Off The Written Path

     

        Brevity is part of the ABC’s of journalistic writing, and what could be more succinct than using a photo to tell your story? In Chapter 6 of “Journalism Next” Mark Briggs says that “journalism without photographs is like writing without verbs.” 

        Photos are famously “worth a thousand words” but don’t forget the credit. That is, Briggs cautions against ever using a photo without the proper rights to the image. He suggests you ask first. Or you could check out Creative Commons for images licensed by the creators for sharing, so long as the artist is given credit.

        Briggs gives an overview of photography by covering the following topics: 

• Basic information about digital photography

Digital photography allows almost anyone to be a photographer. Familiarize yourself with the type of camera that can fulfill your needs and then get to know your camera. Learn the camera functions, read the manual.  

• How to take a good photo

Good photos don’t just happen. Lots of practice and patience goes into making a photo. People should consider composition and lighting. Get close to your subjects and think creatively in how you approach a subject to be photographed.  

• How to edit and manage photos on your computer

Once you have captured your images you need to get them on your computer. Learn to have an organized workflow. How will you label your photos and where will you save them?  Find photo editing software and edit your photos, keeping in mind that for photojournalism you cannot manipulate or alter a photo in a way that changes the original scene.    

• How to publish photos and slide shows that tell the story

Finally you should decide which photos you will use and how you will present them “for maximum impact” Briggs says. Consider photo size, and layout design. Will you create a slide show or a gallery? Will you publish photos in a blog? Just remember what Briggs says, “Blogs without art are lame.”  

Photo by Daniel Zanetti

        Another ingredient in the recipe for feeding an audience’s insatiable need for instant news can be found by “going mobile,” so says Mark Briggs in Chapter 5 of “JournalismNext.”

        Going mobile allows a reporter to provide immediate multimedia storytelling as a news-worthy event happens, from the location where it is happening. All you need is your phone, or in the case of “gearhead” journalists a mobile back pack that acts as your office. Mobile reporting includes print, video, photo and audio aspects, which can be done with the latest cell phones in the market, according to Briggs.  

        However, not all stories lend themselves to mobile reporting says Briggs. Before deciding to file a story on the go, journalists should consider if it is the right story for a mobile format. Briggs says if it is a breaking news story where timeliness is imperative then it is probably a good ‘mobile’ story to report.

        According to Briggs other stories that lend themselves to mobile reporting are:

• Criminal and civil trials
• Important speeches or announcements by public officials, celebrities, and business leaders
• Most breaking news events
• Public gatherings
• Grand openings

        Briggs reminds journalists, though, that all events covered should be guided by the reporter’s news sense, and not to do mobile reporting for its own sake.

        Mobile reporting is fast and furious, and it does not replace in-depth reporting. Chapter 5 says that mobile reporting is a bit like filing headlines; it is a teaser to more in-depth coverage, not a replacement for it.

I just finished finding out that if I want to be a journalist of any relevance I have to have a blog. Now in Chapter 4 of “JournalismNext” Mark Briggs says that it’s not enough to have a blog, journalists have to know how to microblog, too. Hang in there, I’m overwhelmed too. It might be easier to understand if I say you have to know how to use Twitter. Writing in 140 characters or less is basically the essence of microblogging.

Here is a breakdown from Chapter 4 of how journalists can benefit by using Twitter and other microblogging services:

• Get Leads. By knowing what people are talking about on Twitter you can get story ideas on what people care about most.
• Find people to interview. Experts in their field also tweet (to learn the Twitter lingo click here) and it is easy to find and connect with them on Twitter.
• Get feedback before an interview. You can ask your readers what questions they want answered before you do an interview so your story can be relevant to your readers.
• Perform a public interview. It is also possible to interview people over Twitter.

One major thing not to forget is networking. Twitter can be an invaluable resource for journalists to connect with other journalists, and possible future employers. For a journalist’s guide on how to use Twitter visit Mandy Jenkins’s Zombie Journalism.

Another good resource is Mashable’s “The Journalist’s Guide to Twitter.”

Twitter offers people news without a time delay. Briggs calls it “real-time web.” Journalists can post breaking news and receive instantaneous feedback from readers. Journalists can also start a “real-time” conversation about other news and stories. That “journalism as a conversation” which we heard about in Chapter 3 helps the journalists know their audience and in turn adds richness and depth to a news story.