Photojournalism

By Faith Pauken, www.cardinaltimes.org staff member

All photos by Faith Pauken

Photojournalism is a form of journalism that provides images to aid in the telling of a story or news. Pictures contribute to the overall perception one may have about an article. By giving the reader a visual, they’re able to imagine what the event looked like, whether that’s showing what 100,000 people look like during a protest, or the face of an artist. During my journey through photography over the last year, I’ve been able to expand my knowledge on what makes a good photo, how to track people down and how to manage unexpected obstacles.

Football/Sports Photography

My personal favorite event to photograph for the last two years has been football. The fall sports season is packed with events having football easily be the most popular event on a Friday evening which makes it an important event to capture. If someone misses one game they feel like they missed out; this is where my job comes in. Even for those who didn’t miss a game they often like to look back and reminisce about the memories shared every Friday. However, sports photography is easier said than done. Many factors come into play: lighting, lens, shutter speed, weather, etc. If any of these elements fail on you mid-game, it’ll show in your pictures. Capturing a person running in the dark at least 75 ft away from you with screaming boys around is hard enough, so coming prepared is key. Practice taking pictures at one game or at the practices to see what works best for you and your camera. The main thing I learned from sports photography is to expect the unexpected. You have a limited amount of space with constantly changing factors, so you never know when you’re going to catch the photo that becomes the cover of the newspaper.

Portraits

Portrait photos can be painfully simple if you have the correct equipment; it’s just one click and done. However, in the last year I’ve discovered I have more difficulty with portraits than anything. Not the actual picture-taking part, but tracking down the people you need. I learned that not everything is provided for you, that you’re a photojournalist not just a photographer. It’s your job to make it work, and it can be very difficult at times. People in our generation can be impossible to get ahold of if you don’t know them personally. Texts, snapchats, DM’s, and emails-- 80% will go unread. Asking people if they know who you’re looking for is the most effective info for tracking down who you need, and while making arrangements make the photo sound as simple and fast as possible, which it is. Make time for them, not the other way around because they’ll be much less inclined to show up or participate in what you need.

Political Action

Political action events at Lincoln are almost always school-wide protests and usually make an appearance in local news broadcasts as well. These photos are easier to capture than sports photography since the environment is more manageable. Although people are moving and it’s in an uncontrolled environment, it’s easier to slow down and get up close. This provides a more predictable outcome for your photos with incredible significance for the students to look back on. A substantial amount of effort is made from the students to organize protests and tributes, so putting thought and care into what you’re capturing is necessary. The news articles that include student activism can make the cover page, which requires an outstanding photo. When it comes to activism events photojournalism is most important. You can get quotes from people and write about it at the end of the day, but news only happens in the moment. Keep your camera charged, SD card with open space, and your equipment at an attainable place because staying present and prepared is critical or you might miss a newsworthy story.