Why Photojournalism is Still So Important

 Why Photojournalism Matters

You may wonder why you're taking this class. How is this different from the Digital Photography class offered by the art department. There are many differences, but the main one (other than what credit this fulfills) is that one is art and allows for artistic license where photos are manipulated to convey a message and one is conveying a story by the elements, not by manipulation:

You constantly have access to a camera, and true photojournalists often find themselves battling for space:

And now, more than ever, photojournalists are finding themselves struggling to defend their importance in the face of budget cuts, widespread technology usage and a variety of other factors, like the Sun-Times photographers who were fired and raised a powerful protest:

But TRUE photojournalism matters.

Read the article at this link:
GPI: Why Photojournalism is Still So Important

Halfway through the article, she mentions four photographs that are "powerful" and "world-changing." Find them online. Examine them. Think about them.
What about them makes them "powerful."  How are they "world-changing?" What did they do to change the world?
Then go to THIS PADLET and discuss each photograph in AT LEAST THREE FULL SENTENCES.

First Hour's

https://padlet.com/e05044/lcgd36nmvcn0px6r

third hour's:

https://padlet.com/e05044/9lye0yd6r5h82gud

Then answer the questions on THIS google doc about the rest of the article.

5.11 Your Photo of the Year

5.11 Your Best Photo

Good morning, Photojournalists,

I've LOVED looking at your self portraits, but they've made me miss you all more than I already do!!

This is your LAST assignment for PhotoJ this year. I'm unsure how finals will go, so we'll figure that out. It won't be difficult, just something like we've been doing the past six weeks.

Your last assignment for photoj is to find the best photo you've taken this year. You SHOULD have all of your photos still on your desktop, so find the best photo you've taken. The photo that is the BEST example of your work.

Walsworth, our yearbook publishing company, is running a photo contest, and the winners in each category will win a $100 gift card.

You need to do TWO things with this photo:

Number 1: Enter it into the Walsworth Publishing Company contest using this site:

https://www.walsworthyearbooks.com/walsworth-photo-contest/

Your photo needs to fit into one of these categories:

Academics (anything that happened in a class)
Club or Organization/Community Service (anything that happened in a club meeting)
Feature Portrait (a special portrait I asked you to take)
School Spirit (crowd photo)
Sports Action (photo of the action at a game)
Sports Reaction (photo of players reacting to something that happened at a game)
Student Life (dance, Homecoming Pep Assembly, etc)
Yearbook Life (Yearbook class stuff)

They also ask you to give your photo a name and provide a description, like how you took it, when you took it, what event it was, etc.

RIGHT BEFORE YOU ENTER IT, take a screen shot of what you filled out. If you forget to do this and you enter it and then realize you forgot, go view the entries and take a screen shot of your photo in the entries.

The deadline is May 15th, so you need to do that by then.

Number 2: Go to this google doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1of5yIgBBavEgVBj1kQSq1_7EeT71nKJWUPpiaW9RNaw/edit?usp=sharing

Put the screen shot of your photo in the entries so I'll know you did it. Then put your actual photo on the google doc.

You need to do this BY MIDNIGHT ON MAY 15TH.

If you have any questions or need anything, please let me know!!

5.4 Self Portrait

Good afternoon, photojournalists!

I'm sorry I didn't get this on the blog earlier. I was having issues with my blog being blocked for some reason.

This week, you're going to do a self portrait.

Note, I said "SELF PORTRAIT" NOT "selfie."

It's relatively easy, and you can make it as fun or as serious as you want. Think about what you want it to represent about yourself.

Here's a blog about how to take self portraits with your iPhone (or any smart phone), but it's kind of serious:

https://iphonephotographyschool.com/self-portraits/

Here's another one:

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/self-portrait-tips,review-4621.html

Here are some ideas for cool self portraits:

https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/cool-self-portrait-ideas

Here are some examples:

https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/100-seriously-cool-self-portraits-and-tips-to-shoot-your-own--photo-5689

Does it need to be serious? No. You can make it fun.
Can you use props? Sure, as long as they're school appropriate.

Think about you and what represents you.

Here's one I took a few years ago. It was a deadline night. I was exhausted and waiting for kids to hand pages in so I could edit them, and all I really wanted was a strong latte. You can see there's a mess of things behind me, which typically happens on a deadline night.

AND I had bangs. I'm still trying to decide if I want to do bangs again or not. What do you think?

When you're done with yours, put it on this google doc:

Put your self portrait and then a short paragraph or a few sentences of how it represents you or why you chose to do your photo that way.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_Dpzt5r6h6Tt88VRRU3sY0nl9LafzozZvsJJXgEPmuc/edit

This is due on Monday, May 11th.

As always, if you need ANYTHING, please let me know!!

4.27: Let's go outside

Good morning, photojournalists!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend and that the Thrive on Five was good for you. We had fun doing some of the activities with our boys.

A lot of you had last week off because YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR EVENTS FOR THE YEAR! YAY!! Those of you who aren't done, I sent you an email reminding you of what I posted last week.

So, this week you have another assignment. As usual, it's just to get you thinking about photography. It's not difficult or overly stressful. It's to get you thinking about how to take pictures and keep you in contact with me.

So, here's what you need to do:

Pick a spot in your yard or a newby park. Set the timer on your phone for 10 minutes and really pay attention to your surroundings. It may be a little hard for you, and it may feel boring at first, but really take the time to pay attention and observe what's happening around you.

I did this in my backyard, and I noticed a little snake making its way across the yard (I moved quickly. We have snakes in our neighborhood quite often). I moved up to our garden where we have strawberry plants blooming and noticed an ant hill in the corner. I detest ants almost as much as I do snakes, but I became fascinated by their movements.

I also sat by my tulips. Tulips are my favorite flower because when I was a little girl, my grandpa grew tulips along his front walkway. We spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house, and every time we ran out of their front door in the springtime, he'd always say, "Don't step on my tulips!" I looked at the structure of the flower and the different kinds of tulips I have.

Anyway. Find something that catches your eye, and watch it before you take your photos. Once you find something to photograph, get down low. Photograph the bugs or whatever you found from their level.

Get bug's eye view.

Put your picture on this google doc:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZJeCpHIiiMcHqQ47eymGrF6OEA3FJU1GQkbDfyX7zXg/edit?usp=sharing

AND tell me why you chose this to photograph. What about it caught your eye?

It looks like the weather will be BEAUTIFUL this week! Get out there an enjoy it!

4.20 How do you make up events?

Good Monday morning, photojournalists!

I hope this post finds you well!

This is how I'm feeling today

I've received several emails from several of you asking about events.

Obviously, there aren't any more events for the rest of the year. I know several of you were hoping to make up events from January and February in the later months of the school year.

First off, I'm only going to require events for January and February, so if you took events in March and were missing events in January or February, I went into the gradebook and transferred the March ones to ones you were missing in January or February. That should take a little of the stress off of a few of you.

Also, I've graded every event that you've turned in, so if you took pictures at an event and didn't turn in your paper, please let me know so I can check the server.

You can check that by looking at your photojournalism folder on your laptop and comparing it to the google sheet I made to keep track of everything. Here's the link if you can't find it: 2019.20 Photojournalism Events Semester 2

Now, some of you still need to make up events.

I've decided that the best way to do this would be to have you learn skills in PhotoShop AND THEN use those skills to make a video that teaches someone else how to do them.

You need to make a video like the one I made teaching you how to rename your photos, and here's the link to that video: How to Batch Rename Photos

Every skill you learn and video you make will count as one event.

Here are the skills I'd like you to learn and make a video of yourself doing:

USE PHOTOS YOU'VE TAKEN UP TO THIS POINT TO EXPERIMENT, AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE READY TO ACTUALLY DO THE ASSIGNMENT(S), EMAIL ME, AND I'LL SEND YOU A PHOTO TO DO THE ACTUAL VIDEO WITH.

1: Using Levels to improve the color of your photos.:
 
2: Make a photo black and white and then adjust the sliders of the colors to make different areas in the photo stand out.

3: Cut out a figure in a photo with a transparent background so it can be place on a yearbook page.

How do you record your screen and voice?

Here's a link to a video that shows you how to do it if it's not blocked:
How to record your screen and voice using QuickTime
If it is blocked, google it.

How do you learn how to do these things and then show others?
Google how to do them.  There are HUNDREDS of videos of photographers talking you through how to do them.
With Photoshop, there are at least 10 different ways to do each of these skills, which is one of the reasons I kind of struggle with PhotoShop sometimes.

ONCE YOU DECIDE WHICH ONE YOU'RE DOING, AND LEARN HOW TO DO IT, EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW WHICH ONE YOU'RE GOING TO DO, AND I'LL SEND YOU THE PICTURE TO DO YOUR VIDEO WITH.

When is this due? Thursday, May 7.  DO NOT EMAIL ME THE MORNING OF THURSDAY, MAY 7 AND ASK ME HOW TO DO THIS.

START NOW!!

EACH one counts as one event. So you can make up three events. If you have all of your events to make up, do all three of these before you ask me for another activity.

Practice on photos you already have from ones you've taken.

Got questions? I'm just an email away!

4.13 Make a rainbow!

Good morning, photojournalists!

Last week's announcement about not going back to school hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew it was probably coming, but I had been holding out hope that we'd be able to go back. I'll be honest, my oldest and I have shed some tears over the situation (we're both big criers), but we'll get through this! I miss you all so much!

I'm up bright and early this morning because everything.... EVERYTHING for the yearbook is due today.

I have to upload it to the yearbook company site by midnight tonight, and I'm pretty excited to actually be able to put this puppy to bed!

FIRST: I've heard from several of you about how you can make up events. I have an idea percolating, but I need to go over it in my head a little bit this week. I'll post them in a week, so please don't stress. I've got you.

I WAS going to have you go outside for this week's project, but I took one look at the weather and was like, "Nope, too chilly!"

So, this assignment will keep you inside. You can all thank me when we see each other again.

This week's assignment is simple: you're going to make a rainbow.

You remember learning about the colors of the rainbow, right?

ROY G. BIV is how I learned them

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet

You need to walk around your house and take a picture of every color of the rainbow. You can omit "indigo" if you need to.

Then use PicMonkey to create a visual of them however you want.

Put them on this google doc:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/137txbaFMZMZwNQOcKjD7LotoMme_2uWi-YeH3w-ICJQ/edit?usp=sharing

If you need anything, I'm just an email away!!

Have a great day!

3.30: Flipgrid

Good day, photojournalists!

Two assignments for this week:

Several of you know my love for "The Office." Okay, maybe "love" is putting it mildly. Okay, no maybe, "love" is putting my feelings for "The Office" mildly. I ADORE that show!

So, first assignment.

Watch this youtube video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pgG1M_h_U

I think we could all use some good news.

Now for some more good news, I've figured out a new way to communicate!

Before you all roll your eyes and say, "Oh, Sparks, you drive us crazy," it will allow you to record video, and let's be honest, I've missed your voice!

So, check your email for the FlipGrid code and record a video for me.

BUT make sure to login and then click on the "Record a Response" and make your video there. Don't email it to me. I want the class to see your faces, too!!!

It looks like this, and you'll click on the green plus.

I miss you all terribly!!

3.25 Virtual Learning Documentation Photo

Good morning, photojournalists,

Since many of you don't have cameras like the ones we use at school but all of you have iPhones or something like that, we'll be doing some documenting of your life with your smart phones.

Today, your assignment it to upload two separate photos of your experience with Virtual Learning right now.

The great thing about Virtual Learning is that you can do it almost anywhere, almost any time. I've walked down the halls and seen students laying with their backs flat on the ground and their legs against the wall, like criss cross applesauce, but it looks like they're "sitting" on the wall.

You can do virtual learning at 2:30 a.m. while you're standing on your head, trying to drink an Oreo milkshake, and clipping your toenails.

Like I said, anywhere, anytime.

I want you to really think about where you do a lot of your virtual learning, when you do your virtual learning, some of the things you've realized you can do with virtual learning, etc., and use that to inspire your photos.

I want you to put AT LEAST TWO of your photos of you learning virtually on this google doc:

3.25 VIRTUAL LEARNING PHOTOS

AND I want you to describe what these photos mean. Give me the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each photo.

Here are two examples I took yesterday and today. They aren't great examples, but you kind of get my gist. THINK OF DIFFERENT ANGLES YOU CAN GET, HOW YOU CAN ILLUSTRATE GOOD PHOTO COMPOSITION.

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 27TH AT 10 P.M.

Photo 1:

Who:

Me, Ronna Sparks-Woodward

What:

Working on getting the yearbook google drive organized

When:

9:35 on Tuesday, March 24th

Where:

In my living room

Why:

I took this picture because I drink a ton of water out of this cup, and there's water in it. When I'm home this cup is always full of ice water right next to me with a straw. I like this cup because I got it from the Kansas City Royals for Teacher Appreciation night. 

How: (you can think about how does this represent visual learning, or how you got the picture, etc.)

I'm working later at night than I'd prefer to because that's usually what you'll find me doing, so Virtual Learning hasn't really changed my timing of stuff, but it has changed my approach.

Type of Photo Composition and why:

Foreground background: The object in the foreground is the first thing you see, and the background is blurred out.

Photo 2:

Who: Me, Delaney Pierce and Belle Zubiri

What:

Participating in a two-hour Zoom meeting where we planned out the last 30 pages of the yearbook, which is spring sports, but since we don't have any spring sport events before the page deadline is due, we had to change up several things.

When:

Monday, March 22nd on the first official day of Virtual Learning

Where:

At my kitchen table surrounded by all the trappings of planning the book: the large iPad with pictures cut out on it, proofs in the background, notes, etc.

Why:

Because we had to completely change everything in the book from pages 130-160, which is freaking us out

How: This is the perfect example of virtual learning. I'm meeting with two students helping them problem solve issues and figure out how to communicate that to the staff.

Type of Photo Composition and why: kind of birds eye; I needed to get Delaney and Belle in the photo so you could see that I wasn't just working on stuff by myself.

THIS IS DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 26TH AT MIDNIGHT.

Now I leave you with my sons and I "celebrating" our first day of virtual learning.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, and have a GREAT day!!

3.23: Welcome Back

Good day, my photojournalists,

I have to say that on Thursday, the last time I saw you, you know we were in the middle of trying to get a yearbook deadline in, so I barely even noticed that the bell rang, and I hate that all I pretty much said was, "Have a great Spring Break!"

Confession: I really wish I had taken the time to say goodbye to you all. I thought we might have a week, maybe two, out of school, and I didn't anticipate being out for as long as we are, much less possibly longer. I would have given you all a long-distance high five and a long distance hug...

Hindsight 2020, right? (get it?)

Today we're supposed to spend reconnecting on a virtual level, so I would like for you to take a few minutes and send me an e-mail letting me know that you read this post and how you're doing.

I'll post a short assignment for you to complete on Tuesday, but it should take you a maximum of 10-15 minutes.

So. please, email me and let me know how you're doing. Has anything happened other than the usual happening to all of us?

I'm exceedingly sad that I won't get to see you all for at least a month, but I also told Dr. Kurth, if anyone can do this and do it well, it's us!

Have a great day, and please email me today... like now!

I miss you all!!!

2.13 More about Dan Eldon

Happy Virtual Learning Day, photojournalists!

For today, prep more for our conversations about Dan Eldon by going to this site:

https://www.daneldon.org/

and reading about him.

Read over the "about" section and look at pictures of him and his friends that went on the trip to help the refugees.

2.10 Photojournalists Murdered

Today I'd like for you to prep for our conversations over Dan Eldon, a photojournalist who was killed in 1993 when he was stoned to death by an angry mob in Mogadishu.

The photojournalism Pulitzer Prizes we've been talking about carry into this because they show us the importance and power of photography. We're just doing this a little out of order because I'm sick.

I'd like for you to spend some time today just delving into the issues of photojournalists who are killed on the job.

I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I was getting my masters at MU in journalism education online, and they sent out a notice to all students in the journalism program. It basically said that MU was sending four journalism students to New Orleans to cover what was happening and that, if anyone in the journalism program decided to go, that the only students the department would be able to offer any support to were the four students they chose. If you went and weren't one of the four, you were on your own. They continued by suggesting that no one should consider going down there to cover it from a journalistic perspective, and if we did, it was suggested that we arm ourselves and take a van packed with essential supplies, water, food, bleach, medicine, HazMat suits, batteries, etc. I remember that hit me hard thinking that if I did decide to go, I'd be taking my life in my hands and would be alone other than the other foolhardy people I convinced to go with me. And I wondered if any story I could get would be worth my life.

Go to the following website:
https://cpj.org/killed/

This is a website for the Committee to Protect Journalists, and it has more information than I can get through without crying.

Check out the statistics when you search by "killed by country" and "killed by year." Do you notice any trends or statistics that jump out to you? Scroll down and look at "Deaths by Type Worldwide" on the right hand side. It's the different ways journalists have died, which include murder and "in crossfire/combat." What's the difference between murder and killed by crossfire? Which would Dan Eldon's Death be considered?

Scroll down to the "Portraits of Murdered Journalists." Find a journalist WHOSE LAST NAME STARTS WITH THE SAME LETTER AS YOUR LAST NAME and read about him/her.

Now, go to this google doc, answer the questions, and summarize the write-up about the journalist who died
 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftOzBMkiks3dlHfwQwL4s22LEz8gXkJcZBhoeuMAaKSGCM1A/viewform

We'll spend the next two weeks of "learning days" talking about photojournalists who put themselves in the line of fire for their jobs.

1.13 Eagle Pointe Photo Challenge Voting and White Balance

Good morning, Photojournalists!

First of all, please vote for the best photos in Friday's photo challenge.  Use this link:

Vote for Friday's photo challenge

Now that you're done, I'd like to let you know that TOMORROW you'll start learning about the different parts of the camera.

TODAY is one of those problem-solving days where I kept thinking there was something I forgot to have you do, and then I realized what it was.

As I was looking through pictures this weekend, I kept looking at the colors of the photos trying to figure out what happened and why the colors looked off from picture to picture, etc.

Then I realized something. You guys don't know about White Balance, and therefore you haven't been setting your cameras accordingly.

So, today you'll learn about White Balance. From here on out, you'll need to set your white balance for every environment, especially since we'll be going into the gym more taking pictures of basketball and wrestling.

Here's a video from one of my favorite online video instructors. I think he's rather funny. WATCH THIS VIDEO:

Mike Browne: How to Set White Balance

I swear at one point he looks like a Smurf!

What's the big deal with White Balance?

Here's a brief introduction to White Balance. READ IT!!

INTRODUCTION TO WHITE BALANCE

Here's another that goes into a little bit more detail that I like better:

Photography fundamentals: White Balance

The only thing I can really compare it to is how your iPhone or smart phone has different filters, and you get different colors in your photos based on how you set your filters.


TODAY AND TOMORROW, YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT ADJUSTING WHITE BALANCE.

Here's a video on how to adjust the white balance on the Canon cameras:

DED Studios— Canon T3i: Setting a Custom White Balance
He says to use a white color card, but you can use a piece of printer paper.

You can also choose an automatic setting. If you choose to do that, here are the directions:

For the Nikons, here's a video:

Camera Guides: How to set White Balance

1.9.2020: Eagle Pointe Photo Challenge

Good morning, photojournalists!

I still can't get over how much light our new classroom and Eagle Point have, and I'm excited for our first snow that we can actually watch fall. I mean, I love snow!

Yesterday, you took photos of Eagle Pointe. You'll do two things with those photos:

#1: Put them on the server. In the "Other" pictures folder, there's a folder that says "2019.20 Eagle Point." You'll put your FOLDER of photos in there (remember, I told you to take a lot of photos, not just one location).

#2: You'll choose your BEST photo of Eagle Pointe and put it on the blog with the following:

• What type of composition it is
• A definition of the type of composition (yes, this is a refresher for you)
• An explanation of how the photo you put on your blog is an example of composition (another refresher!)
• Why you like this photo/what about it makes it the best photo you took of Eagle Pointe.

TOMORROW,  you'll vote on the opposite hour's: 1st hour will vote on 3rd's photos and vice versa. 

Your photos need to be on the server and this assignment needs to be on your blog by 8:10 a.m. Friday morning!!