COMM
242, Advanced News PhotographyCOMM
242, Advanced News Photography
Announcements
Please check this page often for announcements of upcoming tests, assignments, cancellations, or other material you'd probably like to know.
Spring 2008
Jan. 15--This week we'll talk about what photojournalists do, and cover basic some basic principles. We'll also begin work in Photoshop. Friday is "camera show and tell day." Bring your camera, and review the manual so you can tell us something about its features. Assignment one is due Wednesday, Jan. 23. Assignment due Friday: compile a list of at least three topics you think should be covered to reflect our class documentary project, "life of a campus," and why you think they help reflect student life.
Below is an opportunity to build your portfolio, and gain extra credit points. Unfortunately, I believe the group is looking for volunteers, but it still might be interesting.
Jazz Arts Group of Fargo – Moorhead (JAG) a non-profit organization is seeking a photo intern to take pictures at this semesters concerts (3 Sat nights), education events and March 6 fundraiser. They can use Canon Digital Rebel or use their own. If you have any students that would be interested in gaining experiencing in taking pictures in a concert environment, please forward this email to them or have them contact me at 218-359-4JAZZ (4529).
Rochelle
Rochelle Roesler
Executive Director
Jazz Arts Group of Fargo - Moorhead
218-359-4JAZZ (4529) | rochelle@jazzartsfm.com
www.jazzartsfm.com
Jan. 22--Our beginning photojournalism exercise is due tomorrow, Jan. 23. We'll be talking about topics for the class project that day; you'll have the opportunity to pitch your topic to the class for discussion. Friday we'll begin Photoshop instruction with a demonstration of Lesson One. Please read this to prepare for Friday.
Jan. 25--For those of you who plan to skip today's Photoshop demonstration, here are the assignments based on Lesson One: 1. Photo enlarged to 8 x 10; 2. Photo saved as 300 ppi; 3. Cropped photo; 4. Photo saved in any format except jif. Attach to one or more emails and send assignment to me with the subject line reading "Photoshop One." Deadline: Friday, Feb. 1.
Jan. 28--This week we'll critique our first photo assignment, finish talking about possible documentary project topics, finish talking about lenses and begin talking about f/stops and shutter speeds, and being Photoshop lesson two. Photoshop lesson one, as indicated below, is due Friday Feb. 1, or before. Also due Friday is the second photo assignment, as described on the class web site resources page.
Jan. 30--Remember that I've pushed back the second photo assignment due date to Monday because of the cold weather.
Here is a list of topics pitched in class for the documentary project:
Note you can get started building a portfolio of photos for this project at any time. We'll have several opportunities throughout the semester to submit your best work for critique and final selection for the project. If your photos don't fit the themes above, you can still submit them, if you think they reflect the theme. Keep in mind you must have cutlines with information about your photos, and names of people easily identifiable--these are photojournalism professional standards.
Feb. 1--Photoshop Lesson Two assignments due Friday, Feb. 8: One photo using Levels or Curves; one photo using Color Balance; one photo using Clone Stamp or Healing Brush; one photo using Sharpen; one photo fixing the flash-on-camera blown highlights, as described in the "quick tip." After attaching to an email to me (save as jpgs, please), describe in the email where you made the changes. Note: you can combine these assignments on one or two photos.
Feb. 4--This week we'll critique your second assignment, lighting, due today! Also, don't forget our quiz on F/stops and shutter speeds today. We'll also discuss lighting this week, critique the second assignment in class, and work on the third Photoshop lesson Friday.
Feb. 11--Today we'll finish Photoshop Lesson Three in class. This is due Monday, Feb. 18. The third photo assignment, composition, is due Wednesday, Feb. 20, and the lighting exercise is due Wednesday, Feb. 13. So I think we have all the due dates down? This week we'll talk about composition. Below is a message from Holly Scallon, Spectrum photo editor:
Here is an opportunity for students to get extra credit! For Wednesday's deadline pics must be in to me Wednesday morning. The
sooner the better! Career Fair: Tuesday at the Fargodome from 10am to 3pm. Selling crush soda cans for V day: Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am to 2
pm at the Union.
Feb. 19--Photoshop exercise three due today! Photo assignment three (composition) due tomorrow. We'll critique that assignment Monday. Tomorrow we'll talk about legal and ethical issues of photojournalism. Friday we'll have a lab day to cover Photoshop lesson four. We'll also review for the midterm exam.
Feb. 25--Today we'll work on Photoshop lesson four in class. Assignment for Photoshop lesson fourdue Monday, March 10: One photo with sun moved and space filled; one photo using paint tool; one photo using gradient tool; one photo using fill-in flash technique. These may be combined into fewer than four photos; explain where you make the change. Wednesday we'll critique your third photo assignment. Friday is the midterm exam. Note: Holly Scallon at the Spectrum has a photo opportunity, as described below:
Ross, would you mind asking the class if they'd like to take a picture of people smoking on campus? They must have their names and be willing to participate and know they are going to be in the Spectrum. Thanks! Holly
March 10--This week we'll cover color theory. We'll also talk about ethics and history of photojournalism. Don't forget to bring on Wednesday your idea for your documentary photo assignment, due a week from Friday--well, Thursday, March 20, as Friday is a holiday. I'd also like suggestions of photos from your previous three assignments that you think would make good additions to our documentary project.
March 11--Also, do not forget that Photoshop assignment four was due Monday, as announced in class and noted above.
March 17--Exciting news! Esther.Hockett has agreed to display our photos at the Memorial Union gallery from April 21 through May 3! We'll need about two photos per student, so let's work hard to get everything ready by this date! The photos must be framed, but cheap framing and matting is available at Hobby Lobby out by the mall.
This week we'll be working on Photoshop tutorial No. 5, and considering special topics, news and travel photography. Don't forget photo assignment four, the contribution to the class documentary, is due Thursday, March 20. Two or three photos, with cutlines, people identified. Photoshop five will be due Tuesday, March 24.
Below is an opportunity from the Bismarck Tribune:
Why do graduates of North Dakota’s state colleges and universities stay after graduation or go to other states to continue their careers and lives? It’s a question many businesses, educators, elected officials, parents and grand parents are wondering about. The Bismarck Tribune would like your help in telling this story. We would like you to encourage your graduating students to write an essay or make a video presentation that would share their thoughts as they make this choice: To stay or go.
The Tribune intends to place essays and videos online at www.bismarcktribune.com. There will also be a print component in the newspaper.
Please, ask your students to take part in the Tribune’s Graduating North Dakota project.
Soliciting essays: 400 words written or two minutes of video.
Deadline: April 15
Forward the completed essays or video to Graduating North Dakota, Bismarck Tribune, P.O. Box 5516, Bismarck, N.D. 58506 or ken.rogers@bismarcktribune.com
--Ken Rogers, Managing Editor
March 24--We'll critique our first documentary assignment Wednesday, and work on Photoshop tutorial six Friday. Don't forget deadlines: Photoshop 5, Wednesday, March 26. The first photo documentary assignment was due last Thursday!
April 1--Monday we critiqued our own photos. I hope the rest of the week to take a look at some published material for contrast, to see "how the professionals do it." We also will talk about special topics: sports photography. I had hoped to have a guest speaker this week, but it may not work out. Due dates: Photoshop 6, Friday. Second documentary photo project: Friday, April 11.
April 7--This week Bruce Sundeen will talk to the class. We'll also talk about portraits, and critique published photos based on criteria we've discussed throughout the semester. For those of you whose photos were chosen last week for the documentary project, you need to give me your best Photoshopped versions by this Wednesday. The last photo documentary assignment is due this Friday! We'll critique those images Monday, and get started putting together our class photo show.
April 14--This week we'll be discussing your documentary project submissions from Friday, and work on putting together our show, and building a portfolio. Note that the class chose 17 photos so far from material submitted earlier in the semester. We should have about double that many. I'd like each of you to have at least one of your photos in the show. If one of yours is not chosen today, choose one yourself from your work this semester, and submit it to me.
We'll need cutlines for each photo, so if you haven't submitted final cutlines to me already (with idents), I need them this week!
April 16--We'll have to work fast! Our deadline for the photo show is Monday! See note from gallery director below. Need your FRAMED photos by Monday!
Ross,
How's it looking for the class project photo exhibit coming together?
We plan to take down the children's art that's on the North Star Butte Lounge Sunday and/or Monday, April 20-21.
It's vital that the pieces be framed and ready to hang when they come to the Gallery. I'd also like a project statement from you - what was the assignment? And from the students, in order to create the labels, I will need: the title of the piece, the name of the photographer, means of photography and, if it's for sale, the price of the piece. The Gallery takes a 30% commission, so the student should calculate the sale price to include the commission.
Press release! Here is the press release I sent to the media:
Work by photojournalism students featured
Work by North Dakota State University’s photojournalism students will be featured in a documentary exhibit starting Monday, April 21, at the Memorial Union Gallery on campus. Entitled, “The life of a campus: North Dakota State University, Fargo, 2008,” 13 students have prepared images based on their documentary project designed to reflect the experiences of students at NDSU. Work will be exhibited through May 3.
The students’ work fits into a long and popular tradition aimed at documenting everyday life in American society. Projects reflecting student life have seen little recent attention, particularly in Midwestern universities such as NDSU, according to Ross Collins, associate professor, who is directing the project.
In this show, students have chosen work representing classes and study, relaxing, volunteering and campaigning, and other experiences students encounter during their time at university in Fargo. Following the ethical tradition of photojournalism, these photos are not posed or manipulated. They reflect an honest, truthful portrayal of lives, sliced into images frozen by a camera. Some of the photos will be available for sale.
These and other photos from the project will be permanently viewable after this show ends on a class web site, linked to www.ndsu.edu/communication/collins/242photojournalism/documentary08.
I encourage you to mail invitations to your friends and family to attend the show. They might read something like this:
The students of COMM 242, Advanced News Photography (Photojournalism) invite you to an exhibit of their documentary work on display at the North Dakota State University Memorial Union gallery, through May 3. The show, entitled “The life of a campus: North Dakota State University, Fargo, 2008," features work documenting student life on campus. Some of the work will be for sale.
April 21--Today we'll be putting up our photography show at the student union. The rest of the week we'll get ready for interviews, becoming famous, etc.... Wednesday you need to bring to class the photos you want to add to the documentary web site, WITH cutlines. We'll be putting the cutlines on the photos in class, then submitting them to me for the site. This way I know I have all the photos ready to go! Also we'll be talking about preparing portfolios.
(Photo: Spanish Mediterranean, 2001.)
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