Social Issue Project Proposal

• Body Image, Smoking
• I personally connect to smoking because both my sister and my dad smoke. The way I connect to body image is that people, like my friends, are always comparing me to them or making comments about how I have a good body image which sometimes makes me feel awkward. 
• People should be concerned about body image because it is most of the time the reason people are diagnosed with Anorexia. People tell themselves that their not good enough or they don't like the way their body looks which leads them to starving themselves. It also doesn't help that society gives people the idea that they have to have the "perfect" body in order to fit in. People should be concerned about smoking because it's a major health issue. Smoking can effect not only the person that chooses to smoke but it can effect the people close to them. For example some people smoke when their kids are around them. It also causes the person to have a higher risk of a shorter life. 
• I can motivate people by getting their attention and getting them to see how both having the "perfect" body image and smoking can effect a person. A lot of other people do ads on these social issues and show awareness and concerns about the effects they have on people.  

Social Issue Advertising Campaign

Society makes it hard for people to be comfortable in their own skin. There are
constantly ads that say "how to get the 'perfect' body" or "want to look like this...just take this." I like how
this photo is telling the viewers that you don't have to succumb to the pressure of having that perfect body.

I like how this photograph represents what happens to a persons lungs
if they smoke. It really shows people how much damage is done
to their lungs when they inhale the nicotine from the cigarettes. 

People get judged by the way they look or by the way they act. Some people
can't be themselves because they think they can't. When people listen to
music they can be themselves cause no one will judge them. 

Social Issue Ideas:

• Drinking and Driving
• Diversity
• Drug Abuse
• Anti-Abortion
• Tattoos Stigma
• Family Diversity(mixed families/culture/ethnicity)
• Smoking/effects on children 
• Gun Rights
• Cliques 
• Stereotypes 
• Police Brutality 
• Bullying/ Cyber 
• Environmental concerns 
• Cancer Awareness 
• Discrimination 
• Gender Bias 
• Animal Abuse/Rights
• Child soldiers
• Teen Pregnancy 
• Slave Workers
• Get outside
• Technology dependence 
• Hunger/poverty 
• Technology Dangers
• Obesity
• Health/eating
• Eating disorders 
• Texting and Driving
• Religion
• Food Industries
• Child Abuse
• Domestic Violence 
• Divorce/child support
• Stress
• Depression 
• Suicide
• Terrorism 
• School Shootings/violence
• Video Games
• Immigration 

Photojournalism

Family Fun and Thanksgiving Dinner

By: Courtney Williams

Made all by my aunt Millisa on November 27th, 2014,
Thanksgiving Dinner was delicious. 

            It was a cold November day—snow about three inches high lay on the ground—when my mom, Nelson, and I were on our way to my aunt Millisa’s house.

            The second well-known holiday, Thanksgiving, was the day I got to spend more time with my family than what I normally get to. Before going over I had to make some of my delicious brownies that my mom and Nelson love. My mom, step-dad (Nelson), and I then left our house to start heading to my aunt’s. We had arrived at my aunt’s house around 2 o’clock. When we walked in we said our hellos and could immediately smell all the delicious food that my aunt Millisa had cooked. While we waited for the rest of the food to be cooked my cousins and I sat in the living room and were catching up with each other.

            The food was finally finished around 2:30-3:00 and we all helped ourselves to the delicious food. While we ate we talked about different things and stuffed ourselves until we could no longer eat. After letting the food digest we then helped ourselves to some dessert which was lemon squares and brownies. I then asked my cousin Nykia, 20 years old, what her favorite food and dessert to have at Thanksgiving was. She told me, “Mac and Cheese, the vegetables and cherry pie with whipped cream on the top,” because she’s a vegetarian and doesn’t eat meat.

            After all the delicious food made by my aunt Millisa and catching up with my family my 

mom, Nelson, and I said our good-byes and headed home.

Food set out waiting for everyone to eat it. There was stuffing, yams, corn,
green beans, turkey, mashed potatoes, etc. 

Nykia Thomas (20 years old), a vegetarian, was peeling garlic
for her meatless meal.

Cutting the lemon squares for the end of a great meal. 

After Thanksgiving Dinner, my family sat down to
enjoy watching some TV together. 

At my aunt Millisa's house we ate dinner and then sat down to enjoy some TV. While
watching TV one of their dogs, Joy, came over to me waiting to be pet. 

Thanksgiving Dinner

Robin Bowman- It's Complicated: The American Teenager

The American Teenager Project was founded by Robin Bowman and Julia Hollinger. However, Robin is the main founder of the project. Robin has been doing photojournalism for 28 years documenting the poignant international social and political issues of our time. She ended up doing an independent study  of photography, including a year at Maine Photographic Workshops. Before doing the study, she went to Wheaton College and received a degree in anthropology. With the help of Magnum Photos she became a professional. Robin's photos have appeared in The New Yorker, Life, Time, Newsweek, People and German Stern. The book she wrote, It's Complicated: The American Teenager, won the Best Photography Book of the 2008 Independent Book Publishers Awards and she was named as one of the top ten books for young people by the YALSA. Robin lives with her dog in Brooklyn, NY. The American Teenager Project aims to combat social division among young people, cultivate empathy towards struggles of adolescence, and teach us to value the young adults in our communities. Some of her work includes Patrick Roberts, Hasnija Abdul Mouman, Jason Kramer, Courtney Paslick, and Roxy Trevino. Robin's work is considered photojournalism because she interviews teenagers to get their view on the world or just simply what is surrounding them at the moment of the interview. I like how she interprets photojournalism. I think it's a good idea to interview teenagers and listen to their thoughts on the world. It gives people different perspectives and not many people think to ask teenagers for their opinions. The things she writes about and takes photos of can relate to me because I am a teenager.

Photojournalism Shooting Assignment

To be honest, I didn't really enjoy this project. I had trouble with coming up with something to shoot pictures of. I ended up doing Thanksgiving Dinner, however, I didn't really enjoy taking pictures for this project. It could just be me, but I don't really enjoy photojournalism.    

Processing the News: Retouching in Photojournalism

• Photojournalism in digital age brings questions of objectivity, truth, ethics, and deception into sharp relief. 
• Photographers, photo editors, and other defenders of the faith made it their mission to upload a rigid set of journalistic standards regarding image processing and manipulation. 
• David Campbell, secretary for World Press Photo Contest pointed out that ever digital photo that's been made has been processed, even if the creator never glanced at the cloning tool. 
• News and documentary organizations built some consensus about what isn't acceptable. Material alteration to the image by including or excluding a certain item.
• Cross-processing film and light leaks are all okay, but playing with saturation in Photoshop isn't. 
• It's very difficult and painful time to be a photojournalist because we don't really know what's a fiction photo or nonfiction photo. 
• Every digital photo leaves a trail when it passes through a camera or is processed by a piece of software. 

Something interesting that I learned from reading the article was that Photoshop has ruined how readers see the photojournalists work. However, by geotagging where the image was taken and who was involved in making it will allow readers to see how the work was produced and they will have more confidence in the work. Something that I can take from this article that can help me with my project would be to not edit and manipulate my photos a bunch in Photoshop.

Student Yearbook Guide

Student Yearbook Guide

Reporting

1.     Good Reporters

a.     Look and listen for their readers

b.     Everyone at an activity or event is a potential source

c.     Some sources offer better insights than others

d.     Information gathering starts with the five W’s and H

2.     Research

a.     Helps reporters understand their stories

b.     Previously published material is a place to start researching a story

c.     Primary sources provide background material and material that may become part of a story

3.     Interviews

a.     The better the questions, the better the answers

b.     Active listening produces the best results

c.     Good notes contain direct quotes and facts

Writing          

1.     Notes

a.     A writer uses questions to help focus the story

b.     If the notes seem incomplete, there is more reporting to do

c.     Organizing notes helps with decisions about content

2.     Stories

a.     Best feature stories put information in a human context

                                               i.     Lead – Opening sentence or paragraph introduces the story, sets the tone, angle, and piques reader interest.

                                             ii.     Quotes – Word-for-word statements from sources show a reaction to event/activity. Quotes with individual’s name adds voice and human interest to a story.

                                            iii.     Transitions – Inform readers and help them understand what sources are talking about. Prepares the reader for the next quote.

                                            iv.     Conclusion – Final sentence or paragraph ties end of a story back to the lead; gives story sense of completeness. Story should end with a strong point or quote, not with editorial comment from writer.

b.     Quick reads offer an alternative to features.

3.     Good Writing

a.     Good copy depends on an angle and substance

b.     Good copy seems tightly written and lively

c.     Good copy uses narrative elements

d.     Good copy seems fresh and original

Read the article by Mallory Summers & see all the components working together

Writing effective headlines requires creativity, effort, and attention to details

What can you take from this page to help in writing creative headlines? Make sure to have a good lead to really spark peoples interest. Also to incorporate statements made by the person being interviewed.

Describe the 3-step process to writing dynamic headlines

1.     A solid understanding of content results in better headlines

2.     Word play and brainstorming are useful strategies

3.     Guidelines lead to quality and consistency

Captions                        

1.     Content

a.     Captions should do more than state the obvious

b.     Captions answer readers’ questions about a photo

c.     Caption writing requires reporting

d.     Direct quotes from individuals in the photo add depth

2.     Describe the 3-step process to writing captions

a.     Gather information to explain the photograph. Try to attend activity or event. Interview subjects in photo as well as other participants. When interviewing people in photographs take care to answer: 

• Who? Identify the key people in the photo with correctly spelled first and last names. 
• What? Accurately describe the action in the photo. Don’t guess. Interview people in photos to get facts. 
• When? Be specific; mention the time element when important—sometimes this isn’t critical information. 
• Where? Be descriptive; capture sights and sounds. 
• Why? The reason for the action in the photo. 
• How? Details that explain the action in the photo. 
• Describe best memory at the event: By asking, it allows people in the photo to share insights in their own words. Tell something we can’t see from the photo: The people in the photo always know interesting things that aren’t obvious by looking at the photo.

b.     Create a verbal/visual connection by brainstorming a list of attention-getting impact word that come to mind when looking at the photograph. Strive for image-evoking nouns and strong, action verbs. Look for word and phases used by person in photo during interview. Select best option for the caption lead-in.

c.     After interviewing and brainstorming dynamic words, it’s time to write the caption. With the lead-in written in step two, it’s time to write the caption. For a Summary Caption, write a detailed sentence, in present tense, describing the action in photo and reporting most important five W’s and H to answer all essential questions. For Expanded Caption, write a second sentence providing details not obvious in the photo, emphasizing the “how” and “why” and often featuring a direct quote.

Photography

We will be discussing this section in class