By a stroke of dumb luck, I stumbled upon a February gallery from Region 8 featuring James Harden of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Being the avid sporting fan I am, it was a no-brainer to pick the first place winner by Smiley N. Pool of the Houston Chronicle. The 11-picture color gallery features the emerging young superstar over the course of NBA All-Star Weekend 2013, held in Houston. Harden is depicted signing autographs, handling media inquiries, posing for pictures, performing community service and preparing for the primetime event.

With the exception of a very verbose first caption (90 words!!), the rest of the captions are concise one-liners that do a diligent job of providing context. The first caption provides the necessary background on Harden for those unfamiliar with the bearded maestro: traded from Oklahoma City to Houston before the season, Harden went from being the 2011 winner of the Sixth Man Award (given to the best non-starter in the NBA) on a title contender to a first time All-Star and the face of a franchise on the rise. After that however, the captions are short and informative. Once the reader has been introduced to Harden, there’s no need to remind them of his prior experiences.

I absolutely love what Pool did with the first photograph, framing the distinct silhouette of Harden against a magnificent blue sky as he approaches the arch of the Houston Food Bank for the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service project. In my opinion, the photo is flawlessly composed, featuring the sun and Harden framed between the edge of the picture and the shadowy arch. Though you could replace Harden with any individual and the angled-up picture would still be captivating, Harden’s bushy beard makes him the perfect shadowy foil for the shining sun.

Picture 3 gives the audience an idea of just how big of a star Harden has become. As he faces what can only be described as a mob at the media portion of All-Star weekend, it’s evident James Harden has become a star of the event. The bird-eye view shot of Harden addressing the crowd is a direct contrast of the first shot I referenced, shooting down on Harden, as opposed to up. I’m a big fan of pictures that give the reader an idea of the scope, magnitude or size of a situation, and this one does that in spades.

In an entirely different composition, the last photo of the gallery features the number one tenant mentioned by Kobre in regards to photo selection: intimacy. As Harden takes a break from packaging food for those in need to hug his mother, Pool’s picture is both graphically and emotionally appealing during an intimate moment between mother and son. His mother’s expression says it all. More than anything, I felt an immense sense of pride radiating from his mother, and despite the fact that they’re surrounded by people, to me, it felt like they were all by themselves. And in my opinion, that above all defines intimacy.

When a photographer goes off on assignment, they often take hundreds of pictures. Of those, perhaps two to three make it to final publication. That decision making process, plus the inexact science of reader preference is covered in the seventh chapter of Kenneth Kobre’s book Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach.

1. Right off the bat, I found it very interesting that on average, a person spends less than three-quarters of a second looking at a photograph. While accompanying text and reporting can help tell the story, the goal of every photograph editor is to select the photo that best conveys the story being told in the shortest amount of time. Imaginative assignments and talented photographers go a long way toward helping to select the perfect picture, but it’s no exact science. (pp. 125-128)
2. There are various strategies for photo selection, and the book mentions Washington Post photo editor Joe Elbert’s values amongst the strategies. The utmost value is placed on intimate photos, followed by emotional, graphically appealing, and lastly, informational. Elbert views informational as the “lowest common denominator”, with photographs ultimately striving for intimate pictures that allow readers to feel close to the situation. (pp. 130-132)
3. There are no definitive answers on readers’ preferences. Though most readers might not necessarily like photos containing dead bodies, those are likely to be amongst the most evocative pictures. Various studies mentioned suggest that an editor sorting photos based upon their readers is little more than guesswork. More often than not, an editor’s assumption that graphic and violent pictures should be used goes against the mindset of most readers, who would prefer to avoid those types of photographs. Based on the research, the book suggests a middle-ground needs to be struck between photos depicting carefree fluff and those containing violence. (pp. 134-136)
4. Though not always necessary, cropping is a useful tool that can take a cluttered photograph and make it an easy-to-understand picture, but it comes at the cost of reduced quality. Most editors will chose a superior composition that reduces sharpness and pixelation, but will rarely, if ever, magnify a cropped portion to such a degree that the picture becomes noticeably blurry. It’s important to remember that while cropping, much the same way as in audio editing, a photo editor can trim effectively without altering the mood or message of the picture. In short, cut out the nonessentials and leave the importance of the picture wholly intact. (pp. 138-141)
5. Not every picture needs a caption, but providing context to an otherwise unclear situation is a must on most occasions. Captions can influence the meaning of a picture and change a readers interpretation of the subject, so emotional objectivity is almost always required (the exception being in the event of disasters or terrorist attacks). A clear and concise caption can help the reader determine their level of interest in the article, and whether they’ll continue to read. In most cases, a caption should be two short sentences, the first describing the picture, the second providing background. (pp. 147-153)

A father-son tradition continues.

For as long as I’ve been coherent enough to recognize it, my father has loved photography. Though I certainly didn’t appreciate his excessive camera snapping on family vacations when I was younger, I realized what a treasure it was to keep memories that could last a lifetime. My dad’s love of photography stemmed from his father, who made a career out of commercial and retail pictures. I’ve grown to love my dad’s photos, and his Nikons, one of which he passed on to me at the beginning of the Fall semester.

I’d taken the Nikon D90 only once before, when I traveled to Israel on Birthright during the summer of 2011. I couldn’t have expected the sheer beauty I would experience with my camera at my side, and spent the trip incredibly protective of my dad’s valuable possession. It came home in one piece, and went back to dad for safe keeping. When my dad purchased a newer model, he felt comfortable giving it to me for good, and I’ve brought it with me back to Gainesville to capture the essence of the University of Florida.

I’m still getting used to having a camera full-time, and while I haven’t used it in the first month of school as much as I would have liked, I feel more comfortable with it every time out. Though Orlando Sentinel photographer Gary Green provided insight on how to use our manual settings during the summer, I’m still fairly green (pun intended) when it comes to the non-automatic settings. While I do understand the basic concepts of iso, aperture and shutter speed, I’m not exactly sure when and how it’s most appropriate to use them, and which settings help the most in well-lit or low-light situations.

With each snapshot of fleeting beauty, I grow more attached to my camera. Though I have never truly embraced photojournalism the way I love print and broadcast journalism, it’s an essential part of the storytelling process. As I pursue a degree in Multimedia Journalism I’m more and more aware of the necessity of pictures accompanying print, and am looking forward to the ever-evolving relationship between me and my D90. Though my grandfather had already passed away before I was born, I’m sure he’ll beam down on me as he watches my progress as a photographer. It truly is the continuation of a family tradition, albeit a little later than my father would have liked.

It wasn’t hard finding my choice from the Magnum Photos Blog. The preview photo from the Koh Phangan Full Moon Party stood out from the pack as a bright and cheery technicolor beauty amidst a crowd of relatively drab colors and images. Located at Haad Rin Beach on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand, the Full Moon Party takes place under the light of a full moon and draws a crowd of roughly 20,000–30,000 each and every time.

I couldn’t help but notice I was scrolling through the pictures with an ear-to-ear grin, and in a way, I felt like I was there as I witnessed a wide range of emotions… joy, wonder, love, amazement, all in the span of 21 vibrant photos. It’s subjects are portrayed displaying all those emotions, wide-eyed Westerners experiencing a nirvana of body of soul. If only for one night, they are carefree, reveling in the spirit of the moment. From passed-out partygoers sprawled along the beach to one-night lovers wrapped in what seems like an eternal embrace, the photos capture the essence of joy.

The first picture that really made me double-take was a bold, painted face partier limboing under a wooden stick set ablaze (3 of 21). As much as I myself would love to have attended this Full Moon Party, I can’t envision myself being as brave as this particular man was. Though his face is painted, I can see the fear and determination in his expression as his eyes linger on the flame dancing inches from his face. Shock and awe radiate from his impressed peers, and I couldn’t help but join them in their wonderment. It takes a certain kind of individual to willingly bring his face to the fire, and even as a still, I felt a strong sense of admiration.

In a sharp juxtaposition from the first, my next choice featured two lovers lying on the beach looking into each others eyes (5 of 21). Unaware (or perhaps, very aware) of the chaos stirring about them, they are framed perfectly between two blurs of passing partygoers. I was overcome with a sense of pure, unabashed enthusiasm and joy for the couple. Whether they came together or met during the night, they were together now, gazing into each others eyes, still in a world surrounded by movement.

Though it was a tough choice for my third picture, I settled on one that gave an idea of the scope of the party (15 of 21). As the early-morning sun brought a light unseen to the beach for many hours, I was so amazed to see so many individuals still celebrating along the length of the beach. I actually shook my head, incredulous to the fact that these same individuals who celebrated the night away had already rose (or in some cases, stayed awake) to take on the morning. This photo, though in smaller resolution, fascinated me, if only because it gave me the tiniest hint to the size and duration of the evening’s events.

The first chapter of Kenneth Kobré’s book Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach covers the variety of unique ways a photojournalist can discover and pick up an assignment, as well as some other minute, important details.

1. Scanner radio signals and all-news broadcasts can often be a photographer’s best friend. By keeping one’s eyes and ears open, photojournalists can pick up on natural disasters and accidents such as fires or multi-car pileups and arrive at the scene before most others. (pgs. 4-6)
   
2. What’s best for a reporter isn’t always what’s best for a photojournalist. Though interviews with busy individuals often work best when they’re alone in their office, a portrait of the individual is the least captivating type of image. A good photo almost always captures the subject while they’re in action. (pgs. 7, 10)
3. Variety is the spice of life, and that goes for good pictures as well! Anyone can point and shoot at something, but that doesn’t necessarily make them a photographer. High and low angles give different perspectives, while close-ups, medium and wide shots all serve their own purposes to tell a story. (pgs.  14-18)
4. Candid shots can often provide some of the best photos, but they aren’t so easy to catch. Having the camera’s functions on the proper settings before beginning to shoot can go a long way. Blending in to the surroundings is a great way to capture candids, but other methods include making introductions, waiting from afar, or even a quick “click-and-run.” (pgs. 21-24)

Chapter 15 discusses ethics, primarily as it comes to photographs that showcase grief and death. The chapter includes notes on how to decide what-to-run and what-not-to-run, as well as which photos are morally and ethically responsible to display.

1. One of the most basic ethics photography questions concerns placement or removal of an object from the scene before snapping a photo. The standards regarding setting up or re-creating scenes have changed over time. What was once perfectly acceptable is now frowned upon and grounds for being fired. (pgs. 356-361)
   
2. A divisive issue amongst photojournalists is the use of pictures which center on tragedy and grief. While some might argue the newsworthiness of a tragic photo by the Utilitarian principle of the greatest good for the greatest number of people, photojournalists risk offending those close to the victim who are already overcome with grief. (pgs. 365-367)
3. Photographs that contain frightening images need to be weighed on impact before going to air. Oftentimes, media will hesitate to air a disturbing photograph unless it will have a valuable and powerful effect. (pgs. 372-373)
4. Among the largest problems in photography is digital editing to dim, darken or completely remove something from the frame. Though altering or manipulating pictures might produce the perfect photograph, and wouldn’t necessarily harm anyone in the making, it’s an unethical shortcut that has seen multiple respected photojournalists lose their jobs over the years. (pgs. 382-388)

Chapter 13 of Jonathan Kern’s Sound Reporting covers ethics in audio production, primarily as it concerns editing and shortening interviews. The overarching theme of the chapter? Though trimming is often a necessary tool when it comes to getting content on the air, it’s important not to contort the meaning of the original actuality.

1. The chapter notes that in the event an interview will have to be dramatically trimmed down, it’s best to consult the interview subject beforehand and inform him or her that most of what they will say will be edited out before air. In doing so, the interviewee will be better prepared for the final outcome, and won’t feel they were being misled or wasting time in the original interview. (pg. 234)
2. Though cutting or shortening questions and answers is an acceptable practice (indeed, the book references most Morning Edition and All Things Considered interviews that often need to be cut from twenty to thirty minutes all the way down to seven minutes or less), it’s important that an interviewee’s answers aren’t edited in a way that changes the meaning or tone of the original answer. (pgs. 234-239) NPR’s Morning Edition interview with TV critic Eric Deggans is a perfect example of the trimming audio point. There’s no chance his interview was all of three minutes long (and you can certainly hear times where his use of ‘So’ sounds slightly unnatural, something I’ve picked up from a few of audio editing), yet that is how long it was on-air. In the broadcast business, timing is everything, and trimming interviews into quick, informative Q&A’s is an absolute must.
3. One thing I found extremely interesting was the memo on rising inflections. While ending an actuality on a rising inflection can make the bite sound unnatural, I wasn’t aware producers might rearrange sentence order to avoid it. While it’s not exactly an unethical procedure, the editor needs to remain cognizant of the fact that a rearrangement might change the mood or meaning of the actuality. If it does, it’s often better to leave the answer as is, with the rising inflection at the end. (pgs. 239-240)
4. Indirectly, the entirety of the chapter suggests the onus is on the producer to report audio ethically. It’s so easy to can or simulate sound and insert it as ambience to create scenes in audio reports, but that’s obviously not ethical. Whether to add to the depth of a feature or the impact of a hard news story, creating audio to add to the report is something that should be avoided at all costs. (pgs. 242-244)
5. Similarly, the use of music in audio editing is a tricky proposition. While using music in a long-form feature enhances the listening experience, it shouldn’t be used improperly in a news story. If music is present in the background during an interview, it’s use as ambient sound would be encouraged. However, if it’s recorded later and inserted like it was present during the interview, that would be unethical. (pgs. 246)

Though not a traditional news outlet by any means, BusinessWeek, which covers everything from economics to corporation trends, has a stringent set of guidelines they task their journalists with following. BusinessWeek’s Code of Journalistic Ethics looks similar to the majority of those ‘traditional’ outlets I referenced previously — and was much easier to find, too. Their code refers to the ‘unique brand of journalism’ they cover, and while all the typical tenants of a code of ethics are present: integrity, honesty, accuracy, and fairness among them, it contains a heavy slant of business journalism ethics.

1. As it is in all news outlets, BusinessWeek finds it important to differentiate between advertising and editorials. However, this is all that much more important for a publication of BusinessWeek’s ilk. As they cover a far greater number of corporation trends and going-ons then most outlets, it’s tantamount for BusinessWeek to make sure they don’t let one influence the other. All the more likely to editorialize a company who advertises within the publication, BusinessWeek’s very first directive in their code of ethics is establishing a separation of what they call “Church and State” to maintain their integrity.
2. Though their journalistic standards are much the same as most media organizations (as mentioned above), BusinessWeek journalists are given a unique opportunity to insert opinions into their articles, moving the needle away from a strictly “just-the-facts” approach. I found this to be the most interesting part of their code of ethics. While their journalists’ coverage is largely reported in an opinionated and interpretive context, their articles are rooted in fact, and must logically flow from the hard evidence. So while their journalists are allowed to spout off opinions based on their perceptions, they can’t be wildly inaccurate or illogical. In a sense, it’s so unlike most other journalism practices. A reporters’ conclusions, while likely informed and valid, aren’t often inserted into their work, so BusinessWeek’s journalists enjoy a specialized privilege.
3. Though subjectivity of any form is a concern within journalism, by BusinessWeek’s procedures it is implicitly encouraged, albeit on a much smaller scale. While objectivity is something one is likely to find in the vast majority of ethics codes, it’s not quite so for BusinessWeek. Their specialization in analytics, commentary and interpretation means they often shy away from ideal objectivity, though according to the same ethics, they won’t shy away from fairness.
4. Outside of the liberties BusinessWeek takes to provide subject, opinionated journalism stemming from facts, much the same of their code of ethics is par for the course. Their notes about attribution in particular, seem to fall in step with most publications, preferring for on-the-record attributions as opposed to off-the-record and non-attributed information. Their ideals of journalistic integrity are much the same as most, and for good reason. Though BusinessWeek isn’t a pure news outlet in the strictest sense of the word, they expect their journalists to conduct themselves as such.

Sometimes we report about feel-good stories. It’s not often we do. The vast majority of news covered in media outlets today concerns what went wrong in the world that day, not what went right. That’s the nature of the beast. When we do report on stories that we hope will give readers or listeners goose bumps, it’s important not to sensationalize to get that effect. If the story and it’s characters are powerful enough, it’s bound to happen naturally. That’s the tightrope that Zach Hirsch was forced to walk in his harrowing Transom report “100%”.

The nine-minute piece tells the story of Jerry Peckham and his mother Dari Whitehouse, a marathon runner who finally achieved her goal of running in the 2013 Boston Marathon. By now, you know what happens next. The bombings, and subsequent chaos that erupted along Boylston Street on April 15th rocked the city of Boston, and Hirsh’s report transitions seamlessly from runner to son, a desperate search to be reunited in the wake of tragedy.

From a technical standpoint, Hirsh’s audio is tremendous. Jerry’s and Dari’s narration, which makes up the bulk of the report, is crystal clear, and the moments where Hirsh pipes in ominous music or nat sound from the Marathon to set the scene works flawlessly. From a professional standpoint, I found virtually nothing wrong with the audio quality. The impressive editing of the audio is part of what makes the story so interesting. At it’s core, Dari’s story is no different than thousands of others who ran in the Marathon that day, but the story’s pacing, background noise, and most impressively, it’s intuitive use of silence are all factors into what makes it such a captivating story. Hirsch could have written poetically, sensationalizing a story that needed no such, well, sensation, but instead, he let the captivating characters tell the story. Indeed, there isn’t much narration to be had from Hirsch, he let’s his characters do the talking.

I thought his production choices in this story were among some of the best I’ve ever listened to in radio news. He was just present enough to be felt as the reporter, but scaled back his involvement to let the real stars of the story shine. The background noise of the explosion followed by five seconds of stone still silence was the moment that sent shivers up my spine. Hirsch knew exactly what to do, and how to do it, and didn’t get in the way in the slightest.

Lastly, his story and message were abundantly clear. There’s nothing confusing about the story. It moves well from one plot point to the next, moving chronologically after the initial introduction to the report’s characters. I thought Hirsch and his report were a great choice for an audio story. It incorporated everything you’d look for in an impressive audio report, while keeping the sensationalism to a bare minimum. Compelling characters and transportive nat sound can just about tell a story on it’s own, and “100%” encapsulated that, 100%.

In the first chapter of Jonathan Kern’s Sound Reporting, the author details his reasons for why, even with the advent of television news and the Internet, radio news has remained prevalent. He also covers the medium’s lack of flexibility—primarily due to time constraints and no visual format.

1. Reports of radio’s demise were greatly exaggerated, as Kern asserts in his opening chapter. Due to it’s portability and intimacy, people can remain attentive to what they’re listening to even while working on other tasks. (pgs. 1-3)
   
2. There are however, challenges. Radio isn’t placed in a medium with space, meaning the listener can’t move on to the next story, skip a section, check the top stories at will or go back, as they can do with newspapers and Internet articles. Thus the onus is on the station to keep their listeners priorities in mind—returning to cover top stories and headlines later in the show, amongst other decisions. (pgs. 3-6.) Similarly, updates and changes to already covered stories allow radio shows to rerun content that had already been aired, and the Two-Way from today entitled “Talk Turns To Getting Assad To Give Up His Chemical Weapons” is a perfect example of that. The original headline: “Russia Urges Assad To Cede Control Of His Chemical Weapons” changed drastically over the course of the afternoon,  with six different updates occurring between 11:40 a.m. and 2:41 p.m. While diplomacy in regards to Syria was likely the most heavily discussed topic today, the tone of the report changed drastically over the course of the day, allowing listeners who come in later in the day to catch up without missing a beat.

Chapter 2 of Sound Reporting covers a major doctrine of journalistic integrity: fairness. If a station gains a reputation as being unfair or biased for or against one party, they’ll likely lose the only thing that matters in broadcast: the trust of the public.

1. The concept of a newsroom “echo chamber” is particularly troubling. If all (or a majority) of reporters and producers in a newsroom see things from the same perspective, the entirety of the newsgathering process could be distorted. (pgs. 11-16)
2. Just because a report features both sides, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s balanced and fair. If both sides clash on the facts, it turns into a counterclaim argument. It’s important to sift through the noise, consider the source of a claim, AND discover the actual facts before going to air. (pgs. 16-21) NPR’s introduction of “Trail Life USA, The ‘Other’ Boy Scouts of America” does just that, allowing a spokesman of the Boy Scouts to respond to the formation of a faith-based, Christian alternative to their organization.
3. If allegations are critical of a person or party, it’s a must that they are alerted of the accusations, and allowed time to form a response, which also must be incorporated into the report. (pgs. 21-23)

At it’s very essence, sports is driven by the basic principle of entertainment. And though they often don’t receive the same level of credit that their more buttoned-up news cohorts receive, sports reporters who understand how to report and produce their content deserve the same recognition. All it takes it one click on Chicago-based FOX Sports Reporter Lyndsay Petruny’s website to realize that she’s one of those reporters.

Petruny’s home page includes a brief profile next to an updated resume reel, which you can immediately see isn’t like a regular news reel. From the feel-good background music to a well-edited montage of on-air product, Petruny immediately shows she’s the perfect mix of professionalism and goofy to be an energetic and informative sports broadcaster. Soon enough, the music fades and the montage becomes highlights of her work– showcasing a reporter who is equally as comfortable previewing a Patriots football game as she is sliding down an Indianapolis zip line attraction.

Her style is perfect for sports journalism. Sports is an escape from reality, whether it’s a Friday night basketball game or a Sunday in the fall huddled around the television watching football. Fierce competition, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat can take us away, if briefly, from the tragedies erupting around our world. Sports are fun. It’s fun to root for your team and against another. It’s nothing more than entertainment, and from her reel, it’s clear to see Petruny is all about entertaining.

But that’s not to say she’s so silly she loses points for professionalism. Her reel isn’t strictly salsa dancing and throwing footballs through hoops. She has a serious side, and it shows in her stand-ups, interviews and anchoring responsibilities. It’s not all fluff for her, she has a real sense of how she should cover her teams, and her website reflects that.

Her past work page has numerous embedded videos of reports, interviews, and interactive reports. And to me, it’s that interaction that makes her work so appealing. She’s not going to stand there and tell you about what makes the Indianapolis zip-line so cool, she’s going to zip-line herself and bring you along for the ride. Want to know what goes into preparing a stadium for gameday? Lyndsay Petruny’s got you covered.

There’s nothing particularly stellar about her about page. It’s simplistic, detailed, and organized in chronological order. Though most of what you want to know about reporters can be found in their work, it’s nice to ascertain a reporters skills, background, and previous work experience, and she has those listed in an easy to read format.

Though it seems an obvious addition to any reporters website, I love the fact that she has her Twitter account embedded at the bottom of her home page. What better way to show some of her up-to-date viewer interaction than through her Twitter?

At it’s core, her website it what every sports match should be: fun. Someday, I hope mine can be as well.