Photography: Capture to Presentation, 2nd Edition Page 252 (252 of 672)

Section II Shooting
252
and the camera’s zoom lens is moved in or out
during the exposure. Since a fairly long exposure
time (1/30 second to 1/15 second is typical) must
be used to allow zooming, tripod-mounting of the
camera is vital. When properly done, a zoomed
photo will have a center area that is in focus, and
streaking that extends outward from the center to
the edges of the print. See Figure 9-16.
Photojournalism
In a strict sense, every photograph is an act
of communication, conveying information or an
idea or an emotion. Photojournalism involves a
specific kind of communication: telling a story.
The story may be communicated in a single
image, or in a series of images called a photo
story. Ideally, the photograph itself should be
able to convey the story to the viewer; most often,
however, the words of an accompanying caption
are used to provide necessary information,
Figure 9-17.
Zooming is usually done to impart motion
to a photo of a stationary subject, but it also can
be used with a moving object. The subject is
centered in the viewfinder and sharply focused,
Figure 9-16. Zooming in or out during a long exposure
creates a very interesting, almost abstract effect and
a strong feeling of motion. Use a tripod to keep the
desired framing.
Figure 9-17. While the photo itself provides some information (the woman in the car is the “Citizen of the Year” and
is in a parade), the caption provides other necessary information about the situation.

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Section II Shooting
252
and the camera’s zoom lens is moved in or out
during the exposure. Since a fairly long exposure
time (1/30 second to 1/15 second is typical) must
be used to allow zooming, tripod-mounting of the
camera is vital. When properly done, a zoomed
photo will have a center area that is in focus, and
streaking that extends outward from the center to
the edges of the print. See Figure 9-16.
Photojournalism
In a strict sense, every photograph is an act
of communication, conveying information or an
idea or an emotion. Photojournalism involves a
specific kind of communication: telling a story.
The story may be communicated in a single
image, or in a series of images called a photo
story. Ideally, the photograph itself should be
able to convey the story to the viewer; most often,
however, the words of an accompanying caption
are used to provide necessary information,
Figure 9-17.
Zooming is usually done to impart motion
to a photo of a stationary subject, but it also can
be used with a moving object. The subject is
centered in the viewfinder and sharply focused,
Figure 9-16. Zooming in or out during a long exposure
creates a very interesting, almost abstract effect and
a strong feeling of motion. Use a tripod to keep the
desired framing.
Figure 9-17. While the photo itself provides some information (the woman in the car is the “Citizen of the Year” and
is in a parade), the caption provides other necessary information about the situation.

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Chapter 9 Action and Event Photography
251
Blurring for Visual Interest
As described in the preceding paragraphs,
some degree of blurring from subject movement
is often useful to help convey a sense of motion.
Normally, blurring due to movement of the
camera is considered much less desirable. Two
types of blur induced by camera motion—
panning and zooming—are often used creatively,
however, to add visual interest.
Panning and zooming
In panning, the camera is moved in an arc
as the subject passes, and the shutter release
pressed at the desired point. The result is a
sharply focused subject moving across a blurred
background, strongly conveying the idea of rapid
movement, Figure 9-15. Best results are obtained
when the camera is moved smoothly at the same
apparent speed as the subject. The panning
movement must continue past the point where
the shutter is released. A background close to the
moving subject will streak more interestingly
than a distant background.
Although most panning is done with a
horizontally moving subject, vertical panning can
be used to capture an ascending rocket or a fast-
climbing stunt plane at an air show. For either
horizontal or vertical panning, a tripod-mounted
camera results in smoother movement than can
be obtained in hand-holding. This is especially
true when a long lens is being used.
Figure 9-13. Using motion blur to convey movement. In
this shot of a rodeo rider “biting the dust,” the shutter
speed was fast enough to preserve the instant of impact,
but allowed some blurring of the bucking bronco’s
hooves and tail.
Figure 9-14. A slow shutter speed was used to blur the
lights of these cars on New York’s Eighth Avenue into
colorful streaks that show movement. Although the
handheld camera was braced on a solid object, the long
(1 second) shutter speed allowed some blur due to slight
camera movement—note the ghosting or doubling of
the letters on the neon signs.
Figure 9-15. Panning the camera along with the motion
of the subject will produce a picture with a sharp subject
and a streaked background.

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253
Chapter 9 Action and Event Photography
because of the speed with which images could
be taken, delivered, and processed. Except in the
largest news organizations, the photographer
is likely to shoot the photo, and then use image
processing software to prepare the chosen file
for publication. In many cases, however, the
photographer will not actually select the image to
be used. A member of the editorial staff (in larger
organizations, a designated photo editor) will
usually review the possible images and choose
one or more to be published.
In smaller communities, photojournalists
and reporters are well-known to police officers,
firefighters, and other government personnel
and seldom have a problem gaining access to
sites where a news event is occurring. Larger
municipalities typically issue press credentials,
Figure 9-19, to news people so that they can
Types of Photojournalism
Photojournalism can be categorized in many
different ways, but these four types include
almost every relevant application:
• News/feature photography
• Picture stories
• Yearbook/school event/newsletter
• Other “event” photography
The categories overlap to some extent,
of course. For example, both news/feature
photography and yearbook photography might
involve shooting picture stories. In this text, the
four categories will be considered separately for
ease of discussion.
News and Feature
Photography
The majority of photojournalists work
for daily or weekly newspapers, and handle a
variety of photo responsibilities. On any given
day, a newspaper photographer may have both
hard news assignments (fires, auto or industrial
accidents, crime coverage) and soft news (feature)
assignments, such as seasonal pictures, fashion
or food shots, or human interest photos. Mastery
of technical skills is important in any photo
situation, but particularly on the hard news
assignments, where there may be no opportunity
for additional shots.
Hard news photography
Important skills for the photojournalist,
in addition to photographic knowledge, are
the ability to make decisions and act quickly,
determination to carry out the assignment despite
obstacles, and the physical stamina to work in
unpleasant and sometimes dangerous conditions,
Figure 9-18. In addition, the photojournalist must
have the ability to work with people of all kinds,
from political figures and government officials
to distraught crime victims and downright
antagonistic individuals. Especially in smaller
news organizations, the photographer may
be required to work long or irregular hours
(including being on call for breaking news at any
hour of the day or night).
The use of digital cameras is almost universal
among photojournalists; in fact, they were
among the first professionals to “go digital”
Figure 9-18. The photojournalist sometimes works in
dangerous situations, such as shooting this approaching
tornado. (NOAA/Harald Richter)
Figure 9-19. The author’s Chicago press card from his
early days as a print journalist. In larger metropolitan
areas, press credentials are usually issued by the police
department.

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Page 375Section III Digital Postprocessing click to expand contents

Page 487Section IV Traditional Processing click to expand contents

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