Practicing Photojournalism Skills

Note to educators: This is the third of seven lessons in the Everyday DC unit, and all seven lessons can be found here. 

Objective:

Students will be able to identify and practice photographic techniques.

Warm-up: What makes a photo stand out?

1. Use the following video, and images from Everyday Africa or Everyday DC, to review how journalists take different kinds of photos to tell stories: portraits, landscape/establishing shots, action shots, and details.
   

    

2. Select 3-5 photos from the Everyday Africa project, and ask students to discuss what stands out to them about each image. Ask them to respond to the following:
   1. What do you see? 
   2. What story do you think the image is telling about this place?
   3. What stands out in the image? What pops, or just looks cool to you?

Introducing the Lesson: Exploring Photography Techniques

1. Review the following video from photojournalist Allison Shelley, who uses images she contributed to the Everyday Africa project to share the following photography techniques that photojournalists can use to help their photos stand out:
   1. Color
   2. Light/Silhouette
   3. Repeating Elements
   4. Framing 
   5. Angle (including "bird's eye" and "worm's eye" views)
      
2. Using additional images from the Everyday Africa or Everyday DC projects, students evaluate how photojournalists use different tools to communicate underreported stories about their communities:
   1.  Focus on angles and how different angles change how a subject is perceived (“bird’s eye,” low level, high level, tilted, “worm’s eye”)
   2.  Focus on how lighting and shadows are composed in the photo
   3. Investigate framing, including rule of thirds, examining how what is included/not included in a photo can change the story that the photo is telling.

Extension Activity: Practicing Photography Techniques

1. Students practice using each of the above techniques in the classroom. Take 5 minutes to practice each of the following:
   1. Portraits, landscape/establishing shots, action shots, and details
   2. Photos from different angles
   3. Photos with different compositions using lighting and shadow
   4. Photos employing different framing techniques
2. By the end of class, students turn in four photos. Each photo should reflect one of the above skills. Optional: Students can also do this at home, if desired.
3. Tip for teachers: Educators in Washington, D.C.  found that it helped to spread this lesson out over several days, and to change the location each day.

Students practice photography techniques. Washington, D.C. 2020

Assessment:

Sample rubric: