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!!

12.19

The PDF I uploaded was blurry, so here's the link to the pdf:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16b5CCAR3RofZI5dUFfoITIRN06usrNsk/view?usp=sharing