Caption writing for photojournalists using AP Style

   Captions are an important part of photojournalism. It’s right there in the word, photoJOURNALISM. A caption is the text accompanying a photo that describes the who, what, when, where, why, and sometimes how about that photo.
   There is also a very specific way to write captions. The AP Stylebook is a tool, used like a dictionary, to look up how to write everything in that specific way. The purpose is to provide a consistent way for photojournalists to give information to those viewing our images.
   It is important that captions are clear, concise, and accurate. There isn’t room to write more information than necessary. Writing AP Style not only helps provide an industry standard, but also helps us give viewers the necessary information to interpret our images.

Knowing the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Flyer that my Intro to Photojournalism class posted on campus

last week at Owens to celebrate our freedoms.

   Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

   I am pretty sure I have never read the First Amendment in its entirety before taking this Intro to Photojournalism class.

   I was shocked to learn what is and is not included and protected in the First Amendment. I erroneously believed the right to bare arms was a First Amendment right, as did others in my class.
   The 5 rights protected by the First Amendment are separation of church and state, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, right to assemble, and the right to petition.
   The most important of these to a photojournalist is the freedom of the press. It allows for all aspects of all newsworthy situations to be reported. Thus giving people all the information they need to make informed decisions on their own. Knowledge is power, and knowing my rights has made me a better citizen and hopefully a better photojournalist.

Learning about the history of photojournalism

   I found the history of news photography, or “photojournalism” as it came to be called in 1928, very interesting. Image capture has changed a lot since 1877, when photographers used glass slides as film and replicated drawings of those negatives were engraved in zinc plates for the printing press.
   Also, I was surprised to learn that photojournalists’ images even played major roles in our history. For example, disturbing images of children working in terrible conditions helped institute child labor laws.
   Photojournalism was and still is a necessary part of news because it is easy for people to believe that a story is being exaggerated, but as I have always heard, “A picture is worth a thousand words.

My first blog post

   My name is Jennifer Hannum.  I am excited to start a new blog that will be used for my photojournalism class at Owens Community College.  Please join me in this new adventure as I continue to update my blog with whatever new and cool things we are covering in class.