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Journalism Next by Mark Briggs Chapter 6

Photography, out of all the mediums that have been changed, is the most affected by digital cameras.

“digital photography… lowered the bar on capturing images to the pint where anyone and everyone is a photographer,” says author Mark Briggs.

Digital photography is tricky, but can be learned and needs to be learned by journalists.

“photos full the audience right into the news”, says British reporter, Nicola Dowling.

Question: So what makes up a digital photograph?

Answer: Pixels and resolution.

Pixels and resolution can determine if the photo is clear or not depending on the level of each. Higher number of pixels and a high resolution make a very clear image.

BUT, a computer screen will not show more than a 72 pixels per in (ppi). SO there’s no point in uploading to a website an image larger than that, it will just waste the audience’s time and it will give the audience time to think about other things. Which is not what you want.

Everyone should understand the concept of plagiarism in regards to words. If they are not yours, do not take them. Same rule applies to photographs.

However, with the abundance of photographs out on the web a legal way of using them is to use photographs with a Creative Commons license. This means that you can use the image as long as you give credit to the photographer who took the image.

In digital photography there are two ways to take pictures:

1. a point-and-shoot camera: sold at most technology stores. The ones that most people use to take pictures in everyday life. They have one lens that is not detachable and usually very light. This camera is for most amateurs.

2. a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex):  normally considered a professional digital camera. detachable lens and body so the camera has a range of photographs that it can take.

“A great advantage of a digital camera,” says Mark Briggs, ” is the ability to review the photo on the camera’s screen immediately after snapping a picture.”

The photographer can see if they like the image or not and from there can take another picture. Immediately modifying their technique.

“It’s a simple numbers game:,” says Briggs, “the more shots you take, the better chance you have to get the one you want.”

After taking the picture most photographers edit their photographs, but with the Code of Ethics in mind.

” ‘Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images content and context,’ says the Code of Ethics of the National Press Photographers Association. ‘Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.”

Some simple rules to go by when editing:

1. Edit a copy of the photo-never the original.

2. Crop the photo.

3. Resize the picture.

4. Modify the resolution.

5. Tone and color correct the picture.

6. Save a Web version.

7. Keep it simple.

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010 at 6:30 pm and is filed under "Journalism Next" Chapter Blogs with tags "Journalism Next", Mark Briggs, Meridith Kaufman, online journalism, onmason, Visual Storytelling and Photographs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.