HERKIMER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

 

Course: HU 144 * Photojournalism / Monday & Wednesday, 4:00 PM - 5:50 PM

Instructor:   Nancy L. Ford   e-mail:   Students@NLFord.com

Office Hours:  JH 106 * Monday 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Date:  Spring 2005

 

 (A copy of this syllabus and the course schedule for this semester can be found at http://NLFord.com/hccc)

 

 Course Description:

HU 144 introduces students to the practical and ethical concerns of photojournalism.  Emphasis will be placed on photographs that inform and evoke emotion.  Topics will include: the types of news photographs, the photojournalist's place in the newsroom, responsibilities of the photojournalist, caption writing, photo editing, the photo essay, page layout & design and the electronic darkroom.  Projects include photographing newsworthy events on campus such as breaking news, campus life, sports, meetings, entertainment and other real life situations.

 

 

 Course Objectives

1) To gain a fundamental working knowledge of the field of photojournalism.

2) To understand some of the issues concerning content and composition of photographs that are designed to tell a story, inform the public and evoke emotion.

3) To examine legal restrictions and ethical concerns in the field of photojournalism.

4) To achieve skill and confidence in the use of the basic tools of photojournalists such as the camera, flash, lenses, film and be introduced to digital photography and its place in newspapers today.

5) To gain the personal confidence to photograph effectively in public situations.

 

 

 Topics To Be Discussed

1) What a photojournalist and photo editor are& the nature of journalism in today's society.

2) Photographing emotion and the impact a photograph can have on society.

3) The tools and techniques used by photojournalists.

4) The basic assignments that all photojournalists receive.

5) The photo essay.

 

 

 Presentation

Course content will be presented by lecture, demonstration, slides, video tapes, as well as selected readings from the text book, handouts and the Web.

 

 Attendance

Regular and prompt attendance is expected and is crucial to the successful completion of this course.  A student will not be penalized for up to eight hours of absence, however, absences in excess of eight hours will adversely affect the final evaluation of the student's performance.  It is the student's responsibility to make up all missed work.

 

 Grading

Grades will be based on an average of the practical assignments, quizzes, final portfolio and the student's "job performance," such as attendance,  class participation and attitude.  The grading of visual projects is, to a large extent, subjective and will be based on your instructor's training, judgment and years of experience in the visual arts.  Your instructor will always give the greatest possible consideration to all viewpoints.

 The final exam grade will be based on 1/2 written exam & 1/2 final portfolio.

 

 Textbook

The Associated Press Guide to Photojournalism

 

 Materials

¥     12-15 rolls of 400 speed black & white film (Kodak TMax¨ 400 or TMax¨ 3200)

¥    100 sheets of 8x10 variable contrast black & white Kodak Polycontrast¨ photographic paper.

¥    12-15 Print File¨ 35mm negative sleeves

¥    1 full 30x32Ó sheet of mounting board

¥    1 assignment folder

¥     4 AA alkaline batteries for the school's flash.

 

Cost over the 15 week semester should be approximately $100-$150.

 

 Photo Assignment List

1) 2 feature photos -- Due _________

2) The general news shot -- Due ________

3) Spot News -- Due ________

4) Sports action and sports feature -- Due ________

5) The environmental portrait -- Due ________

6) The photo essay -- Due ________

7) The editorial illustration -- Due ________

8) Final Portfolio -- Due ________

 

 Assignments are due on time and properly identified with the student's name, class, assignment title as a caption strip.*** All work done on time may be redone for a higher grade if desired.  All assignments will be thoroughly discussed in class prior to being assigned.  On the day an assignment is due, there will be a class critique of submitted assignments.  Students who miss more than one critique will be penalized.  Students who miss critique must present their photo in the next critique. If a student is absent, it is the student's responsibility to get the information.  (Submitting additional news photographs that were not assigned is encouraged for extra credit.) 

 

 Assignment Requirements

 

All submitted assignments shall include the following materials:

1) At least one 8x10 print fulfilling the discussed requirements of the assigned subject.

2) Negatives (full roll) in sleeves from which the print was made.

3) A contact sheet of the entire roll of negatives from which the print(s) was made with the chosen frame outlined in grease pencil or other clearly visible marking tool.

4) A typed, accurate* caption, must be taped to the back of the photograph.  The caption will be written in a standard Associated Press format and should include the following information:

¥     The name of the assignment in all caps.

¥     The name of WHO or WHAT in the photo

¥    WHERE the photo was taken

¥    WHEN the photograph was taken

¥    Description of ACTION in the photograph.

¥    A comment explaining WHY the photo is of interest to the reader.

¥    The photographer's name, tagged at the end of the caption in parentheses. **example attached.

 5) All of the above are to be submitted with the caption scotch taped on the back of the photo and your name and the assignment name must be clearly visible.

 

 *Accuracy, spelling and grammar are essential in the news business.  Student will loose points for any spelling or inaccurate caption information.

 

 

WRITING CAPTIONS FOR PHOTOJOURNALISM CLASS

 

5) All of the above are to be TYPED and submitted with the caption scotch taped on the back of the photo.

 

 

¥     The name of the assignment in all caps.

¥     The name of WHO or WHAT in the photo

¥    WHERE the photo was taken

¥    WHEN the photograph was taken

¥    Description of ACTION in the photograph.

¥    A comment explaining WHY the photo is of interest to the reader.

¥    The photographer's name, tagged at the end of the caption in parentheses. **example attached.

 

 

**CAPTION EXAMPLE:

 

SPOT NEWS:  Campus Security Officer Victor Fassett drags student John Doe off to jail during a student demonstration at the Herkimer County Community College Campus Center on Friday, January 1, 2001.  Students were demonstrating against a curfew imposed by the security office to help curb late night vandalism.  Twelve students were arrested and 3 people were injured.  (NANCY L. FORD)

 

 

 SPORTS:  Herkimer County Community College's Mary Mud grabs the ball away from Mohawk Valley Community College's Teri Toe during a girls basketball game at HCCC on Saturday, January 1, 2001.  HCCC won the game, 12-10.  (NANCY L. FORD)