Photojournalism

[iBats]

So I'm interested in a career with Photojournalism. After doing a bunch of research im still unsure about what courses I should take in college. I know there is a thread about a major in Photography here as well but im looking more for a minor or a concentration with it. I also might have the opportunity to intern at Nat Geo this summer. Any suggestions on courses or anything like that?

 

[Sam6644]

htj

 

[iBats]

See i already got into my first choice and im done w/ college apps so i was thinking what conglomerate of courses since i can design my own major/minor

 

[Sam6644]

hard to say. I'm a PJ major, so I have PJ specific classes, such as "Advanced Photojournalism" and "News Writing & Reporting"

fine art phototogaphy classes wont teach you to be a photojournalist, I can tell you that much right off the bat. I've taken a good amount of fine art photo classes and thought I had a good grip on stuff. After taking my first photojournalism class my entire perspective of photography was completely changed.

Read up/study up on people like: Henri Cartier Bresson, W. Eugene Smith, James Nactwey, and Sebastiao Salgado for a little more perspective.

Photojournalism (the real stuff, not just things like sports or news) is about A LOT more than making pretty pictures and it goes way beyond anything a fine art class will teach you.

I couldn't be happier majoring in it. If you really have the passion for telling peoples' story first and photography a close second you'd love it.

Where did you get accepted, if I might ask?

 

[lakers808]

where is that thread posted on this site thats about taking a major in photography?

 

[iBats]

hard to say. I'm a PJ major, so I have PJ specific classes, such as "Advanced Photojournalism" and "News Writing & Reporting"

fine art phototogaphy classes wont teach you to be a photojournalist, I can tell you that much right off the bat. I've taken a good amount of fine art photo classes and thought I had a good grip on stuff. After taking my first photojournalism class my entire perspective of photography was completely changed.

Read up/study up on people like: Henri Cartier Bresson, W. Eugene Smith, James Nactwey, and Sebastiao Salgado for a little more perspective.

Photojournalism (the real stuff, not just things like sports or news) is about A LOT more than making pretty pictures and it goes way beyond anything a fine art class will teach you.

I couldn't be happier majoring in it. If you really have the passion for telling peoples' story first and photography a close second you'd love it.

Where did you get accepted, if I might ask?

Yeah, i know real photojournalism, not sports lol. And believe me i do have a passion for it.

But then again I also have a passion for the kind of photography that is in National Geographic and i would like to do that. If you have access to it, issues like Angkor, and November/August 09' (not the cover stories).

Also i got accepted to McDaniel College in Maryland

 

[icassell]

Thought this might interest you:

The New Breed of Documentary Photographers

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I don't see NG as quite photojournalism. It is, imho, documentary photography. I'll grant you that depending on the subject being photographed it is debatable...

I imagine that a photojournalism program will teach you to deal with hard news, news with tight deadline, which I believe is probably the best way to learn photo in school. If you can photograph hard news correctly, you can photograph anything else with just minor adjustments to your photo techniques.

I believe so because that is the way my career went, minus the school. I had no problem switching from PJ work to more commercial stuff. I did spend two years assisting two established photogs in the interim because 1/ I didn't need to make tons of money right away, 2/ I wasn't sure which direction I was headed, and 3/ if I was going to do commercial work, I wanted to start with 4 aces in my hand. It worked out quite well for me but it is not a necessity.

As far as classes are concerned, I agree with Sam6644 that fine art photo classes will not teach you anything much about photo. I went to "the Cor..." (the art school in DC) and except for my design and law classes, it was a waste of time. And money. But if your school offers good design classes, I would definitely take those. I have never regretted mine even though I'd been photographing for 12 years when I took them. And I mean design. Not photo composition and such. A lot of things that never show up in photo composition type books or classes make a lot of difference in your images.

One last thought. One of the photogs I assisted was an ex-NG guy and from what he told me, I would say do that while you are young, not married and with no kids. Working for them, you will never be home...

The best to you. I loved PJ work.

 

[iBats]

This is all so helpful, and yeah NG is more of documentary photography I guess, depending on this issue, or scene like you said. And by design courses, what exactly do you mean?

The ones that come to mind are:
Web Design
Graphic Design

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Basic design. Design 101 and 102

It has been a while since I've looked at class names but it seems there were never more than 2 design classes and they were always called Design 101 and 102. And they apply to any form of art or artsy endeavor. Design applies to photo, painting, architecture, packaging, ladders, hammers, etc.

There are classes on design (composition) for photography but, as I said earlier, they tend to leave out a lot of things because they don't seem to be directly related to photography. From my experience I think it is wrong. Whatever applies to anything remotely creative can eventually be applied to photography.

 

[o hey tyler]

We do have one of the best school papers in the country though, and second best in the state. Kent is kind of untouchable in that department.

Hm, just checked the Princeton Review for best college newspapers... Neither of the previously mentioned colleges were in the top ten.

 

[iBats]

Basic design. Design 101 and 102

It has been a while since I've looked at class names but it seems there were never more than 2 design classes and they were always called Design 101 and 102. And they apply to any form of art or artsy endeavor. Design applies to photo, painting, architecture, packaging, ladders, hammers, etc.

There are classes on design (composition) for photography but, as I said earlier, they tend to leave out a lot of things because they don't seem to be directly related to photography. From my experience I think it is wrong. Whatever applies to anything remotely creative can eventually be applied to photography.

ok, Thanks!