On January 15 (not Jan. 8) at 12:30 pm, I’ll be holding a 1.5 hour photography workshop in the Martlet office (SUB B011) focusing on group photography, environmental portraits for news stories, and spot news. I’ll cover how to motivate reluctant subjects, make the most of what you have, and when to lie to get what you want (you’ll have to attend to get the answer). There will be time for hands-on practice, a slideshow, and questions.
No photography experience is required. The outline below is to tell you what you’re getting into, generate questions, and help me plan the damn thing.
In the face of certain realities (shrinking budgets, an emphasis on immediacy and social media), reporters will have to shoot photos at least some of the time. Future photojournalists will be around, but will probably get more technically demanding assignments like professional sports coverage and portraiture. There will be fewer of them. The day-to-day stuff, the Local People With Their Arms Crossed, those photos will probably be taken by people who are not natural photographers. So I won’t be covering sports, studio portraiture, or anything too equipment-intensive. Instead, I’ll try and make the dSLR experience less daunting, and hopefully give everyone an eye for what looks good and what works in photojournalism, even if you only have your phone. Chances are you probably have some taste in photos. You know what you like, but you might not be able to articulate it. I’ll try and give you the tools to do just that.
Questions I’ll try and answer
- What flatters a face? A person?
- How do you compose group photos fast?
- What do you do with a phone camera?
- What do all the dials do?
- Bring your own! Think of some beforehand and I’ll try and answer them as I go.
I’ll be moving quite quickly, so take five minutes and go over the pre-reading. I promise it’s not very onerous.
Pre-reading I: the fundamentals of exposure
Most photo workshops cover the fundamentals of exposure (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO) but they’re often hard to digest and easy to forget. To help make it stick, I’m going to include some pre-reading and encourage everyone to shoot on manual mode throughout the workshop. I use aperture-priority myself in most situations, but knowing the mechanics of exposure is critical when troubleshooting — which is at least 60 per cent of photojournalism. I’ll bring as many loaner cameras as I have to help you practice. If you have your own camera, bring it with you.
If you are totally new to photography, start with this simple explanation (skip the part on auto-bracketing): http://www.exposureguide.com/exposure.htm
After you’ve read that, read this more detailed explanation: https://fstoppers.com/education/exposure-triangle-understanding-how-aperture-shutter-speed-and-iso-work-together-72878
Pre-reading II: Developing your eye
My first year of photography was all about the numbers, and I have those pretty down pat. After that, it became about the aesthetics, and that learning process won’t ever end. I’ve included some examples. Why do you like one over the other? Give these a ponder.
All this and much more at 12:30 p.m. on Friday January 15 in SUB B011.
