Thoughts & Theory – Page 23 – Visual Journalism

August 12, 2013

Why This Matters

Maddie McGarvey, a talented young photojournalist, was laid off two weeks ago as part of the cuts at Gannett. Her post on that and why this still matters is a must read for all young journalists. I remember this winter being at a gathering for a teenager who died suddenly in a nearby town. Everywhere I looked there were people...

Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

August 12, 2013

The Fragility of Memory

Nice piece by Joshua Sarinana, a neuroscientist at MIT, over at PetaPixel on the fragility of memory and why manipulated images can have a pervasive effect on society. He ends with some great questions which, if I were a true academic, I’d be all over: Given the exponential growth of photographs taken and uploaded to social media sites each day,...

Ethics & Legal/Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

August 8, 2013

Why Bezos Buying the Post Makes Sense … to Me

My Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds have all been overflowing with comments on the news that Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos bought the venerable Washington Post earlier this week. Most are filled with confusion, some derision, but it wasn’t until I read John Cassidy’s piece in the New Yorker that my thoughts were clarified. Because I completely disagree with him. I...

Journalism/Thoughts & Theory

August 6, 2013

Malware That’s Good For You?

Apparently, Dove has taken their Real Beauty campaign a little further by creating a Trojan Photoshop action and releasing it into the wild. We don’t talk about fashion photography, so you can think about the message behind it on your own time. Maybe we could bring it into the classroom by talking about the whether you should be grabbing free...

Tech Talk/Thoughts & Theory

August 5, 2013

Life Tips from the Architectural World

I know, I know: Not photojournalism. You know what? That’s the point. Head over to Bob Borson’s Life of an Architect and read his tips for being a better architect and a better person. Those are (some of) my goals for the coming semester, make them your own, too.

Journalism/Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

July 30, 2013

A Reminder on Patience

One of the greatest challenges I face in teaching is getting the practice of patience across. The concept is easy, it’s getting students to actually practice patience that I haven’t mastered yet. And, in photography, photojournalism and journalism, patience is an essential skill. And I choose the word skill specifically – it is not a naturally occurring habit. It takes...

Craft/Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

July 29, 2013

Bad, Bad “Journalism”

I posted this to Facebook already, but it deserves more airing. This is easily the worst interview I’ve ever seen conducted. Hands down – there’s no journalism being done here, this is an attack on author Professor Reza Aslan. If you want to question his credentials and whether he is qualified to write a book titled Zealot: The Life and...

Advice & Learning/Ethics & Legal/Journalism/Thoughts & Theory

July 18, 2013

So, Is This a Problem?

When Southern Community Newspapers, Inc., decided to let their photo staffs go, we all knew the photos would have to come from somewhere. Reporters may be able to cover some things, but if you’re the Gwinnett Daily Post and you routinely cover the Gwinnett Braves, the AAA farm team for the Atlanta Braves, I assumed you’d hire a stringer, right?...

Ethics & Legal/Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

July 18, 2013

Will Photojournalism Survive Instagram?

That’s the question Mother Jones’ Jeremy Lybarger tries to answer in an interview with Fred Ritchin. I’m afraid he never really answers it but Richtin, one of the great photography theorists of our time, doesn’t seem to think so. An excerpt: There is enormous need for professionals who know how to tell stories with narrative punch and nuance, who can...

Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

July 18, 2013

Football Hall of Fame Removes Award Winning Image

I’ve been stewing on this for a few days now … the Pro Football Hall of Fame has decided to remove a photo of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez from a display of winners in the 2010 annual Hall of Fame photo contest. (Hernandez, for those of you living a hermetic life this summer, has been charged with...

Ethics & Legal/Photojournalism/Thoughts & Theory

Category: Thoughts & Theory

Why This Matters

The Fragility of Memory

Why Bezos Buying the Post Makes Sense … to Me

Malware That’s Good For You?

Life Tips from the Architectural World

A Reminder on Patience

Bad, Bad “Journalism”

So, Is This a Problem?

Will Photojournalism Survive Instagram?

Football Hall of Fame Removes Award Winning Image