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PHOTOJOURNALISM

Photojournalism is the art of storytelling through truthful and un-staged photographs, conveying messages that transcend language. It encompasses various types of photo stories, including hard news, breaking news, and feature photos, while emphasizing the importance of composition techniques such as the rule of thirds, framing, and depth. Captions are essential for providing context to images, requiring specific information about the subject and the circumstances surrounding the photograph.

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Gwenn Marlene Elmido
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5 views

PHOTOJOURNALISM

Photojournalism is the art of storytelling through truthful and un-staged photographs, conveying messages that transcend language. It encompasses various types of photo stories, including hard news, breaking news, and feature photos, while emphasizing the importance of composition techniques such as the rule of thirds, framing, and depth. Captions are essential for providing context to images, requiring specific information about the subject and the circumstances surrounding the photograph.

Uploaded by

Gwenn Marlene Elmido
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHOTOJOURNALISM

-it tells a story.


-it conveys a message that goes beyond words or language.
-It is the art or practice of communicating news by photographs
-is truthful, not staged.
-It shows the subject as it happened.
-The public has to trust what they see is true.
-It’s historic.

Different types of photo stories


>Hard News- Something that’s happening now. It’s “important” news. Seeks to inform rather than entertain.
>Breaking News- Hard news that’s happening right now. An on-going story.
>Feature Photos- Seeks to entertain rather than inform. Can go with a feature story or stand alone.
>Portraits- Capture the essence of a person. Can be used with a feature or hard news story.
>Sports - Captures the action as it happens
>Sports Reaction - Sometimes what happens after the event is more important than the action.
>Photo Illustrations- Combines or manipulates images to create a “new” image.

Before photographing your subject, take time to think about where you will shoot it from. Our viewpoint has a massive
impact on the composition of our photo, and as a result it can greatly affect the message that the shot conveys. Rather than
just shooting from eye level, consider photographing from high above, down at ground level, from the side, from the back,
from a long way away, from very close up, and so on.

Views and Angles

Bird’s eye view/High angle Worm’s eye view/ low angle

Distance

Long Shot Medium Shot Close- up shot-

What is ‘Rule of thirds’?


 is applied by aligning a subject with the guidelines and their intersection points, placing the horizon on the top or
bottom line, or allowing linear features in the image to flow from section to section.
 Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds
says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where
they intersect.

Balancing Elements
 Placing your main subject off-centre, as with the rule of thirds, creates a more interesting photo, but it can leave a
void in the scene which can make it feel empty. You should balance the "weight" of your subject by including
another object of lesser importance to fill the space.

Framing
 The world is full of objects which make perfect natural frames, such as trees, archways and holes. By placing
these around the edge of the composition you help to isolate the main subject from the outside world. The result is
a more focused image which draws your eye naturally to the main point of interest.

Background
How many times have you taken what you thought would be a great shot, only to find that the final image lacks impact
because the subject blends into a busy background? This problem is usually easy to overcome at the time of shooting -
look around for a plain and unobtrusive background and compose your shot so that it doesn't distract or detract from the
subject.

Symmetry and Patterns


We are surrounded by symmetry and patterns, both natural and man-made., They can make for very eye-catching
compositions, particularly in situations where they are not expected. Another great way to use them is to break the
symmetry or pattern in some way, introducing tension and a focal point to the scene.

Depth
Because photography is a two-dimensional medium, we have to choose our composition carefully to convey the sense of
depth that was present in the actual scene. You can create depth in a photo by including objects in the foreground, middle
ground and background. Another useful composition technique is overlapping, where you deliberately partially obscure
one object with another. The human eye naturally recognises these layers and mentally separates them out, creating an
image with more depth.

Lines
are a key compositional tool in photojournalism that can create balance, movement, and drama. They can also guide the
viewer's eye, emphasize the subject, and create a sense of depth.

Lights creates shadows, highlights, and contrast which can add depth and ambience to your photographs. One of the key
things to keep in mind when playing with light in your photographs is the direction of the light. Side lighting can create
dramatic shadows, while backlighting can create a soft and ethereal glow.
Other Elements of Photography
>Shape >Color >Value >Form
>Texture >Space >Contrast >Emphasis
>Movement >Rhythm >Unity

Caption your photo


A caption is the text or body type, accompanying a photo or artwork, or any pictorial illustration. Its parts include
catchline, body, and credit.

Required information
 Who is that?
 Why is the picture in the paper?
 What is going on?
 When and where was this/
 Why do/es he/she/it/they look that way?
 How did this occur?

Parts of a caption
 Catchline- title
 Body- 5w’s and H
 Credit- Pen name

Caption guide:
• Avoid using terms like "is shown, is pictured, and looks on.
• A photograph captures a moment in time. Whenever possible, use present tense. This will create a sense of immediacy
and impact.
• Quotes can be an effective device, be willing to use them when they work.
• Don't assume. Ask questions in your effort to inform and be specific. Be willing to contact and include the visual
reporter.
• Make the photographer accountable for their work.

FORMULA IN WRITING CAPTIONS


Examples:

ACTIVITY
Take 5 photos with different subjects applying various elements, techniques, views and angles in photojournalism. Paste
your photos on long size bond papers and write captions for each one.

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