It’s not a journalism book per se, but as a prospective journalist, I found a lot of information pertaining to my profession in the first couple chapters of Nathan Yau’s Visualize This: The FlowingData Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics. It’s one thing to present data as a journalist, it’s another thing entirely to use graphs and numbers to help tell a story, which is where I found the majority of the information I considered the most interesting and useful from the chapters.

The introduction is a brief but informative prelude to the book, and an introduction to data as a means of visualization and a teaching tool.

1. Merely presenting numbers and data doesn’t present a point as effectively as a visual that properly puts into context what exactly the numbers mean. By presenting the Statistical Abstract of the United States and his graphs side-by-side, Yau shows just how much more informative and interesting visualization is. (pp. xviii-xxi)
2. Much the same as anything else, you don’t need an extensive knowledge of data and statistics to learn how to produce informative, engaging graphics. It just takes some dedication, practice, and experience. (pp. xxiii-xxiv)

Chapter 1 discusses the concept of data as a story, and delves into the different types of designs that constitute graphics.

1. Data is more than just numbers, and can be used (in the proper manner) as an effective and efficient means of telling a story. Though journalism is the first example mentioned, the book covers a variety of stories and social interests with which data can be presented in a useful fashion.  (pp. 2-7)
2. The stories we can tell with data vary, but they generally boil down to two main concepts. Those are: patterns and relationships. A graph that depicts one of those two concepts likely qualifies as informative and compelling. (pp. 8-12)
3. Numbers never lie, but make sure you get your numbers correct! Date checking is a tedious, but extremely important part of the job! (p. 12)

Now that we understand the basics of data, we need to know where to find it, and what to do with it when we do. Chapter 2 of Yau’s book teaches us just that.

1. Much the same way one finds stories to report on, data can be discovered through word-of-mouth, search engines, direct from the source, and library and University resources. However, if you wish to dig deeper, general data-supplying applications and topical data can help uncover data and information that is far more in-depth. (pp. 22-26)
2. It’s one thing to get data that can be used as an infographic, it’s another thing entirely to format it in ways that make it easy for your readers to understand. Though the most common example is Microsoft Excel, it’s nearly useless when it comes to structuring data that a “computer can understand.” Without a format a computer can read, you have a bunch of numbers, and not much else.Delimited text, JavaScript Object Notation and Extensible Markup Language are the three most handy formats. (pp. 38-41)

Assisted by it’s catchy slogan “Make it Reitz,” and a hard-working construction crew, the J. Wayne Reitz Student Union is currently undergoing the beginning stages of a much-needed facelift, scheduled to be completed by the Fall of 2015. The first major step was the complete demolition of the Union Colonnade and it’s surrounding area. As that first chapter comes to a close, construction workers from Skanska enjoy a few days of less demanding work before the next major step, what they call “major pile and lagging,” begins.

I believe the type of photo story mine most closely aligns with is that of the visually consistent and thematic. No one construction worker dominates the photographs. Instead, they are evenly divided amongst some of the hardest working individuals on a self-proclaimed “slow day.” And that theme, one that depicts the working hard, hardly working every man on a day of relative relaxation, is what appears most prevalently in my album.

For more pictures on the work of men helping to make it Reitz, follow the link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hb819431wsa7hvx/ss3w1Fhgsz

Senior Manager/Director of Social Media

Cheddar’s Casual Cafe is searching for a social media executive to oversee the execution of strategic social media and digital initiatives.

1. “Developing and managing social marketing campaigns, creating and supervising high-profile channel accounts, and integrating social media into the overall business strategy.”
2. “Other duties may include search engine optimization/search engine marketing (SEO/SEM) integration, monitoring and analysis of social media trends and their impact on the company brand.”
3. “The right candidate will have … previous experience in the development and implementation of media planning and buying strategies within the advertising industry; and a strong familiarity with digital, social and mobile marketing best practices.”

At this current time, I think this would be a job that while interesting, I’d be woefully unprepared for, and not just because it’s looking for someone with nearly a decade of experience in the field. While I love to eat, am a fan of great American dining and would bring an infectious enthusiasm to the job, I think I would struggle to develop social marketing campaigns, analyze trends, and incorporate search engine optimization. While I could integrate social media into an overall marketing strategy (i.e. likes on Facebook/Instagram, follows on Twitter leading to coupons and customer rewards), I think that might be my best contribution to the company. Simply put, I lack an understanding of what social media campaigns can do to boost business success, and the experience of developing advertisement through social media.

Social Media Producer

My local home paper, the Sun Sentinel is looking for someone to manage their social media efforts to grow advertising and revenue.

1. “Coordinates social media outreach efforts of the newsroom, working closely with editors and content creators and setting the tone for main social media.”
2. “Monitors news, sports, entertainment and opinion stories, blog posts and other information for social media/mobile content.”
3. “Stays abreast of the latest social media/mobile innovations and makes recommendations on implementation to the Audience Development Editor and Social Media Coordinator.”

While this job would be difficult, I think I could handle it far better than the first job highlighted with Cheddar’s. With the social media producer job, I feel that I could set the tone for social media through the furthering of hashtags, Facebook polls and response pages to stimulate reader interest and start forums of conversation. Because I’m going to pursue a career in journalism, it’d be expected for me to be current on topics of interest to use on their social media platforms, so in that regard, I’m not terribly concerned. One tenant of the search that I would be nervous about, it the latest updates. I take a while to come around on developments and updates, and I’d have to catch and adapt to the newest social media craze ahead of the curve to remain a useful social media producer for them.

Social Media Manager

The United Kingdom based Simplyhealth is a health care insurance company searching for a social media manager to be responsible for their social media strategy.

1. “Creating engaging content plans in line with the overarching communication plans for Simplyhealth social media communities, to grow reach and encourage interaction across all social media channels.”
2. “Analyzing in depth using social media monitoring tools Brandwatch and Conversocial to report on social media activity to help shape the social media strategy going forward.”
3. “Managing Social CRM system and manage relationships with Customer Services to respond consistently to Simplyhealth customers on social media.”

I think I could be moderately effective at parts of this job, succeeding at parts of the job that include encouraging interaction and responding to consumers through social media. However, my unfamiliarity with social media monitoring tools would go a long way toward what I perceive to be a relative ineffectiveness performing this job. I think I’d also struggle to create engaging content beyond the obvious social media interactions, something I blame primarily on, again, my utter lack of experience in the field.

Events and Social Media Manager

Rounding out the social media job hunt, I discover HP Cloud Services is searching for an events and social media manager to build awareness, market momentum and understanding of HP Converged Cloud.

1. “Accountable for ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery of large scale events launches to the market and attainment of defined launch goals.”
2. “Design and execute a world-class social media strategy across multiple social and online channels.”
3. “Managing a Converged Cloud social media digital marketing strategy across all aspects of Converged Cloud, from planning through the execution ensuring the schedule, budget and goals are defined and achieved”

While I think this would be a tremendously interesting and rewarding job, I think the pressure associated with delivering on large scale events and executing a world-class social media strategy across multiple channels is simply beyond me at this point. I don’t think I have the understanding or ingenuity required to succeed at the broad but important descriptions of this job. In particular, I’m not the most well-versed at the usage of converged cloud systems, and while I understand their purpose and benefits, I don’t think my knowledge (or lack thereof) of its intricacies would lend usefully to the job. Much the same as the other potential jobs on this list, my lack of experience and understanding with advanced social media metrics and interaction would make this an extraordinarily challenging job for me.

Chapter 11 of Kenneth Kobre’s Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach covers the photo story in depth. Some might be crafted in the manner of minutes, whereas others take months. The chapter delves into what makes a photo story (a theme), and showcases a plethora of examples.

1. The best types of photo stories involve people, with three categories separating the types of subjects: the well-known, little-known but interesting, and little-known but representative. While the first two are rather obvious, photo stories that feature little-known but representative subjects are those that feature a few individuals that can be extrapolated out to a much larger scale. (pp. 233-235)
2. Visual consistency is another technique used to identify a photo story. While a recurring individual is perhaps the most well known example of such, multiple pictures featuring the same object, shot in the same location, or produced with the same composition, technique, or mood in mind can all qualify as consistency to create a story. (pp. 235-244)
3. Though a theme can qualify as creating a story, the truest picture stories are narratives, complete with a complication and its resolution, according to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Franklin. While photo stories can be formed without both, the truly compelling ones feature a narrative with both sides. It’s also important to remember that a resolution doesn’t necessarily indicate a solution. Sometimes a resolution can be negative, too. (pp. 244-248)
4. Stringing together the various qualities that constitute a compelling picture story, Kari Rene Hall’s character-driven photo story Motel Dad centers around a formerly dead-beat father of four who was forced into action when his partner was taken to jail for welfare fraud. The collection of photos include complication, resolution, visual consistency in its’ characters, and little-known subjects representing a prevalent problem. The award-winning story, captured over months of time, caused those affected by Henry Guiliante’s struggles, to come forth with donations to help keep himself and his family afloat. (pp. 254-259)
5. Not every picture story requires a narrative. The chapter closes by touching on different categories of pictures that still fall under photo stories. These include editorial essays, which typically contain a point of view, and documentaries, which are usually far more neutral. Photo stories in the form of documentaries include lifestyles (the book showcases a story featuring goths), locations, issues, or social issues. (pp. 261, 266)

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)