photojournalism manual

8/20/2019 Photojournalism Manual

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A SHORT GUIDE TO

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A SHORT GUIDE TO

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Channels Orientation... ................................................................................Page 1

Electronic Filing......... .................................................................................. Page 2

Photojournalistic Genres ............................................................................. Page 6

Indispensable Web Sites ............................................................................... Page 9

Where Do I Go From Here ..........................................................................Page 10

Excerpts: Tim Harrower’s “Newspapaper Designer’s Handbook - Page 12 • Some Photo Guidelines • Good Photos • Bad Photos • From Camera to Page • Cropping Photos

Excerpts: Brian Horton’s “The Associated Press Guide to Photojournalism” - Page 23 • Sports: Coverage Tips • Getting in the Door

Excerpt: Kenneth Kobre’s “Photojournalism” - Page 26 • Where and When a Photojournalist Can Shoot

The National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics - Page 27


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ORIENTATION

C LASSYou must sign up for The Channels for Artists J123, and Photo 190, Photojournalism, or another SBCC photography class.You are required to attend staff meeting 12:45-2:05 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

ASSIGNMENTS1. You will be assigned at least one assignment for each issue. The photo editor, a member of The Channels

Editorial Board, determines the genre and assigns photographers.2. You are required to enterprise one piece of wild art for each issue.3. You are required to report and write cutline information for all images submitted for publication.

GRADESYou earn points for content and for production. Your content grade is based on your monthly portfolios, submitted onthe dates listed on The Channels online calendar. Your production grade is based on your success following Channelsprocedures and protocols for photo imaging and electronic ling. You also have ample chances for extra credit points.

T YPES OF SHOTSYou will be assigned a specic genre for each assignment.1) Provide a minimum of three types of shots for each assignment: a establishing shot, a medium shot and a close-up.2) Shoot horizontals and verticals.3) Shoot mugs of each campus leader—student and faculty—that you interact with.

C AMERAYou can shoot either with your own camera or with The Channels’ cameras, for which you must follow checkout protocol.The Channels has video, audio and still cameras for checkout, please see Zach or the current editor in chief for informationon how to check out a camera.

C UTLINES

For each photo submitted for publication, you should provide who, what, where, when, why and how, and one additionalinteresting detail. Again, this is considered minimum. Check all names and spellings.

D EADLINESA re either Friday or Monday morning, depending on what section you’re shooting for. Deadlines are clearly called out onThe Channels budgets.

L ESSONS

The Channels does not teach photojournalism per se. You will be given lab guides on genres and lab protocol, and each of you will complete an online tutorial. The Channels Manual Online also has numerous references for you, comprising need-to-know items about access, media law and ethics. You are expected to study these materials and apply them in your dailywork at The Channels.

Numerous Photoshop tutorials can be found online, but an easy and excellent one you can complete in an hour was createdby the UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.You will nd it at:http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/photo/photoshop/

C OPYRIGHT Understand that you are working as a staff photographer for The Channels, under assignment from the Editorial Board. Assuch, the copyright for all your work belongs to The Channels, and all rights to reproduce that work in perpetuity belongsto The Channels. This is in place to protect your work from anyone using it without you knowing.


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ELECTRONIC FILING

You have four goals when submitting images for Channels publication:1. Prepare your images as optimally as possible so editors can easily place them on the newspaper or Web page.2. Submit accurate and complete information so that editors can write cutlines that help readers better understand

your images and the people in them.3. Submit all your content, properly slugged and in the proper computer le, so that editors can nd it.4. Do all the above by deadline.

P REPARING I MAGES• Adjust orientation and make sure you are saving images properly as verticals or horizontals, depending on the shot.• Adjust contrast and color.• Bring out detail in faces, if needed.• Remove spots and other imperfections, but do not alter the actual image.• Prepare your image for print (the photo editor will adjust it for the web).• Your camera should be preset, but check to make sure you are saving in 4” x 6” format, at least 300 dpi.

F ILING I MAGESThe Channels le server—the location where all content is stored—can only be accessed from the lab.

Working from a lab computer:

1. Get into the Channels server by pressing Apple key in Apple Key K.2. Navigate to:

Work folder The edition folder of the week (2/14/08 in your screen shot) Photography/Graphics folder3. Create a new folder, and name it the same as your assignment slug. Save in the Photography/Graphics folder.4. Move all your images into this folder.5. Pick your Top 4, and rename them and number them, again with the assignment slug. Remember that you are

choosing shots with vertical and horizontal orientations, as well as establishing shots, medium range anda close up.

6. You can leave the remaining images unnamed.7. Save wild art in the Wild Art folder, right above the Graphics folder.

C UTLINESYour goal is to provide page editors with enough information for any shot he or she may choose — without you (thephotographer) knowing the choice. With this in mind, you should be shooting in such as way that you can collect cutlineinformation without killing yourself. Second, you should be submitting accurate information. If in doubt, leave it out, evenif leaving it out earns you an editor’s wrath.

1. Cutline requirements are: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, and one interesting detail. Don’t worry about thewriting because it will be rewritten. Do worry about accuracy.

2. Create a Word le, name it the same as your assignment slug with “cutline” added, and save it using the same steps as you did with your images.

3. In list form, write complete cutline information for each of your top shots. Remember to lead off each cutline with theslug of the photo.

4. Write general cutline information for the rest of your shots.

See reverse for examples and screen shots of these processes.


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SCREENSHOT OF C HANNELS PHOTO FOLDERS AND SLUGS

S AMPLE CUTLINE FILE :

KMsoccer1 : Maria James cries in the arms of her coach, Morris Hodges, after losing the state championship to the OxnardCougars. The Lady Vaqueros played their nal match Tuesday night in the Sports Pavilion at SBCC. It’s interesting that James

scored every point in the match, but also made some of the worst errors. The score was 5-3.H ERE ’ S ANOTHER FORMAT YOU CAN USE :

KMsoccer 2 :Who: Soccer player Maria James and her coach, Morris HodgesWhat: She cries in disappointment after the Vaqueros’ 5-3 championship loss to the Oxnard Cougars.When: Tuesday nightWhere: The SBCC Sports PavilionDetail: James scored every point in the match, but also made some of the worst errors.

KMsoccer3 : Goalie Laura Prescott blocks a shot from Oxnard’s Janine Parker with 30 seconds left to play. Parker was namedmost valuable player for the conference.

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CUTLINE SITING

G ENERAL GUIDELINES

• Every photo must be accompanied by a cutline.• A mug shot takes simple identication.• For more complex photos, the cutline must be at least one complete sentence and up to three. Writing is factual and

to the point, and sentences should be short. Avoid fancy prose.• Cutlines must identify all recognizable people by name. Crowds and people in the background can be identied

more generally.• When more than one person in the photo, you will probably have to “site.”

S ENTENCE STRUCTURE • The rst sentence of cutline must describe the action in the photo. The sentence must contain a present tense,

active verb.• The rest of the sentences can provide background or more information about the story or photo.• Avoid clichés such as “shown here” or “pictured above.” Better to just identify the subject and provide

a piece of information about the story.

I DENTIFICATION The following can be identied without siting:

• single subject photos• photos in which the action clearly identies who is who.• photos of opposite-sex people when they don’t have ambiguous names.• two-subject photos when one of the people is famous.

D IRECTIONAL SITING• Never use directional siting if you can help it. But use it if you need it.• The main actor in the photo is generally sited rst, by describing the action. Then site from left to right, if you have to.• Famous people are sited rst, the rest left to right, if you have to.• When no main actor, site from left to right.• For row or tiered shots, site front to back, left to right.• For circular shots, pick a focal point (usually 12 o’clock) then site clockwise.

Siting directions can either be in parenthesis (from left) such as The Channels uses, or in commas, front to back, depending on the styleof the publication.

C UTLINES FOR SOUNDSLIDESUnlike in print, cutlines in this media form should be minimal so they don’t compete with the audio.

• Only describe action if the audio doesn’t.• Use last name only on second reference.• Put a cutline on every image, but the text be as simple as the subject’s name.


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This is an example of a photographer including inaccuracies in the cutline information.The red comments were submitted by a reader.


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PHOTOJOURNALISTIC GENRES

V ISUAL V ARIETY Strive to capture three types of shots for each major assignment: the establishing shot (also called the overall shot), the

medium shot, and the close-up.

E STABLISHING S HOT

If readers themselves were at a news event, they would stand in the crowd and move their eyes side to side to survey theentire panorama. A good establishing shot allows viewers to orient themselves to the scene, whether it be a street, a cityblock, a hillside on campus, or a room.

Note: Generally requires a high or a wider angle. Climb a ladder or stairs, get on your car roof, or say yes to ahelicopter ride.

M EDIUM S HOT

Adds drama and tells the story. Shoot close enough to see the participants’ actions, yet far enough way to show theirrelationship to one another and the environment.

Note: A wide-angle lens such as a 24mm or 28mm works well, although a normal 50mm will do.

C LOSE -U P

Slams the reader eyeball-to-eyeball with the subject. A close-up should isolate and emphasize one element, which is mostoften a face but can also be the hands of an aging pianist or the child’s doll, mired in the mud of a ash ood.

Note: Longer lenses enable photographers to be less conspicuous. With a 200mm lens, you can stand 10 feet away and stillget a tight facial close-up.

T HE FOLLOWING ARE THE MOST COMMON PHOTOJOURNALISTIC GENRES :

M UGSHOT • Head and shoulders.• Subject looking directly at the camera or slightly off to the side.• No emphasis on background, little thought to creativity or content.• Consistency among subjects is key if more than one.• Eyes are important. Always have subjects removed sunglasses and caps.

Note: Generally with a medium range telephoto lens; around 80 to 100mm. Depth of eld F8. Watch the background tosee that a tree branch or pole doesn’t appear to stick through the head. Watch for bright sun or too much ash causing areection on glasses and for bright sun causing a squint or dark shadows beneath the eyes. The latter can be lled in withash, or turn the subject’s back to the sun or stand in the shade & shoot with balanced ash, then add a touch of warmth inPhotoshop.

Also be aware of the color of the background in relation to the subject. White hair against a white wall will be lost. Likewise,dark hair against a dark wall requires some separation. In such situations, also be careful to meter off the face so the large,single color background does not throw the light meter out.

E NVIRONMENTAL P ORTRAIT • Capturing the subject in his or her natural environment.• Required when one wants to both show a person’s face and say something about what they do or are involved in.• The background is thus as important as the subject & should say something about the person, or correlate to

the article in a direct manner.

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Note: Props directly related to the subject or news article may immediately contribute to a good photo. Ask questions –get a good feel for the subject and their activity or profession. Are they linked to a product or activity? If you get a rstimpression – check or ask that it is accurate, then try to depict that to readers. Secondly, think how you can make good useof light. Use window light, ll in with ash. If an industrial or lab type setting, use a gel on a background light or ash foreffect – red & blue always works well here. These shots are generally in the 17 – 35 mm wide angle range. Subjects for themost part look at the camera but not as a rule. Depth of eld may vary from F8 to F16.

STORY T ELLING• Real people doing real things.• The subject, action or happening is shown as a moment in time in a particular environment. No propping

or posing.

Note: Most generally created with a combination of keen photojournalistic senses, good use of light and a 17 – 35 mm lens.Tele lenses are also used, but less so. The effect is not quite the same – which is to capture a dramatic sense of place andoccurrence. The subject may be large and ll three quarters of the frame. Or the subject may be small & ll a tiny fractionof the frame. The emphasis is on story and content. Aperture varies from small to large depending on desired effect.

P APARAZZO• Basic celebrity photography in more demanding situations, perhaps from within a pressing crowd.• Often the best you can to get the face or pose.

Note: Get there earlier to stake out a position & anticipate movement. (Generally within a 28 – 200 mm range dependingon position. Also at F5.6 to F8) Look for expression or unusual antics. Try for inside information on arrival times etc. Caninclude long hours of waiting with short bursts of action. So take trial light meter readings in various clearly thought outparts of the location. (Open up by a stop from the meter reading if you anticipate a dark skinned person arriving, or twostops if someone might be arriving in light but will step into shade etc.)

SPOT N EWS • Emphasis is on content rst.• This might be described as a cross between paparazzi, sports and storytelling work.

Note: In most cases you get the best you can from the best angle possible. Then when you have the bread & butter shot inthe bank, look to improving it with more creative angle or lighting, or give attention to a good story telling shot. Emphasisis on capturing a key moment. (The red Professor’s st pumping the air in indifferent light with a cluttered background ismore important than a beautifully lit image of the President announcing the dismissal in a garden setting.)

SPORTS ACTION Close-up action photography using a medium- to long-range telephoto lens.

Note: Short to medium range teles are generally used for court sports & medium to long range teles for eld or otheroutdoor sports. Aperture is generally from F2.8 to F8. A good tip for ash use is to dial in a negative 1 to 2 stop exposureon the ash if possible and the action is fairly close. This throws just enough light to freeze the action and add light to thesubject, but leaves enough power for a double burst before the ash has to recharge. (You thus get two shots with ash on

motor drive.) On full charge or equal to the meter reading, the ash res only once then has to recharge.

Sports action can also be caught with a wide-angle lens, especially when play moves in to the touchline the photographer isstanding on. But this requires a second camera with such a lens tted for quick use, and although action photography, willshow a greater element of ‘story telling.’

SPORTS R EACTION Watch the bench, the team, the coach and the stands when a match point is about to be played, or a penalty kicked orthrown etc, or the nal whistle is about to blow. Reaction tells the story of a game as much as the winning move.

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W ILD ART • Standard paper ller from everyday activity.• This is a slice-of-life moment in the day of a student or teacher on campus.• Look for the unusual, or look for fresh activity in usual places.• Emphasis is on people & their habits or quirks.

C LICHES TO AVOID

GRIP AND GRIN Standard posed shot for an event. Might includecheck hand over, award receipt, sod turning, etc.

Note: You can show some creativity, but notmuch. Try for fresh angles, perhaps low down,off to one side or higher up, and special lighting,sidelight for contrast or a soft ash blending inwith ambient light. Try to avoid harsh shadowsbeneath the eyes. (Generally within a 28-105 mmrange at F5.6 to F8)

E XECUTION AT D AWN Line ‘em up, shoot them down.

Note: There’s no way to make this shotinteresting. Instead, nd out exactly what thesepeople are being honored for, then pick the mostinteresting one, go to the scene of the action anddo an environmental or storytelling shot.

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BORED M EETINGNot a typo.

Again, go beyond the lazy shot and nd out whythese people are in the news. Then head out towhere the news or human interest is, and capturethat image.

A G UY AT H IS D ESK Same as above, but add mug shot to the listof options. Everybody does something moreinteresting and action-oriented than sitting at a

desk. Find out what that is, and shoot it.

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INDISPENSABLE WEB SITES

The Channels Manual• Grades• Job Requirements• Portfolio Information

http://instructors.sbcc.edu/journalism/manual.html

UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Photoshop Tutorialhttp://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/photo/photoshop

Associated Press photography http://www.associatedpress.com

Current editorial content in the eld for purchase or ideashttp://www.corbis.comhttp:/www.getty1.com

National Press Photographers Associationhttp://www.nppa.org/

NPPA Code of Ethicshttp://nappa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.html

American Society of Press Photographershttp://www.americanphotojournalist.com/

The Digital Journalisthttp://digitaljournalist.org/

College Photographer of the Yearhttp://www.cpoy.org/?s=Home

“Ethics Matters” Column from News Photographer magazinehttp://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/nppa.html

Poynter Online’s Photojournalism Resourceshttp://www.poynter.org/subject.asp?id=29

Pulitzer Prize Photos: Examples from the Newseumhttp://www.newseum.org/exhibits_th/exhibits/about.aspx?item=PPPG&style=dS

Sports Shooterhttp://www.sportsshooter.com/

Visual Edgehttp://www.visualedge.org/

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WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?

Recommended SBCC Photography courses

* PHOTO 109Basic Photography

* PHOTO 190Photojournalism

MULTIMEDIA 113Digital Imaging 1: Photoshop

PHOTO 133Digital Photography Basics

PHOTO 180Digital Imaging

* Required for Journalism Certicate and Associate’s Degree

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NPPA Code of Ethics

P REAMBLE The National Press Photographers Association, a professional society that promotes the highest standards in

photojournalism, acknowledges concern for every person’s need both to be fully informed about public events and to berecognized as part of the world in which we live.

Photojournalists operate as trustees of the public. Our primary role is to report visually on the signicant events and on thevaried viewpoints in our common world. Our primary goal is the faithful and comprehensive depiction of the subject athand. As photojournalists, we have the responsibility to document society and to preserve its history through images.

Photographic and video images can reveal great truths, expose wrongdoing and neglect, inspire hope and understandingand connect people around the globe through the language of visual understanding. Photographs can also cause greatharm if they are callously intrusive or are manipulated.

This code is intended to promote the highest quality in all forms of photojournalism and to strengthen public condencein the profession. It is also meant to serve as an educational tool both for those who practice and for those who appreciate

photojournalism. To that end, The National Press Photographers Association sets forth the following Code of Ethics:

C ODE OF E THICSPhotojournalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards intheir daily work:

1) Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.2) Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.3) Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and

groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one’s own biases in the work.4) Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion

to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justiable need to see.

5) While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or inuence events.6) Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images’ content and context. Do not manipulate

images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.7) Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.8) Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to inuence coverage.9) Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

Ideally, photojournalists should:

1) Strive to ensure that the public’s business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.2) Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and

presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.

3) Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities,seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.4) Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of

compromising one’s own journalistic independence.5) Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.6) Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.7) Strive by example and inuence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When

confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit thehighest standards of the profession. Photojournalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics thatguide it.

photojournalism manual

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