CHAPTER 12 BASIC PHOTOJOURNALISM

Photojournalism is a form of communication that plays a vital part in modern news reporting. To convey their message, photojournalists use a harmonious combination of photographs and words. Many of the leading magazines and newspapers attribute success to photojournalism. The reason for this is simple - a good photograph can, at a glance, portray the essence of a news or feature story.

Well-composed, action-packed photographs with carefully worded photo captions have reader appeal, realism and permanence. Do you remember the photographs of the raising of the American flag over Mount Suribachi, the signing of Japan's surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri (BB 63) (fig. 12-1), the swearing-in of Lyndon B. Johnson aboard Air Force One or Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin planting Old Glory on the moon? How many of the words written about these events do you remember?

The photojournalist's objective is to communicate primarily through photographs. To be an effective their photojournalist, you must understand the following fundamentals:

Know your subject. You cannot communicate information about a subject of which you have no knowledge.

Know why you are communicating. You should always have a purpose for your message. The purpose might be as simple as sharing an emotion or experience.

Know to whom you are communicating. Is it a specific audience that has some knowledge of your subject, or is it a "mixed bag"?

U.S. Navy photo

Figure 12-1. - Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz signs the Japanese surrender document aboard the battleship USS Missouri (BB 63). Looking on, from left, are Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Adm. William F. Halsey and Rear Adm. Forrest P. Sherman, of Staff for Fleet Adm. Nimitz.

l Know how to use the camera. Your camera is a photoengraving, mechanical device that only sees a limited area and exercises no selection over the action that takes place in front of it. As a photojournalist, you can use this limited view to exclude extraneous subject matter and to focus on your message. You do this by determining which lens, camera angle, lighting method and timing will capture the photograph that will best communicate your story.

This chapter introduces you to photojournalism and covers some of the techniques by which it is applied. Maximum emphasis is placed on achieving good photographic composition, interest, impact and technical quality. Granted, the basic information contained here is not sufficient to qualify you as a Navy photojournalist in the strictest sense. However, if you learn and use this material, you can become a proficient news photographer and an asset to the public information efforts of your command.