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Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

poynter.org

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Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#11

Post by bluetidepro »

As pointed out in another comment in here, how do they expect to actually get decent night photos then? At least with a camera, you can change the exposure and shutter speeds to help with night photos. That's not something really all that possible with an iPhone, if I'm correct. Also things in motion, the iPhone tends to be very easily blurred, again, something that wouldn't be a big issue with a nice (or even decent) DSLR.

This seems like a very dumb move on there part, but I also grew up doing/loving photojournalism, so maybe I'm taking it a bit personal. I just feel like it's going to make their photos look very amateur, which will inevitably hurt their credibility even more so.

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#12

Post by potatolicious »

kfury wrote: post #2

Will they teach their journalists how to take shallow depth-of-field shots and long telephoto shots with their iPhones? Probably not, since you can't. Given the 'yes and' style of derivative news reporting commonplace today, the Sun-Times might be more effective firing the writers, keeping the photographers, and teaching them actual journalism.

Photojournalism has never been about depth-of-field shots nor long telephoto shots. Photojournalism has always been primarily wide, deep depth of field, and more about lighting and composition than anything else.

Shooting "real" photojournalism with an iPhone is more than doable. Hell, the iPhone's field of view is a 28mm equivalent, which is perfect for photojournalism.

I don't disagree with the overall point about the failure of photojournalism, but photojournalism has never been about the capabilities of the camera.

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#13

Post by mcphilip »

Playing the devil's advocate here.

What is wrong with the Sun-Times making this decision if it is shown that having a staff trained in 'iPhone photography basics' allows the ST to cut costs without hurting revenue? An iconic photo (e.g. Tank Man photo [1]) opportunity is a black swan event, after all.

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Man

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#14

Post by mathattack »

Could this just be outsourcing the photography to professionals?

Or could it be crowdsourcing "Pick the 100 best amateur photos rather than 1 good pro?"

The Sun Times isn't the New York Times. It's the lowbrow of two daily newspapers in Chicago, and already leading the charge to the bottom.

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#15

Post by scrumper »

potatolicious wrote: post #12
kfury wrote: post #2

Will they teach their journalists how to take shallow depth-of-field shots and long telephoto shots with their iPhones? Probably not, since you can't. Given the 'yes and' style of derivative news reporting commonplace today, the Sun-Times might be more effective firing the writers, keeping the photographers, and teaching them actual journalism.

Photojournalism has never been about depth-of-field shots nor long telephoto shots. Photojournalism has always been primarily wide, deep depth of field, and more about lighting and composition than anything else. Shooting "real" photojournalism with an iPhone is more than doable. Hell, the iPhone's field of view is a 28mm equivalent, which is perfect for photojournalism. I don't disagree with the overall point about…

Exactly. "What settings did you use for that picture, Mr. Photojournalist?" "Easy son, F8 and be there."

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#16

Post by corresation »

potatolicious wrote: post #12
kfury wrote: post #2

Will they teach their journalists how to take shallow depth-of-field shots and long telephoto shots with their iPhones? Probably not, since you can't. Given the 'yes and' style of derivative news reporting commonplace today, the Sun-Times might be more effective firing the writers, keeping the photographers, and teaching them actual journalism.

Photojournalism has never been about depth-of-field shots nor long telephoto shots. Photojournalism has always been primarily wide, deep depth of field, and more about lighting and composition than anything else. Shooting "real" photojournalism with an iPhone is more than doable. Hell, the iPhone's field of view is a 28mm equivalent, which is perfect for photojournalism. I don't disagree with the overall point about…

but photojournalism has never been about the capabilities of the camera

Fast frame rate. Very bright lens (e.g. f1.4). Large, high-sensitivity sensor.

It is very much about the capabilities of the camera, because the truth is that lesser cameras miss most shots, especially in a moving situation where you get a momentary window of opportunity. The iPhone camera may get there eventually, but in that situation right now the failure rate to get a shot is going to be incredibly high (obviously a chance is better than none -- the camera you have in your hand is better than the one at home and all -- but we're comparing to ready to go photojournalists).

We shall see how this decision plays out, but personally I think it is a horrible choice because it removes one of the few remaining differentiators between old media and the citizen news, which is that generally in the former you could find great, unique pictures by professionals who know what they're doing.

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#17

Post by pkulak »

kfury wrote: post #2

Will they teach their journalists how to take shallow depth-of-field shots and long telephoto shots with their iPhones? Probably not, since you can't. Given the 'yes and' style of derivative news reporting commonplace today, the Sun-Times might be more effective firing the writers, keeping the photographers, and teaching them actual journalism.

F/8 and be there. That still works with an iPhone.

EDIT: Okay, so an iPhone can never actually do f/8, but I think my point still stands...

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#18

Post by astrodust »

mcphilip wrote: post #13

Playing the devil's advocate here. What is wrong with the Sun-Times making this decision if it is shown that having a staff trained in 'iPhone photography basics' allows the ST to cut costs without hurting revenue? An iconic photo (e.g. Tank Man photo [1]) opportunity is a black swan event, after all. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Man

Why not go one further and train their staff to search Flickr and Twitter for images instead?

What about firing all the editors and teaching the writers to do that themselves?

Get rid of all the janitorial staff and mandate everyone spend more time cleaning up.

Re: Chicago Sun-Times will train reporters on ‘iPhone photography basics’

#19

Post by blhack »

kfury wrote: post #2

Will they teach their journalists how to take shallow depth-of-field shots and long telephoto shots with their iPhones? Probably not, since you can't. Given the 'yes and' style of derivative news reporting commonplace today, the Sun-Times might be more effective firing the writers, keeping the photographers, and teaching them actual journalism.

>the Sun-Times might be more effective firing the writers, keeping the photographers, and teaching them actual journalism.

I think you joke, but you might have accidentally made an excellent point.

My girlfriend, to pay her bills, is a journalist. One of the things that she's talked about a lot (I'm paraphrasing here, these aren't her words) is that contemporary journalists don't have any balls anymore.

The joke is: a journalism professor, on the first day, stages a siren to play outside of the classroom. When it goes off, anybody who doesn't immediately run out with a pen and a pad in hand is dropped from the class.

Lately, a journalist can do their job without getting up from their desk. A photojournalist, however, can't. They're the ones running into "the action" necessarily. A words-journalist isn't anymore, so much.

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