ASSIGNMENT: Photo Story, Part 2

As a reminder, you should be continuing work on your photo story. On Monday, Nov. 30, we’ll use the class time as an open lab to download images and get them ready to turn over to the other half of the class. (That turnover will happen at the start of class on Wednesday, Dec. 1 – you must have the CD with fully captioned images ready to go then.)

If you want to work on your audio over the break, all of the software is linked on the VisualJournalism.info site – it’s compatible with Macs and Windows, so you can work on it over break if you like.

 

ASSIGNMENT: The Story, Part 1

Because of the McGill Symposium, we didn’t get a chance to talk about your next assignment which is the first part of your photo story, which is due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13. You’ll need to upload a 4-5  photo package to the server. The images should include a portrait, a long shot, a medium shot and a close-up. This is the story you will pursue for the next few weeks, so make sure it is something you can go back to – which means you’ll have the time and the subject will give you continuing access.

Choose a personality to profile – do not choose an organization or event, it will not work. Find someone who does something interesting and visual (so poets are kind of out for this). They should have a story we are interested in. Choose someone who does things in good light – don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.

Start listening while you are shooting – you’ll be heading back with an audio recorder for an interview and to look for natural sound bits for your audio slide show.

Here are some examples of what we’ll be looking for, we’ll talk about these and some others in class on Monday. Feel free to email me with story ideas – I can help you weed out some low-percentage ones if you like.

• Not Just Ring Around the Rosie, by Courtney Ebert
• Growing Up with the Black Forest Bakery, by Katherine Howell

ASSIGNMENT: Stop and Feature

ASSIGNMENT, part 1: One feature photo from the UGA campus, due on the server by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. Look for a great moment, a telling slice-of-life image that speaks to what living, studying or working on campus is like in 2009. Think about composition and light, use them to advance the story.

ASSIGNMENT, part 2: One stop-action (or pan or blur, but really, lean towards the stop) photo from the UGA campus, due on the server by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6. Look to freeze a body in motion, suspend them in time, show us something that the casual viewer would not have seen.

Catch the fourth dimension.

ASSIGNMENT: The Mug Shots

Shoot the following by Monday, November 2. Bring your camera and card to class and we’ll download and process them in class. These photos must be shot as verticals, from the top of the shoulders to just above their hair. Fill the frame, watch the background, have them look into the camera. Get all of the caption information, as well.

The Bright Sun Mug Shots
Shot between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., outdoors, in bright light. One at 75 mm, one at 28 mm.

The Shaded Mug Shots
Shot anytime, but in the shade. One at 75 mm, one at 28 mm.

The Window Light Mug Shots
Shot anytime, but indoors, next to a window. One at 75 mm, one at 28 mm.

ASSIGNMENT: Nouns and Verbs

For Wednesday, October 21, shoot four nouns (persons, places or things) and four verbs (nouns doing things). Shoot multiple angles, exposure combinations – get used to the camera, play with it, see what you can make it do.

Former AJC photo editor Minla Shields (who’s on campus these days, which is kind of cool) built a little site talking about nouns and verbs, worth a moment of time.

Also, please spend some quality time with the camera manual – be a geek, at least for a little while.

Lab Hours

This won’t mean much to you now, but on Monday, October 19, the lab will only be open from 3:30 to 5 p.m. (instead of the usual 6:30). Normal hours will return the following week.

ASSIGNMENT: More Reading

For Monday, October 19, please read chapter 3 in the National Geographic book.

ASSIGNMENT: Reading

For Wednesday, October 14, please read chapters one and two in the National Geographic Ultimate Field Guide to Photography. Come in with questions from that and/or about photojournalism in general.