Photo Journalism 4(1+3)

Lesson 3 : Approaches to Photojournalism

Newspapers

Of all outlets of photojournalism, newspapers offer the widest variety of assignments. Newspaper picture editors always open to good spot news and feature photos. News papers in general are looking for single photographs with complete captions but there is always the chance of a spread or layout of photos if the work is interesting or unusual.

1. General assignment
   The general assignment photojournalists cover spot news, features, fashions, studio work, illustrations, pictorials and picture pages as well as some promotional or public relations shooting. Because any news paper is basically a business, the general assignment photojournalists may be called upon to shoot all areas in which the business has an interest. The newspaper general assignment photojournalists gets a chance to shoot a bit of everything.
   
   General assignment is an important part of the newspaper business. Its working conditions generally include


• Daily deadlines
• News orientation
• Single picture emphasis
• Wide variety of assignments
• Locally orientated news with a growing awareness of local reader’s interest in national news
• Shooting
• Almost exclusive use of 35 mm cameras


2. Picture pages
   One specially that goes beyond the single picture, but is part of general a assignment, is the picture page. Some visual minded newspapers use this to great advantage to produce pages of photo essays. Some pages take days or week to do and the photographer often shoots, prints, writes copy and does the layout for the page. At its modern best, the newspaper picture page attempts to do in one page what some magazine essays do: offer an in –depth story that can’t be told with only one photograph and a caption.


3. Sunday newspaper magazines
   Many newspaper photojournalists initiate stories for a paper’s Sunday magazine and earn extra money, as well as practice, shooting the magazine style.
   
   The Sunday magazine of a newspaper is feature orientated rather than news orientated and working hours are generally more flexible. The deadlines are four to six weeks in advance of each issue. However, without being constantly “on call” for unplanned spot news work, you are free to plan your coverage. Also, you will work closely with an editor or art director. This means much more exchange of ideas than for daily news. Assignments can be single picture or photo essays, with emphasis on color, large speeds and graphic display.


4. The weekly newspaper
   A weekly newspaper is a great place to start, and many beginning photographers have gained valuable experience on such a publication. Weekly newspaper emphasis community news and features that have no real deadline.