PPC - Photojournalism, Photography, and Captions Module Overview

Photojournalism, Photography, and Captions Module Overview

Introduction

Why do you take photos? Is it to communicate something to someone else? Do you take photos as an outlet of creative expression? Is it to remember an important event? How are pictures able to say what words sometimes cannot?
A journalist uses words; a photographer takes pictures. A photojournalist takes the best of both and creates a powerful image that tells a story. Therefore, the photographs and images chosen to be published need to communicate the view of the author. Taking photos allows us to document the world around us in a way that no other type of medium does. Regardless of the reason, every photo, like every story, has a purpose.
For example, one image can summarize an event. 

Fall of the Berlin Wall October 3, 1990

The fall of the Berlin Wall October 3, 1990

It can remind us to never give up.

Bejing Olympics of a man running with a stroller.

Beijing Olympics, 2008

It can also motivate people to take action.

Tianamen Square protests of 1989

Tiananmen Square protests of 1989

Essential Questions

  1. What elements create an effective photograph?
  2. What differences are there between print journalism and photojournalism?
  3. What factors make photography an effective means of conveying a message to an audience?
  4. What is the difference between photography and photojournalism?
  5. What is the purpose of a photo caption,  and what are the elements of a good caption?
  6. Why are ethics important in photojournalism?

Key Terms

  1. By-Line - This indicates who wrote the story.  It often includes the writer's title.
  2. Caption - The portion of the layout which explains what is happening in a photograph.   They often include a photo credit.
  3. Banner - The name of the paper that usually appears at the top of page one.
  4. Graphics - The use of lines, screens, boxes, large initial letters etc. to enhance a design by breaking up areas.
  5. Headline - Large type designed to summarize a story and grab the reader's attention.
  6. Kicker - A short (one or two word) statement at the beginning of a caption that serves to grab the reader's attention.
  7. Layout - The positions of stories, advertisements, photos, and graphics on a page.
  8. Lead - The beginning of the story which serves to summarize the story and/or grab the reader's attention
  9. Masthead - Information about the newspaper, such as the name of the publishing company, names of the officers of the company, location of editorial offices, editorship and distribution facts, all usually found at the top of the front page or cover.
  10. Spread - Two facing pages that are designed as one unit.
  11. Cover Lines - Lines which are distributed around the main image without detracting from it too much. 
  12. Dateline - The month and year of the publication, along with the price, is a must on any magazine.
  13. Main Image - The magazine image used to make an impact on the news-stand.
  14. Selling Line - A short, sharp description of the title's main marketing point.

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