Illustrating the news Photos, graphics and captions WEEK 10

Why Illustrate?  Create interest  Clarify message  Information is stronger as visual

Pie Chart  Indicate ratios or apportionment  Useful doe showing percentages  To be effective: Begin at 12 o’clock position, drawing the largest wedge first Include the actual percentage or absolute value for each wedge Distinguish wedges with color, shading, or cross- hatching

Pie Chart

Line graphs & Bar graphs  Illustrate disparities in numerical data Line graphs – trends over a period of time Bar graphs – highlighting comparisons

Tables  Not as visually interesting as line graphs or charts  Do allow for inclusion of specific data YEAR'00'01'02'03 MALES FEMALES

Diagrams or illustrations  Can be more concise  Demonstrate a process or procedure  Create a picture, when a photograph is not available  Allow for a satirical visualization Cartoons Sketches  Maps of locations

Diagrams or Illustrations From George Washington to George W. Bush, the name George has a long and famous history. In 2003, George was still one of the 10 most popular names for male babies in the United States. “Blah, blah, blah, blah and blah…” said former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Photography  Composition the sum of all the visual tricks a photographer uses to make a picture pleasing and/or challenging to the eye. includes how you lead the viewer’s eye around the picture how you control interrelationships between elements of the scene and the ways in which you emphasize one part of the scene over another.

Photography  Horizontal vs. Vertical Pictures of individual people are usually better as verticals than horizontals. Near-far relationships are more dramatic in verticals. Create abstract quality by showing a vertical piece rather than the horizontal whole.

Photography  People The heart of people photography is expression; the expression on a subject’s face is key. Second to expression is gesture; the way someone places or uses his/her hands and arms, the way he/she carries him/herself, posture, body language.  Animals Get on their eye-level, with animals expression is almost entirely in the eyes. Show animals interacting with people; it makes candid pictures more interesting—you never know what is going to happen next.

Photography  Landscapes any images that invite the viewer into an environment.  the place, not its occupants, is the most important thing about the picture. Giving a familiar scene a new look can create an interesting landscape shot.  Move to a different angle (higher or lower), choose a different time of day (dawn to dusk) or a different light (cloudy days, different seasons).

Photo Cropping  Changes the “feeling” of the photo  DO NOT change the photo’s intent  Software can alter photographs Be ethical Does changing the photo change the intent? Will the reader know the photo has been altered? Does the subject know the photo will be altered?

Photo Cropping

Photo Captions  Photo captions are an integral part of newspaper storytelling, but they are often the most underdeveloped element in the mix of words, graphics, and photographs in a newspaper. - Kenny Irby, The Poynter Institute

Photo Captions  Check the facts. Be accurate!  Avoid stating the obvious. "Dennis Rodman smiles as he kicks a broadcast photographer in the groin."  Always identify the main people in the photograph.  Avoid making judgments. "An unhappy citizen watches the protest..." Can you be sure that he is unhappy? Or is he hurting. Or just not photogenic.

Photo Captions  Don't assume. Ask questions in your effort to inform and be specific. Be willing to contact and include the subject.  Avoid using terms like "is shown, is pictured, and looks on."  If the photograph is a historic or file photo, include the date that it was taken. Mayor David Dinkins, 1993.

Photo Captions  A photograph captures a moment in time. Whenever possible, use present tense. This will creates a sense of immediacy and impact.  Descriptions are very helpful for viewer.  Use commas to set off directions from the captions to the picture. "Kachira Irby, above,...“  Conversational language works best. Don't use clichés. Write the caption as if you're telling a family member a story.

Photo Captions Aphids on Cotton No-Till Soybeans