Photojournalism Paper

Photojournalism is a compelling form of journalism and probably the most powerful. Print is essential because it will tell you the details of who, what, when, where, and why. However, a photo will capture the emotion of a specific moment in time, it shows exactly what words can’t. Photojournalism is also raw, unfiltered, unmanipulated art. It conveys the truth to viewers.

Even though newspapers have declined, photojournalism is still needed. Online news outlets, magazines, etc., still need photojournalism to sell their material, because photos also give a different level of comprehensibility to audiences. A story can be strong and intriguing, but a photo to accompany makes it more powerful and reliable because of the emotion it can evoke.

Photojournalists make their living by being immersed in the journalist industry, having connections, and always having a camera on them. The main purpose of their job is to be right where the action is happening. They not only make their living by simply taking photos but having a good eye for the right photo and making art by capturing a compelling photo of a certain situation.

Figure 1: I like this photo because of how close Lange is to the children. She didn’t choose comfort; she went up close to get a good photo. The light is coming from the sun, and it is coming from the left. I think she had great timing; she took a candid photo. The focus is on the children. This photo is great because of its rawness. A photo similar to this could be taken in Las Cruces/El Paso, but it wouldn’t be the same because what also makes this photo great is the time the photo was taken and the history it holds.

Figure 2: I like this photo because of the angle Addario chose. Most times photojournalists are told to always get the subject’s face, but it draws you in because of the back of the woman running away. The light is coming from the sky but also from the fire from the left. This photo is great because of the lighting and tilt of the frame. This photo could be taken in Las Cruces/El Paso, but it wouldn’t be the same since this was during a fire in Basra, Iraq.

Figure 3: I like this photo because it really was an “in-the-moment” photo. Bernstein had to click and take the photo at the right time to capture this moment. The light looks like it is from disco lights and the flash of the camera from above. This photo had perfect timing; I think that is what makes the photo great. The focus is on the dancer. This photo could be taken in Las Cruces/El Paso in a dance club, it would just be more modern.