On the first week, John Smock covered the basics, from the trailblazers who laid the foundation of modern photography, to the step-by-step guide to making the most of an SLR camera, to the most important things to remember when framing a shot.
Influential Photographers
- Robert Capa “The patron saint of photojournalism.”
- Henri Cartier-Bresson “The decisive moment.”
- Dorothea Lange “The humanitarian photojournalist.”
- W. Eugene Smith “The long-form documentary photo story.”
- Gary Winogrand “New York City street photography.”
“Photography is magical but what goes into it is not magic.”
When you’re framing a shot, remember to…
- Include the information, the news, to tell the whole story
- Look for action, drama
- Strive for graphic strength through shapes and composition
- Work the layers (background, foreground, middle ground), work the edges of the image
- Don’t forget the universal human quality that should be in every shot
- Anticipate (talk to people, ask questions, think like a journalist)
- PLUS: Change your perspective (get on the ground, get up high), don’t be intimidated, and try your best to get it right the first time to reduce post-production time. You have to beat the Reuters guy.
Remember: “If you treat this class like a lecture and not like a workshop, you’ll lose all of it except for the names of some great photojournalists. Practice.”
Finally, for inspiration, here are some of John’s favourite links: