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PHOTOJOURNALISM PRACTICE I - BPH302

Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification
Statement of Attainment

Why Study Photojournalism?

If you want to show your skills in photography and writing, photojournalism could be the career for you.

Photojournalism is a form of professional photography, but it is slightly different to other forms of photography in that it adheres to the principles of journalism, which are Accuracy, Timeliness, Fair representation of the context of events, Reporting of facts, Accountability.

For example, a portrait photographer is also documenting an event, but their responsibility is to the client and what the client wants to see. A journalist, on the other hand produces news for the public, and should be accurate. A photojournalist also has a responsibility to put things into context.

Websites, newspapers and magazines continue to make heavy use of photographs. One photograph can tell so much more than words.  

Make a career out of writing and taking photographs.

Photojournalists work in publishing (electronic or print media) either self-employed (freelance) or in house (employed by a publisher).

They contribute images and (in smaller enterprises), writing as well to published work. Opportunities are relatively strong and diverse for skilled photographers, but for the person who can also write text and process images using software, demand for this mix of skills has been very high.

Who Is This Course Suitable For?

This course is suitable for budding and professional photographers and writers who would like to expand into the exciting world of photojournalism.

It is recommended that you have studied photography and/or writing before, but it is not essential. 

What Will You Learn in This Course?

  • Learn about what to photograph and how to photograph it.
  • Learn about dealing with publishers and their requirements.
  • Learn about text and caption writing for your work.
  • Undertake a practical project to gain experience to complement your studies.

This course takes you through the processes of selection and publishing for a specific publication, submitting work for publication, and meeting the requirements of an editor and publisher. Under the guidance of a mentor (a photography/publishing tutor), you will learn to write according to specific criteria, deal with a publisher, and communicate effectively with others involved in the publishing process.

This course is suitable for professional/career development, CPD or personal interest.

It's easy to enrol...

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Lesson Structure

There are 11 lessons in this course:

  1. A Short History of Photojournalism
  2. Ethics and Photojournalism
  3. What Should I Photograph?
  4. How Should I Photograph It?
  5. Photo Stories / Editing Images
  6. Publishing Opportunities
  7. Working to Specification / Problem Based Learning
  8. Publishing Using Online Management Systems
  9. Taking Photos and Submitting Images
  10. Writing Articles and Captions to Accompany Your Image
  11. Revising Submitted Work

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Under the guidance of a mentor (a writing/editing tutor), you will learn to produce images according to specific criteria, deal with a publisher, and communicate effectively with others involved in the publishing process.

This course gives you hands-on experience in writing for a publication. You will work with a tutor (member of our academic staff) who will oversee your role as writer for an online publication, for one edition of that publication.

Course Aims

  • Discuss the nature and scope of photojournalism.
  • Explore issues of ethics in photojournalism and develop an understanding of your own biases.
  • To explore the composition of photographs and associated legal issues.
  • To revise basic terms used in photojournalism.
  • Understand the photo story and the effect of editing and placement on the meaning of an image.
  • Research International web sites for publishing and looking at work.
  • Explain publishing specifications and apply that understanding to specific photography tasks.
  • Develop an understanding of online management systems.
  • Improve your Photography Style and submitting images for publication.
  • Develop your writing abilities to accompany your images.
  • Revise your Submitted Work.

What Are the Advantages of Studying Photography with ACS Distance Education?

  • You can start at any time to suit you.
  • The courses are self-paced.
  • You can study when and where suits you. They are flexible to fit in around you and your lifestyle.
  • Keep up to date on your learning.
  • Update your CV.
  • It is not just a course, it is a package of learning that includes – course notes, tutor feedback, self-assessment tests, research tasks and assignments.
  • Our tutors are all experts in their field, with years of experience in photography and teaching.
  • They are also keen and enthusiastic about their subject and enjoy working with students to improve their knowledge and skills.
  • Courses are also updated regularly to meet the demands of the changing needs for knowledge and to keep our courses up to date.

Opportunities for Photojournalism

Photojournalism is a competitive market.  To find work within photojournalism, you must be prepared to look hard.  Before even considering applying for jobs or contracts, a photojournalist must be prepared. They must have –

  • A high-quality portfolio in printed form, on portable media and online.
  • High quality stationary.
  • A well-prepared resume/CV.
  • A good cover letter.
  • A tracking method to keep record of all your letters/applications for jobs.
  • A willingness to move quickly and maybe permanently.

You must make sure you have all of this prepared BEFORE you apply for any jobs.

Make a Portfolio

One of the important steps in applying for work is ensuring that you have a high-quality portfolio available to demonstrate your skills.

A portfolio is a set of images that show the photojournalists technical and aesthetic skills. There are no universal guidelines on how to prepare a portfolio. Obviously, this is a creative art, as well as a technical one, so some aspects rely on the photojournalist themselves. But there are some general guidelines.

  • Consider the client that you are hoping to impress. You need to show appropriate images that suit the client’s requirements. All images in the portfolio you show to a potential client must meet THEIR needs. So it may be that if you are looking for a range of different jobs, you may have a portfolio for different jobs you are applying for.
  • Clients may vary – magazines, newspapers, book publishers, trade publications, record companies, travel markets, galleries, other business clients.
  • There may be other clients that a photojournalist might consider, such as commercial organisations, such as stock companies, design firms and so on. A photojournalist may still work in these fields, although there could sometimes be a conflict of interest.
  • Clients are interested in the photographs as documents of reality, so may rely on the photojournalist’s ability to take high quality images in a range of different settings.
  • The presentation of images should be professional and well organised.
  • Start and finish with the strongest images to create a lasting impression on the client. There is the idea in psychology of primacy and recency effect. This is the idea that we remember the most the first information we see and the last.
  • If a client has seen thousands of images, the photojournalist wants the client to remember his/her images the best. So there is only one chance to create a lasting impression. A weak image can destroy the overall presentation and quality of a portfolio, so choose the images carefully.
  • Don’t add print and shoot photographs that anyone could have taken. This will insult the editor and won’t get you the job. Make sure your images are all high quality and show your technical skills.
  • Know your market.  Research the market you are interested in. Look at the specific outlets of the market. Understand the images the client uses and why they use them.
  • Find out what the client expects from photojournalists they use. If they want someone who can fly off around the world at a moment’s notice and you can’t do that, you are wasting your time and theirs by applying for the job.

What Next?

Do you want to

  • Develop a career using words and images?
  • Work in a fast-paced and interesting career?
  • Create informative photos and articles?

Then this is the course to get you started on a career in photojournalism.

You can enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.

Or

Click here to Contact a Photography Tutor.

Or Request a Prospectus Here.
Courses can be started anytime from anywhere in the world!

Meet some of our academics

Peta Jinnath Abdul B.Sc., Grad.Dip.Ed., M.Creative Writing. Peta is a writer with interests in education, science education, and literary theory. She's worked as a writer, editor and teacher, and is currently pursuing her research interests, while working as a writer, tutor and academic officer at ACS.
Rosemary Davies (General)Rosemary has over 30 years of working in jobs ranging from Writer, Consultant, Broadcaster and, Business owner, to Teacher and landscape designer. She has worked for ACS since 2008
Josiane JoubranCSC consultant with IBM, Software QA Engineer, Course Writer and Tutor. Josiane is an I.T professional with extensive experience with computer hardware and engineering in Lebanon and Australia. Josiane has a B.Eng., Grad.Dip.I.T., Master Info.Tech., MCP, MCSE.


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