Week 1
Week 2
In week 2, we went through the types of photojournalism in class. These were illustrative photography, which includes collages, multimedia, studio and portraiture images. Reportage photography includes images of war, politics and news. Documentary photography includes social, industrial, and street/candid images.
The task for the lecture was to initially research the history of my desired genre. I found the earliest example of sports photography, which was an image of tennis player Mr Laing, taken all the way back in 1843.
Next, I needed to identify a specific sports photographer, leading me to the work of Neil Leifer, who took an iconic photograph of Muhammad Ali knocking out Cleveland Williams.
I then collated three unique images, one from Leifer, another from AFP, and finally from Chris Szagola. All of the photographs that I selected are incredible snapshots taken in less than a millisecond. This made my hyperaware of the fact that often the best sporting images are taken in exactly the right spot, at the right time, with optimal lighting.
I found this task interesting as it made me further understand the history of sports photography. The power of sporting images has existed for almost 200 years, with some of the worlds most famous photographs existing in the world of sport. The task helped me recognise the importance of preparation whilst also being ready to capture things on the fly, and developing those skills is something that can only be improved with time spent behind the lens.
Week 3
The week three task was to select three images. The first needed to be an image used in the news that had been set up or constructed. I selected an image of two Ukrainian men stood in front of rubble and broken vehicles in the war torn city of Kryvyi Rih. This image was clearly set up as the two men were posing, looking at the lense, in a specific position.
The second task was to find a news photograph that had been taken from a point of view that affects the story. I selected the iconic image of Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassination, with the front on shot witnessing Jack Ruby point his revolver towards Oswald’s chest, shock on the faces all around. That image would not tell the same story if the photograph was taken behind Oswald.
The final task was to identify a photograph whose meaning is disputed. I selected the influential image of Colin Kaepernick taking the knee during the American national anthem. The action of taking the knee signified Kaepernick’s desire to draw attention to the ongoing civil rights movement. However, right wing media picked up the image and told the story that Kaepernick’s actions were a direct insult towards the United States of America. This could not have been further from the truth, but many in the USA still believe that Kaepernick’s actions were out of order.
I found these tasks interesting as it helped me understand how the perspective of an image can be changed both internally and externally. Images can be set-up and manufactured to create an exact representation of what was desired. Images can be viewed alternatively depending on what angle the photograph was taken from, with the distance, light and ‘busyness’ all having an impact on what an image can show. Also, images can be framed to hold a different meaning, changing the way that people depict the photo and what it stands for.
Week 4
Week 5
The week 5 task was about Shutter Speed and ISO. The first part of the workshop was about understanding ISO, how it works, and how the differences in ISO can change an image. This meant studying certain images and figuring out what steps had been taken in order to create the final image.
The task was to them put what I had learnt to use. This was taking many images, some with a slow shutter speed, and some with a fast shutter speed. Taking photographs in different places that had differing levels of light made me realise how that can effect both slow and fast shutter speed images.
I felt as thought the slow shutter speed image that I took was good as it mixed elements of having a completely stationary caution sign on the floor, with visible movement of people walking in the background. The overall balance of the image is nice to look at and I am happy with the final product.
The fast shutter speed image that I took was a perfect example of how an image can capture a snapshot of a minimal moment in time. I took a photo of Leo seemingly levitating in the air, with no blur effecting the image. I was happy with the crisp detail that was captured in the image.
Week 6
The week 6 task was all about getting to grips with colour and image correction, and how to manipulate images within Adobe Photoshop. The ability to change and develop images in post-production unlocks how an image can be perceived.
Getting to grips with all the capabilities that Photoshop provides is an extensive task, but incredibly useful. Cropping, adjusting hue and saturation, and changing the brightness can revolutionise an image. Marginal colour change can elevate certain elements of an image, dulling certain colours, whilst making others pop.
I attempted to alter an image that I had taken that uses elements of depth of field. The photo is through a goal net, capturing two players in focus. I wanted to make the white lines of the net even quieter, drawing more attention to the intended subjects of the image.
The final product was okay, I did what I intended to do, creating the changes desired. It wasn’t bad for a first attempt but I know that I want to improve my skills with practice. I used curves to micro-manipulate the image in certain places, which was something I was previously unaware was possible. This task is one that I will continue to revisit in the attempt of developing my awareness of colour and image correction.
Week 7
The task done in this workshop opened my eyes to editing photographs in a manner I had never seen before. The Perspective Crop Tool gives the user the ability to completely change the perspective and aligning of an image. The power that this tool provides is incredibly effective, and it was a lot simpler to execute than I was expecting.
The first task was to crop a portrait image into a landscape image with the correct ratios. I have a few portrait images of players from my work covering Huddersfield Town Women, so this was a straightforward process, but I wanted to ensure that the balance of the image remained even and sharp. I feel as though I can do this very easily.
The second part of the task was using the perspective tool and again, in practice it was incredibly simple to use. This feels as though it is a tool that will get regular use in my work moving forward.
The final part of the workshop was a cleaning up task, going through my work in this module and making sure that everything is to the highest level. This included alt. text, captions and ensuring that multimedia elements correctly fit the piece of work. This is something I am used to going back and doing when I am creating my own work that is published online.
Week 8
For my photojournalism project I am planning on using images that I have taken across the season at Huddersfield Town Women. I would like to display the expressions and focus on faces of players and staff mid-match, and how they can vary so much depending on the situation taking place.
I have taken over 1000 photos so far this season, with a high variety in those images. It has been an interesting challenge, developing my skills with little experience, attempting to figure out what contributes to good imagery.
I am currently at the stage where I am narrowing down the images that I want to use, and then slowly taking them through the editing process, making fine changes until the image looks exactly how I want it to.
Photographic Journalism 