Chapter 6: Visual Storytelling With Photographs

“Journalism without photographs is like writing without verbs.” I feel like that quote sums up quite well what chapter six is trying to get across, the idea that photography is now almost as much of a necessary skill to become a good journalist as writing is.  The two fields merge to create a writer who no longer uses words to paint pictures, but rather uses words to accompany pictures and take the reader a bit further in depth about what the picture represents.  “Blogs without art are lame.” I think the same can be said about professional news stories that you find in your Washington Post or New York Times.  The reader is grabbed by the photo and therefore reads the story to learn more.

The chapter explains that photography is all about the moment, about being in the right place at the right time.  That is why it is necessary as a photojournalist to be ready and able to snap a photo at any moment, because the perfect opportunity may come when you least expect. Having a well developed knowledge of programs like Adobe’s Photoshop and Soundslides gives you the options to touch up photos and add audio to photo clips.

Having an up-to-date digital camera is extremely beneficial. Having the option to store and save hundreds of photos on a single memory card can be very useful when you find yourself ready to review your shots after the moment has passed, and then delete them on the spot if you feel like they’re just a waste of space.  When viewing your shots you can zoom in or out to better frame the photos. You have the ability to decide what you want the viewer to see and what you don’t want them to see, cutting away the unimportant elements that distract the viewer from the message of the photograph.