Qualities
of a Good Photographer and a Picture Expected from a Good Photographer
By Andrew Bishop Mkandawire (AB Deevado)-MC Yr 4
4th May, 2012 Share World Open University-BT
Campus
Photo-Journalism
which can be defined as a
particular form of journalism (the collecting, editing, and presenting of news
material for publication or broadcast) that creates images in order to tell a
news story and that it is now usually understood to refer only to still images,
but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism
(www.en.wikipedia.com), demands photo-journalists to conduct themselves with
full standards of the profession.
This reasoning automatically requires journalists to have specific
qualities for them to manage the job. Some prominent qualities are discussed as
follows:
They need to
have expertise; this represents the ability to use the necessary photography
equipment like still and digital camera, dark room and printers. This expertise
helps to achieve photojournalism professionalism.
For example a
digital camera will demand the photographer to have knowledge of the MODE and
MENU functions. The Mode function has Auto
which automatically selects settings, Manual
which allows to select settings yourself , Special Scene (SCN) which allows to take pictures in rare occasions
like during the night, indoor, snow and fire works and the Movie which has standard and compact options (www.photography.about.com). When
these issues are known and learnt when using a digital camera, the photographer
surely will come up with good pictures.
They need to
have ability to research; photo-journalists who are assigned to take pictures
from an event need to visit the place before the event commences. This helps to
identify better positions that will accommodate them to get desired pictures.
It is awkward to get a blurred or shaded picture or that has no focus in terms
of content because the crowd was shrouding the focus of the camera to get a
subject intended photographed.
In
professional journalism this is called Reconnaissance although it is common to
broadcast journalism sector. According to (Fourie 2005, p. 394), ‘It is a
detailed inspection of the outdoor location where the video (photos) will be
shot. Inspection of the actual location will determine the shooting script. It
will also provide answers to some of the following questions: Is the location
accessible for the camera? Is the natural light from the right direction? Can
the camera be placed close enough to the subject?’
They need in
interpersonal skills; these skills help in a number of ways. For example,
photographers need good relations with the police, fire fighter brigade, security
companies just to mention a few. These people rush to places where new events
have occurred. Photographers in journalism need to take on the scene or fresh
pictures of how exactly the event or the scene looked like before possible
efforts were put to control the negative effect flow. For example, before the
fire brigade begins to extinguish the fire the photojournalists need to take
informative pictures until subsequently efforts of controlling and finally
extinguishing the fire can get managed. Such collection of sequential pictures
with cut lines for example, can tell an essay picture story or without captions
can tell a sequential picture story. However in many occasions in journalistic
writing pictures accompany news stories.
Therefore
interpersonal skills can put the photographers to an advantage of getting
necessary pictures including fresh ones because there will be good relations
with picture sources.
They need to
be accurate fair and balanced; other photographers are editors of pictures. They
need not to alter the authenticity of the picture but it can be edited to
improve its appeal using computer picture editing software like Adobe Photoshop
for example. This can avoid ethical and legal implications.
For example,
‘…courts have consistently recognized that photographs can be intrusive and
have shown a high degree of willingness to prevent the publication of
photographs, taken without the consent of the person photographed but which the
photographer or someone else sought to exploit and publish. This protection
extended to photographs, taken without their consent, of people who exploited
the commercial value of their own image in similar photographs, and to
photographs taken with the consent of people but who had not contented to that
particular form of commercial exploitation, as well as photographs taken in
public or from a public place of what could not be seen with the naked eye,
then at least with the add of powerful binoculars…’, (Carey et al 2007, p. 132).
The above
quote shows that taking of photographs for specific use like commercial purpose
or news need consent. This is ethical as well as legal. And efforts not to
alter the image are a position of accuracy. These issues are crucial if
breached are civil or criminally punished by courts. For example, taking a
picture and publishing it without the consent of the subject can invade privacy
right. Privacy right takes many forms including trespass, defamation,
trademarks, and confidence. Trespass can be argued differently but Crone (2002)
describes that trespass to land or property may be claimed in a variety of
situations. Any person entering on to another’s land to observe him or to plant
a listening device will be guilty of trespass.
They need to meet
deadlines; this could be seen as the most crucial part in the profession of
photojournalism particularly when taking pictures that chase timeliness of
event being covered. Photographers need to supply assigned photos to
photo-editors on time to match with copyeditor and publisher’s time to publish
the newspaper.
They need to
come up with captions; nice captions help to make the picture tell a good
story. It is not easy to come up with good caption but it only demands practice
and experience. When photographers are able to give captions to their pictures
they help to lessen the job for photo editors.
Cutline
styles vary greatly in newspapers. ‘Most cut lines are placed underneath
pictures’, (Harris et al 2002, p.
197)-Able to tell a story with pictures
They need to
have ability to learn; photojournalism is interesting because it has history
and advances in the profession. It was firstly improved by dry plates, then
still camera like 35mm Single Lens Reflex and 35mm Compact. Then later by a
digital camera of which the modern one has the movie mode function. Even the
picture editing has shifted more from analogue to digital. Instead of darkroom
media houses are using computer softwares to edit pictures like Adobe
Photoshop, Picture Magic Editor, and Canon Picture window. All these need someone’s
docility to know and practice them. Photojournalists need to be innovators who
are flexible to move with pressures of technology. But this does not mean
dumping old systems of picture management.
And when a
photo-journalist posses such qualities, it is possible for such a person to
take good pictures.
The so called
good pictures which can be expected from the photographers will need to have
the traits discussed below.
A picture has
to communicate. ‘A photograph can communicate general information very
quickly…Photo may communicate emotions as well as facts. It informs and
expresses’, (Levin 2001, p. 175).
This
information communicated reflects what happened though it may depict the
specific side of the whole event or pat of it. This helps to give picture of
what the event was like.
It has to
provide credibility. Credibility is believability. A picture has to position an
event to be more real or true. This helps people to trust the news as they
relate the facts told and the illustration of the picture.
A picture has
also to provide visual appeal or entertainment. Pictures work like visual
magnets. They draw readers into the story. This provides the ability to let the
readers read the entire story. In some aspects the same visual appeal can
entertain readers. This helps to arouse interest in reading the whole story.
This also works to make the story memorable. A good picture helps readers to
memorize story facts. This is therefore necessary as it can help the newspaper
to sell only with the appeal the pictures are giving to the readers.
Finally, the
good picture has to provide life to a story. For example, mugshot which is a
photo that shows only the head and the shoulders of the person provides life to
a story. Readers tend to believe the subject attached to the story if real. The
vitality picture provides helps feature stories, literally works like fiction stories
seem to be real. Even some feature stories that express author’s opinion when
accompanied by a picture they look like the pinion expressed is real. To news
stories this simply adds life to existing facts.
Therefore it can be argued that it is a
must for photojournalists to possess good qualities in their profession and
they are expected to take good pictures that can be published, at most pictures
that can tell a story.
REFERENCES
Carey, P et al 2007, Media Law, 4th
edition, London, Thomson
Crone, T 2002, Media Law, Oxford, Focal Press
Fourie, PJ 2005, Media Studies: Content, Audiences and Production, 2nd
Volume, Lansdowne, Juta Education
Harris, J et al 2002, Complete
Reporter, Boston, Thomson
Levin, M 2000, Journalism, Chicago, National Textbook Company
Masoner, L 2012, Major Types of
Cameras - SLR and Point and Shoot Cameras: An Introduction to the Two Main Types of Cameras Available Today, Viewed 4th April, 2012, http://photography.about.com/od/cameratypes/a/PointAndShoot.htm
‘Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia’ 2012, The history of photojournalism, Viewed 4th
April, 2012,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_photojornalism
