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.
