Sorry for not readily updating material. I've been so encapsulated and entrenched with my photojournalism class that I've taken on more stories than I have been able to spend time to update you guys on things going on with me so let's start by a few updates.
The photojournalism course I'm taking is already in its 4th week and I'm proud to say that the school's newspaper has just released its first print issue where you can find here! None of the photos I took made it to this issue because none of the stories I shot for made it to print which is a bit of a let down because I took some pretty good newsworthy/print worthy photographs. I was REALLY hoping a photo or two would make the issue but there are future issues where I can have the chance to see one of my photographs make it to print. The bright side however is that if you take a look at the issue and turn to page two, right at the bottom is my name listed under the staff photographers for The Roundup News! Seeing that brought a really big smile on my face. I'm a part of something special here and seeing my name on there gave me a bit of a push and satisfaction/accomplishment that although I'm still far from my goal, I'm on the right track. As of this entry, I still haven't received my press badge and that should be coming this Monday or Wednesday. There's an ethical document pertaining to plagiarism that we all need to sign and turn in before we can get those badges. Also, I will be gone this Sunday and heading to Sacramento to cover a story which should be interesting and exciting. It's a big story and I'm looking forward to covering it.
I'm awfully glad that I took this photojournalism course, not only because I may have found my calling and the goal is to become a photojournalist in the end, but having now experienced the news making process, it has opened up my eyes on how I approach everything pertaining to photography. It used to be that in any photo gig I took on, whether it be a wedding, fashion shoot, or just out shooting on my own for fun, I was always looking for "that moment" and that, what I thought, was one of the best ways to approach photography. That's good and all but now, I think that kind of approach may be a bit linear.
As journalists, photo or other, we are trained (and train ourselves) to look for the story wherever they may be. Even when presented with a story to report on, there may be stories within the main that need to be told and as such, may need to be approached differently. These kinds of approaches are so dynamic that the thought crossed my mind, what if I were to take these methods and applied them to my (future) photography? Take for instance weddings, which I've taken more of the last couple of years. Obviously the main story would be the couple coming together on that day but that isn't the only story going on. There's the two sides of family and friends attending. There may be the young couple watching the ceremony and maybe waiting for their wedding day to come or there may be the elder couple watching a younger couple getting married. Maybe two strangers might find a spark on that day and start something romantic. Kids running around having fun. The wedding planner coordinating the details to make the day more special. Now, after knowing and acknowledging that all these stories need to be told within the fold of the main, the matter of how I (or the photographer) should approach these stories and how they should be told is where my photojournalism comes into major play. The more I think about it, the more I see that this is a MUCH better approach than just shooting for moments and this is applicable to just about everything photography, not necessarily just weddings. Fashion shoots, portraits, etc. This would make way for better photographs and it would make you a better photographer as it is making me one little by little...
The photojournalism course I'm taking is already in its 4th week and I'm proud to say that the school's newspaper has just released its first print issue where you can find here! None of the photos I took made it to this issue because none of the stories I shot for made it to print which is a bit of a let down because I took some pretty good newsworthy/print worthy photographs. I was REALLY hoping a photo or two would make the issue but there are future issues where I can have the chance to see one of my photographs make it to print. The bright side however is that if you take a look at the issue and turn to page two, right at the bottom is my name listed under the staff photographers for The Roundup News! Seeing that brought a really big smile on my face. I'm a part of something special here and seeing my name on there gave me a bit of a push and satisfaction/accomplishment that although I'm still far from my goal, I'm on the right track. As of this entry, I still haven't received my press badge and that should be coming this Monday or Wednesday. There's an ethical document pertaining to plagiarism that we all need to sign and turn in before we can get those badges. Also, I will be gone this Sunday and heading to Sacramento to cover a story which should be interesting and exciting. It's a big story and I'm looking forward to covering it.
I'm awfully glad that I took this photojournalism course, not only because I may have found my calling and the goal is to become a photojournalist in the end, but having now experienced the news making process, it has opened up my eyes on how I approach everything pertaining to photography. It used to be that in any photo gig I took on, whether it be a wedding, fashion shoot, or just out shooting on my own for fun, I was always looking for "that moment" and that, what I thought, was one of the best ways to approach photography. That's good and all but now, I think that kind of approach may be a bit linear.
As journalists, photo or other, we are trained (and train ourselves) to look for the story wherever they may be. Even when presented with a story to report on, there may be stories within the main that need to be told and as such, may need to be approached differently. These kinds of approaches are so dynamic that the thought crossed my mind, what if I were to take these methods and applied them to my (future) photography? Take for instance weddings, which I've taken more of the last couple of years. Obviously the main story would be the couple coming together on that day but that isn't the only story going on. There's the two sides of family and friends attending. There may be the young couple watching the ceremony and maybe waiting for their wedding day to come or there may be the elder couple watching a younger couple getting married. Maybe two strangers might find a spark on that day and start something romantic. Kids running around having fun. The wedding planner coordinating the details to make the day more special. Now, after knowing and acknowledging that all these stories need to be told within the fold of the main, the matter of how I (or the photographer) should approach these stories and how they should be told is where my photojournalism comes into major play. The more I think about it, the more I see that this is a MUCH better approach than just shooting for moments and this is applicable to just about everything photography, not necessarily just weddings. Fashion shoots, portraits, etc. This would make way for better photographs and it would make you a better photographer as it is making me one little by little...