Photojournalism on the Web & Digital Storytelling University of North Texas Department of Journalism Visual Journalism February 28, 2008

The Five ‘I’s Interactivity Involvement Immediacy Integration In-depth

Interactivity

Involvement

Immediacy

Integration

In-depth

Basic Tips for Good Photos Range of Values Understanding your lighting Contrast Shadows Clear, sharply focused subjects Too far away Not focused

Range of Values

Understanding your lighting

Contrast

Shadows

Clear, sharply focused subjects

Too far away

Not focused

Composition & the ‘Rule of Thirds’ Understand where all objects are in the picture Use your naked eye AND look through your viewfinder Divide the picture into thirds – The main object or action of the picture should be near one of the intersecting points.

Understand where all objects are in the picture

Use your naked eye AND look through your viewfinder

Divide the picture into thirds – The main object or action of the picture should be near one of the intersecting points.

The “Decisive Moment” Photos have to ‘tell’ a story Some circumstances are easy: Academy Awards; Principal awarding the diploma; a ‘handshake’ closing a deal Others are more difficult Keep shooting until you get it The “Aha” Moment Feel it in your gut

Photos have to ‘tell’ a story

Some circumstances are easy:

Academy Awards; Principal awarding the diploma; a ‘handshake’ closing a deal

Others are more difficult

Keep shooting until you get it

The “Aha” Moment

Feel it in your gut

Challenges/Opportunities Digital Photography Unlimited capacity The Ol’ Days: Limited space, wrong photo, badly cropped, size of photo doesn’t do event justice Slide shows, photo galleries Multiple publishing formats More tools to improve quality – or manipulate Control Greater control on which images to use Higher risk of managing copyright – ethical issues Flexibility Immediacy Permanence/Archival Interactivity

Unlimited capacity

The Ol’ Days: Limited space, wrong photo, badly cropped, size of photo doesn’t do event justice

Slide shows, photo galleries

Multiple publishing formats

More tools to improve quality – or manipulate

Control

Greater control on which images to use

Higher risk of managing copyright – ethical issues

Flexibility

Immediacy

Permanence/Archival

Interactivity

Text Static Graphic: Photo Text Box Online Discussion Lurker Link Interactive: Timeline fact box Slideshow map Quiz Interactive Game Interactive Flash Content Online Discussions Reporter Email Interaction/Involvement Continuum Low High The greater the interaction and involvement, the higher the learning

Interactive:

Timeline

fact box

Slideshow

map

Digital Storytelling Tools Shovelware out, Within Media In It’s no place for lazy journalists Dig deeper, report more, drive to find more sources, quicker Need to be more accurate and more thorough Search, research and verify

Shovelware out, Within Media In

It’s no place for lazy journalists

Dig deeper, report more, drive to find more sources, quicker

Need to be more accurate and more thorough

Search, research and verify

Digital Storytelling Tools Rules of the road: Tighter, shorter copy Section heads Boldface type, bulleted presentations Pull out quotes Timelines Links Fact Boxes Graphics Visuals Audio

Rules of the road:

Tighter, shorter copy

Section heads

Boldface type, bulleted presentations

Pull out quotes

Timelines

Links

Fact Boxes

Graphics

Visuals

Audio

Digital Storytelling Tools Drilling Down – What Really Works Timelines Old School: Static graphic in chronological order New School: Dates, images, description, audio http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/timelines Quality Audio & Video Slide shows Story Boards

Drilling Down – What Really Works

Timelines

Old School: Static graphic in chronological order

New School: Dates, images, description, audio

http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/timelines

Quality Audio & Video

Slide shows

Story Boards

Story Boarding It’s all about nonlinear!!! Divide the story into its logical, nonlinear parts, such as: A lead or nut paragraph, essentially addressing why this story is important Profiles of the main person or people in the story The event or situation Any process or how something works The history of the event or situation Other related issues raised by the story

It’s all about nonlinear!!!

Divide the story into its logical, nonlinear parts, such as:

A lead or nut paragraph, essentially addressing why this story is important

Profiles of the main person or people in the story

The event or situation

Any process or how something works

The history of the event or situation

Other related issues raised by the story

Story boarding Change the way you think: Avoid “First Part”, “Second Part”, etc. Divide the contents of story into media elements Video Still photos Audio Graphics Text

Change the way you think:

Avoid “First Part”, “Second Part”, etc.

Divide the contents of story into media elements

Video

Still photos

Audio

Graphics

Text

Story boarding Determine which pieces of story work best with video What a great way to see, hear, watch Decide which still photos you want Creates moods, punctuates your text, adds context, richness Which audio? And will still photos work with it? Bad audio detracts from the story, the audio and the entire package What about graphics Animated graphics help show how things work Go where no cameras can go: e.g. showing how things work, like cells or space

Determine which pieces of story work best with video

What a great way to see, hear, watch

Decide which still photos you want

Creates moods, punctuates your text, adds context, richness

Which audio? And will still photos work with it?

Bad audio detracts from the story, the audio and the entire package

What about graphics

Animated graphics help show how things work

Go where no cameras can go: e.g. showing how things work, like cells or space

Story boarding Using maps Google, government, satellite imaging Showing neighborhoods, patterns of crime Text “ Chunking stories”. Q&A. First-person. Investigative. Complementary media, not redundant Match each element. Interactivity means reader involvement

Using maps

Google, government, satellite imaging

Showing neighborhoods, patterns of crime

Text

“ Chunking stories”. Q&A. First-person. Investigative.

Complementary media, not redundant

Match each element.

Interactivity means reader involvement