Captured: Ian Fisher : American Soldier
Pulitzer Prize winning photo story.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Photo story 2 & 3
Photo Story #2 & 3
Photo Story #2 Due: February 22
Photo Story #3 Due: April 21
Specifics:
• 5-7 photos
• Captions for each
• Handed in via Flickr
This assignment is similar to your Family/Friends story but this time you'll tell the story of a stranger or acquaintance. Your task is to tell a story through photos. Again, you can tell the story with the best 5-7 photos. Use as many angles you can (literally and figuratively) for the reader.
Find someone with a story. Maybe you know someone with an unusual (and photogenic) job. Maybe it's someone who faces an everyday struggle. Maybe it's someone who is trying to make a difference. Think human interest. Conflict. Complication.Inspirational. Struggle. Unusualness. Humor.
Coordinate a shooting schedule once you find someone. Maybe you will follow them around for half a day. Maybe you'll stop by over the period of a week or a couple weeks. It depends on the timeline of your subject story.
You don't have to follow a single subject, either. Your story could be a certain issue or problem that affects different people. Keep an eye out for stories about trends in the paper, maybe you shoot one person as an example of a trend.
Do whatever research you can to plan how much equipment you'll need with you (a flash? telephoto lens? tripod?)
Remember to include descriptive captions for each image. The story might not be clear without good captions. Feel free to break the typical 2-sentence length.
Each photo should be of a different "event" or "moment." For example, you wouldn't include a photo and then another one taken a few seconds later from a slightly different angle. Pick the best one to represent that moment. Think of each photograph as a different chapter of a book.
Use a mix of close-ups, medium shots and wide shots. Get different perspectives.
Arrange the shots in the sequence that makes the most sense. It's not always chronologically how they were shot.
If it's between the less perfect shot that better tells the story or a nice shot with less story, pick the one that best tells the story.
Try be as honest and objective as you can. Be a fly on the wall. Don't manipulate the subject.
Remember to title your photo story.
And remember to edit and crop all images as needed.
Photo Story #2 Due: February 22
Photo Story #3 Due: April 21
Specifics:
• 5-7 photos
• Captions for each
• Handed in via Flickr
This assignment is similar to your Family/Friends story but this time you'll tell the story of a stranger or acquaintance. Your task is to tell a story through photos. Again, you can tell the story with the best 5-7 photos. Use as many angles you can (literally and figuratively) for the reader.
Find someone with a story. Maybe you know someone with an unusual (and photogenic) job. Maybe it's someone who faces an everyday struggle. Maybe it's someone who is trying to make a difference. Think human interest. Conflict. Complication.Inspirational. Struggle. Unusualness. Humor.
Coordinate a shooting schedule once you find someone. Maybe you will follow them around for half a day. Maybe you'll stop by over the period of a week or a couple weeks. It depends on the timeline of your subject story.
You don't have to follow a single subject, either. Your story could be a certain issue or problem that affects different people. Keep an eye out for stories about trends in the paper, maybe you shoot one person as an example of a trend.
Do whatever research you can to plan how much equipment you'll need with you (a flash? telephoto lens? tripod?)
Remember to include descriptive captions for each image. The story might not be clear without good captions. Feel free to break the typical 2-sentence length.
Each photo should be of a different "event" or "moment." For example, you wouldn't include a photo and then another one taken a few seconds later from a slightly different angle. Pick the best one to represent that moment. Think of each photograph as a different chapter of a book.
Use a mix of close-ups, medium shots and wide shots. Get different perspectives.
Arrange the shots in the sequence that makes the most sense. It's not always chronologically how they were shot.
If it's between the less perfect shot that better tells the story or a nice shot with less story, pick the one that best tells the story.
Try be as honest and objective as you can. Be a fly on the wall. Don't manipulate the subject.
Remember to title your photo story.
And remember to edit and crop all images as needed.
Illustration assignments
Conceptual and Celebrity Photo Illustration Assignments
Both Due March 22 -- handed in via Flickr. Include a headline description, no caption needed.
Celebrity: Sometimes newspapers need "art" for a story about someone who has died. In this case, sometimes photojournalists will create a photo illustration using props and sometimes models.
Your assignment is to illustrate the last birthday of an iconic celebrity. For example: Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Jimi Hendrix, or Buddy Holly. Find some props that fit your subject and arrange them in a visually interesting way. Don't forget the birthday aspect -- a cake, cupcake, calendar date, etc.
Conceptual: Your task is to illustrate a concept through photography, and, if you want, Photoshop.
Here are some ideas:
Crime on college campuses
College students trying to live on a small budget
Computer frustration
Avoiding the flu
Anger management
The stress of parenting
Kids playing too many video games
The challenge of dieting
Living environmentally conscious
Too much texting/Facebook on campus
Print is dead
Surviving an all-nighter
Binge drinking on campus
Rising cost of textbooks
Cheating in college
Relationship blues
You can take a concept and go to the next level: for example, with "Computer frustration," you could illustrate too much email spam and someone being frustrated by it (maybe someone buried under a pile of letters?). Then you could have a headline like, "How to keep from being buried in spam."
Think about these ideas from different angles and use wordplay. For example, for living on a budget, you could try to convey the concept of literally "pinching pennies." You get the idea. Use a visual metaphor (see p. 342 in the book) or an archetype (e.g., Mother Nature, knight in shining armor) as a visual shortcut.
Focus on not only your subject but also what colors and lighting you use. Does it call for high key light? Moody shadows? A backlit alley? You'll have to say a lot about an abstract concept for the reader very quickly and clearly.
Your background will also add to the mood of the scene. You can use a simple backdrop or even use a composition in Photoshop. Remember, if you use Photoshop, don't incorporate someone else's work.
Picking the right model and props will also be key. Make sure your props are accurate enough (if you need to fake it, that's fine if we don't notice!). Like a good actor in a movie, your model should make sense in the role.
See p. 345 for thinking creatively. Brainstorm with a friend or classmate. Play with words and puns. Don't rely on overdone cliches. Try to put a new spin on them.
Both Due March 22 -- handed in via Flickr. Include a headline description, no caption needed.
Celebrity: Sometimes newspapers need "art" for a story about someone who has died. In this case, sometimes photojournalists will create a photo illustration using props and sometimes models.
Your assignment is to illustrate the last birthday of an iconic celebrity. For example: Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Jimi Hendrix, or Buddy Holly. Find some props that fit your subject and arrange them in a visually interesting way. Don't forget the birthday aspect -- a cake, cupcake, calendar date, etc.
Conceptual: Your task is to illustrate a concept through photography, and, if you want, Photoshop.
Here are some ideas:
Crime on college campuses
College students trying to live on a small budget
Computer frustration
Avoiding the flu
Anger management
The stress of parenting
Kids playing too many video games
The challenge of dieting
Living environmentally conscious
Too much texting/Facebook on campus
Print is dead
Surviving an all-nighter
Binge drinking on campus
Rising cost of textbooks
Cheating in college
Relationship blues
You can take a concept and go to the next level: for example, with "Computer frustration," you could illustrate too much email spam and someone being frustrated by it (maybe someone buried under a pile of letters?). Then you could have a headline like, "How to keep from being buried in spam."
Think about these ideas from different angles and use wordplay. For example, for living on a budget, you could try to convey the concept of literally "pinching pennies." You get the idea. Use a visual metaphor (see p. 342 in the book) or an archetype (e.g., Mother Nature, knight in shining armor) as a visual shortcut.
Focus on not only your subject but also what colors and lighting you use. Does it call for high key light? Moody shadows? A backlit alley? You'll have to say a lot about an abstract concept for the reader very quickly and clearly.
Your background will also add to the mood of the scene. You can use a simple backdrop or even use a composition in Photoshop. Remember, if you use Photoshop, don't incorporate someone else's work.
Picking the right model and props will also be key. Make sure your props are accurate enough (if you need to fake it, that's fine if we don't notice!). Like a good actor in a movie, your model should make sense in the role.
See p. 345 for thinking creatively. Brainstorm with a friend or classmate. Play with words and puns. Don't rely on overdone cliches. Try to put a new spin on them.
New portrait assignments
Candid & Studio Portrait assignments
Candid portrait due Feb 15
Studio portrait due March 8
These are similar to your family/friend portrait except this one should be of someone you don't know well. Friend of a friend perhaps. Part of the reason for this is to practice capturing the "story" of someone who you might not be comfortable with. Photojournalists have to do this every day.
One candid - this means NOT in the studio or in your back yard. It should be in an interesting location that means something to the subject. Your subject at work or home doing "what they do," in a candid, unrehearsed moment.
Make sure we can see their face.
One studio portrait - here is where you can show off your studio, posing, and lighting skills. Include props to help illustrate your subject's interests. (If you haven't used studio lights yet, Andy can give you a quick lesson)
You don't have to use the studio -- you can find an interesting location, but make sure you have "good" light -- sun low in the sky, overcast day, light coming in through a window. Use a fill flash outside if needed.
Unlike the candid shot, you have the ability to pose your subject.
Tips for the studio shot
• Use small talk or music to put the subjects at ease.
• Try using a remote shutter release or cable release to maintain a connection (and eye contact) with the subject.
• Lighting is key: Think about if you want high key (few shadows) or low key (moody, dark lighting), or something in between -- see our website for a link to lighting examples.
• You can use "glamour" or "butterfly" lighting with the light in direct line of sight of the subject and camera, raised slightly above eye level (this really only works with soft light, hard light with this method won't be flattering).
• Usually soft light is best, but also consider hard light.
• Be on the lookout for locations that have interesting lighting without having to do any setup
• Sometimes a reflector is called for to add some fill light. You can use anything from a white sheet of paper, foam core, aluminum foil, or a (real) store-bought reflector. Attach to a stand for added control.
• Avoid busy backgrounds; Use open apertures and/or telephoto lenses to blur the background (a 50mm f1.8 is a nice portrait lens)
• To make your background more out of focus, pull your subject away from it.
Candid portrait due Feb 15
Studio portrait due March 8
These are similar to your family/friend portrait except this one should be of someone you don't know well. Friend of a friend perhaps. Part of the reason for this is to practice capturing the "story" of someone who you might not be comfortable with. Photojournalists have to do this every day.
One candid - this means NOT in the studio or in your back yard. It should be in an interesting location that means something to the subject. Your subject at work or home doing "what they do," in a candid, unrehearsed moment.
Make sure we can see their face.
One studio portrait - here is where you can show off your studio, posing, and lighting skills. Include props to help illustrate your subject's interests. (If you haven't used studio lights yet, Andy can give you a quick lesson)
You don't have to use the studio -- you can find an interesting location, but make sure you have "good" light -- sun low in the sky, overcast day, light coming in through a window. Use a fill flash outside if needed.
Unlike the candid shot, you have the ability to pose your subject.
Tips for the studio shot
• Use small talk or music to put the subjects at ease.
• Try using a remote shutter release or cable release to maintain a connection (and eye contact) with the subject.
• Lighting is key: Think about if you want high key (few shadows) or low key (moody, dark lighting), or something in between -- see our website for a link to lighting examples.
• You can use "glamour" or "butterfly" lighting with the light in direct line of sight of the subject and camera, raised slightly above eye level (this really only works with soft light, hard light with this method won't be flattering).
• Usually soft light is best, but also consider hard light.
• Be on the lookout for locations that have interesting lighting without having to do any setup
• Sometimes a reflector is called for to add some fill light. You can use anything from a white sheet of paper, foam core, aluminum foil, or a (real) store-bought reflector. Attach to a stand for added control.
• Avoid busy backgrounds; Use open apertures and/or telephoto lenses to blur the background (a 50mm f1.8 is a nice portrait lens)
• To make your background more out of focus, pull your subject away from it.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
NewsU.Org assignment
Hi folks,
You might have noticed in the syllabus that for February 1 we have listed NewsU.org "Language of the Image."
Here are the directions to complete the assignment....
1. Go to NewsU.org and create a free account. (You only need to fill in the required fields -- it will send an email to you -- you'll have to check your email and click on their link)
2. Search for the "Language of the Image" course and click enroll (it's free).
3. Complete the self-directed course (should take 20-30 minutes or so) and click "Email course report" to me (andylangager at gmail dot com). The course is a bit open-ended, so hopefully it's not too confusing.
That's it! It's worth 25 points. It'll be due in two weeks (February 8th).
You might have noticed in the syllabus that for February 1 we have listed NewsU.org "Language of the Image."
Here are the directions to complete the assignment....
1. Go to NewsU.org and create a free account. (You only need to fill in the required fields -- it will send an email to you -- you'll have to check your email and click on their link)
2. Search for the "Language of the Image" course and click enroll (it's free).
3. Complete the self-directed course (should take 20-30 minutes or so) and click "Email course report" to me (andylangager at gmail dot com). The course is a bit open-ended, so hopefully it's not too confusing.
That's it! It's worth 25 points. It'll be due in two weeks (February 8th).
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sports Assignment(s)
Sports Assignment #1 & 2
Due: February 8 & April 22
Specifics:
• Three of your best shots from one sporting event -- don't overlap with a News Event
• Captions for each
• Handed in via Flickr
Ideas:
High school or college wrestling
Drake, Grand View or DMACC basketball
Track & Field
iCubs (April 15-22)
Off-road bike race/cyclocross (bikeiowa.com / Ride calendar)
Des Moines Buccaneers hockey
Mixed Martial Arts
Media pass:
Unless you have an "in" or know you can get on the sidelines at a high school game, you'll need to get a media pass:
• Call the media relations office for the team.
• Say a photojournalism student and you're interested in a media pass. They will take your name and usually just leave the pass at the ticket window.
Other tips:
• Put your camera in aperture priority -- if you don't have a lot of light, set it to the smallest f-stop number. This will automatically give you the fastest shutter speed available.
• If the setting is too dark and you're having trouble getting a fast shutter speed (1/500 or faster is ideal for sports), set your ISO up to 1600.
• Flashes are usually prohibited, although sometimes they are allowed (ask media relations).
• Shoot the scoreboard occasionally so you know what quarter/period the play happened in.
• Take notes during the game for your captions, especially if you know you got a great shot.
• For all games… STAY SAFE! Watch for flying players or objects!
• Try to figure out if there are any stars on the team and try to focus on them throughout the game. Watch for interesting interactions with the referees or the bench, or any interesting characters in the crowd.
Due: February 8 & April 22
Specifics:
• Three of your best shots from one sporting event -- don't overlap with a News Event
• Captions for each
• Handed in via Flickr
Ideas:
High school or college wrestling
Drake, Grand View or DMACC basketball
Track & Field
iCubs (April 15-22)
Off-road bike race/cyclocross (bikeiowa.com / Ride calendar)
Des Moines Buccaneers hockey
Mixed Martial Arts
Media pass:
Unless you have an "in" or know you can get on the sidelines at a high school game, you'll need to get a media pass:
• Call the media relations office for the team.
• Say a photojournalism student and you're interested in a media pass. They will take your name and usually just leave the pass at the ticket window.
Other tips:
• Put your camera in aperture priority -- if you don't have a lot of light, set it to the smallest f-stop number. This will automatically give you the fastest shutter speed available.
• If the setting is too dark and you're having trouble getting a fast shutter speed (1/500 or faster is ideal for sports), set your ISO up to 1600.
• Flashes are usually prohibited, although sometimes they are allowed (ask media relations).
• Shoot the scoreboard occasionally so you know what quarter/period the play happened in.
• Take notes during the game for your captions, especially if you know you got a great shot.
• For all games… STAY SAFE! Watch for flying players or objects!
• Try to figure out if there are any stars on the team and try to focus on them throughout the game. Watch for interesting interactions with the referees or the bench, or any interesting characters in the crowd.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Assignments 1 & 2
Family/Friend photo story • due January 18 • 25 points
In 5-7 photos, capture a story with images. Following your family or friends is okay.
This should be a real event. Don't influence or contribute to events. Let them unfold and do your best to gather a variety of photos to convey the story to anyone who wasn't there. Try to include a beginning, middle, and end. Try to pick something photogenic.
Remember to get a variety of angles and shots: close-ups, wide shots, low-angle, high-angle, medium shots.
Remember that the shots should work together as a whole, not just one by one. If you have seven shots that are too similar, your story won't be very interesting from the reader's perspective.
Write a short caption for each photo (1-2 sentences). Simply describe what is happening and who is in the photo. Say when it happened in the first photo (if the story happens over the course of time, tell the reader at every major time jump). Remember the where, as well. Who, what, when, where (and why).
Photo story ideas: Following a sibling athlete before, during and after the game. Following a friend through their day at work or school. Documenting your friend giving their dog a haircut. Telling the story of your cousin as she replaces a flat tire. Capture a series of images showing the story of a hunting trip.
5-7 shots, cropped 5x7 or 8x10
Uploaded to your Flickr account
10 points: storytelling
10 points: technical proficiency (focus, exposure, composition, cropping, etc.)
5 points: caption
Family/Friend portrait • due January 25 • 25 points
Find an interesting family member or friend.
Take their portrait in a way that really shows who they are. What is their story? What makes them interesting?
Think about looking at a simple portrait of someone you don't know. It usually doesn't have much interest to you, does it?
As a photojournalist, your job is to make the photo interesting by using lighting, props, location, and positioning the subject (for portraits, photojournalists are allowed to influence the shot, unlike most other assignments).
Don't forget to write a few sentences telling us what the "story" is. Captions play a vital role in making the photo interesting for the reader. Think about what is unusual, interesting, quirky, etc. and include it in the caption. Explain the prop or location in the caption if needed.
1-2 shots, cropped 5x7 or 8x10
Uploaded to your Flickr account
10 points: storytelling
10 points: technical proficiency (focus, exposure, composition, cropping, etc.)
5 points: caption
In 5-7 photos, capture a story with images. Following your family or friends is okay.
This should be a real event. Don't influence or contribute to events. Let them unfold and do your best to gather a variety of photos to convey the story to anyone who wasn't there. Try to include a beginning, middle, and end. Try to pick something photogenic.
Remember to get a variety of angles and shots: close-ups, wide shots, low-angle, high-angle, medium shots.
Remember that the shots should work together as a whole, not just one by one. If you have seven shots that are too similar, your story won't be very interesting from the reader's perspective.
Write a short caption for each photo (1-2 sentences). Simply describe what is happening and who is in the photo. Say when it happened in the first photo (if the story happens over the course of time, tell the reader at every major time jump). Remember the where, as well. Who, what, when, where (and why).
Photo story ideas: Following a sibling athlete before, during and after the game. Following a friend through their day at work or school. Documenting your friend giving their dog a haircut. Telling the story of your cousin as she replaces a flat tire. Capture a series of images showing the story of a hunting trip.
5-7 shots, cropped 5x7 or 8x10
Uploaded to your Flickr account
10 points: storytelling
10 points: technical proficiency (focus, exposure, composition, cropping, etc.)
5 points: caption
Family/Friend portrait • due January 25 • 25 points
Find an interesting family member or friend.
Take their portrait in a way that really shows who they are. What is their story? What makes them interesting?
Think about looking at a simple portrait of someone you don't know. It usually doesn't have much interest to you, does it?
As a photojournalist, your job is to make the photo interesting by using lighting, props, location, and positioning the subject (for portraits, photojournalists are allowed to influence the shot, unlike most other assignments).
Don't forget to write a few sentences telling us what the "story" is. Captions play a vital role in making the photo interesting for the reader. Think about what is unusual, interesting, quirky, etc. and include it in the caption. Explain the prop or location in the caption if needed.
1-2 shots, cropped 5x7 or 8x10
Uploaded to your Flickr account
10 points: storytelling
10 points: technical proficiency (focus, exposure, composition, cropping, etc.)
5 points: caption
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Syllabus
Instructor: Andy Langager
Email: andylangager@gmail.com
Cell: 319-290-8229
Office: 3W Room 02 (the office on the left)
Class meeting: TR 2:05 p.m. — 3:55 p.m.
Text: Kobre, Kenneth. Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach (6th Ed.)
Website: http://photo289.blogspot.com
Course Objectives:
Students will learn basic visual and technical aspects of photojournalism, using a digital camera, while photographing a series of general news, feature, performing arts, sports and community events.
Equipment & Software:
Required:
• DSLR Camera that can shoot RAW
• 2 gig memory card (at least)
• Reporter's notebook (notebook you can fit in your back pocket)
• USB drive or portable hard drive (at least 4 gig recommended)
• Access to Photoshop and Bridge (provided by our digital darkroom lab)
• Flickr account
Optional
• Cleaning supplies: lens tissue and fluid, Q-tips, Rocket
• Extra memory cards
• Travel bag
• External flash
• Tripod or monopod
• Small tripod or beanbag
• UV filter (to protect lens)
• Wide angle lens
• Telephoto lens (e.g. 70-200mm)
• Battery grip and/or extra battery
• Point and shoot camera (as a backup)
Attendance:
Attendance is required for "lecture" days. Please try to make it on time to class. If you cannot make it, please try to email or call me to let me know ahead of time. If you have an excuse (note from doctor, etc.) please bring me a copy.
If there is a news assignment opportunity during class time, please just let me know ahead of time.
Class and computer etiquette:
Please only use the digital darkroom computers for work related to our class (No Facebook!).
Also, no texting during lecture, please. If you need to use your phone, please leave the room.
Planned Grade breakdown:
10 Project Assignments 250 points
4 News Events 25 points each 150
Quizes & NewsU 50
Clip book (50 items) or Paper 50
5 One-on-one meetings 20 points each 100
Attendance 50
Final Portfolio ____ 50
Total 700 points
Grade descriptions: Want an "A" in the class? Read on to see what I'm looking for.
"A" work: Deadlines met regularly for assignments; student has gone above and beyond to demonstrate he or she understands the concepts of the assignment. Shows time and effort put into every assignment. Overall work is excellent.
"B" work: Deadlines met for nearly every assignment; student has shown he or she has a strong understanding of the concepts of the assignments. The basic requirements of the assignments are fulfilled with good, solid work. Overall work is above average.
"C" work: Most deadlines met, but some missed. Not all assignments fulfilled to specifications. Student shows some understanding for the concepts at hand, but some of the work could have benefited from more time or effort put into it. Overall work is average.
"D" work: Deadlines missed regularly. More than one or two assignments missed. Student does not fully demonstrate an understanding of the concepts. Not much effort put into work. Overall work is below average.
"F" work: Deadlines missed regularly. Assignments left incomplete. Student shows distinct lack of effort towards the class. No demonstration of learning the concepts at hand. Overall work is far below average.
Grading scale:
95-100% A
90-94 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
59 and lower F
Late assignments: Journalists work on a deadline. If a deadline is missed, they miss the window of opportunity for their photo to be printed. I hope everyone meets every deadline and I will try to make them reasonable.
Late assignments will be accepted up to a week late, but they will be marked off 50%.
Final Portfolio: At the end of the semester, you'll hand in a printed portfolio of your 20 best photos. They should be printed by a professional printing service (recommended: Snapfish, Smugmug, Kodak, Shutterfly).
It should be handed in with a simple black art portfolio book ($5.50 on Amazon)
Project Assignments:
• Family/Friend Photo story
• Family/Friend story portrait
• Sports assignment 1
• Celebrity Illustration
• Candid Portrait
• Photo story 2
• Studio Portrait
• Conceptual illustration
• Sports assignment 2
• Photo story 3
News Event Assignments (25 points each):
In addition to our Project Assignments, you will be responsible for 4 other News Event assignments of your choice throughout the semester. You can shoot:
• Sporting events (basketball, volleyball, baseball, wrestling)
• Concerts
• Performances
• Media events like press conferences, ground breaking, etc.
• Speeches or appearances
• Spot news like fire, accidents, anything you come across
• Protests
• Or anything else newsworthy.
For every news event, you'll turn in your 5 best shots with captions on each one. We'll talk more about captions later.
What is newsworthy? Newsworthiness is made up of such factors as importance, impact, human interest, celebrity, proximity and timeliness. One test is, ask yourself: Can I imagine this photo the local paper? If yes, then it is probably newsworthy.
News Events are due Jan 31, February 28, March 31 and April 14.
They should be turned in via Flickr on the day due or they will be marked late (50% off).
Your choice: Clip book or Paper (50 points):
At the end of the semester, you'll hand in either a "clip" book or a short paper (NOT BOTH).
Clip book: To keep up with what local photojournalists are doing, I'd like you to clip photos, along with their captions (cut lines), and paste/insert them into an album to hand in at the end of the semester. You'll need a 3-ring album or scrapbook that has enough pages to fit 50 clips (usually 1 clip per page). You can find clips in the Des Moines Register (you can get a free paper with a gas refill at Kum and Go!), Des Moines Juice (free), CityView (free), Datebook (free),or any other local paper.
(continued on next page)
Paper: I'd like you to write a 1000-word paper on one of these four topics:
• A famous photojournalist (Margaret Bourke-White, Weegie, Dorothea Lange, Robert Capa, Roger Fenton, Eddie Adams, etc.)
• The history of photojournalism
• Photojournalism ethics (for example, dealing with Photoshop)
• Take a single issue of The Des Moines Register and critique all the photos chosen for that issue. What works? What doesn't? How are the captions? How would you improve the photos? Do they tell a story? Does it match the copy (words) of the story?
Flickr:
I'd like you to turn in your News Event assignments in via Flickr. If you already have an account, great. If not, it's free to sign up. The free account is limited to 100 MB per month, but that should be enough (just make sure to shrink/compress your photos after you edit them -- an easy way to do it is "Save for the Web" in Photoshop).
Add me as a contact or send me the link to your profile so I can bookmark you. Then, all you have to do is upload your weekly assignments and add a slug for each event (one or two word descriptive title of the story you covered) and caption. If you don't want your photos public, you can adjust the privacy level; just make sure to add me as a contact so I can see them.
One-on-one meetings:
When we don't have lecture, we will be doing one-on-one meetings to talk about your work. Always bring your latest photos, edited, with you on a USB drive. We'll discuss your News Events photos or Project Assignment photos.
I will make a schedule for our meetings. We'll have 5 meetings total. (These are very informal, it's just a chance to chat about your work)
Expectations:
Come to lectures and one-on-one meetings or reschedule if you can't make it. Meet deadlines for assignments. Please let me know if you are struggling with the assignments. I strive to be flexible and fair to all students.
Calendar:
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Week 1
January 11 - Tuesday
Introduction/syllabus
Chapter 8: Camera bag
January 13 - Thursday
Lecture #1
Chapter 1: Assignment
Chapter 2: Spot News
Chapter 3: General News
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 2
January 18 - Tuesday - Meetings I begin
2:00: Nicole
2:20: Tracy
2:40: Maegan
3:00: Courtney
3:20: Lori
January 20 - Thursday
2:00: Lindsey
2:20: Morgan
2:40: Roger
3:00: Kristine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 3
January 25 - Tuesday
2:00: William
2:20:
2:40: Amanda
3:00: Erica
January 27 - Thursday
2:00: Laine
2:20: Jenna
2:40: Hunter
3:00:
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Week 4
February 1 - Tuesday
Lecture #2
Quiz Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4
NewsU.org "Language of the Image"
Have read:
Chapter 4: Features
Chapter 10: Covering the Issues
Chapter 14: Illustration
February 3 - Thursday
Work day
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Week 5
February 8 - Tuesday - Meetings II begin
2:00: Nicole
2:20: Tracy
2:40: Maegan
3:00: Courtney
3:20:
February 10 - Thursday
2:00: Lori
2:20: Lindsey
2:40: Morgan
3:00: Roger
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Week 6
February 15 - Tuesday
2:00: Kristine
2:20: William
2:40: Amanda
3:00: Erica
February 17 - Thursday
2:00: Laine
2:20: Jenna
2:40: Hunter
3:00:
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Week 7
February 22 - Tuesday
Lecture #3
Quiz Chapters 5, 7, 14
Have read:
Chapter 5: Portraits
Chapter 6: Sports
Chapter 7: Photo editing
February 24 - Thursday
Make-up meetings if needed
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Week 8
March 1 - Tuesday - Meetings III begin
2:00: Nicole
2:20: Tracy
2:40: Maegan
3:00: Courtney
3:20:
March 3 - Thursday
2:00: Lori
2:20: Lindsey
2:40: Morgan
3:00: Roger
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Week 9
March 8 - Tuesday
2:00: Kristine
2:20: William
2:40: Amanda
3:00: Erica
March 10- Thursday
2:00: Laine
2:20: Jenna
2:40: Hunter
3:00:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 10
March 15 - 17 NO CLASS • SPRING BREAK!
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Week 11
March 22 - Tuesday
Quiz
Lecture #4
Have read:
Chapter 11: Photo Story
Chapter 15: Ethics
Chapter 16: Law
March 24 - Thursday
Make-up day
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 12
March 29 - Tuesday
2:00 Nicole
2:30 Tracy
3:00 Maegan
March 31 - Thursday
2:00 Courtney
2:30 Lori
3:00 Lindsey
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 13
April - 5 - Tuesday
2:00 Morgan
2:30 Roger
3:00 Kristine
April 7 - Thursday
2:00 William
2:30 Amanda
3:00 Erica
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 14
April 12 - Tuesday
Quiz (Mostly Chapter 15 & 16)
Lecture #5
Have read:
Chapter 12: Multimedia
Chapter 13: Video
Chapter 17: History
Chapter 18: Turning Pro
April 14 - Thursday
2:00 Laine
2:30 Jenna
3:00 Hunter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 15
April 19 - Tuesday
2:00
2:30
April 21 - Thursday
Make-up meetings
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 16
April 26 - Tuesday
Work day
April 28 - Thursday
Portfolio, Clip-book and paper due today at 2pm.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finals week - Portfolio will be available for pick-up in photo classroom.
Email: andylangager@gmail.com
Cell: 319-290-8229
Office: 3W Room 02 (the office on the left)
Class meeting: TR 2:05 p.m. — 3:55 p.m.
Text: Kobre, Kenneth. Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach (6th Ed.)
Website: http://photo289.blogspot.com
Course Objectives:
Students will learn basic visual and technical aspects of photojournalism, using a digital camera, while photographing a series of general news, feature, performing arts, sports and community events.
Equipment & Software:
Required:
• DSLR Camera that can shoot RAW
• 2 gig memory card (at least)
• Reporter's notebook (notebook you can fit in your back pocket)
• USB drive or portable hard drive (at least 4 gig recommended)
• Access to Photoshop and Bridge (provided by our digital darkroom lab)
• Flickr account
Optional
• Cleaning supplies: lens tissue and fluid, Q-tips, Rocket
• Extra memory cards
• Travel bag
• External flash
• Tripod or monopod
• Small tripod or beanbag
• UV filter (to protect lens)
• Wide angle lens
• Telephoto lens (e.g. 70-200mm)
• Battery grip and/or extra battery
• Point and shoot camera (as a backup)
Attendance:
Attendance is required for "lecture" days. Please try to make it on time to class. If you cannot make it, please try to email or call me to let me know ahead of time. If you have an excuse (note from doctor, etc.) please bring me a copy.
If there is a news assignment opportunity during class time, please just let me know ahead of time.
Class and computer etiquette:
Please only use the digital darkroom computers for work related to our class (No Facebook!).
Also, no texting during lecture, please. If you need to use your phone, please leave the room.
Planned Grade breakdown:
10 Project Assignments 250 points
4 News Events 25 points each 150
Quizes & NewsU 50
Clip book (50 items) or Paper 50
5 One-on-one meetings 20 points each 100
Attendance 50
Final Portfolio ____ 50
Total 700 points
Grade descriptions: Want an "A" in the class? Read on to see what I'm looking for.
"A" work: Deadlines met regularly for assignments; student has gone above and beyond to demonstrate he or she understands the concepts of the assignment. Shows time and effort put into every assignment. Overall work is excellent.
"B" work: Deadlines met for nearly every assignment; student has shown he or she has a strong understanding of the concepts of the assignments. The basic requirements of the assignments are fulfilled with good, solid work. Overall work is above average.
"C" work: Most deadlines met, but some missed. Not all assignments fulfilled to specifications. Student shows some understanding for the concepts at hand, but some of the work could have benefited from more time or effort put into it. Overall work is average.
"D" work: Deadlines missed regularly. More than one or two assignments missed. Student does not fully demonstrate an understanding of the concepts. Not much effort put into work. Overall work is below average.
"F" work: Deadlines missed regularly. Assignments left incomplete. Student shows distinct lack of effort towards the class. No demonstration of learning the concepts at hand. Overall work is far below average.
Grading scale:
95-100% A
90-94 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
59 and lower F
Late assignments: Journalists work on a deadline. If a deadline is missed, they miss the window of opportunity for their photo to be printed. I hope everyone meets every deadline and I will try to make them reasonable.
Late assignments will be accepted up to a week late, but they will be marked off 50%.
Final Portfolio: At the end of the semester, you'll hand in a printed portfolio of your 20 best photos. They should be printed by a professional printing service (recommended: Snapfish, Smugmug, Kodak, Shutterfly).
It should be handed in with a simple black art portfolio book ($5.50 on Amazon)
Project Assignments:
• Family/Friend Photo story
• Family/Friend story portrait
• Sports assignment 1
• Celebrity Illustration
• Candid Portrait
• Photo story 2
• Studio Portrait
• Conceptual illustration
• Sports assignment 2
• Photo story 3
News Event Assignments (25 points each):
In addition to our Project Assignments, you will be responsible for 4 other News Event assignments of your choice throughout the semester. You can shoot:
• Sporting events (basketball, volleyball, baseball, wrestling)
• Concerts
• Performances
• Media events like press conferences, ground breaking, etc.
• Speeches or appearances
• Spot news like fire, accidents, anything you come across
• Protests
• Or anything else newsworthy.
For every news event, you'll turn in your 5 best shots with captions on each one. We'll talk more about captions later.
What is newsworthy? Newsworthiness is made up of such factors as importance, impact, human interest, celebrity, proximity and timeliness. One test is, ask yourself: Can I imagine this photo the local paper? If yes, then it is probably newsworthy.
News Events are due Jan 31, February 28, March 31 and April 14.
They should be turned in via Flickr on the day due or they will be marked late (50% off).
Your choice: Clip book or Paper (50 points):
At the end of the semester, you'll hand in either a "clip" book or a short paper (NOT BOTH).
Clip book: To keep up with what local photojournalists are doing, I'd like you to clip photos, along with their captions (cut lines), and paste/insert them into an album to hand in at the end of the semester. You'll need a 3-ring album or scrapbook that has enough pages to fit 50 clips (usually 1 clip per page). You can find clips in the Des Moines Register (you can get a free paper with a gas refill at Kum and Go!), Des Moines Juice (free), CityView (free), Datebook (free),or any other local paper.
(continued on next page)
Paper: I'd like you to write a 1000-word paper on one of these four topics:
• A famous photojournalist (Margaret Bourke-White, Weegie, Dorothea Lange, Robert Capa, Roger Fenton, Eddie Adams, etc.)
• The history of photojournalism
• Photojournalism ethics (for example, dealing with Photoshop)
• Take a single issue of The Des Moines Register and critique all the photos chosen for that issue. What works? What doesn't? How are the captions? How would you improve the photos? Do they tell a story? Does it match the copy (words) of the story?
Flickr:
I'd like you to turn in your News Event assignments in via Flickr. If you already have an account, great. If not, it's free to sign up. The free account is limited to 100 MB per month, but that should be enough (just make sure to shrink/compress your photos after you edit them -- an easy way to do it is "Save for the Web" in Photoshop).
Add me as a contact or send me the link to your profile so I can bookmark you. Then, all you have to do is upload your weekly assignments and add a slug for each event (one or two word descriptive title of the story you covered) and caption. If you don't want your photos public, you can adjust the privacy level; just make sure to add me as a contact so I can see them.
One-on-one meetings:
When we don't have lecture, we will be doing one-on-one meetings to talk about your work. Always bring your latest photos, edited, with you on a USB drive. We'll discuss your News Events photos or Project Assignment photos.
I will make a schedule for our meetings. We'll have 5 meetings total. (These are very informal, it's just a chance to chat about your work)
Expectations:
Come to lectures and one-on-one meetings or reschedule if you can't make it. Meet deadlines for assignments. Please let me know if you are struggling with the assignments. I strive to be flexible and fair to all students.
Calendar:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 1
January 11 - Tuesday
Introduction/syllabus
Chapter 8: Camera bag
January 13 - Thursday
Lecture #1
Chapter 1: Assignment
Chapter 2: Spot News
Chapter 3: General News
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 2
January 18 - Tuesday - Meetings I begin
2:00: Nicole
2:20: Tracy
2:40: Maegan
3:00: Courtney
3:20: Lori
January 20 - Thursday
2:00: Lindsey
2:20: Morgan
2:40: Roger
3:00: Kristine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 3
January 25 - Tuesday
2:00: William
2:20:
2:40: Amanda
3:00: Erica
January 27 - Thursday
2:00: Laine
2:20: Jenna
2:40: Hunter
3:00:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 4
February 1 - Tuesday
Lecture #2
Quiz Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4
NewsU.org "Language of the Image"
Have read:
Chapter 4: Features
Chapter 10: Covering the Issues
Chapter 14: Illustration
February 3 - Thursday
Work day
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 5
February 8 - Tuesday - Meetings II begin
2:00: Nicole
2:20: Tracy
2:40: Maegan
3:00: Courtney
3:20:
February 10 - Thursday
2:00: Lori
2:20: Lindsey
2:40: Morgan
3:00: Roger
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 6
February 15 - Tuesday
2:00: Kristine
2:20: William
2:40: Amanda
3:00: Erica
February 17 - Thursday
2:00: Laine
2:20: Jenna
2:40: Hunter
3:00:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 7
February 22 - Tuesday
Lecture #3
Quiz Chapters 5, 7, 14
Have read:
Chapter 5: Portraits
Chapter 6: Sports
Chapter 7: Photo editing
February 24 - Thursday
Make-up meetings if needed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 8
March 1 - Tuesday - Meetings III begin
2:00: Nicole
2:20: Tracy
2:40: Maegan
3:00: Courtney
3:20:
March 3 - Thursday
2:00: Lori
2:20: Lindsey
2:40: Morgan
3:00: Roger
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 9
March 8 - Tuesday
2:00: Kristine
2:20: William
2:40: Amanda
3:00: Erica
March 10- Thursday
2:00: Laine
2:20: Jenna
2:40: Hunter
3:00:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 10
March 15 - 17 NO CLASS • SPRING BREAK!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 11
March 22 - Tuesday
Quiz
Lecture #4
Have read:
Chapter 11: Photo Story
Chapter 15: Ethics
Chapter 16: Law
March 24 - Thursday
Make-up day
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 12
March 29 - Tuesday
2:00 Nicole
2:30 Tracy
3:00 Maegan
March 31 - Thursday
2:00 Courtney
2:30 Lori
3:00 Lindsey
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 13
April - 5 - Tuesday
2:00 Morgan
2:30 Roger
3:00 Kristine
April 7 - Thursday
2:00 William
2:30 Amanda
3:00 Erica
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 14
April 12 - Tuesday
Quiz (Mostly Chapter 15 & 16)
Lecture #5
Have read:
Chapter 12: Multimedia
Chapter 13: Video
Chapter 17: History
Chapter 18: Turning Pro
April 14 - Thursday
2:00 Laine
2:30 Jenna
3:00 Hunter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 15
April 19 - Tuesday
2:00
2:30
April 21 - Thursday
Make-up meetings
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Week 16
April 26 - Tuesday
Work day
April 28 - Thursday
Portfolio, Clip-book and paper due today at 2pm.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finals week - Portfolio will be available for pick-up in photo classroom.
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