Do you ever wonder how newspapers decide which photo to put on their front covers? Or which photo to run with a story?
Journalists will sometimes explain why they chose to use certain quotes and paraphrase others. For me, the same goes for photos – there is a thought process into what photos I choose to be published with a story I have written.
My job title at the Now-Leader is multimedia journalist, but my training is in photojournalism. One year of my two-year diploma was devoted entirely to photojournalism.
Do I always pick the right photo? No, but I can say I almost always put a lot of thought into what photo I select.
Here is a look into my thought process with photos from a brush fire along Highway 1 in 2022.
Oftentimes for breaking news stories, we get photos from freelance photojournalists.
If the photo has a person in it, the first thing I look for is the person showing some kind of emotion or reaction. If it is an event like a brushfire, I look for an action shot that helps tell the story.
For this story, I would likely choose:
I would select this photo because both the smoke and the firefighters help tell the story.
For more sensitive stories, I ask myself if this photo is appropriate to share. There may be a time and place for a “gut-punch” type of photo, but I believe there must be a specific reason to use one.
For example, a few months ago, there was a horrific fatal crash that took the life of a young man. The photos we were sent shook me. After a discussion with my editor, we decided to show sensitivity to our readers – and the young man’s family – by publishing a photo that was a bit further back from the accident scene, rather than one that showed a close-up of the car.
I have been on the opposite side of the lens when the media published a photo of a fatal accident I was in.
That image will live in my mind for the rest of my life. So I am especially sensitive to those types of photos. I know as journalists, we have a duty to inform the public, but it is also important to consider the cost that might have to those involved.
Again, it’s not a simple, cut-and-dried policy that says we never publish gut-punch photos, or that we always do. What’s key is that we discuss why we are using the photo we are. Sometimes I won’t use a photo but will describe what I have seen in a photo of an accident or crime scene.
In journalism school, we often talked about front-page photos and whether they would pass the “breakfast table test.” If a child saw our paper on their breakfast table, would the photo on its front page be appropriate?
This does not just apply to “hard news.” One thing I learned how to do in school is to take a good environmental portrait. This means that a person is standing in an environment that provides context about them – for example, a chef in a kitchen.
Everything in the frame must be there for a reason. My instructors would use the example of a garbage can. Unless a garbage can is supposed to be in your photo, get rid of it – make sure everything in the frame serves a purpose. Like in this photo of Frankie La Sasso in his gym in Cloverdale. Everything in this frame is there for a reason – even the cropping is intentional.
The No. 1 thing I hear when taking someone’s photo is a request to edit something out, like a zit or wrinkles. The thing is, as a photojournalist, I cannot. I can only do basic colour adjustments and cropping. Anything beyond that would be manipulating the photo and not a true representation.
For sports photos, I always try to select the shots that show the most action and also make the most sense. I also try to focus on their faces and stay away from photos of backs and butts.
As you can see, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to picking the right photo for a story or for the front page.
But I will do my best to ensure that every story with my byline attached to it has a photo chosen for a specific purpose.
anna.burns@surreynowleader.com
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Anna Burns is a staff writer with the Now-Leader.