approximately two and one-half million photographs are taken annually byamateur and professional photographers alike. More then one-half of thesephotographs use people as their prime subject. Photojournalism is a form ofcommunication that portrays people and their environment; therefore, yourchoice of subject matter is relatively simple. Or is it?

"All people are different," no two alike. To photograph people, you mustunderstand their individual differences and explore "in-depth" the world inwhich they work, play, and live. Not the world, but their world.

a. You will have to do some research, a little exploring to gain anunderstanding about your subject. The following are some examples of thetype of questions you will have to ask of yourself and your subject.

(1) What does this person do?

(2) How do they feel about their work?

(3) Why do I want to photograph this subject?

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(4) What do I wish to show in my pictures?

b. Your list of questions could be endless and you can't stop to getall the answers. Be sure, though, to ask enough to get the subject clear inyour mind and decide what and how you want to communicate to your viewerabout the subject.

c. You will occasionally be required to produce a photo story about aninanimate object. Don't panic. You can use the same approach and researchmethods to gain that understanding.

You have completed your research, gained some understanding about yoursubject, and wrote out a flexible shooting script. You are ready to startshooting. Think again. No photojournalist worth his silver halides headsout to a photo assignment without inventorying and thoroughly checking hisgear.

13. Equipment Maintenance.

You and your supervisor would be very unhappy if you lost a picture or maybea whole roll of pictures because a piece of gear did not work. Equipmentchecks should become a routine part of your approach to every job. Buildyour own preventative maintenance kit and keep it in your camera bag. Thefollowing is a list of basic things to put in the kit.

Items

A lint-free cloth.A small container of denatured alcohol.Cotton swabs in a clean plastic pill bottle.Jeweler's screwdriver.Pencil or typewriter eraser.Lens tissue.A soft bristle brush 1/2" wide.One dozen toothpicks.

You start by finding a clean work place with good light. Then proceed asfollows:

a. Using the lint-free cloth, wipe down the camera's exterior,including the case. If you find dirt build-up, lightly dampen a cotton swaband brush the area; then wipe again with the cloth. (A toothpick with a bitof cotton wrapped around one end makes a good substitute if cotton swabs arenot available.)

b. With the jeweler's screwdriver, tighten all screws on the exterior

of the camera body. Look under the rewind knob and

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on the bottom base plate for hidden screws. Be careful not to over-tighten.

c. Ensure there is no film in the camera. Open the back and continueyour inspection for loose screws in the film supply and take-up chambers.

d. Using your soft brush or compressed air canister, dust or blowdebris and film fragments from the camera's interior. Be careful that youdon't strike or blow air on the shutter curtain (single lens reflex cameras)because they are easily damaged.

e. While you have the camera open, you can make a quick shutterfunction test. Open the f/stop to wide-open. While looking through theback of the camera, cock and fire the shutter several times at each speedsetting. You can watch the shutter cycle from closed to open then closedagain. This works with both focal plane and between the lens shutters. Youshould see a change in the time of the cycle as you work your way throughthe speed settings. If not, see your camera repairman.

f. You should next make a lens aperture check. Set the shutter speedon "B." Wind and trip the shutter. It should remain open. While viewingthe aperture leafs, rotate the aperture ring through its full-range andback. The aperture should maintain a circular shape as it gets smaller andlarger, as you turn the ring. If it does not, see your camera repairman.

g. If your camera has an automatic aperture stop down feature, you canrun this check. Set the f/stop at 11 or 16 and the shutter speed at 1/2second or one second. Wind and trip the shutter while again looking throughthe open camera back. The aperture should move smoothly from open to thepresent aperture without a stop or hesitation.

h. Clean all electrical contacts. Remove the battery and using acommon pencil eraser, clean the contacts on the battery, in the batteryhousing, and the cap or screw cover that holds the battery in place. Allthese contacts should be shiny and free of oil.

i. Check your battery with the camera battery check or a voltmeter. Ifthe camera has not been used for six or more months, consider replacing theold battery with a new one. Batteries go bad from lack of use nearly asrapidly as with constant use.

j. After ensuring your battery is good, check the camera meterfunction.

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(1) Turn on the meter and set an ISO film speed of 400 in the camera.Aim the camera at a subject of average brightness and balance the meterneedle for correct exposure of that subject. Now aim the camera at abrighter light subject and then a darker one. The meter is functioning ifthe needle responds, or the f/stop or shutter speed changes on automaticcameras.

(2) You can even make a reasonably accurate check on the accuracy ofyour meter on a bright, sunny day. Set your f/stop at f/16 and convert theISO to a fraction. For example, using ISO 400 film coverts to 1/400. Theclosest shutter speed is 1/500 of a second so set the shutter speed at1/500. Point the camera at a lawn, the pavement, or the side of a building.They must be in the sun. If the meter indicates an exposure of f/16, plusor minus a half f/stop, it is working properly and is fairly accurate.

k. Your next step is to clean all glass surfaces.

WARNING

Never touch the mirror on the inside of thecamera/lens housing, as it can be easily scratched.

(1) To clean the mirror, blow or lightly brush off dust with a softbrush.

(2) Use a cotton swab or lens tissue to clean the viewfinder glass,camera lens, and filters.

CAUTION

Never put cleaning fluid directly on glass surfaces.It could seep under the glass and attack the gluethat binds the optics together or holds it in place.

(3) If you use a cleaning fluid, lightly dampen a swab or lens tissueand then gently wipe the glass surface clean.

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14. Techniques.

Let's discuss a few technical aspects you might want to consider. Once youhave a visualization of your subject and how you want to present it to yourviewers, you should consider what film to use, what lenses for what effect,and your lighting. You will have made many of these choices while preparingyour shooting script.

a. Every photographer has experienced the time when he has seen a shothe wanted, but when he put the camera up to his eye, he found that thefaster shutter speed for the lighting conditions was too slow to hand-hold.The photographer has to make a choice:

Pass up the shot.

Find a flash or tripod and chance missing the shot.

Change the ISO of the film allowing him to use faster shutterspeeds.

b. You decide passing up the shot is out of the question. Unless youcarry a flash and some sort of camera support, you choose to change the ISOof the film. This situation can be avoided or planned for while conductingyour research and preparing the shooting script.

c. You may choose and plan to increase film speed or "push" the filmand process accordingly. "Pushing" film is assigning it a higher ISO.

(1) Keep in mind that once you change the ISO, you must expose theentire roll at the new ISO to avoid variations in exposure and development.When you "push" film like this you are simply underexposing andoverdeveloping to produce a printable negative.

(2) Depending upon development, there can be an increase in contrastand grain and a loss of sharpness. For use in a newspaper where the printwill be screened, a loss of sharpness might not be to worrisome. However,if you are doing a documentation it might mean a loss of detail. Here is anexample to illustrate apparent film sensitivity increase when you up a filmISO rating:

(a) You are using a film with an ISO of 400 in low lightconditions that indicate an exposure of 1/15 of a second at f/2 (too slow tohand-hold). If you double the ISO to 800, the film can be exposed at f/2.8or at 1/30 of a second. You can even go one step further and rate the ISOto 1600. You

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will now have two additional f/stops or two faster shutter speeds availableabove the original at ISO 400.

(b) Remember to expose for the shadow detail when pushing filmbecause it is the first thing affected by this technique.

(3) You can not forget the second half of the "pushing" technique,overdeveloping. By overdeveloping, you compensate for the lack of exposure.

(a) As film is developed, the highlights develop first, then theshadow areas. In effect, the more silver there is to act on, the moredevelopment takes place. There is an increase in shadow density as long asthe exposure does not fall below the threshold of the film's characteristiccurve.

(b) There are several developers on the market which give goodresults when push processing. A few of these are Acufine, D-76, and Ultra-Fine Grain (UFG). Acufine and UFG are compensating developers. Theyeffectively increase a films tonal range while controlling contrast.

(c) Kodak's T-Max films and developers are especially effective inlow light pushing situations at keeping grayness to a minimum. "Pushing"film should be done as a last resort since it causes a loss of shadow detailand grain can be increased.

15. Lens Choice.

Many photographers use a variety of focal length lens for convenience or foreffect. You, as a photojournalist, must be aware of the apparentdistortions and perspective changes different lens produce, and how theyinfluence your message.

The classification of a lens (normal, wide, and long) is related to thediagonal of the image format with which it is being used. If the focallength of a lens is equal to the diagonal of the image format, it is anormal angle lens. If it is less, it is a wide angle, and if it is more,then it is a long or telephoto. The foldout of figure 1-9 illustrates thethree different lenses field of view of the same subject shot from the samedistance. The top photo used a normal angle 50mm lens. The middle photoused a wide angle 28mm lens. The bottom photo used a narrow (long) angle90mm lens.

a. Normal Lens. The normal angle lens covers a field of view ofapproximately 50 degrees, about what the human eye encompasses.

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(1) This lens produces an image in which the relative size of objectsappears the same as they would to the eye. Also the sharpness of near andfar objects (depth of field), relative to the point of focus, matches thatseen by the eye.

(2) The normal angle lens is used effectively when the subject matteris not confined to limited space. If there is room to move around thesubject and placement is all that is required, a normal angle lens can beused effectively.

b. Wide Angle Lens. The wide angle lenses cover a field of view of 45degrees or more. Extreme wide angle fish eye lens covers up to 75-degreesfield of view.

(1) You will be able to stay close to your subject and put a lot moreof your subject on the film using these lenses. They are very handy andeffective in tight places. Perspective is often exaggerated and distorted.

(2) Combined with the extreme depth of field, you can present yoursubject in unusual and interesting ways which reinforce the feeling you aretrying to portray. Consider a low-angle view taken with a 28mm lens of themuzzle of a 155mm Howitzer. It would make the muzzle look awesome and givethe viewer a feeling of strength and power.

c. Telephoto Lens. The long focal length (telephoto) lens has a fieldof view less than 45 degrees. As the focal length increases, the field ofview will decrease.

(1) You will find these lenses extremely useful in situations whereyou can not physically get close to your subject. They can reach out andcapture large images of subjects at a distance.

(2) Their normal shallow depth of field makes them an ideal lens withwhich to use the "selective focus" technique to isolate a subject fromsurrounding, distracting elements.

(3) Another interesting effect that a long lens produces is"compressed perspective." A photograph of a line of cars traveling down thehighway makes them look close together, and thus, strengthens the feeling ofcrowding.

d. Lenses are tools. You can use them to portray your subject in aninteresting way, grab and hold the viewer's attention, and direct him to thepoint of the subject matter.

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Figure 1-9. Normal, wide, and long lens field of view photos

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Figure 1-9a. Normal, wide, and long lens field of view photos

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Figure 1-9b. Normal, wide, and long lens field of view photos

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16. Highlight Your Subject.

Two popular techniques for isolating or focusing viewer attention on asubject are "framing" and "selective focus."

a. Framing. Framing the subject gives the viewer "tunnel vision." Hiseyes automatically go to the subject in the photograph because you havechanneled his vision.

(1) Anything in the area can be used for framing. The standard frameused in outdoor pictures is the branches and leaves of a tree.

(2) Old as the framing technique is, it still works. Your primereason for taking photographs is to get people to look at them and feel andunderstand your message. Look for things to frame your subject and focusthe viewer's attention where you want it.

Refer now to figure 1-10 for an example of a picture using the framingtechnique. When framing a scene, it is helpful to think about "lookingthrough" something at the subject you're interested in framing. Here thetree leaves provide a partial frame around three sides to enclose thesubject. The eye is forced to look at what the photographer intended.

b. Selective Focus. Let's say you're photographing a formation ofsoldiers and you know, because you researched the job, that SSG Jones in thefirst rank is going to be designated as "Soldier of the Month." You want apicture of him in ranks but you want to isolate him from the other people oneither side of him.

(1) Focus on SSG Jones and from your light meter reading, select ashutter speed that will allow you to open up the lens diaphragm decreasingthe depth of field.

(2) Again focus on SSG Jones. This time SSG Jones is in sharp focuswhile the foreground and background is fuzzy. All the elements are still inthe picture but you have isolated your subject. Now the eyes of the viewerwill not wander off the key subject in your photograph.

Figure 1-11 shows a selective focus picture. Selective focus isolates thesubject by having the foreground and background out of focus. With a wideaperture, almost any lens can use this technique. Here a 90mm lens was usedto facilitate the effect.

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Figure 1-10. Framing

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b. Editorial Decisions. Most editors could get a job as a juggler.Not only do they have to make decisions about your pictures such as whichones to use, but their size, placement, and cropping. They also mustbalance the use of copy, other illustrations, headlines, captions, and whitespace.

(1) They are usually hampered by space limitations due to othermaterial that must go in the publication.

(2) The importance of the material is a determining factor onlocation; the hottest or most important items get the best positions. Ifyour story is so complex that it takes several photos to get the message outclearly, it may not fit on the front page.

18. Elements of a Good Layout.

If you know how a pictorial presentation is made effective by intelligentlayout techniques, you will be better equipped to be an effectivephotojournalist. Your pictures should be arranged in a logical order whichdevelops the subject theme or idea. The objectives of the layout are tograb your readers' attention, excite their curiosity, and lead them from thekey picture through the body of the story to complete the communication. Toaccomplish that goal, the editor concentrates on four main elements of thelayout composition:

a. Impact. To reach the reader, the editor must select from yourpictures the one that has the most emotional appeal and place it in aposition in the layout that stops the reader. Some viewers becomeemotionally involved to the point of tears or anger. Some becomesympathetic or even become actively involved in the issue. The body and endof the layout must maintain and support that impact.

b. Logical Order. The layout should be arranged to promote an easily-understood flow of information. A haphazard jumble of pictures causes thereader to jump about the presentation trying to follow the subject theme oridea. The result is that the reader loses interest. You must arrange eachelement of the layout so one carries the point of interest to the next.Never use two pictures that repeat a part of the story.

c. Balance. Good balance creates a pleasing and harmonious visualeffect on the reader. Good pictures are often sacrificed on the altar ofspace and harmony. Pictures trimmed in odd shapes, such as circles ordiamonds or an unusual format, such as long, narrow, vertical or horizontal,generally are not used unless they contribute significantly to the layout.

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(4) Elements should be arranged on the page to form an interestingpattern for the eye to follow.

e. Summary. The goal is to arrange elements on the page so that theeye moves across and down the layout. We know, for example, thatphotographs, headlines, illustrations, and captions are strong attentiongetters. Properly positioned, they serve as guideposts pointing out thereaders' visual route through the page.

20. Types of Layouts.

There are more than a dozen different types of layouts used in newspapersand magazines today. Some are just slight modifications of others. Whatsort of layout is best? There is no black and white, correct or incorrectanswer. Publications use different styles as the creativity of the peopleon the staff varies. Significance of the subject matter also may impact onthe choice of layout. Take a look at some of the page designs illustratedin figure 1-13.

a. Informal Layouts. Flexibility and appeal are the main attributes ofinformal layouts. There are scores of variations of this easy-moving andeasy-reading pattern. In informal layouts, emphasis goes on nearly everyelement through the use of large bold headlines and large pictures. One ofits major drawbacks is that it's prone to overcrowding. Elements in aninformal layout should be kept to a minimum.

b. Balance/Contrast Layout. Balance/contrast layout is perhaps themost difficult layout to use. We are concerned here with the balancing andcontrasting of masses of elements not so much the individual elements. Thisformat is not only difficult to layout, but often difficult to understandand imagine. It is best left to experienced layout men.

c. Horizontal Layout. The horizontal pattern evolved from readabilitystudies. Tests showed that readers thought they would spend less timereading blocks of type set horizontally--that is, across several columns,than reading blocks of type set vertically, down a single column. Onepitfall editors should avoid when using the horizontal pattern is itsoveruse. It should be used sparingly to avoid monotony.

d. Modular Layout. Modular is a contemporary design. Its overallbasic pattern is a simple combination of horizontal and vertical rectangles.Unusual shapes should be avoided. Modular is a highly flexible pattern,offering make-up editors a wide range of designs for visual impact. Itsuncluttered, orderly appearance affords readers easy accessibility to everyelement on the page.

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Figure 1-13. Page designs

21. Cropping and Scaling.

a. Why Cropping is Needed. Cropping is the physical adjustment of aphotographer. A good photographer will crop in the camera so that the imagehe records is exactly the essence

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he is trying to communicate. Still some of your photographs may requireadditional cropping to fit the layout or to eliminate an unwanted portion ofthe photograph. There will be times when the image area is not the shapethat will best communicate the feeling or idea intended. Cropping cansometimes focus the viewer's attention or heighten the emotional impact. Inaddition, cropping is an essential element in the scaling of photographs.

b. The Cropping L's. Among the tools to aid the photographer/editor indetermining the shape, size, and cropping of a photograph are the croppingL's. They are just that, a pair of large L's measuring 9 to 10 inches onone leg and 11 to 12 inches on the other. You can make them from mountboard or compressed cardboard. Commercially, plastic L's are available thathave ruler tick marks in 1/8 or 1/16 inch graduations.

In terms of cropping, the photographer/editor uses the cropping L's toidentify that portion of the photograph that should be cut away to properlyconvey the essence of his theme. By laying the L's on the photograph andmoving them in or out, he can determine how the final photo will look.

When scaling a photograph, the photographer/editor uses the cropping L's tocalculate the change in size required to make a photograph fit a specificspace or layout.

c. Scaling a Photograph. Your photographs intended for publicationwill invariably be reduced or enlarged to fit a specific space. The amountof reduction or enlargement to make a photograph fit a given space is called"scaling."

(1) There are several methods to scale photographs. One calls for amathematical formula; methods use devices based on the principle of theslide rule.

(2) The simple method is based on a common diagonal. This is basedon the geometric principle that the diagonals of rectangles of the sameproportions create identical angles with the sides. The followingillustrations show the steps in its use.

(a) Using your cropping L's, outline the area of the photographyou wish to use (A). Then draw a diagonal line (B) bisecting the croppedportion of photo.

(b) Determine the width you wish the finished picture to be (i.e.,one column, two columns, or a given number of picas). Draw a line (C)perpendicular to the left side of the cropped area, the desired width to thediagonal. Line (D) is the depth of the cut. Refer to figure 1-14.

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NOTE:If you are restricted by the depth of the space, thendraw line (D)(the first of the desired measurement)and then line (C) will be the width of space needed.

Figure 1-14. Common diagonal method for scaling

(c) A good way to avoid damaging the print is to tape hinge apiece of tracing paper over the surface. This allows you to make your cropmarks without drawing on the print surface. Working on a light table wouldhelp. If you wish to scale up (enlarge) a photo, tape the photo to thelower-left corner of a piece of larger paper. Use a ruler and project thediagonal out onto the paper then carry out the rest of the scaling aspreviously described.

22. Captions, Cutlines, and Credit Lines.

a. Captions and Cutlines. Your photographs, despite their uniquestory-telling ability, are seldom effective enough to stand alone. Nomatter how exciting your picture may be, it fails unless the viewerunderstands the five W's-Who, What, When, Where, and Why of the photograph.

(1) It is your responsibility, as the photographer, to gather thenecessary information and write complete, concise, and factual captions, andcutlines.

(2) The words "caption" and "cutline" are often used interchangeably;however, in journalistic situations "cutline" is the preferred word. Tomake a cutline work, it must contain three basic elements:

(a) An explanation of the subject or action. The first sentenceprovides an explanation of the subject or action. It is the most importantelement in the cutline. It links the

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photograph to the cutline by the action it describes. It should contain averb written in the present tense. The reason for this is that the momentin time captured in the photograph immediately becomes the past. The use ofa present tense verb gives the reader a sense of immediacy, as though thereader is actually witnessing the event taking place. For example, acutline that reads, "SGT John Hero swims through the swirling waters of theColorado River to rescue six-year old Ruth Gray..." has more impact andimmediacy than one which reads "SGT John Hero swam through ......".

(b) Identification of persons or things in the picture. Everyone orthing that is identifiable and pertinent to the story-telling function ofthe photograph should be identified. By identifiable, we mean anyone who isnot blurred, obscured, or too far away for recognition. By pertinent, wemean involved to the central action of the picture. The best way toidentify subjects is by action. If all persons are engaged in the sameaction, then you can use left to right.

(c) Additional details of background information. They are facts thatneed to clarify the photograph. The amount of information included in thissection depends on two factors: where and how you will use the photograph.The amount of background information needed to explain a photograph ofbayonet practice is obviously greater for a civilian audience than to abasic trainee who is participating in such practice.

b. Credit Lines. Credit lines for photographers are used in mostmilitary newspapers and publications. The usual method is to credit boththe photographer and the service directly after the last word of thecutline. The credit line is in capital letters and enclosed in parenthesisas shown in the following example:

(U.S. ARMY PHOTO by SGT JOHN SHUMAN).

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LESSON 1

PRACTICE EXERCISE

The following items will test your grasp of the material covered in thislesson. There is only one correct answer for each item. When you completethe exercise, check your answers with the answer key that follows. If youanswer any item incorrectly, study again that part of the lesson whichcontains the portion involved.

1. You photograph the rescue of a drowning 8-year-old child by a locally-stationed soldier. What elements of "news worthiness" are met?

A. Prominence/oddityB. Consequence/conflictC. Conflict/human interestD. Human interest/proximity

2. You are photographing a basketball game in a gym with a 35mm formatcamera with a focal plane shutter. Which film, shutter speed, andlight source would be best to "freeze" a jump shot?

A. ISO 25, 1/1000, available lightB. ISO 400, 1/60, electronic flashC. ISO 400, 1/60, available lightD. ISO 3200, 1/500, electronic flash

3. While covering an afternoon football game using a 500mm lens on a 35mmcamera, which shutter speed should you use to stop camera shake?

A. 1/60B. 1/125C. 1/250D. 1/500

4. You have permission to photograph a wrestling match from the edge ofthe mat. Which lens should you use?

A. 52mmB. 185mmC. 500mmD. 1000mm

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5. You produce a photo story showing the right and wrong things to dowhile riding a bicycle on public streets. What type of continuityshould you be using?

A. Repeated identityB. Parallel contrastC. Simple commonalityD. Narrative chronology

6. When assigned to do a photo story on the post auto hobby shop, whatshould be your first step?

A. Write a shooting scriptB. Go fix your own car thereC. Shoot exposure test inside the facilityD. Find out all you can about the operation of the business

7. You write a shooting script to accomplish which of the following?

A. Write captions for each pictureB. Determine how much film you will useC. Predetermine exact composition and exposure for each pictureD. To visualize in your mind the entire story and create a general

plan or shooting guide

8. How does your picture essay present the subject?

A. In a logical orderB. From an objective point of viewC. With a beginning, middle, and endingD. From your personal subjective point of view

9. In photojournalism, which factor most determines the way in which youwill approach and cover your subject?

A. Weather and time of the yearB. The subject of your photo storyC. The number of readers/viewers who will see your storyD. The audience with which you are trying to communicate

10. In order to check lens aperture operation during routine maintenance,which shutter speed do you use?

A. "B"B. 1/60C. 1/500

D. 1 second

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11. When you increase a film ISO rating and overdevelop to compensate,what side effects will you most likely get?

A. Sharper detailB. Normal appearing negativesC. Increased contrast and grainD. Flat contrast and loss of detail

12. Which of the following lenses produces an image similar to what thehuman eye sees when using a 35mm format camera?

A. 35mmB. 52mmC. 185mmD. 400mm

13. In a picture story which covers several pages, you must develop thedesire in the viewer to turn the page and follow the story to the end.What is this called?

A. UnityB. ImpactC. BalanceD. Contrast

14. Which of the following is not a basic element of a good caption?

A. IdentificationB. Explanation of actionC. Photographer's name and addressD. Additional background information

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LESSON 1

PRACTICE EXERCISE

ANSWER KEY AND FEEDBACK

Item Correct Answer and Feedback

1. D. Human interest/proximity

An event that has emotional elements with which the public canempathize and also happens in their own community (page 3, para1a(7)).

2. B. ISO 400, 1/60, electronic flash

A 35mm focal plane shutter usually has an electronic flash syncspeed of 1/60 or slower. The electronic flash duration of 1/1000of a second or less will stop the motion on a film fast enough toallow the use of f/11 or f/16 without the available lightrecording on the film also (page 10, para 4e(2)).

3. D. 1/500

A rule of thumb is to use a shutter speed which is the reciprocalof the focal length of the lens being used (page 8, para 4d(4)).

4. A. 52mm

When you are able to get close to the action, a normal angle oron occasion, a wide angle lens can be used (page 8, para 4d(2)).

5. B. Parallel/contrast

This style of continuity is used to compare or contrast things(page 16, para 6e).

6. D. Find out all you can about the operation of the business

Research is the most important and the first step in producing agood picture story (page 17, para 7).

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7. D. To visualize in your mind the entire story and create ageneral plan or shooting guide

A shooting script enables you to visualize the entire storybefore you start taking pictures. The shooting script is also aplan of how you are going to shoot each picture and includesideas on composition, techniques for posing the subject, lensselection, and camera angle (page 18, para 8).

8. D. From your personal subjective point of view

A picture essay presents your thoughts or opinion rather thanfact, and is subjective rather than objective (page 22, para10a).

9. D. The audience with which you are trying to communicate

You should know your audience. Is it all adults or young people?Do they have knowledge about the subject of your story? Is it amixed group of both men and women? Answers to these types ofquestions should determine your approach and coverage of thesubject (page 26, para 11c).

10. A. "B"

With the back of the camera open, you can make an aperturefunction check by setting the shutter speed on "B" and select anf/stop of 11 or 16 and trip the shutter while watching for thediaphragm to operate (page 28, para 13f).

11. C. Increased contrast and grain

When you "push" film, you are simply underexposing andoverdeveloping it to produce a printable negative. Depending ondevelopment there can be an increase in contrast and grain (page30, para 14c(2)).

12. B. 52mm

The normal angle lens produces an image in which the relativesize of objects appears the same as the human eye sees them (page31, para 15a(2)).

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13. A. Unity

Whether the story requires one, two, or more pages, you mustestablish a unity of elements that will communicate the centralidea and encourage the viewer to follow the story to the end(page 39, para 18d(3)).

14. C. Photographer's name and address

To make a "caption" work effectively it must contain three basicelements: explanation, identification, and background (page 44,paras 22a(1) & (2)).

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LESSON 2

GROUP AND AWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY

Critical Tasks: 113-578-1005113-578-1011

OVERVIEW

LESSON DESCRIPTION:

In this lesson you will learn how to define and pose formal and informalgroups of people and choose the proper camera format, lens, and lighting.You will learn how to set up and photograph awards ceremonies to highlightaward recipients. You also will learn to identify the types of commonawards and presentation ceremonies.

TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE:

ACTIONS: a. Describe formal and informal groups.

b. Identify lighting requirements.

c. Explain proper camera format sizes and lenses.

d. Describe proper posing for both small and largegroups.

e. Identify the four common awards and presentationceremonies.

f. Identify and describe the techniques, equipment andbackground selection, and composition to improve the"grip and grin" pictures.

CONDITION: You will be given information from TM 11-401-2 andPhotographer's Mate Training Series NAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83,MOD 2.

STANDARD: Informal and formal group photography will be in accordancewith TM 11-401-2 and Photographer's Mate Training SeriesNAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83, MOD 2.

REFERENCES: The material contained in this lesson was derived from the

following publications: TM 11-401-2 and Photographer's MateTraining Series NAVEDTRA 373-02-45-83, MOD 2.

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INTRODUCTION

Occasionally, you will receive an assignment to make a picture of a group ofpeople. The group may be a graduating class, the commanding general'sstaff, a VIP touring group, or an infantry squad. There is added difficultywhen working with a number of people at one time. You must pay attention toevery member of the group, using every precaution to show each personclearly, and that interest is not drawn to one individual by some awkwardpose or expression. Group pictures are made for official records,publicity, and recruiting. Group photographs are classified as eitherformal or informal.

PART A - FORMAL AND INFORMAL GROUP PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Formal Groups.

a. Goal. A formal group is one in which several people, uniformlydressed for the occasion, are posed, seated or standing, in similar poses.Your goal is to arrange the group to obtain the best composition to fill theframe and get as large an image size of each person as possible. You wantto avoid stringing out long narrow rows of people across the frame. Oneexception to this general rule is when the background or foreground is asimportant as the group.

b. Research and Prepare. When you receive an assignment to shoot aformal group photo you should do your research. A key question you need toask is, "How many people are there in the group?" This information will helpyou plan the location, physical arrangements, camera format, and lightingequipment you may need.

(1) The group size is a factor that will determine what format filmyou will use. Choose as large a format as practical to achieve maximum headsize for easy recognition of all subjects. You will be able to use 35mmformat for groups up to 15 people. For groups up to three dozen, 120 filmwould record a larger image for better recognition of the individuals. Forgroups much bigger than that, you will obtain clearer pictures with a 4x5format.

(2) As a rule of thumb your first choice when choosing a lens forformal group photos should be a short telephoto lens, provided you have theroom to use it. However, in any case, you have should choose a lensslightly longer than normal for the film format. This will keep distractingdistortions to a minimum. Use the shorter focal length lens when you arelimited by the physical space available.

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(3) For a group of 8 to 12 people, you may only need a few chairs.If the group is large (20 or more people), then you may need a method toraise the third, fourth, and additional rows so they can be clearly seen.You could use steps, bleachers, a hillside, or a terrace. You also may needto know the military ranks, and if there are civilians, who is the senior.You will want to follow military rules and customs and place people frontand center according to rank and importance. Figure 2-1 illustrates aformal group photo.

Figure 2-1. Formal group photo

(4) Be professional! Arrive at the job site early and ensure thephysical arrangements are correct. Measure off approximate position ofsubject placement and have your camera position marked also. You may findthat the use of a tripod makes these jobs a lot easier.

c. Posing. You can ensure a better view of each individual in a largegroup by staggering the number in each two.

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a. Although positioning and posing in an informal group shot isnecessarily carefully planned the results must appear casual and realistic.Achieving this natural feeling will depend on your ingenuity. If at allpossible, limit the number of the group size to as few people as necessaryto tell the story. Three to four subjects is ideal.

b. As you compose the group, make sure everyone is engaged in some kindof action. The various members may be seated, kneeling, or standing in avariety of positions and need not be looking in the same direction, but theyshould be looking at the point of action taking place. That point ofaction, for example, may be a piece of equipment which is being worked on.

3. Lighting.

When you photograph a group indoors, your primary concern is evenillumination over the entire group.

a. A single light held 2 to 3 feet to the side and higher than thecamera is adequate for small groups.

b. You will need several lights to photograph a large group. In bothsituations the light or lights should be higher than the tallest person inthe group. This will prevent the appearance of unnatural lighting andshadows from the subjects in the front row falling on the subjects in thenext row.

c. When you use several lights, you must meter the light output acrossthe full width of the group adjusting the lights until the lighting is even.

d. You will find that the best outdoor lighting occurs on hazy, brightdays during the early part of the day when the sun is at a 45-degree angleto the horizon. It provides soft light shadows and does not cause yoursubjects to squint.

e. If possible, place your group so the light falls on it from 45degrees of either side of the camera.

f. On days that are sunny bright or when the shadows are too contrasty,you should use the synchro-sun flash technique to fill the shadows.

PART B - RECOGNITION PHOTOGRAPHS

4. Types of Awards.

a. Recognition of Personnel. People generally thrive on accomplishmentand recognition of their accomplishments; no place more so than in the

military. The Army takes pride in

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recognizing its personnel, and one way of showing that pride is in publicceremonies. The ceremonies you may be assigned to cover and photograph willfall into four basic types. These basic types are medal awards, trophiesand certificates, promotions, and reenlistments.

(1) Medal awards. These ceremonies present you an opportunity toproduce pictures that have tight simple composition and strong emotionalimpact. You will have three elements to deal with: the recipient, themedal, and the person making the presentation.

(a) This picture usually calls for a close-up. Thephotojournalist must compose his picture so that the recipient (the mostimportant element) is easily recognized and the medal clearly visible.Ensure the background is plain and uncluttered.

(b) If you take your picture during the actual

us army photography course ss0516-a - introduction to special photographic assignments

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