Photojournalism: Opening Work

Photojournalism

What is photojournalism?

Photojournalism combines the use of photographs with news media to communicate an event. It incorporates photos into the report of the story, creating a more complete image for viewers. Photojournalism compiles several photos from an event or series of events to further convey the significance of the story. The main goal of photojournalism is to produce accurate news for the public; therefore, photojournalists focus on capturing the entirety of an event and including all necessary aspects in order to create the most accurate representation possible.

Why is photojournalism so important?

The importance of photojournalism stems from the use of photographs in conjunction with news media; the addition of photographs allows the story to transform into something personable and tangible. For viewers, the ability to see the event can further the impact that it has and give a more complete view on the story.

How is photojournalism different from other forms of photography?

Photojournalism differs from other professional and artistic forms of photography in that it abides to the general principles of journalism; photojournalism focuses more on the aspects of timeliness, accuracy, and representation than the typical compositional elements one would use for other forms of photography. Rather than capturing the photogenic portions of an event or news story that a client would want to see, a photojournalist must keep focus on producing the most accurate representation they can.

How has photojournalism changed or evolved in your lifetime?

Over the course of my life, photojournalism has evolved from paper news to digital news. Most news sources are currently found online or are broadcasted on television. It is now more common to find examples of photojournalism on a news site rather than a newspaper; although both paper and digital sources incorporate photojournalism, it is now more typical to find news reports online or on television.

Examples of photojournalism: Events from my life

1. 2011 Super Bowl

The 2011 Super Bowl was the first time I really watched a Super Bowl. The Steelers lost to the Packers, and with my family being Steelers fans, I remember the disappointment. I was in second grade at the time, and it was a really fun experience for me because we spent time together as a family while watching the game.

2. 2018 Volcano Eruption in Hawaii
When Kilauea, an active volcano in Hawaii, erupted on May 3, 2018, I remember feeling afraid. My family has family friends who had recently moved to the Big Island in Hawaii, the island where the eruption occurred. Although they were safe, I feared that the eruption would reach to where they lived.

3. Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting
When announcements were made regarding the shooting at Sandy Hool Elementary in December 2012, I remember sitting in my fourth grade teacher's classroom terrified. The administraters of our school followed this event with safety assemblies and drills, ultimately instilling fear in myself among other students. I also remember the wave of sadness that washed across the entire school when the shooting at Sandy Hook was brought up; it was heartbreaking to hear of the lives lost and the awful tragedy that occurred.