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Journalism · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Photo Journalism

“The picture tells the story.” This course explores the role of the visual reporter. Students will learn to capture the “Decisive Moment” while adhering to strict ethical standards. The curriculum covers the history of the medium, the technical skills required for fast-paced news gathering, and the narrative structure of the photo essay.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master the "Decisive Moment": Anticipating action and emotion
  2. Adhere to NPPA Code of Ethics: Truth, accuracy, and non-manipulation
  3. Execute various genres: Spot News, General News, Sports, and Features
  4. Develop narrative photo essays that explore complex social issues
  5. Write accurate, journalistic captions (Cutlines) using AP Style
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01History of Photojournalism: The Golden Age
  2. 02Ethics in Visual Journalism: Staging vs. Reality
  3. 03Technical Skills: Shooting under Pressure
  4. 04Composition for News: Context & content
  5. 05Spot News: Covering Breaking Events
  6. 06General News: Press Conferences & Events
  7. 07Feature Photography: Slice of Life
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09The Photo Essay I: Finding the Story
  10. 10The Photo Essay II: Editing & Sequencing
  11. 11Sports Photography: Freezing Action
  12. 12Environmental Portraiture
  13. 13Conflict & Disaster Reporting (Safety)
  14. 14Digital Workflow & Captioning (Metadata)
  15. 15Freelancing & The Wire Services
  16. 16Final Project: The Documentary Photo Series

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Documentary Photo Series

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach by Kenneth Kobre
  2. The Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson
  3. Associated Press Guide to Photojournalism by Brian Horton
  4. Truth Needs No Ally by Howard Chapnick
  5. Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag
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