Course Essentials
Course description
“If it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry, if it rips your heart out, that’s a good picture.” – Eddie Adams
Photojournalism is about the practice of telling a story to and eliciting emotion from viewers. It’s also about all the mechanics and logistics of using equipment – cameras, lenses, software, etc. – and adhering to the standard practices of photojournalistic practice.
The purpose of this course, then, is to introduce you to digital photography and photojournalism.
We will learn about the manual control of a camera and lens, composition, digital editing and processing, and preparing images for sharing and printing.
We will also study the history, ethics, and industry standards of photojournalism.
The projects and assignments in this class are designed to develop not only your technical skills in camera use and digital editing, but also the soft skills of having vision and feeling with regard to your photographs and your subjects.
Basic computer and technical skills are required for this course. You are also required to be familiar with your own camera, so make sure you have/locate a user manual for the model you have and make it your friend.
Course goals
By December, I want you to....
Make correct manual exposures in different lighting situations
Manually manipulate exposure triangle to achieve creative goals
Create interesting and aesthetically pleasing composition
Apply the photojournalist code of ethics to your work
Write complete captions in Associated Press style
Manage a digital workflow
Tell stories and elicit emotion through images
Connect with an audience through strong visual presentation
Cameras
Equipment:
A digital camera with:
a resolution of at least 10 megapixels;
RAW capability;
and manual control capability
Note: Point-and-shoot cameras or phone cameras are not allowed for your assignments.
An 18-55mm, 50mm, or 24-70mm lens (some kits might come with a lens that has more range, just ask me if you have questions about what will work)
I highly recommend that you choose a camera that has an interchangeable lens mount, not a camera with a built-in lens. Built-in lenses tend to be poor quality and have weird f/stops that make learning exposure more complicated.
Memory cards (check your camera to see what type)
A card reader might be necessary depending on what type of card slots your computer has
Optional/recommended equipment:
Clear, protective lens filters
An external hard drive for storage/backup
Cleaning kit
Additional lenses
Tips on buying equipment:
You can get used or discontinued cameras, lenses, and other accessories at very good prices – I purchase almost all of my own equipment used. You might check local pawn shops. Below, I've listed some places that I shop online. I recommend these sites instead of others like eBay because they typically offer at least some guarantee on used equipment.
Computers and software
You been assigned a license for Lightroom Classic and other Adobe Creative Cloud programs through UTEP. You should receive an email with instructions for installation if you want to run it on your personal device. If you need assistance, contact the Help Desk.
If you don't have a device that can run Lightroom Classic, you can use computers on campus to edit your work. This software is available with your assigned license on computers in:
Library Room 336
Cotton Memorial 104
Fox Fine Arts 349 A
Cotton Memorial 306
Fox Fine Arts 349 B
Cotton Memorial 307
Liberal Arts Room 411
The following computer labs also have some computers with Adobe CC (including Lightroom):
Collaborative Learning Center (Library Main Floor)
Technology Support Center (Library Room 300)
Liberal Arts Center for Technology (LACIT) (Liberal Arts Room 405)
Cyber Cafe (Union East Room 204)
