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/

Welcome to our Blog

Class, we'll be using this blog throughout the semester to share thoughts on topics we raise in class.

As we get started, you should begin thinking about a topic for your home page essay, and photos that you might use to illustrate it.

headlines

sorry I forgot to post these yesterday! I had some notes written down at work but they were from yesterdays news so I did a quick search and found some from today.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/06/29/hpv.vaccine.ap/index.html here's a link for a story on CNN about a vaccine for cervical cancer for younger girls/women. The headline says "Panel recommends routine cervical cancer shots for 11-, 12-year olds"
Here's a story that's extremely interesting (a vaccine for cancer??) and could have been done better only becuase I"m not understanding hte focus on 11 and 12-year olds. I know it mentions that in the lead but to me, because it later says in the story that girls as young as 9 can be vaccinated, I don't understand where those target numbers are coming from. What's more, I don't like how 11-,12-year old looks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/29/washington/29cnd-scotus.html?hp&ex=1151640000&en=1aa0983620edfa9b&ei=5094&partner=homepage "Supreme Court Blocks Trials at Guantanamo"
I think this headline a lot becuase it's concise, easy to read and to the point. We know what happened, which is especially helpful with supreme court stories becuase law cases can get kind of convoluted and hard to follow. Also there was enough space to spell out Guantanamo (I also don't like the abbreviation 'Gitmo' in headlines-- it throws me and i have to think about what it means for a second)

Headline Writing

Summer class, welcome!

You'll help shape the direction of this online discussion, meant to encourage your interaction on timely topics of importance. Since as a class we're heading into a discussion of headline writing on the Internet, I'd like to direct your attention to this story on ZDNet. It summarizes the findings of a 2006 eyetracking study by Jakob Nielsen, which underscored the importance of strong, attention-getting headline writing.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=2776

I'd like you to weigh in now, posting links to one well-written and one less-adeptly written headline on a news Web site.

With each link, briefly tell the group where and when the headline was posted and why you believe the headline is strong or not-so-strong. Remember your comments are being published; please be diplomatic. They're due here by the start of class June 28.

Get to Know Roanoke.com

Class, please make sure you've spent time with Roanoke.com, (http://www.roanoke.com/wb/xp-index), the Web site for The Roanoke Times in southwest Virginia. Editor Mike Riley invited our class to participate in a video conference with editors in their newsroom. Seth Gitner is coordinating.

Roanoke editors are particularly interested in the class' thoughts on "TimesCast," a video webcast shown daily at 3:30 p.m. that features news, sports and entertainment info (see the "Webcast" link on the top left of the home page). But editors would also like general feedback on the site as well: How easy is it to navigate? How well does it use photos? Multimedia? Interactive elements? How well does it leverage content from the paper? How well does it leverage original content--from the Web staff and the community (including blogs/podcasts/citizen stories)? Please jot down some notes on what you see and be prepared to ask thoughtful questions of editors.

Our video conference will take place on May 10, at 3 p.m., during the class. Stay tuned!

Extra-credit opportunity: Podcasting

The Office of Information Technology on campus is setting up a podcasting event for Maryland Day, on Saturday, April 29. It's called "Podcasting your Memories: Capturing Maryland Oral History." The idea is to have visitors to campus create a podcast of their favorite Maryland memory. The podcast would become a part of the campus' historical oral archive. OIT is interested in recruiting journalism students to wander around Maryland Day and interview people, capturing the audio on an iPod. If interested, please contact Ellen Yu Borkowski, director, Academic Support, OIT. Her e-mail is eyb@umd.edu; her phone is 301.405.2922. Please cc me in on your note. If you complete this assignment, you would be given an automatic check-plus for an in-class assignment which would replace your lowest in-class grade.

headlines

Good-
Apple Taking Bars Off Windows- LA Times, Apr. 5
This is a story about Apple creating a program that allows Microsoft's Windows platform to run on it. I like the headline because of the imagery of taking bars off windows, like a jail window, that would allow people to be free. But of course they're using the play on words with the Windows operating system.

Bad-
Orphaned Kittens Find Mom in Pit Bull- ABC News, Apr. 5
This is a link to a video about some kittens who lost their mother, and a pit bull who is taking care of them. But honestly, do I even have to explain what's wrong with this headline? If the mom is actually IN the pit bull, how exactly did the oprhaned kittens find her? Not a pleasant thought.

The Economist

The British paper has its own funny style. This is a very typical headline from the April 8th issue:

Mergers and acquisitions; Once more unto the breach, dear clients, once more

Some are easier to understand:

Peru's election; Taking on big mining

Others leave one wondering:

Bankruptcy; Don't feed the zombies

More headlines

Good Headline: Exploding paperweight costs teacher his hand
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/04/04/paperweight.explosion.ap/index.html

The headline that was actually on the home page, but is no longer there, was what attracted me to the story: "Teacher, crushing bug with gun shell, blows up hand." It's very visual and clearly explains what happened.

Not so good headline: Criminal alien exception blocked
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060404-105601-5010r.htm


This headline didn't really give me a good idea what the story was about. Criminal, alien and exception all together was a lot to try to comprehend at once. "Exception to what?" was a question that sprang to mind. The concept of an exception being blocked was also difficult to comprehend. The use of the word "alien" is somewhat questionable too.

Good and Bad Headlines

Bad Headlines

1. "Bird Flu victims to be buried in plague pits" Life Style Extra (UK), April 2, 2006
First, it's unclear whether "victims" refers to birds or people with the disease. Secondly, it implies that the victims are already dead, whereas the article is actually talking about pits that would be used in case of a mass outbreak.

2. "Storms Bring Wind, Rain to Metro Area" The Oklahoman
I'm pretty sure the people reading the story already know that. It could've been more descriptive.

3. "Tornado saftey a priority in Oklahoma" The Oklahoma Daily, March 31, 2006
...but apparently spelling is not. Readers might let a little typo in an article slide, but it's ten times worse when there's one in a big headline.

Good Headlines

1. "Gaining a Dose of Humility, One Washed Foot at a Time," Washington Post, April 2, 2006
This headline was catchy, with a feature story-ish feel, although it was a news story. It was straight and to the point, and I think it's clear that the story it accompanies is about the religious practice of foot-washing.

2.. "'Basic' Sharon sinks like stone," New York Daily News, April 3, 2006
Although this paper isn't known for its great headlines...or great journalism for that matter, I still thought this was pretty catchy and a nice play on words.

3. "Why Buy Wi-Fi?" Washington Post Sunday Source, April 2, 2006
Again, I thought this was a simple, catchy, creative feature story headline. Even though it's short, it is still clear what the story is about.

Headlines

Bad: MIT professor hits back at $100 laptop critics
I understand what the article headline is saying: the professor is refutting what critics are saying about distributing laptops for $100 to children around the world. But when I read this headline, the first thing that comes to mind is someone physically hitting someone. I think that "hits" can be replaced by a much better word that does not have a fighting spirit-type meaning around it, like "refutes."

Good: Terps, Duke Ready for 1-2 Punch
I really liked this headline for its creativity on washingtonpost.com's homepage. Unfortunately, a different headline was used when I clicked on the story, so I didn't hyperlink to the story. But I like how it's a play on words, or numbers, really. Obviously, tonight the two teams are battling it out for the title. But it's cool that the headline incorporated their standings with Duke #1 seed and Maryland #2. All of that in a concise, short headline. So I think that this headline really captured the essence of the game: a battle between the top teams. If a reader doesn't really understand the headline, the lead immediately mentioned what each team's rankings were. Read the article here.

headlines are fun?

the good:

France hit by new mass protests

This is the headline that appears on the CNN.com World News Home page. I like it because it is short, and yet communicates that this is another wave of mass protesting. Some other short headlines I saw didn't mention that these protests have happened before, but this one implies it by using "new."


and the bad:


California levees break, threaten homes

I know what they mean, but it's written as if the levees broke, and then they threatened homes. The image conjured up in my mind was a levee breaking, it then shaking a giant, concrete fist in the air, warning homes it's going to beat them up.
Also, in reading the story, some homes were already flooded--notably, in a trailer park. I think the fact that some people have already been flooded out of their homes is more newsworthy than people who might be flooded out. My only guess as to why they didn't include that in the headline was some sort of class difference, translating into who is more important in society. But I'm also cynical. Or maybe they couldn't make a short headline with that info?

wonderful world of headlines

hey all,

i won't be in class on wednesday to defend my headlines, so be easy on me in the discussion!

GOOD > "Iraq Court Charges Hussein with Genocide of Kurds" nytimes.com from 4/4
this headline is exactly what i think a headline should be: short, simple and easily understood. broadcast majors learn the acronym "KISS," or keep it simple, stupid. i think it works well for headline writers, too.

GOOD >"DeLay Decides to End Career in Congress" nytimes.com from 4/4
there is no confusing what the article following this headline is about. it is simple and clear, just as the first headline is. if you reread it a few times the alliteration of the Ds and Cs begins to sound sort of silly, but then again, who really reads writing over and over again anyway for alliteration? haha.

BAD >"No More DeLay: Smarmy even in defeat and disgrace, the exterminator bows out of Congress" salon.com from 4/4
EEK!! This headline is attempting to say what the "DeLay Decides..." headline says, but adds an extra eight words. i wonder if this headline works because salon.com is a more magazine-y site. either way, i think nytimes.com handled it much better. (and i must confess, i had to look up the word "smarmy," which i found out means "ingratiating and wheedling in a way that is percieved as insincere or excessive." i'm hoping i'm not the only one who isnt' familiar with the word, but at the risk of looking stupid, i'm going to say i didn't like salon's word choice because i didn't know what they meant. smarmy...what the heck?!)

see you all next wednesday!

~lauren spates

ps...and as for you, matt ray, i love the charlie and the chocolate factory references...but i, personally, am a big fan of the golden goose egg scene. veruca certainly had it coming, that little brat.