npase 2016 expeditionary skills photojournalism outline

Expeditionary Skills Photojournalism

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Expeditionary Skills Photojournalism Course (ESP)

10 day course. Target Audience: Mass Communication Specialists (“MCs”), and Non-MC

Independent Deployers with a significant baseline in photographic experience.

Course Objective: At the conclusion of this course students will be proficient in intermediate

photojournalism and Navy Visual Information (VI) requirements.

Prerequisites:

1. Have a valid Vision ID

2. Bring own camera

3. Students must be familiar with Photo Mechanic and Adobe Photoshop and Bridge

**Note: The photo story/essay challenges (Days 03 – 10) may be changed up as long as some

specific challenge is given for each assignment.

**Note: Except at instructor discretion, students SHALL NOT use classmates or NPASE

HQ/East/West personnel as their subjects. They must get out in teams and start working in the

public sphere. Students SHALL always go on assignment in pairs for safety and accountability.

If students do a shoot off Navy/Marine Corps property, they must be in NSUs or khakis as

appropriate. NWUs may ONLY be worn on board Navy/Marine Corps facilities.

Terminal Objectives:

• Training Day 1

1. Introduction (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Discuss the purpose of photojournalism.

Enabling Objectives:

a. Discuss the purpose of photojournalism

b. Discuss caption requirements

a. Discuss keywords and metadata fields

b. Handout: Caption Basics

c. Handout: Metadata fields

c. Discuss OPSEC

a. Geotagging

b. GPS

c. Other dangers

d. Review releasable vs. non-releasable

a. Handout: Releasable vs. Non-Releasable Guide

b. Handout: Submission Points and Requirements

e. Discuss OPTASK VI

a. Handout: OPTASK VI message

f. Video: What Makes a Great Picture?


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2. Ethics: It’s All Pixels (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Discuss photojournalism ethics

1) It’s All Pixels

a. DODINST 5040.02: Imagery shall not be altered to misrepresent/deceive

b. Terminology

c. Deception through the years

2) Techniques of manipulation

3) Consequences

4) Spot the Fake

5) Video: Stephen Glass interview

3. Care and Feeding of the Camera (2.0 Hours)

Terminal Objectives: Review basic camera operations and exposure skills.


a. Review focus control

a. Photos are useless if out of focus

b. The Eyes have it

i. Focus on the eyes

c. Avoid the autofocus trap

b. Review aperture functions

a. Aperture controls the amount (quantity) of light

b. The inverse rule:

i. Large f/stop, small aperture; Small f/stop, large aperture

ii. Handout: F/stop guide

c. Review shutter speed functions

a. Shutter controls the time of light and, therefore, motion

1. This will be practiced in detail during Day 07’s challenge

d. Review ISO function and control

e. Review basic light theory

a. Color temperature

f. Review the basic color wheel a. RGB vs. CYMK theories

g. Demonstrate exposure control a. Equivalent exposure

i. If ISO is set, increasing aperture means decreasing shutter speed and vice

versa

ii. Used to control movement and Depth of Field (DOF) without changing

lighting or camera position

1. DOF and motion will be explored in detail on Day 03

iii. Handout: Pinwheel Equivalent Exposure Reference

iv.


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4. Basic Composition 1: Techniques (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Review basic photographic compositional techniques


a. Review Center of Interest

a. One at a time

b. A group of people working as a team can be a center of interest

b. Review Rule of Thirds

a. Works in both vertical and horizontal format

c. Review Camera Angle

a. High and low angles change your perspective

d. Review Leading lines

a. Straight, curved, or implied

e. Review Framing

f. Review Patterns and repetition

g. Review motion direction

a. Room to move INTO the frame

h. Reviews Balance

5. Basic Composition 2: Depth of Field and Motion Control (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Review control of depth of field

Review motion control by using shutter speed


a. Define Depth of Field

a. 2/3 as much DOF behind the point of focus as in front of it

b. Review control of DOF

a. Camera-to-subject distance

b. The closer the camera, the less DOF you have

c. Zoom

d. Simulates camera-to-subject distance

e. Aperture

f. Smaller the aperture, greater the DOF

g. Handout: DOF reference slides

c. Review motion control using shutter speed

a. High speed shutter freezes motion

b. Can show unique moments in time

c. Slower shutter speed allows motion to blur

d. Create dynamic images with illusion of motion

e. Demonstrate motion control through the use of panning

d. Review compositional problems


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6. Sunlight in Your Hand (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Review use of artificial lighting


a. Review use of reflectors

a. Not great for photojournalism; but excellent for feature pieces

b. Review common flash unit modes

a. Auto flash

b. TTL

c. Manual

c. Review basic single-flash techniques

a. Direct

b. Diffused

c. Bounce

d. Fill

d. Controlling motion: rear-synch curtain flash

e. Video: Introduction to Flash

f. Handout: Inverse-square law

Practical exercise: None

Instructor Hours: 7

Assignment Hours: 0

Lunch: 1

Practical Exercise Review: 0


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• Training Day 2

1. The World of Photojournalism (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Create photojournalistic feature photos and environmental portraits.


a. Review feature photos

a. Working shots tell the Navy story best

i. The “bread and butter” of our work day

b. Subjects are NOT looking at the camera

c. Actions and tools must be clearly visible

b. Review environmental portraits

a. Clearly posed, as if in a studio

b. Subject in their element, surrounded by tools and other props

c. Review stock photos

a. Generalized “beauty shots” of ships, aircraft, weapons systems

b. Needed by CHINFO for current press releases

d. Review photo stories and photo essays

a. Chronologic vs. thematic approach

b. Can be done as a traditional layout or viewed lineally as a slide show

c. Key photo is strongest photo

i. Theoretically can stand alone

2. Post-Processing: The Digital Adventure Begins (1.0 Hours)

Terminal Objective: Review use of Photoshop for post-processing


a. Review non-destructive enhancement techniques

a. Dodging and burning

i. Shadows, mid-tones, highlights

ii. Brush size

iii. Opacity

b. Healing Brush / Spot Healing Brush

c. Adjustment layers

b. Review use of Camera Raw dialogue box

c. Review “File Info” dialogue boxes in Bridge

d. Introduction to Lynda.com training resources


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Practical exercise: Students will be given a shoot sheet that directs them to

demonstrate the following (students are expected to work lunch into this shoot as

part of time management training):

i. Wide and narrow DOF by shooting two-shot sequences with one

subject. Students will use either use a zoom lens or camera-to-subject

distance to demonstrate DOF

ii. Students will shoot two leading lines shots

iii. Students will shoot two shots demonstrating the use of different

camera angels

iv. Students will demonstrate framing in two exposures

v. Students will pan with a car driving or a subject jogging across their

field of view shooting at shutter speeds of 1/30, 1/125, and 1/250.

vi. Students will demonstrate two shots using TTL flash mode

vii. Students will demonstrate two four-shot sequences (long shot,

medium shot, close-up, extreme close-up)

Students will return to class by 1300 to download and do any post-production

necessary. Peer review will begin at 1400 and be completed on Day 03 if necessary.

Instructor Hours: 2

Assignment Hours: 4

Lunch: Student responsibility during assignment



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• Training Day 3

Challenge 1: Fixed focal length

a. Students will range out and shoot a minimum of two different five-

shot photo stories with different subjects demonstrating the basic

four-shot sequence. Caption information will be obtained and the

photo selected by the student as the key photo will be captioned and

all metadata fields properly filled out.

b. The challenge: Students will select either a fixed focal length lens or

use a zoom lens set to a particular focal length for ALL shots. This is

to challenge students to move around, changing their perspective and

position instead of relying on zoom lenses to get them all the shots

they need.

c. Students will return to class by 1300 for upload, processing, and

captioning of both stories. One will be selected for presentation to the

class for peer review, but both will be available for instructor review.

Peer review will start by 1400.

Instructor Hours: .5

Assignment Hours: 6.5




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• Training Day 4

-Complete peer review of Challenge 1 if necessary.

Challenge 2: Rise to New Heights

d. Students will range out and shoot a minimum of two different five-

shot photo essays with different subjects demonstrating the basic




e. The challenge: Challenge 1 required students to use a fixed focal

length; this challenge requires students to complete the assignment

without raising the camera no higher than 3 feet off the deck/ground.

f. Students will return to class by 1300 for upload, processing, and

captioning of both stories. One will be selected for presentation to the








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• Training Day 5


Challenge 3: Environmental portrait as key photo

a. Students will range out and shoot a minimum of two different five-

shot photo essays with different subjects demonstrating the basic




b. The challenge: The students will be required to shoot and use a

strong environmental portrait of their subject as the key photo. This

is to challenge the students to practice the art of setting up and

shooting an environmental portrait while creating a dynamic essay.

g. Students will return to class by 1300 for upload, processing, and

captioning of both essays. One will be selected for presentation to the








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• Weekend Challenge

Challenge 4: Night photography

a. Shoot over the weekend to demonstrate low light / nighttime

photography. Flash may be used to enhance a shot, but SHALL NOT

be the only light source used. Students will produce five different low

light / night shots. These may be a mix of portraiture, environmental

portraiture, scenic shots, or feature photos, but a human or animal

element SHALL be the center of interest.

b. The challenge: Using natural, ambient light to create interesting shots

in which they are not relying solely on flash. “Low light” and “night”

may include, but is not limited to, indoor environments where the

scene is not lit up evenly with normal lighting, sunsets, sunrises, night

shots using ambient city lights to illuminate the scene.

c. Students will have time on Training Day 6 to upload, process and

caption ALL FIVE photos that will be presented to the class. All raw

images will be uploaded and available for instructor review.


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• Training Day 6


-Post-production of Challenge 4 (2.0 Hours)

-Peer review of Challenge 4 (1.0 Hours)

Challenge 5: Silhouette

a. Students will range out and shoot one five-shot photo essay

demonstrating the basic four-shot sequence (this is to compensate for

the time needed to complete the Weekend Challenge). Caption

information will be obtained for the key photo.

b. The challenge: The students will be required to shoot a silhouette as

the key photo for the essay.


captioning of the essay for presentation. All raw images will be

available for instructor review. Peer review will start by 1400.






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• Training Day 7


Challenge 6: Motion blur

a. Students will range out and shoot two five-shot photo essays

demonstrating the four-shot sequence. Caption information will be

obtained and embedded with all metadata fields filled out on

whatever photos the student select as the key photos.

b. The challenge: Students will be required to capture motion blur while

keeping the subject recognizable and in acceptable focus. This is to

challenge the students to exercise their skills at panning, rear-synch

flash usage, anticipating action, etc., while keeping the subject

recognizable. The long and medium shots must demonstrate some

form of motion blur.


captioning of both stories. One story will be selected for presentation

to the class for peer review, but both will be available for instructor

review. Peer review will start by 1400.






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• Training Day 8


Challenge 7: Curves and Spot Color

a. Students will range out and shoot two photo stories, minimum four-

shot sequence. Caption information will be obtained and embedded

with all metadata fields filled out on whatever photos the student

select as the key photos.

b. The challenge: Students are required to incorporate curves and spot

color into each of their shots. “Curves” may be defined as including

(but not limited to) curved lines, curved shapes, curving motion, etc.

“Spot color” is defined as a particular spot or “splash” of color that

stands out significantly from the rest of the scene, but is INTEGRAL

to telling the visual story (a random bit of color in the background

that has no relevance SHALL NOT count). This is to challenge

students to see past the normal, straight-line approach taken by many

photographs while also looking for unusual use or placement of colors

in order to enhance their creativity.










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• Training Day 9


Challenge 8: Cell Phone Shooting

a. Students will range out and use their cell phones to shoot two five-shot

photo essays, demonstrating the four-shot sequence. Caption

information will be obtained for the key photo.

b. The challenge: Cell phone cameras are as common today as the old

“point and shoot” camera was a few years ago. Everyone has one,

and often a cell phone camera is the closest camera a Mass

Communication Specialist (“MC”) or PAO has on hand when an

emergent event happens. Although lacking in the bells and whistles of

DSLRs, knowledge of basic camera operation and photographic

techniques can allow a Sailor to capture publication-quality imagery

even with a cell phone. This shoot is designed to build student

confidence in their ability to perform the PA/VI mission even if they

only have their cell phone in their pocket.

c. NOTE: Students will need to think ahead about how they will

transfer their images from their phone to their classroom workstation.

Emailing their photos to a personal email account or using “Google

Drive” are two options. As such, students need to be notified ahead of

time in order to give them a chance to get a transfer plan in place.

d. Students will return to class by 1300 for upload, processing, and









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• Training Day 10


Final Challenge (challenge 9): Short-fused photo essay or story

a. Students will range out and shoot a photo essay or story if they choose,

minimum four-shot sequence. Caption information will be obtained for the

image the students pick as their key photos.

b. The challenge: This is graduation day. The challenge is TIME. Students

will be sent out at 0800 after mustering and be required to report back for

processing by 1000. Their final product, including a fully captioned key

photo (with all metadata fields filled in) is due precisely at 1100.

c. Following peer review and classroom clean up, students will take the course

survey and then graduate at approximately 1200 – 1300.


Assignment Hours: 3


Clean up and Survey: 1

Notes:

“Instructor Hours” refers only to time spent on podium delivering lectures. Instructors will be

available during normal working hours to assist students. During lecture periods, a 10 minute

break will be given every hour.

“Assignment Hours” include both lunch and photo processing time back in the classroom. It is

incumbent upon the student to manage their shoot time wisely so they can have lunch and return

to the classroom with enough time to process and caption images due by COB that day.

“Practical Exercise Review” is designed to allow all members of the class time to provide

constructive feedback to their classmates. Peer review is critical to enhancing students’ skills by

allowing them to critique one another as well as gain insight from their classmates’ opinions and

experience.

npase 2016 expeditionary skills photojournalism outline

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