The “old school” photography course should be part of the curriculum core of a “digital journalism” program because, among others, good photography helps produce a compelling audio slideshow story.
In a previous post, I said one needs two sets of skills to produce a good audio slideshow:
- production skills: how to use audio recording devices; how to use a camera; how to use audio editing program; how to use slideshow authoring program
- journalistic skills: how to find a story that engages audience; what questions to ask and how to ask questions; what photos to take and how to frame photos; how to arrange and edit photos in the slideshow
One other skill that should be on this list is photography – taking good photos is more than knowing “what photos to take and how to frame photos.” That said, in a survey of 47 “digital journalism” programs, only eight (8) programs have photography as a core or required course; most other programs have photography as an elective course.
So why is good photography desirable? I was attracted by two recent audio slideshow stories by Daily Herald for their good overall production, as well as some good photos. The first story is titled The Windmill Man; the second, Fly Fishing. Below are some nice photos I captured from each slideshow:
The two audio slideshows are also embedded below – The Windmill Man, Fly Fishing:
