• Most photos would not be readable without the cutlines, even with the artistic composition and the plethora of dynamics.
• When editing photographs, the picture editor looks for DYNAMICS.
• As a photographer, you should understand that and strive to get these into your images.
Dynamics include:
Motion - a blurring effect
Emotion - any of the emotions pictured: anger, sadness, love, etc.,
Mood - generally done with lighting, texture, smoke, fog, etc.
Action - just as the name suggests, many times combined with motion
Reaction - one person's "reaction" to something or someone else
Interaction - involves several people, usually, and may include touching, etc.
Check out "Photojournalism and photo dynamics" for examples.
Movies every photographer should see
Qualities most important for those who want to be photojournalists
Your Images should be protected from unauthorized use by others.
Careers in Photojournalism and other media work
Watch this video by Dave LaBelle. (left) It could change your life as a photographer. Thanks to Dr. Edmund Lo in the Media Communications Department at San Antonio College for sharing it with his students — and me. The video is an excerpt from an Ohio University masters project by Francis Gardler on LaBelle from Western Kentucky University. It features interviews with LaBelle and several of his students. The project also includes another eight sections which go into further detail about Dave and his life as a photographer and a teacher.An interesting video to emulate:
Bluegrass in Athens from Soul of Athens on Vimeo.
Life formula for the photo essay
Introductory or overall: usually a wide angle or aerial shot that establishes the scene.
Medium: Focuses in on one element, like a person's face or an intricate detail of a building.
Close-up: Zeroes in on one element, like a person's hands or an intricate detail of a building.
Portrait: Usually either a dramatic, tight head shot or a person in his or her environmental setting.
Interaction: People conversing or in action.
Signature: Summarizes the situation getting all the key story-telling elements in one photo often called the decisive moment.
Sequence: A how-to, before and after, or a series with a beginning, middle, and end (the sequence gives the essay a sense of action).
Clincher: A closer that would end the story
Help for photo story ideas
Pictory
NPPA Best
Photos from a winning photo story on prison life -- Use the photos to practice your newspaper or magazine photo story layout skills. Use the Life Formula for the design. Good luck.
Back to Mass Media Stuff -- stuff I have collected over 28 1/2 years of teaching a beginning mass media course in journalism-photography at San Antonio College