The role of photography has expanded over the last century as journalists could now tell a story via a visual means, making readers more connected to the story and better able to understand a situation.
Charlee Steed talked with the class on how journalism and photography can work together to deliver a more complete story. He showed us how the Ney York Times has adopted photography into its print edition that was once all text, is now filled with photographs.
“Know the story before you take the photos,” said Charlee.
It is important to know what your story is and develop some ideas of what you are going to photograph. Having an idea of who or what you will be taking photos allows you to decide what equipment you will need. If you know you will be far away, it would be important to bring a telephoto lens or maybe even a tripod.
“Prominence will shape news stories and photos,” said Charlee.
Thinking of the story ahead of time makes you think about all the equipment you would need and makes you more likely to succeed once you finally go. Taking the time beforehand also allows you to double-check to make sure all your stuff works, batteries are charged and cards formatted. This all reduces the likely hood of some technical problem occurring and you missing your shot.
Once at the event it is a good idea to vary up your shots. A mix of medium, tight and action shots allow you to tell a more interesting story through your photos as compared to one static location. Mixing up shots will make people more engaged and force you to move around and see things from different perspectives.
Following some of these simple rules allows aspiring photojournalists to be more successful in this career field.
MAV Research 