The art of photojournalism

Image source: http://veja.abril.com.br/blog/sobre-imagens/mulheres/margaret-bourke-white/
Photograph by: Margaret Bourke White
Year Taken: 1931

Obvious main subject, about ¼ to 2/3 of image area.  The main subject of the picture is the ballerina and her shoe. It takes up the majority of the frame without being too zoomed in. Viewing the photograph it is very obvious what the subject is supposed to be. The image conveys more meaning as it engulfs the whole frame.

Use of shadows.  In this black and white photo shadows are greatly present. The light projected onto the girl’s frame casts a shadow on the wall behind her of her wrist, hands and shoe. Other shadows are visible in the frame as additional objects in the light are producing shadows. The shadows help to portray the delicate girl tying her ballet slipper.

What feelings does the image create?/ What in the image helped to create that feeling?   The image captured my attention because the photographer made it seem as if he/she just happened to snap a picture of this girl as she delicately ties her dance shoes. Looking at the image you get the feeling that certain individuals have the ability to make anything look graceful. Grace is a word commonly used with ballerinas and looking at this picture I immediately got that feeling. It is obvious that the girl is a ballerina, despite the fact that she is not dancing. The mood of the picture is peaceful and quiet. I feel as though I could stare and watch this girl as she continued to get ready, and throughout her dance.

I choose this image because I was amazed that a photograph in which no one was even moving, the subject looks so graceful and elegant. The image is very simple and straightforward, yet the ballerina looks like she could be full of emotion. Even without seeing her face I was able to imagine what was taking place as she tied that shoe, the setting and the mood. 

Image source: http://framework.latimes.com/2011/07/22/pictures-in-the-news-231/#/7
Photograph by: Shannon Stapleton
Year Taken: 2011

Rule of thirds The subject of this photo is definitely the two individuals enjoying the day in a water park, however, their placement in the shot is not centered as subjects often are. By placing them in the lower third, much of the focus of the picture is shifted to the water and the rainbow reflection. The couple in the photo is shifted toward the bottom and left of the image.
Quality of Light   Quality of light is what first caught my attention about this photo. Though it is in focus, the reflections and pattern of water droplets all over the screen make it so that the light is doing atypical things. The reflection of the sunshine on the water has made a rainbow mirage appear in the background. Furthermore, the way that light reflects off of the water droplets makes the entire image appear to sparkle. Without the water reflection this image would not have caught my attention in the way that it did.
Texture There is very obvious texture in this picture. The water droplets give the surface both a wet and shiny. The reflections make each droplet seem three dimensional and it looks as if you could reach out and feel the photo and have it not be smooth. The texture helps to solidify the light heart-ed carefree mood. It mirrors the emotions being displayed by the people in the picture.

I choose this image because as soon as i saw it I was amazed by the texture that jumped out of the picture. The way that the photographer captured the water droplets and the reflection caused by the water and sun to create the rainbow was just perfect. It immediately brought me back to my past. I remembered playing in the water park as a child and it just made me feel connected to the picture. 

  

Image source: http://framework.latimes.com/2013/05/17/pictures-in-the-news-667/#/6
Photograph by: Daniel Karmann
Year Taken: 2013

Subject’s Expression The subjects in this photo are all far from relaxed. It is evident from the look on their faces that they are desperate to achieve their goal of receiving the first beer. On some peoples faces there is joy, while others appear to be in physical pain. The tension and strain is obvious in their faces, though the majority of the people appear to be in a relaxed “state of mind” as they are at a casual setting within a crowd. Nothing about this photo appears staged or posed for the camera. Their body language fits their facial expressions perfectly.
KEEP IT SIMPLE   This image almost reminds me of a “where’s waldo” situation. The image has so much going on, and though there is a “background” and a “foreground”, not an inch of the photo is wasted blank space. The fact that the people are so closely stuffed together makes the picture very cluttered and busy. 
Background compliments or detracts from composition  The background of this picture actually is more in focus than the foreground. The photographer has placed the emphasis on the people’s expressions rather than the mug of beer which is the obvious center. The background of the picture is what caught my eye. I feel as though each time I look at the image I notice a new person’s expression, or something I hadn’t before.

I choose this picture because of the perspective. I liked how the subject of the picture was captured in both the foreground and the background. The variety and severity of the emotions displayed in the image made me want to keep looking at it and seeing new things every time. 

Image Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210599/Evolution-community-One-womans-stunning-collection-lesbians-past-150-years.html
Photograph by: unknown
Year Taken: 1890

Abstraction The reason that I choose this photo was because of what it represents. The image was taken long before the “gay and lesbian movement” came about. In this time, it was unheard of for homosexual relationships to occur, much less to be photographed publicly. Tough the portrait is similar to any other picture of a couple; the fact that two women are the subject matter makes it abstract in a way. One woman is dressed in men’s clothing which makes the “couple” more average, yet this kind of statement during this time is far from average. The picture may have been taken simply as a portrait of two women together, but viewing the picture now, over a century later has made it a much larger statement.

Is the image black & white or color? The image is shown using a sepia tone color scheme.  The lack of color variety dates the photo, though sepia tone is still used today. The coloring gives the picture a warm and loving feeling.
In or out of focus  The image is only slightly out of focus, giving it that soft feeling. The level of focus is very appropriate given the mod and colors used in the picture. It is also possible that the quality of the photo reflects the fact that it is from pre-1900.

I choose this final picture because of what it represents. I thought it was great that images like this exist from such a long time ago. In a society that is so critical of one another, what we're doing and who we're doing it with, these women seem so happy and comfortable. Given the way that historical perspectives have changed regarding social issues such as homosexuality, this picture spoke to me as very powerful. 

Before there were pixels

In today’s society, almost everyone has access to some form of camera. It has become a critical component of people’s day to day lives to capture people, places and events on film. It is what has allowed us to support the stories that have been documented in words. It gives a different perspective to situations and events, and allows others to share in experiences without physically being at the location of the picture. A century ago however, none of this was possible. A critical turning point for the history of photography and photojournalism came from the invention of 35mm single light reflector cameras. This advancement came as an alternative to photographic plates that had previously been used. This new method of taking pictures was especially critical as it permitted, for the first time the ability to take indoor exposures using available light, and the ability to capture candid photographs in the moment. Because photojournalism relies heavily on being able to capture news whenever and wherever it happens, this new tool changed photojournalism forever. This camera, portable and light, meant that photojournalists could now capture their work with ease, not having to worry about dragging around heavy plates and tripods. In addition, the 35mm was versatile, quick and required none of the hassle of arranging lighting as was needed in the past. 

photo taken from: http://www.johnnymartyr.com/%E2%80%A2-urban-decay.php
image by: Johnny Martyr 

On my quest to uncover more about how the 35mm SLR camera changed and advanced the field of photojournalism, I stumbled upon the website of Johnny Martyr. Martyr is a photographer who, to this day, shoots the majority of his photos with 35mm film. Though most photographers today shoot digitally, Martyr prefers to use 35mm. According to his website, he “firmly believes in aphotojournalistic approach to an image. Even his posed photos contain elementsof improvisation and documentary. He finds that shooting on film helps him stayin ‘the now’, looking for the next photo instead of studying a LCD screen of thelast shot”. Many photographers such as Martyr believe that using 35mm film rather than a digital image allows them to “remain truer to the chance element that film photography originally entailed the unique play of light and shadow, and captured by the opening of the shutter therefore being less open to post-development manipulation”. Other analysts however, commend the use of digital shooting as superior. 

photo taken from:
 http://www.kenrockwell.com/200210/index.htm
image by: Ken Rockwell 

Ken Rockwell, an independent photographer who documents his photos on his website, http://www.kenrockwell.com/index.htm, has written his own opinions and stories regarding the use of many different types of cameras, lenses and technologies. In 2006 he posted a lengthy debate regarding the use of digital vs. film. Though he expressed a preference for the way pictures look using film, he admitted that due to convenience and the amount of knowledge, skills and time that it takes to develop film images, he has used mainly digital cameras when taking pictures that someone else will be developing for him. He also commented on the decline of the use of film by professional newspapers, and the simultaneous consistency by which film is used in large exhibition landscape prints which require immaculate details. In his article he lists several advantages and disadvantages that come from using film rather than digital. Advantages for film included resolution, the ability to re-scan, dynamic range, a broader range of color, long exposures, double exposures, permanence of film always being able to be re-printed, cost of the camera and lenses itself, and legibility. On the other hand, positives for digital included, more consistent color in prints, greater image quality due to faster shutter speed, workflow speed and ability to share images quickly and conveniently, storage space, and cost of shooting thousands of images without consideration for running out of film, or needing 100 tries to capture one image to your liking. Though there are many positives and negatives to each approach, the main idea comes down to preference. 

Though I primarily use my Ipod touch or my Nikon D3100 digital camera to take the majority of my pictures, I do have access to a 35mm camera. My mother’s camera (pictured below) is a Cannon AE-1 35mm single-lens reflex that has a 200mm lens on it currently. Though I don’t use it very frequently, due to convenience, growing up it was our only option, and we made good use of it. The image of that camera as well as the picture I included of the baby mouse I recently came across while cleaning out my shed were both taken using the Nikon. It is incredibly fast and convenient for the type of photographs I normally take. When taking a photograph for this assignment i was thankful for the digital camera which allowed me to immediately import the media onto my computer and subsequently this blog.  

original image by: Nicole Dufresne

original image by: Nicole Dufresne

additional information taken from: http://www.ehow.com/about_6591934_history-35mm-still-photography-cameras.html

Can photographs change the world?

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/lm11.html

taken by: William Anders

Can photographs change the world? Can an individual person change the world? Can one speech, one event, one moment in time change the course of the future forever? I believe that it can. As Jonathan Klein said during his speech in the video clip of this module, while discussing the image of Earth from space, “ This image changed our view of the physical world; many people credit this image as responsible for the birth of the environmental movement”. Though it is only one photograph, it sparked a drive in people, tapped into their emotions, and caused them to consider things they had never thought of as significant in the past. In the article from digitaljournalist.org by Patrick Cox, he mentions that, “It is, in the end, a personal relationship between viewer and image. The power of a picture is in the eye of the beholder”. An image may seem irrelevant or unimportant to one person, but for another it could change their life.  Throughout the article as Cox explained how images were debated upon and chosen for the collection he mentioned that it was often that people disagreed about which were the “best” or the “most influential”. Some images immediately touched people, while others felt the connection was spark-less. Just as people are individuals in their own way, a picture may represent a myriad of things, different for each viewer. 

image from: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151383053302245&set=a.389520067244.175526.370311267244&type=1&theater
Photo Taken by: unknown

Also in the video clip of Klein he says, “Images have provoked reactions in people,and those reactions have caused changes to happen”. Even if one does not feel that a picture itself prompts a change in the world, the reaction that people will undoubtedly have to the image, will cause discussion, attention, and eventually an effect. Throughout my life I have always been very interested in the Special Olympics foundation. Their premise of striving to let any individual compete and feel the joy that comes from achieving a goal mirrors closely the goals that I hope to achieve in my career as an Occupational Therapist.  Through volunteer work with the Special Olympics I have learned a great deal about the value of sports on a person’s self-esteem and morale. The Special Olympics has been quoted as saying, “At Special Olympics, we believe that sports canteach us all important lessons. When we train and strive for a goal, it teachesus to dream. When we struggle, it teaches us determination. When we win, wefind joy. And if we lose, we can find the strength to try again”. Though there are many remarkable pictures of athletes competing in various events from all over the world, Special Olympics Massachusetts recently posted a photo on their Facebook page of a young man who has just won a silver medal in a track and field event celebrating his victory. Despite the fact that you cannot see the individuals’ face, the emotion pouring from the page is evident. What prompted me to choose this picture is the pure joy that the woman behind the boy shows for him. Though she is probably unrelated, and likely doesn't even know the child, she looks to celebrate with him. The picture inspires others to treat people with disabilities as they should be. It shows that they don’t have to be able to do everything in the same way as a non-disabled individual does, but their accomplishments may be just as significant. In a world where the disabled are still considered by many to be second class citizens, this picture may inspire change in that thinking to happen. 

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/09/littlerock200709
photo taken by: Will Counts

While certain images prompt a change to occur very quickly, other times the image may prompt a discussion, but the change will not occur for years to come. I believe that a great example of an image that has changed the world is the picture captured by journalist Will Counts as he photographed Elizabeth Eckford as she became the first black student to attend a white school in Little Rock Alabama in 1957. The racial equality movement in the United States was not an instance which occurred quickly by any means, but this image prompted much action on the topic. Supporters of racial integration were inspired and reinforced, while those who discouraged were reminded that they were failing. This image and this event, showed that despite all odds, and everyone working against you, it is possible to accomplish what you set out to do. It gave hope and insurance to others who may have been too scared to act, and a sense of fame as an idea that was previously all talk, was brought into action.

photojournalism defined

Photojournalism can be most simplistically defined as, “the combination of photos and journals used to capture verbs”. Through the use of both videos and photographs, photojournalists aim to tell a story allowing viewers to experience emotion, bring forth old memories, and create new ones. Photojournalism aims to uphold ethical standards, which demand that their work is both honest and impartial. Effective photojournalism reflects current events and works to engage the population by making their work relatable and up to date. Through photojournalism, the power of images, rather than words, is used to illustrate a piece of a story.
Photojournalism is often used in conjunction with the news or current events.  The content of photojournalism can influence viewers’ feelings about both present and past events. It can be used to sway public opinion, or bring light to a perspective that was previously overlooked. Photographs displayed through photojournalism can be very powerful and may have an influence on the way that people remember events in the future as well. Photojournalism can have a unique effect on each person. Images can later be used to propel social awareness, and can be effect proponents of change socially, politically and culturally. Regardless of whether the effect of viewing photojournalism is a positive one, or a negative one, photojournalism is likely to influence each person in their own unique way. 

original photo taken during the celebration of the capture of Osama Bin Laden
in Scranton PA on May 1, 2011

photo taken from: http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/atlanta/0911iraqwar/
taken by: Louie Favorite 

Knowing the history of photojournalism allows an individual to see how the field has changed and adapted since its “creation” around the time of the civil war. Since the time of its formation, photojournalism has been about displaying real life events, and conveying things that actually happened. Going along with the ethical code followed by each photojournalist, one can see  that the aim of photojournalists is not to display a point of view that will tick someone into believing something, but rather allow a person to see an image, and formulate their opinion/feelings about it.
History provides us with a window into the past. By understanding the past it becomes possible to understand the present. Historical photojournalism allows individuals learning about something for the first time to develop their own opinion, and see a “real time” image of a situation, where they may draw their own conclusions. History is what allows us to understand one another and to think outside the box.  Photojournalism evokes emotion and reactions from people. Through photojournalism and history we are better able to appreciate multiple perspectives and one another’s interpretations of a given moment or situation. Knowing the history of photojournalism is the key to being a good photojournalist. 

photo from: http://latimesphoto.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/katrina_anniversary014.jpg
photo taken by: carolyn cole 

Photojournalism Introductory Image

Photojournalism to me can be whatever you make of it.
Capturing an image that tells a story.
Conveying emotion through a single frame.
Displaying a moment in time.
Through a camera you can capture the most peaceful serene instance, a moment of celebration, or a second of hysterical turmoil. Photojournalism allows the viewer to "be where you were", even if simply in a single frame. It can personify a mood and let another person into a second in time. Photojournalism preserves history, and creates new history, as things are captured on film that may not have otherwise been noticed. It connects individuals around the world, and brings together ones who may have been in the same physical place, but a different mental or emotional one.

Photojournalism has allowed me to share in the excitement of Dick and Rick Hoyt, pictured here, as they competed in the Boston Marathon in the 1980's.

Image taken from: AP Photo/MetroWest Daily News, Art Illman
Image source: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/racing-helps-mass-father-disabled-son-forge-bond