After Flint Mayor Don Williamson stepped down after threatened with a recall, Flint resident and business owner Dayne Walling has become a solid candidate for mayor in the May 5th primary election.
Five others are making their bid including current city councelman Sheldon Neely and Brenda Clack.
Walling's operation costs around $5,000 per week to run, and includes permanent staff and volunteers.
Below is a clip about how he balances running for mayor with being a husband and a father.
http://www.box.net/shared/nylc3qsuuy
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Journalism isn't just about writing anymore
Collaboration between writers and photographers can make for better stories
Flint Journal Community Reporter Elizabeth Lowes’ fingers were numb as she tried to take pictures with her Canon point-and-shoot camera of a house fire in Burton last Thursday. Her pen had already frozen, and she was realizing the limitations of her own camera. Her line of vision was blocked by a mobile home, and she was having trouble pushing the buttons on her camera.
The photo shoot wasn’t a loss for Lowe. “(The photos) had some of the elements I wanted,” she said.
Ryan Garza is one of the two staff photographers at the Flint Journal, and ended up at the same house fire later that day. He had essentially the same location to work with, but returned with images that impressed Lowe. “How did he do that,” she said. As compared to her photos, “His was way better,” she said.
In the news industry, photographers and writers have historically worked in tandem to produce whole stories. Writers and photographer are both journalists. The photographer has as much to contribute to the story as the writer.
In larger papers such as the Flint Journal, writers such as Lowe will fill out a Photo Request through the network system. The photographer’s name will be attached to the digital document with basic information about the assignment. Who, what, where, why, when and how are all described briefly on the Photo Request.
Coordination between writers and photographers has been reduced, said Photographer Bruce Edwards (pictured), 30 year veteran of the industry.
“It hasn’t been pursued as much as it could have been.” Historically, Edwards’ coordination with the photographers has been “loose.”
“That’s partially my fault,” he said.
With three or four assignments in one day, the photographer may have one or two narrow opportunities to talk to the writer about the mood of the story, and their general vision.
“Feature stories have more time to prepare, and more time for photographers and writers to collaborate.” Edwards said “There is room for improvement there.”
Often there is but half an hour before the photographer sees what they will be shooting later that day. Lowe sometimes doesn’t have time to personally speak with the photographer from which she requests a photo. “There are a lot of constraints with the time that everyone has,” she said. She can have trouble getting the idea across with a three sentence Photo Request.
Jane Hale, interim Photo Editor for the Flint Journal and career photojournalist sometimes has trouble when an assignment is in reality, not the photographic opportunity the writer envisioned. “Some writers aren’t visual people,” she said. “Inadequate information is frustrating.”
Edwards recalls Detroit Auto Show assignments when knowing what the overall focus of the story is would have helped with the assignment. Knowing if the focus of the page was going to be prototypes, “green car” efforts, or a particular brand would have influenced his approach to the assignment.
It helps Lowe when photographers come back for more information, or with ideas. “Something that will bring in another perspective,” she said. At the smaller community newspapers she worked at, photographers and writers would often travel to assignments together. “That was nice,” she said.
Edwards suggests that photo editors could look further ahead in the week and give their photographers as much notice as possible. “Section editors could be more organized about what stories they want to do,” he said.
Lowe admits she has been disappointed by what photographers have turned in, thinking, “Well, it’s not really what I pictured.”
Lowe thinks that writers who are at least marginally trained photographers can bridge the gap for photographers they request photos from. They can better understand lighting challenges, and offer a perspective they’d like to see.
“Generally, people who do their job well, work well with others,” said Hale.
Flint Journal Community Reporter Elizabeth Lowes’ fingers were numb as she tried to take pictures with her Canon point-and-shoot camera of a house fire in Burton last Thursday. Her pen had already frozen, and she was realizing the limitations of her own camera. Her line of vision was blocked by a mobile home, and she was having trouble pushing the buttons on her camera.
The photo shoot wasn’t a loss for Lowe. “(The photos) had some of the elements I wanted,” she said.
Ryan Garza is one of the two staff photographers at the Flint Journal, and ended up at the same house fire later that day. He had essentially the same location to work with, but returned with images that impressed Lowe. “How did he do that,” she said. As compared to her photos, “His was way better,” she said.
In the news industry, photographers and writers have historically worked in tandem to produce whole stories. Writers and photographer are both journalists. The photographer has as much to contribute to the story as the writer.
In larger papers such as the Flint Journal, writers such as Lowe will fill out a Photo Request through the network system. The photographer’s name will be attached to the digital document with basic information about the assignment. Who, what, where, why, when and how are all described briefly on the Photo Request.
Coordination between writers and photographers has been reduced, said Photographer Bruce Edwards (pictured), 30 year veteran of the industry.
“It hasn’t been pursued as much as it could have been.” Historically, Edwards’ coordination with the photographers has been “loose.”
“That’s partially my fault,” he said.
With three or four assignments in one day, the photographer may have one or two narrow opportunities to talk to the writer about the mood of the story, and their general vision.
“Feature stories have more time to prepare, and more time for photographers and writers to collaborate.” Edwards said “There is room for improvement there.”
Often there is but half an hour before the photographer sees what they will be shooting later that day. Lowe sometimes doesn’t have time to personally speak with the photographer from which she requests a photo. “There are a lot of constraints with the time that everyone has,” she said. She can have trouble getting the idea across with a three sentence Photo Request.
Jane Hale, interim Photo Editor for the Flint Journal and career photojournalist sometimes has trouble when an assignment is in reality, not the photographic opportunity the writer envisioned. “Some writers aren’t visual people,” she said. “Inadequate information is frustrating.”
Edwards recalls Detroit Auto Show assignments when knowing what the overall focus of the story is would have helped with the assignment. Knowing if the focus of the page was going to be prototypes, “green car” efforts, or a particular brand would have influenced his approach to the assignment.
It helps Lowe when photographers come back for more information, or with ideas. “Something that will bring in another perspective,” she said. At the smaller community newspapers she worked at, photographers and writers would often travel to assignments together. “That was nice,” she said.
Edwards suggests that photo editors could look further ahead in the week and give their photographers as much notice as possible. “Section editors could be more organized about what stories they want to do,” he said.
Lowe admits she has been disappointed by what photographers have turned in, thinking, “Well, it’s not really what I pictured.”
Lowe thinks that writers who are at least marginally trained photographers can bridge the gap for photographers they request photos from. They can better understand lighting challenges, and offer a perspective they’d like to see.
“Generally, people who do their job well, work well with others,” said Hale.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
itty bitty sentence
1. The consultant was given $125,000 on Feb ruary 7th, 1980 in aust in texas.
The consultant was given $125,000 on February 7, 1980, in Austin, Texas.
Tom Becker, a black born in the south during the 1930's was elected mayor of the Cit.y
Tom Becker a black man born in the dirrrty south in the 1930's was elected mayor of the city.
a senoior who will graduate next spring said "history and english are my favorite subjects".
A senior who will graduate next spring said, "History and English are my favorite subjects."
The girl's elbow was injured when she twelve feet at Lincln Park at noon yesterday.
Susan Majorce, 7, is 5 feet tall, and weighs 87 pounds.
The consultant was given $125,000 on February 7, 1980, in Austin, Texas.
Tom Becker, a black born in the south during the 1930's was elected mayor of the Cit.y
Tom Becker a black man born in the dirrrty south in the 1930's was elected mayor of the city.
a senoior who will graduate next spring said "history and english are my favorite subjects".
A senior who will graduate next spring said, "History and English are my favorite subjects."
The girl's elbow was injured when she twelve feet at Lincln Park at noon yesterday.
Susan Majorce, 7, is 5 feet tall, and weighs 87 pounds.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
More than "fixing the ink rub" problem
In the changing media landscape, a consistent theme is of the jilted editor, the gatekeeper who can no longer gate-keep.
I appreciate the example of the consolidation of the Tampa Bay Tribune, Tampa Bay Online, and the WFLA broadcast news outlet. It only makes sense that reporting the news becomes a team effort, with the news consumer being another arm of the team.
Giving space to the public not only gets the consumer involved, but it also saves money: The Contributor is not paid.
If anything, news is becoming de-compartmentalized and more open. The workflow is open. As reporters take on learning more media, they also learn that the public itself can become part of the media, another way to farm information.
The public consuming only a lopsided point of view is problematic, but completely understandable, as I listen to National Public Radio (NPR), a decidedly liberal news source. It makes sense that someone will always be needed to sort and package the news.
I never thought about the aging newspaper demographic. I believe that tying in people 18-30 can be done by harnessing their natural ability to communicate through digital online media.
How to de-fragment the viewers? Could a paper publish specialized sections the way the community paper is in certain Sunday papers? Could you subscribe to the Sunday paper, and add a thicker music section? Possibly. Or link to online for coupons.
Although newspapers declining is sad, a 15 percent profit margin while still reaching half of all adults in the U.S. is positive, and I think the industry needs to move deliberately to direct the public's interest back to newspapers and hold the line at half, and then figure out how to grow.
I appreciate the example of the consolidation of the Tampa Bay Tribune, Tampa Bay Online, and the WFLA broadcast news outlet. It only makes sense that reporting the news becomes a team effort, with the news consumer being another arm of the team.
Giving space to the public not only gets the consumer involved, but it also saves money: The Contributor is not paid.
If anything, news is becoming de-compartmentalized and more open. The workflow is open. As reporters take on learning more media, they also learn that the public itself can become part of the media, another way to farm information.
The public consuming only a lopsided point of view is problematic, but completely understandable, as I listen to National Public Radio (NPR), a decidedly liberal news source. It makes sense that someone will always be needed to sort and package the news.
I never thought about the aging newspaper demographic. I believe that tying in people 18-30 can be done by harnessing their natural ability to communicate through digital online media.
How to de-fragment the viewers? Could a paper publish specialized sections the way the community paper is in certain Sunday papers? Could you subscribe to the Sunday paper, and add a thicker music section? Possibly. Or link to online for coupons.
Although newspapers declining is sad, a 15 percent profit margin while still reaching half of all adults in the U.S. is positive, and I think the industry needs to move deliberately to direct the public's interest back to newspapers and hold the line at half, and then figure out how to grow.
Growing pains are ahead.
In an example of convergence, the bottom pic ran on MLIVE.com, while the upper shot ran in the community paper insert.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Graveyard
This is a grave marker for a veteran in a "Paupers Graveyard" in Flint. The site is maintained by a retired marine. The Flint Township News' Bernie Hillman is doing the story. All of these shots were taken with a Nikon D2H, with a manual 50mm 1.4 lens. When I got to the assignment, I discovered that my camera wouldn't function with the digital lenses, meaning the single-use manual lens from the 60's had to be used. No autofocus, no zoom, and worst of all, no wide angle.
I tripped over poor Bernie trying to get the right angle with this lens.
My problems with the shot is that there are no people. Lewis is right- no people means very little interest.
Having a narrow view lens limits my options, which hurts more in the lower shots.
This particular shot had to be photoshopped for brightness and dust-cleaned.
This shot is of the marine who maintains the old graves. There were Spanish American and civil war graves there. In his left hand is a print out of the map showing where the graves are divided up by age, war, and most significantly, race. This is me compensating for not having a wide angle lens. I thought getting the man gesticulating might be interesting. I don't think it worked.
The shot to the right is self explanatory- he was clearing off the marker of a black man, a veteran who died in a vet hospital. This doesn't work because I should gave been on the other side of him. I would have gotten a ground up shot- but the lens would force me to keep quite a distance.This is what I would prefer the blog to be about- throwing up my photojournalism and talking about what worked what didn't.
What didn't work were my digital lenses, and my fingers after shooting with no gloves on in the winter.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Welcome
In the newspaper business, a "Standalone" is a photo usually placed in the center of the page, above the fold, to attract attention. It doesn't have anything to do with any story, it's just there to be "art," and look nice. A Cutline is underneith telling the viewser what's going on.
As it turns out, it's way more fun to take a picture, and gathering cutline information, then to write a story on deadline. To find a bunch of sources, and verify the language, make sure you're in AP style, and make every word count. I can still do this, and I will, but I'd rather have three photo assignments than one writing assignment.
I've learned this while interning at the community news at the Flint Journal. I love being the one with the camera. I like the name badge, I think it fulfills my urge to be in the FBI. I like working with equipment, and having a relationship with it.
So this blog is about photography, more specifically photojournalism, and even more specifically, standalone photos and the info underneath. It's dry, but it's what I do, folks.
I plan to include a photo, write a cutline (caption), and then critique my own work, and give a little back story. Exciting? No? Well I don't have to entertain you people!
I spend most of my time talking about either my band or my photography. Maybe this will ease the listening burden on friends and family. Probably not.
As it turns out, it's way more fun to take a picture, and gathering cutline information, then to write a story on deadline. To find a bunch of sources, and verify the language, make sure you're in AP style, and make every word count. I can still do this, and I will, but I'd rather have three photo assignments than one writing assignment.
I've learned this while interning at the community news at the Flint Journal. I love being the one with the camera. I like the name badge, I think it fulfills my urge to be in the FBI. I like working with equipment, and having a relationship with it.
So this blog is about photography, more specifically photojournalism, and even more specifically, standalone photos and the info underneath. It's dry, but it's what I do, folks.
I plan to include a photo, write a cutline (caption), and then critique my own work, and give a little back story. Exciting? No? Well I don't have to entertain you people!
I spend most of my time talking about either my band or my photography. Maybe this will ease the listening burden on friends and family. Probably not.
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