Photojournalism

Lights, Camera, Action!

               The lights were dimmed, the fog was light, and the snow sprinkled out of the snow machine just as the town awakened in Union Square. 

               Just two weeks before Christmas, Christian Life Assembly church presented the production of The Christmas Post. Over 15,000 tickets were sold to the public, which included  friends, locals, family, and even people out of the state. The cast and crew of the production started the audition process back in August, while the directors had to decide who would play the lead roles. Over the past four months, everyone put in the many hard and long hours so that their message of Christ would reach and change lives. A team of construction workers had volunteered to build a huge set that would display Herzog's Department Store, the Barber Shop, and the Candy Store. Prop management, makeup artists, hair stylists, costume designers, construction workers, musicians, directors, cast members, and kitchen workers volunteered their own personal time to come and work together to create the heart of the show.

             The setting of The Christmas Post began in 1947, just two years after World War II ended. After her husband was killed in action, Alice Garfield, with two small children, took a seasonal job at Herzog's Department Store. Alice wanted to make Christmas extra special for her kids, with full knowledge of the toy car and bicycle that each of them wanted. Her daughter, Katie, had secret plans of her own. With her hair tucked under her cap, she roamed the streets of Union Square selling newspapers, hoping to purchase a silver locket for her mother. Both mother and daughter worried about earning enough money for these gifts, that they lost faith in God. With her ship-shape, military boss, Alice couldn't afford any more excuses on her last day. But after the store closed, a man needed just one more item and begged her to open the store. Putting the man's needs above her own problems, Alice opened the store and when the whole town found out, the biggest disaster was created. Ribbons, packages, golf balls, dolls, and streamers galore trashed the entire store by the time the Sargent Buchanan blew his whistle. Just as her boss was about to fire her and garnish her wages, his own father, the previous owner, walked in and raved about the Christmas Eve Madness Sale. With the help from her manager Dixie, Alice learned a lesson or two about keeping faith alive even when someone's lost all hope. Alice was able to keep her wages and even brainstormed a few of her own ideas for the store. One last customer entered the store, picking up the silver locket in the window. While they counted their money, Katie stood face to face with her mother, ready to purchase the gift. Both shocked, they realized the truth and the real meaning of Christmas. Katie held a picture of her daddy that would lie on the inside of the silver locket and hang around her mother's neck. A yellow toy car and blue bicycle were brought out and excitement filled the entire store. Both had realized that with a little more faith, they would find a way to make Christmas come alive, and they did successfully.

             Beneath the blonde curls, Lisa Alioth played the lead role as Alice. Lisa started getting involved with the church productions back in 1992. Her inspiration and passion for theater began when her musical father started a singing group with her siblings. Ever since then, she got involved with school musicals and really began to love it. In past productions, Lisa had several roles, but this was the biggest role yet. When she found out that she had received the lead role as Alice, she was overwhelmed with joy. Lisa only hoped that she could portray her character as the audience would imagine her. Before she performed, Lisa would sit backstage and go through her lines and pray in order to prepare herself for the show.  "The Christmas Post encourages people to have faith, especially during times of trouble." Being a part of these productions was a ministry to her and in the end, the amount of lives reached was the main purpose. 

 

 

 

 After singing the final song, Alice collapses on the shelf, kicking her shoes off in complete and utter exhaustion.

 Laura Ziegler, playing the role as Katie, disguises herself as a boy newsie in order to buy a special present for her mother.

 By handling one more sale, both Alice and Katie are able to buy their special presents for each other. Excitement filled their spirits as Katie took off on her new bicycle and Alice held her silver locket.

 Toys and candy are displayed on the shelves of Herzog's Department Store, with customers grabbing and buying the merchandise.

 Finding the faith to believe, Alice realizes that her fears of failing her daughter are minor compared to God's peace.

In the dressing room, Bree Powell raps a strand of pearls around Jessica Emrich's neck, showing the glamorous trends of the 1940's.







Gallery from The Christmas Post

     

      

Social Issues Ad Campaign Examples

No talking/texting and driving: This applies to my life now that I am a licensed driver. I thought it was interesting that the blood wasn't coming out of the person, but coming out of the phone and splattering everywhere.

I really like the way this ad displays that women still do not have a voice and people feel the need to  speak for them. The picture is straight on in portrait style

Everyone has need the horrifying pictures of disabled children in poor countries on social media before. Everyone likes the picture to show support, but in reality, those likes aren't helping the children that are dying everyday.


Issues:

• body image
• racism
• poverty
• gun control
• justice system/minorities
• texting and driving
• unemployment
• don't be a bystander
• discrimination 
• younger generations addicted to technology
• vegetarianism
• bullying
• military=freedom
• gay rights
• abortion
• "fitting in"
• stress of school affects body image
• animals cruelty
• PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder in military)
• drunk driving
• animal testing
• health issues
• school lunches
• fast food
• child abuse
• abusive relationships
• drugs and alcohol
• distractions while driving (music, radio, friends, phone)
• pollution
• animals in zoos
• mental health stigma
• sterotypes
• teen depression
• Islam phobia
• eating disorders 
• obesity
• divorce
• attitudes
• women's rights
• rape
• cyberbullying
• gender identity 
• identity
• peer pressure
• sexuality
• Capitalism

Processing the News

a.) The article is about how photographers edit their pictures slightly for magazines or newspapers. They want there to be a sense of realism, that's why most photojournalists do not edit their pictures because it takes away from the original scene.

b.) One photographer said that "no one had any idea what photographers did in the darkroom", but now people are in on it and they find it unacceptable.

c.) I think that there is a way that you can edit a photo and make it look realistic, but you have to know what you're doing and make it look as natural as possible. Some people will edit a photo and it looks to artistic, which wouldn't belong in a photojournalism atmosphere. If you overdue it, then it won't send the right message and the audience will notice.

Student Yearbook

Student Yearbook Guide

Reporting

1.     Good Reporters

a.     Look and listen for their readers

b.     Everyone at an event is a potential source

c.     Some sources offer better insight than others

d.     Info gathering starts with the 5 W’s and H ( who, what, when, where, why, how)

2.     Research

a.     Research helps reporters understand their stories

b.     Previously published material is a helpful source

c.     Primary sources provide background/material that may become part of the story

3.     Interviews

a.     The better the questions the better the answers

b.     Active listening produces the best results     

c.     Good notes contain direct quotes and facts

Writing          

1.     Notes

a.     A writer uses questions to help focus the story

b.     If the notes seem incomplete, there is more reporting to do

c.     Organizing notes helps with decisions about content

2.     Stories

a.     The best feature stories put info in a human context

                                               i.     Lead –  intro paragraph introduces the story, sets tone and angle

                                             ii.     Quotes – word for word statements from sources adds voice and human interest to the story

                                            iii.     Transitions –  informs reader what the story is talking about and preparing them for the next quote

                                            iv.     Conclusion –  ties the end of the story back to the beginning, ending with a strong point

b.     Quick reads offer an alternative to features

3.     Good Writing

a.     Good copy depends on an angle and substance

b.     Good copy seems tightly written and lively

c.     Good copy uses narrative elements

d.     Good copy seems fresh and original

Read the article by Mallory Summers & see all the components working together

Writing effective headlines requires creativity, effort, and attention to details

What can you take from this page to help in writing creative headlines?

Write about something that is going to capture an audience, interview multiple sources about the event, provide details and facts, and make it interesting

Describe the 3-step process to writing dynamic headlines

1.     A solid understanding of content results better in headlines

2.     Word play and brainstorming are useful strategies

3.     Guidelines lead to quality and consistency

Captions                        

1.     Content

a.     Captions should do more than state the obvious

b.     Captions answer readers’ questions about a photo

c.     Caption writing requires reporting

d.     Direct quotes from individuals in the photo add depth

2.     Describe the 3-step process to writing captions

a.     Gather info to answer questions who, what, when, where, why, and how

b.     Create a visual connection by using words or phrases from the people in the picture

c.     Summary caption and expanded caption in PRESENT, describing details that aren’t obvious in the photo, featuring a direct quote from the person

Penn Live

A.) "Pa. university was on lockdown after man shot dead in off-campus student housing"     http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/11/pa_university_on_lockdown_as_m.html#incart_river

B.) Monday night at 7:40 pm, students at Edinboro University were put on lock down. A male in his 20's was found dead next to his car, behind an off campus apartment, with a gunshot wound. The students were told to stay inside a locked door until further announcements. The lock down eventually ended at 11:45 pm. The police are not certain how many gunshots were fired and they have not released the identification of the man.

C.) The photo taken was of the university. It was really interesting because in the photo, everything looks normal and peaceful, as if an act of violence could never take place. I thought the article was good but it provided limited information and only once photo.  

Photojournalism Project Proposal

     For this photojournalism project, I plan to capture a story from the point of view on the stage. At my church, Christian Life Assembly, we have a team of directors and cast members who put together a huge Christmas production. This has always been a huge ministry for the past 20 years at my church and it takes long hard hours of rehearsing lines, sewing costumes, building sets, learning dances, and preparing the orchestra. Both of my parents started doing the plays before any of my sisters were born. They loved being a part of it and it became a huge family event, so I've been involved in these productions since I was a little girl. It's so important to me because the people that are in the show are like family to me. Watching my parents on the stage inspired me to be a part of it and there has always been a special place in my heart for these productions. People watching may not realize it, but there is so much work that is put into every single detail and everyone involved has a special part that contributes to make it a great show, hopefully to change lives. 

Expression Panel Sketch

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Portraiture

 

       My model's name is Julianne. She has the biggest eyes ever and you can definitely tell through some of these pictures. Although she's only 7 months in this picture, her personality shines through. She wasn't always a happy baby, especially in the beginning when she was in the NICU, but judging from these pictures, she was really content. I was super shocked because the last time I saw her she was only 4 months and it was during the summer. Julianne is still very tiny but when you make faces at her, she sticks her little tongue out and looks right at the camera! I thought this portrait assignment was a lot of fun. I've always wanted to photograph a baby and I was so lucky that I was able to photograph my cousin. It was a bit frustrating during the end because she got tired and zoned off. Whenever she would be caught in the midst of laughing, I tried to capture the moment, but I was stressed that I wouldn't have enough pictures so some of them turned out blurry. I showed my aunt most of the pictures and she fell in love with them. I was really happy with my end results, I think this was a very good project for me and I would love to work with an infant again. I would suggest that you should definitely have a game plan and be prepared. As the photographer, you have control so use it, and mainly have FUN!

Portraiture Shooting Assignment

Overall, I thought this was a very SUCCESSFUL photo shoot! This is my baby cousin Julianne. I mentioned her at the beginning of the year and how she was born with her organs outside of the body. She has been through a long healing process and it is a miracle that she is here today. A few weeks ago, my family came up for a surprise visit and I thought this would be the perfect photo opportunity. At 8 months, she has the most adorable expressions and she was so content during the shoot. I was rummaging around for some type of basket I could sit her in and I luckily found at least 3 baskets to choose from. We had also gone pumpkin picking at Ashcomes so I had a couple props to work with. I started taking pictures around 5ish but it had been a semi-cloudy day so the lighting wasn't the best but I tried to work with what I had. At times it was a bit frustrating because my shutter speed wasn't high/low enough and some of the pictures came out blurry. She was very happy in the beginning of the shoot but after about 15 minutes, with an outfit and location change, she was done! It was an honor to use her for my project and I'm really really happy with my results.

Portrait Examples

 Elaine Gates 

Serious

I love the soft lighting on top of her hair and the green grass in the background is really vibrant and makes her stand out. It creates a very warm touch to the photo.

 Elaine Gates

Smirk

I love the color of her eyes in this picture, I think they really stand out. I also love how she isn't serious but she's not laughing, it's in between. Her expression is sweet and innocent.

 Elaine Gates

Serious

The eyes in this picture are so blue and are really sharp. I also love how his outfit matches his eyes perfectly. He almost looks a little scared or frightened!

 Jen Baltgalvis

Laughter

This picture is also on the tummy and I think it adds variety.  I like the all white background and then the pink/red pops out which makes her the main focal point. The expression is adorable and her eyes are beautiful.

 Amanda Hodges

Serious

I love the background and the use of the bin that she's sitting in. The color scheme is continuous and works really nicely together.

 Amanda Hodges

Serious

This is another good use of a bin/basket. I love the different side angle of her and the color scheme is still blue but the photographer changed it a bit. There is a leading line along the side of the basket and the eye directly runs across the middle.

 Amanda Hodges

Smile

This shot is super super cute! I love the vibrant colors, the floor, vertical lines, the basket, and her expression.

 Amanda Hodges

Smile

I love the green in the background and the use of the chair, ( how the back of the chair frames her body). Her eyes are very sharp and blue and I love the expression on her face.

Amanda Hodges

Smile

This picture has a very soft feeling. I love the green in the back, the side of the chair, and the pink. I think the use of soft colors creates a sweetness and warmth in the picture.

Klose Photography

Smile/ Laughter 

I love how the photographer captured an angle looking down on the baby. His expression was caught in the midst of a laugh which is super cute. I love how he's not looking directly into the camera and I think the photographer made good use of the wagon.

Senior Portait Article

• it's important to get to know the teenager first
• photographers who discover their clients interests are the most successful at putting them at ease
• listen to the client's ideas and use different objects to represent them
• "smile with your eyes"
• most teenagers want editorial looking shots, like the ones in magazines
• full frame DSLR's are used for senior portraits
• photographers want the client to bring trendy outfits and an outfit that won't look outdated in years to come
• create a "natural look for the parents" and "high fashion look for seniors"
• urban and beach settings are popular

Elaine Gates Recap

I thought Elaine Gates' photography tips were really helpful. I liked how she put examples of her own work on a power point for all of us to see and talked about how her business grew rapidly. I thought it was helpful when she talked about different weather conditions. She talked a lot about the lighting and how important it is in a photograph. Elaine said about an hour before sunrise/sunset is the best time to be out shooting. She also gave very good tips when it's windy outside and how you just have to rotate the other way around. One of the most important things she said was that the photographer doesn't necessarily have to move the model around. The photographer should be moving, trying to capture different angles of the model. The main goal is to make the model like her pictures in the end result. Elaine's pieces are really beautiful and you can sense the passion through her pictures. She loves what she does and it's inspiring to see the amount of work that is done and she ends up getting beautiful results.

HDR

Asymmetrical - ISO: 400   f/stop: f/22   shutter: 1/250  1/60  1/15
This little shack was right next to the train tracks at Messiah College. I thought that this part of the campus looked like an abandoned town. There was also an old looking wagon behind this shack. I think it means that no matter how old something is, it will always stand firm and have its own meaning. 

Leading Lines - ISO: 400   f/stop: f/22   shutter: 1/250  1/80  1/15
This picture was taken at Messiah College on the train tracks. The tracks represent leading lines and I chose this location because eventually in life, people have to choose how they're going to live it. There is only one path, depending on what they choose.

Framing - ISO: 400  f/stop: f/22   shutter: 1/50  1/200  1/13
This picture was taken from inside of the bridge at Messiah. From the inside, the bridge looks really old and rustic and then when I looked out across the creek, I thought it looked really nice together. The frame of this picture may look old and worn out, but the picture itself still has freshness.

Perspective - ISO: 400   f/stop: f/22    shutter: 1/200  1/50  1/13
This picture was taken of the bridge at Messiah.I have gone to this bridge so many times in my life since I was little. I think there's a deeper meaning, that life keeps going on, as the bridge does in the picture.

Symmetrical - ISO: 400   f/stop: f/22   shutter: 1/8  1/2  1/30
I chose this specific location of the bridge because I think it shows many obstacles in life. On the inside of the bridge, there is a lot of detail and I think it can represent the struggles and triumphs, but then there is light at the other end of the bridge. Even though there are storms in life, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.  

 Repetition - ISO: 400   f/stop: f/22   shutter: 1/20  1/10  1/40
I chose to take pictures of these jars because I think it represents decisions. There are a lot of different jars in this picture and I think that people have many choices to make in life, depending on their situation. There are many many options to choose from and most people choose so that it will benefit themselves.

Reflection: After experimenting with HDR Photography, I have found that I really love the concept of the images I have produced. At first, I didn't think I would like it, but once I started taking pictures and editing them, I actually was quite pleased with my shots. I think this type of photography can really create a different look and feel for this specific location. The colors and detail became sharper and more appealing to the eye. I think it shows what the eye wants to see in it's own way.

Sketchbook Cover

I decided to create a theme for my sketchbook cover. I really love vintage and antique things, so I decided to use old family pictures and find whatever vintage looking crafts at the store. Each of these pictures are important and meaningful to my life. All of the pictures are of my great grandparents and grandparents from both sides of my family. It's really cool to see how young they we're because some of them are still living to this very day. One of the quotes I chose was from the Disney princess movie, beauty and the beast. "Tale as old as time" seemed to fit perfectly with my theme. To me, it means that no matter how old my relatives get, their memories will always stay young and fresh and will always be cherished. The second quote I picked was "time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind". This quote also ties in with the first one. My family members are special to me and I think their stories are important and worth telling. They've lived very long lives and their lives will be remembered forever. I think it was really hard to come up with an idea for this project, but I feel like it represents me completely. I love anything vintage and I think it was really cool to show my heritage in there as well.

HDR Shooting Assignment

HDR Examples and Notes

 Different Point of View- This point of view makes this building look gigantic. I really love how blue the sky is. It makes the picture have a happy and light feeling.

 Symmetrical- I really liked the edit on this picture. The black and white gives it more emphasis on the clouds, water and mountains. I think the reflection in the water makes the picture more bold and its a really cool result.

Repetition- I think the houses are really cute and it gives the picture an urban feeling. It reminds me of houses in Italy, with all the houses on the water. The reflection in the water shows more detail and the sky gives the picture a spooky, dark feeling.

Leading Line- The boardwalk makes the sky and water the main focal point in this picture. The colors in the sky caught my attention immediately and makes a beautiful picture.

Asymmetrical- The boat is supposed to be the main focus, but I think the sky and mountains are too. I think the reflection in the water makes the picture stand out as well as the different colors.

Framing- I can tell that this picture was taken from inside a building. This specific location gives the picture a rustic feeling. It looks like the picture was taken from a barn somewhere out on a farm. I like how I can also see the detail up above in the corners.




 HDR Notes:

• HDR Photography can create a powerful look and is sometimes the only way to capture what the eye truly sees
• HDR= High Dynamic Range, merging different exposures of the same scene
• use a tripod
• main principle is to reduce the contrast of a scene whose dynamic range exceeds that of the camera sensor
• it darkens highlights and brightens shadows
• need software, such as Photomatix 

Locations:
1.  messiah college= a lot of my aunts and uncles went to messiah and so I have been there a lot of times throughout my life. I love the campus, it's really pretty and peaceful

2. conodogiunet creek= my house is right by the creek and it's always pretty

3. Lancaster= my great aunt lives there and we visit her every summer. She is neighbors with the amish and her house surrounds the property and it's really beautiful

4. train tracks= I think using train tracks would make a rustic feeling and it would be an example of leading lines

5. My church= I have been going to my church since I was a newborn. My church is my family and I love the atmosphere. It sits on top of a hill, so I can see farms that surround the area. It's a huge church and it's had a big impact in my life since I was little

6. my neighborhood= I think my neighborhood is really beautiful in the fall, with all the colors and leaves changing. I think it would add a really pretty contrast in the pictures