Instructor Mulugeta A. Photography is a compound word derived from two Greek words-photos and graphos. “Photos,” in Greek means light, just as “graphos” means drawing. Photography therefore means drawing with light. Photography is the art, science, and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film,or electronically by means of an image sensor. Light reflected or emitted from objects is focused by a lens onto a light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. This exposure creates a permanent image, either electronically or chemically. Essentially the above definitions suggest that photography is the art of producing an image with the use of a light sensitive material called camera. The history of photography is a fascinating journey that began with two key principles: 1. Camera Obscura: This principle, known for centuries, uses a small hole to project an inverted image onto a surface. It laid the groundwork for the development of cameras. 2. Light Sensitivity: The discovery that certain materials change upon exposure to light became crucial for capturing permanent images. The first successful photograph, believed to be the "View from the Window at Le Gras" by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, was taken in 1826 or 1827. It required an eight-hour exposure time, highlighting the early challenges of the technology. Here are some key milestones in the evolution of photography: 1839: The daguerreotype process, invented by Louis Daguerre, became the first commercially available photographic method. It offered sharper and more permanent images than Niépce's process. 1851: The wet-collodion process, invented by Frederick Scott Archer, significantly reduced exposure times to seconds, making photography more practical for portraiture and other applications. 1884: George Eastman introduced the Kodak camera and roll film, revolutionizing photography by making it readily available to the masses. 1920s: The development of 35mm film further popularized photography, leading to the rise of photojournalism and amateur photography. 1960s-1970s: The invention of instant photography by Polaroid offered instant gratification to photographers. 1980s-present: The digital revolution transformed photography. Digital cameras replaced film cameras, offering instant viewing, editing, and sharing of images. Today, photography continues to evolve with advancements in digital technology, offering new possibilities for capturing and manipulating images. The origin of the term ‘photojournalism’ has often been attributed Frank Luther Mott, Dean of the University of Missouri-Columbia’s Journalism School, in 1924 (Cartwright, 2007). Photojournalism has roots as early as the nineteenth century, beginning as a way to document the battle conditions at war sites. Events such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the Vietnam War led to the “Golden Age of Photojournalism,” and were turning points for the way photographs could tell news stories. Today, photojournalism is present in major daily, weekly, or monthly publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Reuters, and The Associated Press. There are also photo magazines, agencies, and foundations dedicated solely to photojournalism, including Magnum Photos, World Press Photo, and VII Photo Agency. Reading assignment on history of photography and photojournalism? Photojournalism is a form of journalism that uses photographs as its primary means of telling news stories. Here's a concise definition: Using pictures to tell the news. “photojournalism is essentially a visual medium of journalism. You're still telling stories, you're reporting on something. If you say specifically photojournalism then you're specifically taking pictures that will tell a story and report on a situation”. It is “where photography meets journalism” dissemination to a wider audience is the aim Moments that are part of our history- big and small. In each case, venues may be different, but the mission is the same- to inform, to report, to carry the scene to the readers, whether they are thousands of miles away or just down the street. To show them something they might not have had a chance to see themselves. To grab a moment of history and preserve it for the future. Photojournalism is where creativity and reality collide – much like creative non-fiction – and tenuously shares the outer edge of mainstream journalistic practice and traditions. In this collision the ethics, values, motivations and other personal qualities of the creator and practitioners as a whole come into focus and not only govern, but also help explain photojournalism. Most agree it takes a special kind of passion for photojournalism to be successful. Passion that elevates one photographer above another. "Technical ability aside, the difference is commitment," says Western Kentucky University photojournalism program director Mike Morse. "Some people look at whatever they do as a job and they want to be good craftsmen. Then there are people who do it as a passion. They really care about it, and it shows in their photographs." J. Bruce Baumann, the managing editor of The Courier and Press in Evansville, Ind.,says it is important for the photojournalist to think first as a journalist, second as a photographer. Telling a story with a picture, reporting with a camera, recording a moment in time, the fleeting instant when an image sums up the story. Henri Cartier-Bresson called it the “decisive moment.” Alton (2007) stated that photojournalism records moments in time and it seeks to change the way people perceive the world. photojournalism can be; The first type is where an image is used to illustrate a story. Many feature journalists work closely with photographers and commission them to produce images that will be published with their articles. There is no limit to how many images used. This is usually the photo editor decision. The second is where an image is used to tell a story without any words. One single image may be used or as many as ten images are often used in magazines. If you can write do so; it will be an advantage when you submit some images. We rely on photography for a huge number of ways to communicate visually. For most of us, photography serves as a way to capture and preserve memories. This is as far as most of us go as photographers. Others use photography for technical purposes, such as illustrating technical information. Studio and portrait photographers offer polished views reflecting professional standards to capture our memories. Artists use photography to communicate their vision. Advertisers use photography to sell things. But photojournalists use photography for another purpose: to tell a story. The approach is similar to that of journalists. A reporter tells a story using words based on accepted news values. A photojournalist does the same thing, based on a universal language, pictures. Secondly, photojournalism differs from other kinds of photography because it is used for a mass medium. Unlike those of us who take family snaps, photojournalists are expected to communicate to people they do not know. It should be something NEW. It should be IMPORT ANT News should be interesting. Photojournalism is relevant Photojournalism is timely Photojournalism is objective Photojournalism is narrative Aesthetically Interesting Photojournalism is relevant The main objective of photojournalism is to tell a story better than the text or write-up that usually accompanies the photos. Therefore, it should capture images that have meaning or relevance to the story being told. Photojournalism is timely Photojournalism should tackle current issues. It should feature something that’s on the news, or something people are talking about. This will make the images more interesting to the audience or reader. Photojournalism is objective. Photojournalism is not biased. It does not take sides. Therefore, the images should accurately show events as they are. Some photographers, however, argue that to be completely objective is quite difficult. According to them, the term “honest” is more appropriate in describing photojournalism. No matter what a photojournalist believes in; whether he prefers to be objective or honest, the most important thing is for him to present the images as is. Photojournalism is narrative. Photojournalism works best if it is presented as a narrative. The photos should come with a short write-up or article stating important facts about the incident or event. It should tell a story. Aesthetically Interesting Photojournalists follow certain photography principles that are intended to help them produce photos that catch the attention of different audiences. Photos with the right focus, angle and color will attract more people than those that come out blurry or unfocused. Spot News Single pictures (SN) or stories (SNS) witnessing news moments or immediate events. This means covering events that make day to day news, like political events, crime, accidents etc. This is in fact the most common type of photojournalism and is most demanding for a photojournalist. Sports Single pictures (SP) or stories (SPS) that capture individual or team sports. Glamour Film stars and other famous personalities have become a major part of news coverage as most people want to peep into the lives of the rich and famous. There are photojournalists who specialise in this kind of photography only; they are also called paparazzi, which is an Italian word. Nature Single pictures (NA) or stories (NAS) showing flora, fauna, and landscapes in their natural state. Hard News Nature Sports Showbiz war This is the earliest form of photojournalism, where photojournalists have covered wars and sent photos from the centre of action. General News Single pictures (GN) or stories (GNS) reporting on news topics and their aftermaths. Environment Single pictures (EN) or stories (ENS) documenting human impact, positive or negative, on the environment. Contemporary Issues Single pictures (CI) or stories (CIS) documenting cultural, political or social issues affecting individuals or societies Street Captures candid moments and everyday scenes in public spaces. It often focuses on capturing the essence of a city, its people, and the interactions between them It documents the urban environment and the diversity of human experiences within it Photo Story: The last type of assignment is the photo story or long-term documentary project. This type of work requires the photographer to spend an extended period of time documenting the actions of a subject. Photo stories usually involve multiple photos, which flow together. An example would be following a family of refugees or documenting the life of a family with a sick loved one. Photo essay Photo Essays – extended assignment, when a story can be told better in pictures than in words; photos tell the story from beginning to end (homecoming, play production, etc.) A story told through a sequence of events or actions A portrait photograph focuses on capturing the expressions, emotions, and personalities of individuals in various contexts. A portrait photograph tells the stories of people through their images, portraying their character, culture, and experience 63 Portrait photography is a photo of a person It is important to show an emotion. What is the emotion shown in this photo? Scared Angry Other… Holding Virgina - Sally Mann Steve McCurry is an American photographer known for his stunning portraits and documentary work. He has been capturing powerful images for over 40 years, and his work has been published in some of the world's most prominent magazines and newspapers Steve McCurry, Sharbat Gula, Afghan Girl, in the refugee camp Nasir Bagh near Peshawar, Pakistan, 1984 © Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos A picture is worth a thousand words (but only if it's got a really good cutline, too!) Photo captions and cutlines are the most read body type in a publication. Of all the news content, only the titles of stories or headlines have higher readership than captions. It follows that standards of accuracy, clarity, completeness and good writing are as high for captions and cutlines than for other type. As with headlines, captions and cutlines must be crisp. As with stories, they must be readable and informative. Note: Captions and cutlines are terms that are often used interchangeably, particularly at magazines. For our purposes, we will make the following distinctions. Captions: Captions are the little “headlines” over the “cutlines” (the words describing the photograph). See example. Cutlines: Cutlines (at newspapers and some magazines) are the words (under the caption, if there is one) describing the photograph or illustration. See example. TSUNAMI HITS JAPAN (caption) (cutline) This picture taken by a Miyako City official on March 11, 2011 and released on March 18, 2011 shows a tsunami breaching an embankment and flowing into the city of Miyako in Iwate prefecture shortly after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit the region of northern Japan. The official number of dead and missing after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened Japan's northeast coast a week ago has topped 16,600, with 6,405 confirmed dead, it was announced on March 18, 2011. AFP PHOTO / JIJI PRESS Required information The specific information required can vary from one photo to the next. But for most pictures a reader wants to know such information as: * Who is that? (And, in most cases, identify people from left to right unless the action in the photograph demands otherwise.) * Why is this picture in the paper? * What's going on? * When and where was this? * Why does he/she/it/they look that way? * How did this occur? Simply stated, cutlines should explain the picture so that readers are satisfied with their understanding of the picture. They need not — and should not — tell what the picture has made obvious. It should supply vital information that the picture cannot. For example, a picture can show a football player leaping to catch a pass, but it likely does not show that the result was the winning touchdown. The cutline should give that information. Tips and terms: Be concise; be precise; don't be trite Cutlines should be as concise as possible, but they should not sound like telegrams or machine guns. Unlike headlines (and caption lines), they should contain all articles and conjunctions, just as do sentences in news stories. News picture cutlines should be straightforward and clear. Trite writing should be avoided. Do not point out the obvious by using such phrases as “looks on,” “is shown” and “pictured above.” Don't editorialize. The cutline writer should never make assumptions about what someone in a picture is thinking or try to interpret the person's feelings from his or her expression. The reader should be given the facts and allowed to decide for herself or himself what the feelings or emotions are. Avoid the known; explain the unknown. The cutline writer should avoid characterizing a picture as beautiful, dramatic, grisly or other such descriptive terms that should be evident in the photograph. If it's not evident in the photograph, your telling the reader won't make it happen. However, the cutline should explain something about how the picture was taken if it shows something not normally observable by the human eye. For example, was a wide-angle lens used? Or time-lapse photography? Explanations also are needed for special effects, such as the use of an inset or a picture sequence. Reflect the image. Cutline writers should make sure that the words accurately reflect the picture. If a picture shows two or more people, the cutline writer should count the number of identifiable people in the photo and check the number and sex of the people identified in the cutline to make certain that they match. Special precautions should be taken to make sure that the cutline does not include someone who has been cropped out of the original photo. Always, always, always check spelling. The cutline writer should check the spelling of names in the story against the names that a photographer has provided to see if there are discrepancies. The editor also should be sure that names in the cutline are the same names used in the story. It should not be John Smith in the cutline, but John P. Smith in the story. Shorter is better. Cutline writing triggers a temptation to use long sentences. Avoid that temptation. The cutlines that accompany Associated Press photos are notorious for their rambling sentences. They need to be rewritten into clear crisp sentences. The camera is the device used in taking photographs. It is a light-proof mechanical device that records the image of an object for subsequent production by way of printing. The analogue camera records the image on a light sensitive cell tape known as film. The digital camera, which is a modern day phenomenon, records the image in the flash memory. “Pocket” Camera DSLR Digital Single Lens Reflex “Point and Shoot” Compact ILC (Mirrorless) Interchangeable Lens Compact The lens is the optical component that focuses light onto the camera's image sensor. It determines the quality, perspective, and depth of field of the captured images Certain types of lenses are better for certain situations, so it's important to know their classifications and differences. The first thing worth noting is the difference between zoom lenses and prime lenses. Zoom lenses—as you can probably guess—let you zoom in and out. While they have that advantage, they're generally more expensive, heavier, and larger. Prime lenses, on the other hand, do not allow you to zoom, but they're often cheaper, lighter, and smaller. In many cases, prime lenses will provide sharper images than zoom lenses at lower price points. When you start paying thousands of dollars for lenses, lens performance tends to be a little more equal. The next thing you want to understand is the difference between wide-angle, standard, medium, telephoto, and ultra telephoto lenses. These terms are all based on a lens' focal length, focal length is measured in millimeters (mm) and you can think of it like the amount of magnification. Standard lens: also known as a normal lens, it has a focal length that is similar to what the human eye sees ( around 50mm on a full frame camera). Are versatile and suitable for a wide range of photography genres, including portraits, street photography, and everyday photography Wide-angle lenses : has a shorter focal length typically less than 35mm and a wider field of view. Ideal for landscapes, architectural photography, and situations where you want to emphasizes a sense of space or include more of the scene in the frame Telephoto lens: have a longer focal length typically above 70mm and narrow fields of view. They are used to magnify distant subjects and capture them with a narrower perspectives. Are commonly used in wildlife, sports, and portrait photography, where you need to photograph subjects that are far away. P (Program). This mode allows the D7200 to select the basic exposure settings, but you can still override the camera’s choices to fine-tune your image, while maintaining metered exposure. S (Shutter-priority). This mode is useful when you want to use a particular shutter speed to stop action or produce creative blur effects. Choose your preferred shutter speed, and the D7200 will select the appropriate f/stop for you A (Aperture-priority). Choose when you want to use a particular lens opening, especially to control sharpness or how much of your image is in focus. Specify the f/stop you want, and the D7200 will select the appropriate shutter speed for you. M (Manual). Select when you want full control over the shutter speed and lens opening, either for creative effects or because you are using a studio flash or other flash unit not compatible with the D7200’s auto matic flash metering. Auto. In this mode, the D7200 makes all the exposure decisions for you,and will pop up the internal flash if necessary under low-light conditions. The camera automatically focuses on the subject closest to the camera (unless you’ve set the lens to manual focus), and the autofocus assist illuminator lamp on the front of the camera will light up to help the camera focus in low-light conditions. Single frame Camera takes one photograph each time shutter release button is pressed. Continuous low speed While shutter-release button is held down, camera records 1–7 frames per second. * Frame rate can be chosen using Custom Setting d1 (CL mode shooting speed). Continuous high speed While shutter-release button is held down, camera records up to 8 frames per second. * Use for active subjects. Quiet shutter-release As for single frame, except that mirror does not click back into place while shutter-release button is fully pressed, allowing user to control timing of click made by mirror, which is also quieter than in single frame mode. In addition, beep does not sound regardless of setting selected for Beep options in the setup menu. QC (quiet continuous) shutter-release While shutter-release button is held down, camera records up to 3 frames per second. * Camera noise is reduced. Self-timer Take pictures with the self-timer. Mirror up Choose this mode to minimize camera shake in telephoto or close-up photography or in other situations in which the slightest camera movement can result in blurred photographs. White balance is the adjustment of a digital photograph to make its colors appear more realistic. “It’s a way to set a photograph to neutral, to make the white look white,” says photographer and educator Adam Long. For example, if you take a photo of a white object in certain lighting conditions, it can appear bluer than it actually is. To counteract this, you can use your camera’s white balance settings to get rid of the blue cast or you can use post-production software, like Adobe Photoshop, to make Color Balance adjustments. A good first step is accounting for white balance in your camera settings. “With white balance, you’re matching the camera to the light source,” says photographer Grace Rivera. Most newer DSLR cameras have powerful automatic white balance (AWB) functions. But if you want to explore custom settings, manual white balance adjustments are also an option; you can choose a setting depending on your light source. “If it’s cloudy, there’s a cloudy day setting. If you’re shooting in bright sunlight, there’s a setting for that,” says Rivera. “You can adjust based on where you are. But I usually use auto white balance and then adjust things in editing after.” Shoot in the RAW file format. Putting your camera on the RAW file setting before you shoot is important for post-processing flexibility. This file format preserves all the image data that’s recorded by your camera’s sensor. “RAW allows you to adjust the white balance in post-production effectively,” says Waltz. Auto (A) – Default WB setting and what you shoul use all the time when you shoot RAW. The camera automatically guesses the WB depending on ambient light and use of flash. Some cameras have more than one auto setting for different environments / lighting situations. The other way to obtain the correct white balance is through the “Preset (PRE)” setting, but you will need a white balance card (also known as “grey card”, or “18% gray card”), and your camera needs to be able to read it. If you visit your camera’s white balance menu setting, you should be able to see something that says “Preset” (Nikon) or “Custom White Balance” (Canon): The process involves holding the white balance card in front of the camera lens in order to have the camera read the correct color temperature of the light that gets reflected from the card. Some cameras might require you to take a picture of the white balance card first, then read the colors off of it to determine the correct white balance. Keep in mind that this is not a permanent camera setting – each time your light conditions change, you will need to re-start the process. The word, composition, is a noun, taken from its root word, compose, meaning to put together. Composition is the product of creative ideas in songs, poems, essays, drawings and indeed, photography. When a man has the mastery of whatever he does, he is said to be composed. in photography it refers to the arrangement and placement of elements within a frame to create a visually pleasing and impactful image. In photography, composition is a term used to describe the overall structure of a photograph. A photograph is said to be well composed when all the elements are adjudged to be in proper shape and perspective. Thus we consider a picture’s headroom, nose room, background, foreground, framing, color, organization of the persons and shot, among others. If these items are not in the right perspective, then the picture is not composed. Using various principles of composition allows you to organize everything within the frame so: Your intended subject is emphasized. You attract the viewer’s attention. You keep them interested in the photograph. Rule of thirds: it is a basic guideline that suggests dividing the frame into a grid of nine equal sections using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. Important elements in the scene are positioned along these lines or at their intersections, known as power points, to crate visually balanced composition Leading lines: are natural or man made lines within a scene that lead the viewers' eyes towards a specific focal point or subject. Example include roads, paths, fences, and architectural elements that direct the viewer’s attention Symmetry and patterns: these create balance and harmony by mirroring elements on either side of the frame. Patterns, whether natural or man-made, can add visual interest and repetition to an image, creating a sense of rhythm and order Depth and perspective: creating a sense of depth in photography adds visual interest and dimension to an image. Techniques such as using foreground elements to frame the main subject, capturing a sense of scale, or employing leading lines to create a threedimensions effect can enhance the composition. Frame within a frame: using natural or architectural elements to frame the main subject within the image can draw attention to the subject add depth to the composition. Examples: include doorways, windows, arches, or foliage Point of view and angles: exploring different point of view and angles, such as low angle or high angle shots, can alter the perspective and impact of the composition. Varying the viewpoint can offer unique and fresh perspectives on familiar subjects. Cropping – removing unnecessary elements from a photo by reproducing only a portion of it. WHY would you crop a photo? 1. To improve the photo composition (good reason) 2. To make a photo fit a space (bad reason) The digital cropping tool in PhotoShop looks similar to this *Always keep a copy of the original a new version under a new name. photo and save Good photos tell a story better than the text that comes with it. And in order to tell a story, your photos should have the following elements: ◦ humans or people ◦ emotions, i.e. facial or non-verbal expressions ◦ action ◦ something extraordinary or unusual (like a blind father braille-reading a story to his kid) Your photos should focus on the faces of people, not on their backs or the backs of their heads. Take photos of people in action; of people doing things. Avoid taking photos of people shaking hands or handing out awards as these tend to bore the audience. Make sure that your subject is always in focus. Know what your central subject should be. For example, when taking photos of people stranded because of a storm, your focus should be on the people, not on the torrent of rains. If you want to focus on the rain, your story should be about the storm, not the stranded people. Think twice or thrice before deciding to take photos of naked people. This practice can be quite tricky as the photos might be misinterpreted by some groups or individuals. Study the circumstances first before taking the photos. For instance, when doing a story about bare-chested native women, you need to determine first how to take the photo in a manner that won’t come out offensive, or in a way that can be interpreted as gratuitous. Ask yourself if the nudity can really add something to the story before making a decision. Finally, always take note of the angle of the shots you are taking. To make sure that you choose the right angle, take a couple of shots in different perspectives. This is similar to what film directors do when they want to capture the scenes of their movies in different points of view. Code of ethics Photojournalists and those who manage visual news productions are accountable for upholding the following standards in their 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 justifiable need to see. 5) While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence 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 influence 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 influence 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 the highest standards of the profession. Photojournalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.
