Post by Saknika on Dec 1, 2009 12:12:30 GMT -5
Something that many of us are exposed to every day, but probably have not even thought about trying, is photojournalism (photoj for short). You see it in newspapers, editorials, online, and countless other places. It’s a highly specific field with its own regulations, and is something that many digital photographs love due to the lack of Photoshop involved.
Photojournalism is a way to document what is happening around you. It is done by being a fly on the wall, and taking candid shots of what you see (generally of people but not always) and capturing the moment. Because it is meant to document what is happening, there is no retouching involved, aside from maybe tweaking the exposure. These photos have to be a true accounting, and it’s a basic principle in photoj because of that to outlaw the use of Photoshop.
Sometimes, this gets in the way of morals though, so use your better judgment! Let me explain with an example:
There was a photographer for one of the bigger-name papers (I want to say the NY Times, but I won’t swear to it) who was doing the coverage of a Social Security change. And the shot he got had all of these people holding their social security cards in the air. Of course, this is the best shot, but it also shares very personal information about these people. So he chose to blur out the numbers so that no one could steal their identities. The man lost his job because he did what was morally and ethically correct by his judgment, but not someone else’s. He was later re-hired, but as far as I’m aware there have been lawsuits over the whole thing.
So, while you’re doing this bear in mind that even though the first rule with photoj is to never alter the image, sometimes it is for the better if you do. My suggestion though is to never capture something that sensitive in the first place.
I’m sure by now you’re thinking you need to go out and chase fires and accidents, maybe a riot or two. And that’s not the case. While this is where you’ll most often see photoj in action, it’s not the only thing that qualifies.
Here are a few things that qualify as photojournalism:
-Street Photography
-Documenting a Reenactment
-Photojournalist-style Weddings
-Capturing Breaking News
-Photo Stories
There are probably other things as well, but those are the five that I think are the most well-known.
So here’s how this is going to work.
1) Go out, and capture an image in a photojournalistic style.
2) Adjust the exposure only if needed, and share with us.
3) Comment on the photo above yours, and others if you’d like.
4) Read the comments you receive, and try again to create an even better image.
5) Share the new image with us, and leave another comment on the image above yours.
Pretty simple. The comments will allow everyone to learn and grow, and by trying it again you will be able to put that advice to good use.
This practice closes at 11:59pm EST (that’s 8:59pm in California and 4:59am in England) on December 31st 2009.
So, to leave everyone with something to comment on, here is something I took at a reenactment of the Battle of Carillon at Fort Ticonderoga in the summer of 2008. Sadly, it is one of the most recent examples that I have, since I haven’t gotten out much this past year. I’ll get something new for you guys soon though.
Photojournalism is a way to document what is happening around you. It is done by being a fly on the wall, and taking candid shots of what you see (generally of people but not always) and capturing the moment. Because it is meant to document what is happening, there is no retouching involved, aside from maybe tweaking the exposure. These photos have to be a true accounting, and it’s a basic principle in photoj because of that to outlaw the use of Photoshop.
Sometimes, this gets in the way of morals though, so use your better judgment! Let me explain with an example:
There was a photographer for one of the bigger-name papers (I want to say the NY Times, but I won’t swear to it) who was doing the coverage of a Social Security change. And the shot he got had all of these people holding their social security cards in the air. Of course, this is the best shot, but it also shares very personal information about these people. So he chose to blur out the numbers so that no one could steal their identities. The man lost his job because he did what was morally and ethically correct by his judgment, but not someone else’s. He was later re-hired, but as far as I’m aware there have been lawsuits over the whole thing.
So, while you’re doing this bear in mind that even though the first rule with photoj is to never alter the image, sometimes it is for the better if you do. My suggestion though is to never capture something that sensitive in the first place.
I’m sure by now you’re thinking you need to go out and chase fires and accidents, maybe a riot or two. And that’s not the case. While this is where you’ll most often see photoj in action, it’s not the only thing that qualifies.
Here are a few things that qualify as photojournalism:
-Street Photography
-Documenting a Reenactment
-Photojournalist-style Weddings
-Capturing Breaking News
-Photo Stories
There are probably other things as well, but those are the five that I think are the most well-known.
So here’s how this is going to work.
1) Go out, and capture an image in a photojournalistic style.
2) Adjust the exposure only if needed, and share with us.
3) Comment on the photo above yours, and others if you’d like.
4) Read the comments you receive, and try again to create an even better image.
5) Share the new image with us, and leave another comment on the image above yours.
Pretty simple. The comments will allow everyone to learn and grow, and by trying it again you will be able to put that advice to good use.
This practice closes at 11:59pm EST (that’s 8:59pm in California and 4:59am in England) on December 31st 2009.
So, to leave everyone with something to comment on, here is something I took at a reenactment of the Battle of Carillon at Fort Ticonderoga in the summer of 2008. Sadly, it is one of the most recent examples that I have, since I haven’t gotten out much this past year. I’ll get something new for you guys soon though.
