Fall 2020 - Photojournalism Final Portfolio
It’s amazing how much can happen in only a matter of months. I never would have guessed that over the course of four months, in the middle of a global pandemic, I would have taken the most pictures I have in my life, but that’s exactly what happened.
Between August and December 2020, Professor Tom Franklin assigned his Photojournalism students, myself included, a number of assignments, varying from intimate profiles to social impact events. During this time, I honed in on my photography skills and was able to build upon those immensely, photographing things that previously wouldn’t have even crossed my mind to capture.
For many, the pandemic has been a time of stagnation and limitation, but through this Journalism course, it has been a time of great learning and growth for me. The following photos are a look into some of the assignments and my personal take on them. One might refer to this as a portfolio of sorts. (Semester reflection at the bottom).
FRIS-GIVING 2020: Everybody has a Thanksgiving tradition, and for a group of Cherry Hill High School West alumni, that tradition is a game of ultimate frisbee. This year, organizer Jason Howe was unsure of the logistics of the event with New Jersey’s covid cases on the rise again, but he managed to coordinate a safe and exciting fourth annual Fris-Giving.
REFLECTION:
Photojournalism is the practice of reporting and telling stories through the use of photographs. It has historically been one of the most personal, raw forms of journalism. That is just as true, if not more so, in the world we live in today. The modern journalist has proven to be the voice of the people, especially during the events that have transpired during 2020. Due to COVID-19, many people weren’t leaving their houses, but some were taking to the streets to fight for equal rights during the Black Lives Matter protests. For those not leaving their houses, they might not have understood what was actually going on during those protests if it weren’t for the countless numbers of pictures and photojournalists emerging from those events. The role of traditional photojournalists compared to that of photojournalists today is not very different. The necessity to show people what they couldn’t normally see remains the same.
The main thing I both found the most enjoyment out of and was challenged the most by in this class was the consistency. This class felt the most to me like a real class in a very surreal semester because it required consistent attendance, consistent effort, and consistent communication. The wide array of assignments looked daunting at the beginning of the semester, but they all helped me immensely in improving my photojournalistic skills. I enjoyed all of the assignments we had this semester, but the ones I learned the most from were the live event and the sports assignments. During those, I learned that I have to always be prepared and to anticipate everything. Most of the time it is important that the camera is in front of the action, not behind it. There are always exceptions, but in general, that was the big takeaway. Though the assignments I mentioned were the most impactful, I learned something from all of them and came out of this semester taking better pictures than I ever have. I really did not dislike anything from the class, though I wish the circumstances in the world could have been more normal during our time as students in this class.
One photo that was extremely noteworthy to me came late in the semester when we were assigned to watch a photojournalism documentary. I chose to watch Hondros, and the picture of the young soldier jumping for joy after hitting his target really stuck with me, more than other images I’d seen before. It was so raw and full of emotion, but if Chris Hondros, the photographer, had been a second too late or had been hesitant to be where he was, the picture would never have existed. I think that last part is why it’s important to me, because I think of how few pictures would have come out of certain conflicts if photojournalists hadn’t been there to capture them. If they weren’t taking pictures and nobody could see what was actually going on, I don’t think real change would happen and I don’t think people would know or understand the truth in many situations. That picture really reminded me how fleeting everything is and how dismissive people are if they don’t physically see things that are going on. Somebody needs to be responsible for revealing the truth and in many instances it is up to photojournalists. Another example of this idea is Hondros’ picture of the Iraqi girl who lost her family at a US checkpoint. It’s a horrifying picture, but it revealed truths that otherwise would have been brushed under the rug.
Though I’m a TV Production student (with a Journalism minor) photography and photojournalism play a big role in my storytelling. I think what I learned in photojournalism is really how to tell a story in a very limited number of visual stills. If i can tell an effective story that way, I can apply what I do in those instances to longer form things I do with television production. It also gives me a better understanding of composition and making things look visually appealing. I’ll use many of the lessons learned in this course, both having to do with making pictures and with how I carry myself as a professional, throughout my career. One of the most obvious but most valuable pieces of information I gained over the last four months is the necessity to protect my own work. By taking preventative measures (captioning properly, watermarking, etc.) with my photos, and other work for that matter, I protect my work from being stolen and used without my permission or knowledge. There are countless other things I’m taking away from this course regarding photography, but the biggest takeaways are things I can apply to all aspects of my life.
Overall, I’ve learned a lot from this course and appreciate the time and lessons immensely. I’m coming out of this with a portfolio I’m extremely proud of and more real world experiences than I could have imagined gaining during a pandemic. Out of all the courses I took over the span of this semester, I’m confident in saying that Photojournalism has taught me the most. Not only did we consistently meet in person, but it was treated almost as if it were a typical semester in terms of real world assignments and workload. Though it was challenging at times, I always knew I’d come out of an assignment having more knowledge than I had coming into it. The feedback given was also always thoughtful and I’ve taken much of it to heart and am applying it in my picture-taking today. This class is one I’m glad I took and one I’ll remember long after my time at Montclair State has come to an end.
