PHOTOJOURNALISM TIPS

7 Photojournalism Tips: Fundamentals for Visual Impact

Photojournalism may seem like a commodity these days. Everybody has a phone, and every phone has a camera. Those cameras are good enough to take a picture that can be published on the front page of the New York Times, and much more easily on the homepage of a website. So what’s differentiates the true photojournalist and the guy who happens to have a camera and happens to be on the scene at the right moment?
Photojournalism means more than being in the right place at the right time. At its core, photojournalism is serious journalism, with a focus on the visual impact of a story. If you’re serious about photojournalism, you should take a course like this Journalism Masterclass to more about being a journalist, and keep in mind these tips that you can keep in mind to help move yourself in that direction.

1. Planning

The most important thing to bring to your work as a photojournalist is planning. If you don’t know in advance what’s going to be needed, you’re not going to have the right equipment or be looking in the right direction when something important happens. Photojournalism is rarely about capturing unexpected events, but rather about capturing unexpected moments at planned events.
As a photojournalist, even if you’re not working officially for a publication, you need to set yourself assignments, and plan ahead for what you’re going to need. Is there an event happening in your town that you believe has the potential for journalistic relevance? Assign yourself the responsibility of going to this event and photographing key participants. Pay attention to what’s happening, and think about who is likely to provide you with the most interesting visual opportunities.

2. Timing

A lot of photojournalism comes down to waiting. If you are in a situation where you know something is likely to happen, the question is what’s going to happen, and when. You need to be paying attention constantly. Look for visual details that will explain what’s relevant to the viewer.
When you are just learning how to capture the critical moment, you may believe those opportunities can happen only once. You need to have your camera ready, and be looking in the right direction when it does. But that may seem like an impossible expectation. But a course like this one on Digital Photography: Capturing the Moment can get you started learning what you need to know.
A fascinating secret about timing, and something that you don’t learn until you’re actually on assignment, is that sometimes the critical moment can happen more than once. Even if you miss the that amazing shot, or the moment the speaker trips on the way to that podium, something just as relevant may well happen immediately afterwards. If you can be there to catch that subsequent shot, it can be golden. With experience, you will learn to get the shot you need, even if you missed the shot you wanted.

3. Exposure

Photojournalism is not just about artistic expression, it’s also about making sure that people can see what’s happening. It’s tempting to look at the artistic possibilities of every scene, and you may find yourself frustrated by the need to report clearly and accurately what is actually happening. But viewers expect reality from photojournalism. Shooting in RAW mode makes it easier to a class like this Lightroom 5 Course.
When you arrive at the scene, set your camera carefully for the exposure you’re going to need to capture the light correctly so viewers can see your subject. When the moment happens, and you need to take that critical shot, you don’t want to be fiddling with the exposure meter. Similarly, you don’t want to let the camera take over and use automatic exposure. Automatic exposure is optimized to average the lighting, and can obscure the details that you think are most important. As the photographer, you need to take control, and preset your camera with the manual settings that you know will be needed to catch the moment when it happens. If you need to learn how to use the manual settings on your camera like an expert, a course like this one on how to Ditch Auto and Start Shooting in Manual can help.

4. Cropping

One of the advantages of using a high resolution camera is the ability to crop after-the-fact. The point of the photojournalistic images to draw the viewer’s attention to the elements that are critical. You won’t always be able to line up every image so that the composition orients the eye and guides the viewer to the item that you really wanted them to see. Sometimes you’re going to need to crop the image around the subject that is most important.
With high-resolution images, you have the advantage of being able to do extensive cropping in software after you’ve shot a picture. Cropping, however, is the only adjustments you can legitimately make. There have been scandals about photojournalists who have done more sophisticated retouching and editing, to the point of making the image appear to be something that it wasn’t originally. photojournalism is about documenting reality. Viewers trust you, and you have to respect that trust.

5. Focus

It goes without saying that if the subject is out of focus, viewers won’t be able to see it properly. But focus is also a tool a photojournalist can use to draw attention to the elements that are the most relevant and image. As a beginning photojournalist, you may be tempted to use the smallest aperture possible, and try to get the widest range focus. But a narrow depth of field can be a very valuable tool. You just have to use it carefully, and learn how the aperture affects your images.
If you’re lucky enough to be close to your subject, a narrow depth of field can cast the background out of focus, allowing the subject to pop. You need planning and skill to focus carefully on your subject. I recommend turning off the automatic focus on your camera, and keeping the focus manually set on the subject that you intend to be the center of attention. Ultimately, you may need to take a course like this one in Digital Photography: Shooting in Manual to learn how the manual settings in your digital camera work.

6. Subject

Choosing what you want to focus on is an important aspect photojournalism. Sometimes you’ll come to an event because you know that there’s something specific there you want to capture, but sometimes you’re just looking around to see what’s newsworthy. Ideally, you should always come to any photojournalistic opportunity with an idea in mind of what you want to walk away with. Sometimes that will come from the editor who assigned you the job, but sometimes you’ve self-assigned, and you need the discipline of knowing at least one thing you want to capture.
Sometimes it’s perfectly obvious what the subject of a photograph should be, but sometimes you have some flexibility. When something dramatic is happening, is the actual event itself as newsworthy as the reaction of the crowd around you? Consider the faces of the people in the audience, and consider the environment you’re in. you may find that the context provides even more opportunities for photojournalistic interpretation than the subject you originally intended.

7. Rights

If you’re in public, it’s important to know the rights of the people you’re photographing. While celebrities, politicians, felons, and some emergency workers have essentially given up their rights to privacy as far as photojournalism is concerned, you need to be cautious about taking photographs of ordinary citizens. You also have to be careful where you’re taking these photographs.
In a public venue, it’s much easier to argue that you have the right to photograph somebody than if you’re in a private space, hospital, or inside a prison. It’s good to come prepared with basic model releases in case you think you’re going to need them.
Don’t take photojournalism casually. What you report can change the lives of people who are represented in your photographs, and the people who see them. Approach the field with the respect it deserves.

COMRADES CRY.

More than 500 Garissa University College students moved to Moi University refused to begin lessons and counselling yesterday as they demanded to be given their belongings that remained behind in their former institution.

And when they were allowed access to their belongings, which had been trucked to their new university, many of the students complained that their cash, valuables and other items were missing.

The truckloads of suitcases and other personal effects collected from the Garissa institution, which was shut down after last month’s terrorist attack, arrived at Moi University’s main campus in Kesses on May 11.

The university’s management yesterday postponed the classes as it gave in to the students’ demands.

INCOMING 4TH YEARS SET TO REOPEN ON 11TH MAY, AS 642 GARISSA STUDENTS SET TO JOIN MAIN CAMPUS

Regular Senate Meeting Held today has passed critical decisions, key among them
• OPENING DATES FOR INCOMING 4TH YEARS (KCSE 2010)
This group (3551 in number) is set to reopen, back from the Attachment Holiday on 11th May 2015 and NOT 4th May as earlier slated. This is also contrary to the rumours that have been flying around of either August or late September. May it is.
• GARISSA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STUDENTS
642 Students from the Garissa-based Constituent College of Moi University will join Main Campus on 20th May 2015.
These decisions were based on the logistical calculation as follows:
• First years (4200 in number) breaking for Holiday till September.
• Engineering Students (1200 in number) proceeding for attachment on 18th May 2015
• Staff vacated from the quarters will create room for up to 500 bed spaces.
N/B: About 2000 Students (of the total number incoming in May) will be housed will be housed within the University Premises.

THE MEGA DEBATE. MUSO ON THE SPOT.

The 3rd eye invites you all
Security and Accommodation Director(Barille Guyo), Health Director(Jemimah Tietie) and Secretary General(Justus Safari).
to a Mega Debate MUSO being on the spot, which will be held on Saturday, 21st March at LT 2 as from 1:30pm. The guests in attendance will be the:
Lets all purpose to attend and question them on matters concerning the student fraternity

JUST IN TIME.

Five suspected Thugs broke into a student's room at blue roof yesternight at around 2am making away with 2laptops, a tablet,hard disc, headphones, extension and a gas cylinder. This happened when the two victims were at the Mr n Miss SASS fete. According to the victims,the thugs had left the gas cylinder behind the room and had planned to go back for it later.
They returned around 4 am to a find a team of 5 students baying for their blood. 4 suspects managed to escape but 1 was caught, one Mr. Micah Kipkoech who is a villager and owns a motorcycle plying the university routes.
He revealed how together with his accomplices they have been collaborating with some students to steal electronics from comrades which they later transport to town where the major distributor sells them and share the spoils.
The case has been referred to Kesses police station as the suspect remains in custody till Monday when his case will be heard.

HEALTH MATTERS

A canoe does not know who is king. When it turns, everyone gets wet. Moi university hospital is under siege. For the last one week yours truly has been visiting the hospital not just for ‘status’ reasons, but also health(y) reasons. However the status of operations in the said dispensary are at a dismal level. Comrades complaining of negligence and lack of aptitude displayed by the so distinguished personnel in white lab coats

UNIVERSITY WITH THE DIFERENCE

When it is often said that Moi University is a university with a difference, sometimes the word difference is always mistaken for defect. Indeed, there are several features that distinguishes it from other universities in Kenya but that’s not the big issue. The issue is the nature of the differences. Does this difference help improve the quality of knowledge and skills offered?

IN THE GYM OR THE HOSPITAL.

 Research has shown that no matter what, you must spend money on your health, either in the gym or in the hospital. which one will you choose?
 As the saying goes, no pain without gain, actually is true. if you do not sacrifice your time and visit a nearby sports gym or having a jog in the morning or in the evening, its painful but you just have to, or you gonna find yourself in the hospital and feel the pain sometimes worse than exercising. we need a healthier society. where do you want to spend your your money for a better healthy body?

READING JUST FOR EXAMS

whats your reading culture? hm mm am not surprised, i can actually tell by what you do at free time. why do you read? to pass exams or to gain knowledge? for sure you know it better.
from the very day i came to know of Margarete Thatcher Library? mot students have a culture of visiting the Library only when Exams are around the corner or when given Continuous Assessment Tests CATs.
Trying to brake this culture is just way too hard, only if the institution adopt another way of assessing students by offering applications Exams.

1000+1 QUESTIONS

Moi university "A university inside a village which contains a village inside it" it will be almost impossible to believe it's an ISO Certified institution. villagers cutting across the heart of the university as they attend to their day to day activities to get a few pennies to sustain their lives and hopefully make a brighter tomorrow has contributed to lots of negative impression of the institution.
no one can tell the difference between a student and a villager. this has increased insecurity as well as theft inside the the university.

CRAZY EVENING INSIDE MATATUS.

Yet another evening when everyone is tired and prepares to relax in the evening as the sun sets. This is a forgotten doing word to people who study or work in Moi university and lives in Eldoret town and its environs who have to board the overloaded M.U. SACCO bus matatus.
 I still have to understand the reason behind overloading passengers yet they don't complain. some people i talked to, told me that its about getting late home, others says its cheaper than the 14 sitter matatus. whats more important between getting home late or getting into a hospital bed or even losing your life?

LOST ANYTHING?

 Its painful to lose an item you sacrificed everything in order to acquire it. its more painful when its stolen for that matter. what did you lose really? i know you are a student and you must have lost or someone stole from you maybe one or two of the following items: A Laptop, A Phone, A Tv Set, Iron Box, Clothes, Shoes, Food Stuff .......... the list is endless you can specifie if i left out/
 Now sit down and relax and think about if someone took an item worth 13.5 + million kenyan shillings? our very own Hollywood Actress a few hours ago was stolen her dress worth the said amount in a hotel she was staying in London. do you want to know how she responded to the matter? watch this space for real time breaking news update.

FINALLY DARK NIGHTS ARE OVER.

Black outs in the university hostels had become the norm in the recent days and for sure the management as usual waits for the worse in order to act on the same.

 Wednesday night there was total darkness in the entire campus and its environs when the power transformer blew off into flames, thank God no one was a victim due to power over load which could not sustain the demand needed, some comrades had to sleep hungry waking up to cold showers in the morning and more so, phones with no power.
 On Thursday 26th Feb, that's yesterday the men in blue overalls had to act upon the incident by installing another transformer.
do you think the power problem has been buried forever? Need your feedback

Security Starts With You

Security starts with you. Hey what did i say? ooh yes, with you fellow comrades.
with your common senses you can just know why i am saying all this. after the murder of our fellow comrade Charity Maina last week on Saturday night nothing has actually been done to assure us of our security other than the usual so called MEMOS from the senate pinned all over the noticeboards. This world favors the merciless not the brave.

  According to legend, Saint Valentine of Rome was imprisoned for performing weddings of young soldiers who were forbidden to marry, and he was later executed for the said causes on 14th of February. But it was not until late 18th century that the day was celebrated to express one’s love in the romantic sense. Ever since lovers of all ages have expressed their love by offering flowers, confectionery, valuable gifts and greeting cards (known as ‘ valentines‘) to each other. To be in love is a magical, memorable experience, and the desire to express how you feel to the one whom you truly love is a feeling that anyone who has been in love is familiar with.