Challenge: Weekend 5/25-5/27/13: Photojournalism - Storytelling
May 24, 2013 22:57:47 #
Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone. Gracie and I are your co-hosts for this weekend in which there are likely to be many stories told as families get together. We are looking forward to your interpretation of "photo journalism".
Everyone loves a good story (and we have some great story tellers on here!) Photojournalism, in particular, is the art of communicating news through photographs in an unbiased way that maintains the integrity of the subject and issues involved.
You can think of it as a "news journalist/correspondent" or as documenting events important to you.
Here is a summary of 7 points to practicing good story telling with images (from the YouTube video linked below, which is primarily about foreign correspondent news photojournalism)
1) Anticipate - anticipate a story line and shoot lots and practice more before "the moment" happens; when you do, you'll be prepared to recognize "the moment" (the key part of a story)
2) Research - there is a history to the story - know it, the people and places involved
3) Reach Out - Establish networks, reach out to people, know your resources, treat people and situations with respect.
4) Prioritize - Don't try to do/shoot everything at once. Know what you want to "say". Know what YOU are good at and focus on your angle of the story.
5) Know how to use what you have - camera brand doesn't matter. Know your equipment and how to make it work for you
6) Interact - be a "people" person, network with other story tellers as well as the people in the story.
7) Be invisible - don't invade private space. Enter unobtrusively, watch, take your few planned shots (walking in with a camera around your neck can sometimes change the ambiance, reality and spontaneity of the scene or story.)
http://youtu.be/0xAcWxjolSQ
The above may be helpful, but don't forget, we want to see YOUR story - family celebrations or events, Memorial Day activities and fun, whatever is important to you or your area.
To start us off, my story is about the loss of manufacturing in Maine in general and in the Lewiston/Auburn area in particular. Maine is not the only state in this situation. Lewiston/Auburn was home to many textile mills and shoe factories. Over the decades, these mills were the jobs of the working immigrants - primarily the French, Irish, and Italian immigrants. There was family, ethnic and community pride. Things have changed in the last 20-30 years.
Everyone loves a good story (and we have some great story tellers on here!) Photojournalism, in particular, is the art of communicating news through photographs in an unbiased way that maintains the integrity of the subject and issues involved.
You can think of it as a "news journalist/correspondent" or as documenting events important to you.
Here is a summary of 7 points to practicing good story telling with images (from the YouTube video linked below, which is primarily about foreign correspondent news photojournalism)
1) Anticipate - anticipate a story line and shoot lots and practice more before "the moment" happens; when you do, you'll be prepared to recognize "the moment" (the key part of a story)
2) Research - there is a history to the story - know it, the people and places involved
3) Reach Out - Establish networks, reach out to people, know your resources, treat people and situations with respect.
4) Prioritize - Don't try to do/shoot everything at once. Know what you want to "say". Know what YOU are good at and focus on your angle of the story.
5) Know how to use what you have - camera brand doesn't matter. Know your equipment and how to make it work for you
6) Interact - be a "people" person, network with other story tellers as well as the people in the story.
7) Be invisible - don't invade private space. Enter unobtrusively, watch, take your few planned shots (walking in with a camera around your neck can sometimes change the ambiance, reality and spontaneity of the scene or story.)
http://youtu.be/0xAcWxjolSQ
The above may be helpful, but don't forget, we want to see YOUR story - family celebrations or events, Memorial Day activities and fun, whatever is important to you or your area.
To start us off, my story is about the loss of manufacturing in Maine in general and in the Lewiston/Auburn area in particular. Maine is not the only state in this situation. Lewiston/Auburn was home to many textile mills and shoe factories. Over the decades, these mills were the jobs of the working immigrants - primarily the French, Irish, and Italian immigrants. There was family, ethnic and community pride. Things have changed in the last 20-30 years.
First, the photojournalist is invisible, is immersed in the story and goes for "the shot"
Thriving cities no longer thrive (Did you notice the little yellow street sign that says "Dead End?" Irony perhaps.)
Mills closed up and fenced off
Walkways over the canals (which transported materials and finished product) are fenced off, walkways rotted
Windows are boarded or bricked up looking like monuments to what used to be.
Vacant buildings become targets for street art, rubbish collecting, and undesirable activity
Yesterday's humming machinery is no longer humming. What will happen to the buildings? The people? The future of this once thriving area?
May 24, 2013 23:09:41 #
Wow.....what a story....and what a challenge. Am excited to see what people come up with. Nice start Pat....very full of thought......and thanks for the expanation
May 24, 2013 23:17:20 #
Sher wrote:
Wow.....what a story....and what a challenge. Am excited to see what people come up with. Nice start Pat....very full of thought......and thanks for the expanation
Thank YOU, Sher. I can't wait to see either.
May 24, 2013 23:19:10 #
I am posting one more image without a caption. As you look at it what does it "say" to you. I have passed it frequently and managed to shoot it today. I have had several thoughts as to what this image could tell. Later in the weekend, I'll work it into another "news" story.
May 24, 2013 23:21:35 #
Great idea Pat. See what I can come up with.
PAToGraphy wrote:
Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone. Gracie and I... (show quote)
May 24, 2013 23:25:21 #
Bushido wrote:
Great idea Pat. See what I can come up with.
p1 Thanks, Richard; now I can head to bed. Dinner was delicious. Wanted to try the Satay - next time.
May 25, 2013 00:22:22 #
Pat, that is an awesome story - so well told! The old mill looks like one near me that they have revitalized into loft apartments. I also love the flag reflections! Working on my story!
May 25, 2013 06:32:38 #
Well good morning people, this is Jim le Roadrunner from CJRR (Canadian stations begin with a ''C'') doing a short report on what became of hayfields and cow pastures in St-Jean-Chrysostome, where the population commute, where the sun never shines (so it seems) but the photography is nice.
Here is Mr. Odilon Cantin's old hayfield which borders on my property and even though he cuts and sells, the cows have long been sold off.
Here is the Cantin's old barn which too has been sold off and thefarm has been subdivided
And finally here is our place, bordering on Odilon's land but originally was a pasture belong to the Edmond Cantin farm. Here in SJC, when there used to be more cows than taxpayers ,we went from 2200 to over 26, 000. Yes many farms have been swallowed up by promoters and have taken away the signification of a nice country town. Yes folks, no more hunting here, trapping, no more blueberry, strawberry or raspberry pickings and red berries have been replaced by red lights and red stop signs, of which there are many.
May 25, 2013 06:47:31 #
PAToGraphy wrote:
I am posting one more image without a caption. As you look at it what does it "say" to you. I have passed it frequently and managed to shoot it today. I have had several thoughts as to what this image could tell. Later in the weekend, I'll work it into another "news" story.
''One nation undivided, and proudly we stand''
May 25, 2013 06:56:08 #
May 25, 2013 07:17:20 #
Jim le Roadruner back again with yet another update on weather happenings in the Québec City areas were due to days of rain, high easterly winds, there is flooding on high tides.
In preparation for this morning's high tide I did this interview with the Etchemin river, at its mouth as it empties into the St. Lawrence aiding the advent of local flooding this morning
In preparation for this morning's high tide I did this interview with the Etchemin river, at its mouth as it empties into the St. Lawrence aiding the advent of local flooding this morning
May 25, 2013 07:52:18 #
Roadrunner wrote:
Well good morning people, this is Jim le Roadrunner from CJRR (Canadian stations begin with a ''C'') doing a short report on what became of hayfields and cow pastures in St-Jean-Chrysostome, where the population commute, where the sun never shines (so it seems) but the photography is nice.
p1 Love how you told your story. - A change in the way of life for sure.Great images and yes, still pouring here..
May 25, 2013 07:54:01 #
May 25, 2013 07:56:20 #
Roadrunner wrote:
Jim le Roadruner back again with yet another update on weather happenings in the Québec City areas were due to days of rain, high easterly winds, there is flooding on high tides.
In preparation for this morning's high tide I did this interview with the Etchemin river, at its mouth as it empties into the St. Lawrence aiding the advent of local flooding this morning
In preparation for this morning's high tide I did this interview with the Etchemin river, at its mouth as it empties into the St. Lawrence aiding the advent of local flooding this morning
p1 Raging river for sure. Same here. Fortunately our house is on very high ground.
May 25, 2013 07:57:11 #
mgstrawn wrote:
Pat, that is an awesome story - so well told! The old mill looks like one near me that they have revitalized into loft apartments. I also love the flag reflections! Working on my story!
p1 Praying for you and family. Keep us posted.
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