Photo-journalist assignments...
jenirose3
Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
I need a few photojournalist type assignments that can be completed within like 2 hours (not a day in the life type). I've been racking my brain and for some reason I'm having a block. Throw some ideas at me. Help me brainstorm!
Thanks!
Jeni
Thanks!
Jeni
0
Comments
Try looking at local papers for the last week and see if there are any events or planned happenings that have been published. One thing that I did one time was the moving of an old log house. I don't recall how I heard of it but remember that it was something that was announced in advance. I marked the date on my calendar and for kicks went out to shoot some pictures. There were other photographers there but I still did it all as an exercise of sorts to get some experience with my D100 which was new and some material that I might be able to use as samples of my abilities. I am not a professional photojournalist but have entertained some thoughts of trying to break into it. The shoot of the log house was also good to build some confidence. I found that every time I would focus in on a shot there would be 3 or 4 of the other guys who would come up behind me and shoot the same thing. Seems that they were focused on the center of attention, that being the house, while I was looking at a lot of the activity around the area. Men checking of utility lines for height with a long pole or work crews taking down street lights so that the house could go by. There was a woman with a small dog. Both were wearing T-Shirts printed up by the historical society about the moving of the house. Seemed that I was noticing things that they weren't. They would see me and get the idea that they should shoot the same stuff.
From time to time, I seize on such opportunities to just go out and shoot stuff for fun. It might be, as I said, some planned event or activity. Maybe a parade or a festival. Look through the papers for some ideas and if you find something happening somewhere, contact the organizers of an event, if it is a more closed type of event. If it is something very public, like a parade or the moving of the house that I mentioned, just go out.
If you have access to a police scanner, listen to fire channels for possible happenings. Don't go to everything as there is a lot of stuff that is worthless. However listen for things that are really happening. Certain traffic accidents, actual fires, car fires, etc. could be possibilities.
Is there a major construction project going on in your area. Perhaps shooting some pictures showing street improvements and such. Just bought my D200 a couple weeks ago. They are tearing up the street in front of our house to resurface and replace the sidewalks. I went out and to get used to the camera, shot off half a dozen pictures in front of the house.
Looking through your local paper, note the kinds of stories that they might show pictures of. Not necessarilly the hard news stories but what other things get media attention. Note those types of subjects and you might get some ideas. Go online for towns around you and see if they have websites. Look to see if any have community calanders or meeting agendas posted. Calendars can tell you of events happening. Agendas can tell of hot topics in the communities that you might be able to go out and cover. If there is some project or situation that is contriversial or of major importance to the community, you might find something to shoot to address that subject. Check park district or park board websites or agendas, historical societies etc. Finding out what is happeing there or what issues are getting attention of the board members... might give you some ideas of topics to try and go out and document.
Of course none of these would be relevent to you but they illustrate what you can find out. Just looking through my towns website, I see such things as information about the Emerald Ash Borer, an incect that is killing Ash trees in the area. Big news and concern in the area. Spreding to other towns around. Upcoming recycling events for paper shredding... Farmers market at the train station. Road projects etc. You seem more urgent than this but I also know that in October, first week I believe, there is Fire Prevention Week. Usually there are Fire Department Open Houses and demonstrations on that weekend. October 14th I believe. Good place to get good pictures of Kids and Fire Trucks.... September 11th is coming up. See what is happening in your area. A couple years ago I recall driving to a video shoot on that day. Had my D100 with me at the time but couldn't stop as I was running late. Drove past a fire department where they had their ladder truck raised up and were hanging a large flag off of it for some ceramony in memory of the day. The video shoot that I was going to was at a school where they were planning some activities to mark the day.
Don't know when it is but another event that I have always wanted to photograph is at a local Cathollic Church. Every year they have a ceramony where they bless peoples pets. I always seem to miss it. Checking online for local churches or schools or other organizations might also yeild some good happenings that you could document.
While my suggestions, specifically, might not be relevant, hopefully they illustrate some possible things that you could look for.
Jeni
Find your Local Special Olympics Office and get a calendar of events.
Pick an event
Special Olympics events usually need good photographers. Share the pictures, you can find a full range of activities and always very willing subjects.
www.sode.smugmug.com
(Special Olympics Delaware) is a good place to look .
CornerKetch Studios
Special Olympics Delaware
www.sode.smugmug.com
Once again-
Pick up any paper (local would probably be best) and look at the photos and look at the story headlines and emulate. Look at each section (national news, local news, sports, entertainment, business, et al) and take notes as to what stories are running and what is a possible photo opp.
Then, go shoot that photo opp, perhaps that photo opp could be replicated at your school (i.e. in the entertainment section a play is reviewed ... well check with your drama department and see if they are working on a performance and make arrangements to shoot a dress rehearsal ... look at sports ... check out your sports department for an equal story ... et cetera).
Best of all, look for a human interest story ... not hard news. Do you know of a family with a story to be told ... either sad or happy (the birth of a new person ... or a student coping with ADHD or diabetes...) document the highs and lows of their triumphs or struggles. The human interest story may take you multiple shoots over a long period of time.
Also, for most news, use available light ... makes it more documentary and real ... start dialing up the ISO and convert the human interest story (should you accept the assignment) into B&W.
Gary
Oops ... just remembered the two hour criteria ... cuts into the human interest opps ... but there are still many that can be done in a couple of hours.
G
Unsharp at any Speed
When I was in College, I worked for the campus paper. I was given assignments by the editorial staff but most of the stuff that I did was equally accessable to almost any student and was well publicized or posted in advance so keep your eyes to the bulletin boards and your ears open. Keep an eye out for celebrities on campus who might be there to give speaches or performances. As was the case with G. Gordon Liddy and Larry Linville (Frank Burns from M*A*S*H) they had press conferences before their appearances. I got some good shots from those events. Look for speaking engagements or appearances with politicians. Go to the town hall meetings and get a few shots. I used to have a good rappor with my US Congressman when I used to work for a local cable company. I called the congressmans office and spoke to his Press Manager. I got on their mailing list and would always be notified when he was back in the district and giving speeches or town hall meetings. Incicentally, contact your local congressman or senators offices Republican or Demorcratic Committee offices College Republican or College Democrat offices... ., go to League of Woman Voters in your area and see if any officials or candidates are going to be having town meetings rallies or campaign appearances etc. in your area. This is election and campaign season.
Sports events or productions in the theater and dance departments. Exhibits in the art department might also be good material. If some prominent local artist is having an exhibit in a local gallery see if you can contact the person to take a few pictures. Maybe set up an appointment to photograph them in their studio to get a few pictures of them working on their art and then also pictures of the artist with their work in the gallery.
Carry your camera with you when roaming around town or campus... When I was in college, in addition to normal planned rallies and gatherings etc., there were things that would just happen. Occasionally there were people from a church in Madison that would come to campus on a nice day and preach on the steps of the student union. Like with other people with political or religious agendas, they would exercise their rights to free speech by standing on the steps and address gathing crowds of curious students. Whenever they would come to campus, it wouldn't be long before word got around that these people were on campus and crowds would quickly gather. The students weren't really interested in their religious influences but more the entertainment of the whole spectical. There would usually be some other people who would get up and debate or argue with these people. It would get quite lively and intense at times. Very good material for photos or better video. Whenever they would come to town, we would RUN to the cable studio and grab equipment to go out and get some tape.
In any case, on a college campuses, anywhere that there is a gathering of lots of students there is probably a news story to be documented.