Elizabeth's picture

Feature Story Picture:
http://www.nppa.org/competitions/best_of_still_photojournalism/2004/winners/still/MFS/1st_2772_mental

or

http://www.nppa.org/competitions/best_of_still_photojournalism/2004/winners/still/index.cfm?category=MFS&place=1st&image=3

Photographer: John Stanmeyer, VII for Time Magazine

The bright red and green colors first caught my eye for this image. I thought it looked like a photo for an upbeat story. However, when I looked more carefully, it showed a deep sadness.

The skewed angle of the shot suggests madness, imbalance. The little child curled in the corner further expresses the desolation of this place. Then there were the dark shadows of two other children. The image speaks to me of innocent children in a mean, dark abyss.

According to the caption, it is a mental hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Little boys live there, seemingly abandoned by the outside world. They don't even have shoes or beds.

REACTION TO PHOTO

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/First-PIC.jpg
This photograph grabbed by attention immediately when it appeared on the page. The boldness of the colors and details of the checker board are striking and give the photo a lot of character. The man's hand is a focal point of the picture and contrasts well with the colors of the checker board. The historical figures featured on the board, along with the age of the board and the hand of the man, give the picture character and a sense of history. This picture tells not only the history of the checker board and its player, but also the photographic advances since the time the board made.

Chelsea

Good Photo

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/DON-HM.jpg

I like this photo because the two women probably have never met before and yet the one is trying to comfort the other. I wish I knew what they were saying.

Shot from NPAA's best of photojournalism

My favorite picture from the NPAA's best of photojournalism 2003 was a still by the Dallas Morning News' Barbara Davidson that came in third place for international news. The photograph majestically captures the anguish of its subjects -- desparing prisoners of war in one of Afghanistan's most isloated and desolate camps. The dirty hands on iron prison bars and the expression on the man's face capture and communicate the misery of the men there.

Mother and her children

This picture http://chnm.gmu.edu/digitalhistory/digitizing/5.php from "Digital History, A Guide to Gathering, Preserving and Presenting the Past on the Web," by Daniel J. Cohen and Roy Rosenzweig is really touching. The picture is really clear and you can see the worry on the mother's face and understand that she is trying to be strong for her children. I like that it is in black and white because it really makes you focus on the emotion in the picture instead of other aspects of it.

photojournalism - cat vacuum

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/FEA-THIRD.jpg

The first thing that struck me about this picture was how funny and bizarre it was. I couldn't believe it was real. But after reading the caption and looking back, seeing how intent the kid was on doing his job, it's really very well done. There is an air of mystery at first glance - it's really hard to tell what's going on, but it makes you want to learn more about it.

Good Picture

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/PAPSECOND.jpg

This photo evokes emotion and made me cringe upon first glance. Everyone has been affected by cancer, so this picture can relate to all who view it. It captures the reality of cancer...the fight for those to rid it from their bodies...whatever the cost. As a woman, losing a breast, hair, or other feminine quality can be depressing. The expression on the woman's face in the photo shows despair and hurt. Quite the connection.

A Good Photo

http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0609/images/visapour/5633145-Custom.jpg
This photo has great composition. Your attention is drawn to the casket both through the use of the rule of thirds and because it's framed by the doors. The same is true for the passengers above. They are individually framed by the windows. This framing draws attention to their faces and, more importantly, to their emotions. The gravity of this event is obvious.

Photo Analysis- Israeli Soldier with White Dove

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/SECOND-MAF.jpg

I felt this photo was a great example of color usage and the rule of thirds. The majority of the picture is very dark, which works well with the content-- Israeli soldier and tanks. However, your eye gets drawn to the white dove in the bottom left of the photograph. What also makes this photo work well, is that nothing here is centered... leaving more to look at.

Good Picture

http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0609/images/contents.jpg

This picture clearly conveys a sense of place to me. The background indicates a desolate and impoverished land. This picture also envokes an immediate emotional response from the reader because of the anguish on the face of a child that is clearly malnourished. It is graphic and the child is the point of entry.

photo journalism

One of the pictures I found that struck me was this one ( http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0609/feature14.html ) from the digital journalist. I really like the bright colors and think they make an interesting contrast to the sadness and emotion the photo invokes. The perspective also makes the viewer wonder what the child is staring at. It's very effective.

Photo assignment

I like the picture at http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2005/03/images/BOP02_Web_Best_Picture_Sto.jpg

It is a very powerful image as the person in the photo is helplessly looking for aid as dead bodies lie behind him. The person is clearly in pain and anguish and is yearning for help seemingly from the photographer. It is also shot from an interesting angle.

Photo Assignment DGill

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/HM-HENDRICKS-PIC.jpg

This photo is a great way to illustrate the opening of hockey season without a bland photo of a team practicing or something in that vein. The contrast is high so it appears the action is happening without any context or setting and the spacing applies the rule of threes while still keeping the full circle in the image and eliminating extra open white space. Additionally, this photo has a cool factor because the painter appears to be freehanding a 20-foot circle without error.

D.G.

REACTION-PHOTO VIEWING ASSIGNMENT--Checkered History

http://www.poynterextra.org/NPPA2003PJ/pictures/First-PIC.jpg

This photograph grabbed by attention immediately when it appeared on the page. The boldness of the colors and details of the checker board are striking and give the photo a lot of character. The man's hand is a focal point of the picture and contrasts well with the colors of the checker board. The historical figures featured on the board, along with the age of the board and the hand of the man, give the picture character and a sense of history. This picture tells not only the history of the checker board and its player, but also the photographic advances since the time the board made.

Chelsea Bland

I thought all the photos were really interesting but i really liked the one of the young men with covered mouths (http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2005/03/images/BOP02_Web_Best_Picture_Sto.jpg) and the image of the young woman in the church (http://www.nppa.org/news_and_events/news/2005/03/images/BOP02_Web_Best_Picture_Sto.jpg). I think I was drawn into both because they were very simple, almost still, but were really loud images.

I think the first picture was great because it created a simple silhouette. The men lined in that way showed unity, that they were all going through the same thing, but because the figure wasn't shadowed, it also highlighted their individualism. Also, the small crucifix in the background on a very bright blue sky was captivating to they eye. It offered good symbolism.

I liked the second one because of its used of color. The shadows of men in the church window showed urgency or a crowdedness in the church. I felt like something important was happening there, like a meeting.

Photo assignment

http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0608/feature05.html

One of the reasons I like this photo is that it applies the rule of thirds very well and is visually appealing for that reason. More importantly, since it has a journalistic intent, it tells its story well. The man in the foreground and the car in the distant both help the viewer get a sense of scale. This helps us tell how large the blanket of smoke is.

Internship/Job opportunity

J-Lab Executive Director Jan Schaffer is looking for help this fall at her lab, located just off campus and Route 1 in College Park. She and her staff are doing interesting work with citizen journalism. For more info, see Chris, or check out the signs she's posted around the building...

Here's a link to the J-Lab site:
http://www.j-lab.org/