Adderall story

I thought this was a very good radio story with interviews from experts, users, campus police's take on the issue, and even an Adderall dealer. I find it very impressive that they were able to get all of these interviews, especially the users and dealer, since they were endangering themselves by openly discussing the issue. Very well put together story that depicted the Adderall consumption on this campus very accurately. I know many, many people that take Adderall and it is fairly easy to get a perscription or to find someone with one. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was a kid, as many others were, and I'm pretty sure I could get a perscription if I really wanted one. I know people who hate the stuff and people who swear by it as a kind of miracle study drug. I was pretty surprised when I heard the officer say that kids cought with Adderall could be expelled from the campus. I guess since so many people use it, they are really cracking down on Adderall consumption.

Adderall

I was amazed at the way that the problem was presented. Perhaps things have changed since I completed my undergraduate degree. Back in 2006, lots of students were using Adderall to study. The majority were using it illegally. It was one of those things where you could find someone to get it for you if you wanted. Strangely, because I’m slightly ADD, I received requests several times during my time at MIZZOU.

The story presentation was interesting. There was little natural sound, yet what was in there worked. I was clear on who was speaking. I didn’t hear anyone say “you just heard from.” The story appeared to meet all the requirements of a good story. It was also LONG. I’d have liked it better if it was 30 seconds shorter. Good job.

Adderall

I think that this reporting has a good intro saying different way of awaking sleep. It is no doubt that there is a great interview of both sides of effects of Adderall. Reporting both sides seems to be typical in the news reporting. However, it is a good way of depicting what audiences should have to know about Adderall. The approach of this reporting is interesting because it depends on the idea of the existing information and the interviews, not his advices or lecturing to audience. I believe that this is a good way of getting attention from audiences.

Mario Manzini. Whoa.

I thought this piece struck a good balance between the narrator's voice and the subject's voice. At first, although the narration was fun and punchy, I kind of wanted to hear the subject already. But then when I heard Mario, I thought, well I know why this guy's in here sparingly: he talks so fast and with so much energy and detail, that too much of him would be kind of overwhelming. I think the narration was able to control the piece in a way that Mario's voice wouldn't have been able to.
---Tara Cavanaugh

Neuticles response

This audio news piece was really interesting to me because I have heard about Neuticles in the past before but I never really knew what it was. This audio piece informed me on what the product was and then gave provided the views of people that are for Neuticles and against it. I think that the audio piece could have essentially given a little more detail onto the procedure, and what benefit they think it brings to the dog perhaps. Healing information and possible side effects should have been listed as well since it is an operation after all.

I thought it was interesting to know that majority of the people who purchase Neuticles for their dogs are males who have masculinity issues and don’t want their dogs walking around without testicles. It was quite intriguing to see that not many female owners thought it was necessary to get this procedure done. I also liked how a local doctor from Columbia mentioned that she didn’t think it made a difference to the dog if they had artificial testicles implanted or not. She explained that once those hormones were removed from the canine's body they no longer acted like a canine with hormones.

So essentially this procedure seems to only benefit the owners of the dogs or other animals that this procedure is offered to. I think that its pretty pathetic that owners need their pets to have testicles in order to feel comfortable with their masculinity to be able to take their pet on a walk or etc.

KBIA post

Kelsey Waananen

I found the radio story about Neuticles to be rather similar to a cold read. The story was organized well and the information was interesting but there was nothing included that I couldn’t have gotten from simply reading. The only natural sound included was the sound of a dog barking and while this is a nice start, it really doesn’t add anything to the story. The journalist would have been more successful turning it into a TV piece… or even a text piece. There’s no audio to be gathered but at least if there were pictures of video the audience would have been able to orient themselves with where the man does operations and perhaps what the Neuticles look like. Essentially, what this journalist made was a creepy bedtime story.

Neuticles

This was an interesting story, and for the most part very well done. I think that the explanation of what neuticles actually are was sped through perhaps a little too quickly as I found myself going back to get a clear idea of what they are. That could, perhaps, have been done a little better.

The set up is good, going straight for the issue, which is neutering and the problems that pet owners have with it. It then goes to the focus of the story, which addresses that problem. It gives a variety of different opinions and sources, which makes it good reporting.

The way it was told was also well done. It keeps the interest and is remarkably tactful, avoiding any of the obvious kinds of jokes that could have arisen from the mention of testicles. It was very professional.

Mario Manzini

I listened to KBIA’s piece on Mario Manzini and enjoyed this story for the narrator’s direct and clean speaking voice and for the way he structured telling the story of a man who spent his life as an escape artist, and in doing so, escaped a way of life. Manzini’s life story is a successful one and in just a few minutes, the narrator successfully makes Manzini’s context clear with just brief use of quotes and sentences that keep us engaged in Manzini’s story and why he is attracted to what he does for a living. It’s a surprise, as the piece comes to a close, when we learn that he doesn’t even like the feeling of constraint. To be able to explore who Manzini is and what his life motives have been and continue to be, is a tough challenge to tackle in just a few minutes. When this piece finished, I couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to know. The narrator here had it all covered. 

Adderal story response - Manu

The way Justin begins the story is nice. It is in line with the subject matter of the story. He has a good script too. I also like the way he adds a touch of humor to the story and gives a practical reason for what is happening. Instead of making the story traditional, boring educational type, the journalist tries to focus on the practical side, what is the actual reason behind the popularity of Adderal among the college students. Without lecturing, he highlights the misuse of the drug by the students. However, there is a thin line between reporting in such a way and indirectly promoting such a use. A journalist needs to be aware of such matters whenever reporting on such sensitive issues.
In the story, it is also interesting how the journalist found so many sources. He also includes some numbers,but does not burden the listener. The length of the Adderal story is 7 minutes, which is quite a long time for a radio story, but Justin keeps our attention to the story giving us different perspectives and some interesting information from the users. It definitely is not easy to make a long radio story!

Chris Vlahos Blog entry

KBIA Story Blog Entry

I listened to “Missouri Senate Approves Vaporizer Ban”. The story contained good factual reporting but lacked a few crucial characteristics that make good radio stories. First of all it lacked natural sound. The reporter was explaining new legislation that went into place, but she may have been able to go to a local bar or restaurant, if she wasn’t old enough to get into a bar, and get sounds of the bartender and local patrons. The next thing that bothered me about the story was that the reporter took too long to get to the sound bite. I felt like she took more time than necessary trying to introduce the clip to the audience when in essence she could have said a lot less to preface the quote.

KBIA Post - J.T. Burns

I thought the Adderall story was interesting.  I feel like this was a beefed up version of our 2 minute clip assignment.  The reporter did a very good job of getting a variety of interviews that showed multiple perspectives on this story.  It would have been easy to just focus on the student's perspective, but the reporter truly got all sides to this.  Also, I thought it was interesting to see that there were anonymous sources in this story.  That tells us that the reporter must have worked hard to get these interviews.  I also felt like I learned important information from this piece.  As a college student, I have heard of Adderall, but I didn't know many facts about it.  This piece provided that.

KBIA Adderall Story by Brandon Twichell

I found the Adderall story to be the most compelling. It is a great example of radio journalism with its many interviews, notes, and its proximity. It brings to light a problem that most students might not know about since most of the drug-swapping is done in private. The reporter obviously had to do some digging in order to find an illegal user, so this is also a great example of investigative journalism.

The one thing that worked really well with this story that might not have worked so well with print or television journalism is the use of anonymous sources. Since a couple of the sources agreed to allow their voices to be used for the interview while keeping their identities unknown, the audience is better  able to trust the sources. Had the sources been used for a print piece, or had the interviewers agreed to be in silhouette for a television interview, the audience (and editor, for that matter) may have been skeptical of the sources' validity.   Radio journalism is probably the best--and only--way to use anonymous sources.

Prosthetic Balls to the Walls, Neuticles is a Rock Solid Piece(s) You Won't Miss by Jake Carah

I love a well executed, deadpan-novelty-story in any mode of journalism be it print, broadcast or radio. I thought the Neuticles spot seemed to (forgive me) neuter the competition, in the selection of examples we had to choose from. The fact that these prosthetic canine testicles came to market by a man from Missouri speaks volumes about the state we're in, as well as what people will buy for there pets. In considering the narrative and sound bytes presented by the reporter the story is a veritable tongue-and-cheek kick to the..."cadillac of prosthetic dog testicles."

 Upon a review of the story the humor can seem a tad campy, yet I feel it is the novelty of the product and that it is a story for radio that makes it work. If it had been told in any other medium lets say with pictures this story would have dropped like the proverbial. . . eh, you get the picture.  And that is the point. Listening and imagining the aspects of this story idea, while a bit puerile, uncouth or perhaps even gross in actuality, the satire and delivery mode make it clever and funny.  Besides, I think that is the point of convergence, it is finding the mode or medium in which to tell a story the best way and as for neuticles I don't believe I would have like to have heard it any other way.

KBIA Post - Jennifer Elston

The KBIA story on Adderall was my favorite of the three stories posted to the spring schedule for this course.  The beginning sounded very professional, grabbed my attention, and set a good tone for the piece.  Overall, the editing was very smooth, with only minor scratchiness.  This story is very relevant to our school.  I know many people who have taken their Adderall to help with finals or huge essays.  The narrator had a good variety of sources, used a conversational, yet refined tone, and used the subject-verb-object format that sounds best on the radio.  I feel that this piece was very well thought out.  It seems as if he had a strict script which he abided to had good numbers and outside information and facts.  The Adderall piece had less natural sound than the Neuticles piece, but I was drawn to the piece on medication, probably because it is so relatable.  The Neuticles piece felt like a story that the people who made the product had recorded, while the Adderall piece was more directed at raising awareness. 

KBIA Post by: Lindsey Weygandt

The KBIA radio story on Adderall was very informative and attention-grabbing. In the beginning of the story, the reporter's use of repition caught the listener's ear. The piece was very easy to follow, and the conversational wording allowed the story to flow. I noticed that the reporter followed a subject-verb-object sentence format, and that few descriptive adjectives were used. I believe the story was newsworthy because Adderall is very common among University of Missouri students. The variety of sources emphasized the popularity of the drug. I also liked how the story was delivered from both sides; students who take and sell Adderall, and adults and teachers who are against students taking Adderall due to the harmful medical side-effects. Overall, I believe the Adderall story was appropriate and raised awareness about the drug without offending the target audience.

The "realness" of stories

I have to say, watching A New Dawn made me realize how very powerful multimedia presentations can be. I also watched Unintended Consequences. I thought that both projects were able to present stories so powerfully. I've never been affected that way by reading an article or watching a newscast. There's just something lacking about it-- I think it's the fact that the subjects of the stories tell the stories, instead of someone else (a writer, reporter, or broadcaster) telling it for them.
I've heard about the violence against women in African countries; I've heard about PTSD; I've heard about drug addiction. But I think the multimedia presentation affected me in a way that I never really had been before.
--Tara Cavanaugh

Pictures of the Year

The stories and photos on this site are simply phenomenal and every part of me hopes I can have my name posted on this site someday. Since I hope to be a sports journalist, I mainly focused on the sports action photography. The eye gouge picture of Pepperdine's Jason Walberg and BYU's Jonathan Tavernari is absolutely fantastic and I have no idea how one can anticipate that shot. Very painful to look at, though. I was also impressed to see someone from the University of Missouri got recognized with the "Triathletes" picture of swimmers getting out of the water, splashing it all over the camera. It creates a very cool effect and the black and white only enhances the beauty of the shot. The Manny Ramirez photo and the stranglehold picture were probably my two favorites. "Manny Motor" catches Manny and his airbourne batting helmet in mid-air sliding into second base. I know facial expressions are important, but what is cool about this photo to me is that anyone who follows sports can recognize that that is Manny while only showing his backside. The flying dirt is really cool as well. The "Stranglehold" photo shows unbelievable emotion in the eyes of Brandon Collins and creates a kind of dark, gloomy feeling in the viewer with the shadows and the pure blackness around the wrestling ring. I can't help but thinking of the film The Wrestler when looking at this picture. All really superb journalism.

Multimedia story, response from Manu

The multimedia story “A New Dawn?” conveys a powerful message. What most struck me after watching the story was how different media can work together in making a great story, or a story great. In “A New Dawn?”, and other multimedia stories for that matter, emotionally charged words of the people and music along with the photos really add great value to the story. When compared to some of the winning shots of Stephen Ketz, John Moore, and Steve Liss that I also looked at, the photos also succeed in gaining more weight because of the long captions; however, they lack the same strong feel generated by the multimedia pieces.

Pictures of the Year post

J.T. Burns

Generally, I receive my news through either television, newspaper, or online articles.  I don't have very much experience with multimedia stories.  That being said, I was surprised by the emotional response that I had while watching "A New Dawn".  

I felt that the combination of images, music, and speaking gave this story a very strong emotional feel to it.  The black and white images were very powerful.  I don't think this story would have worked as well if it was in video format; each individual image had a its own message and feel to it that would have been lost if this story was a video. 

Because of the music, this story had an extra infusion of emotion than a written story.  The music set the mood and tone of what the reader was hearing and seeing.  All in all, I really enjoyed this medium.  It does a great job of eliciting an emotional response from the viewer.

POYi mutimedia

As a photojournalism student, I've not been crazy about the multimedia stuff. Recently, I was motivated by some great story telling made by an audio and a video or both together. I still believe that still images like photography are more powerful than video. 

However, I personally  like the story made by photographs and an audio together. As I saw the multimedia 'Black Market" produced by MediaStorm, this story influences me a lot in terms of the use of the media to make a story. Powerful black and white photographs depict the black market of the wild animals. Thus, the photographer shooting the pictures adds his voice of what he had experienced. Two combination of photographs and an audio create a better story. As the tradition of MediaStorm, the music added in the multimedia is in the grey area. I couldn't judge whether or not the music in the story increases the interest of this story. Overall, a good combination of photographs and other media exists in this story

Moving

Washington Sketch: Khartoum Karl seemed to follow the steps of the daily show. It took what would otherwise be an unnoticed news conference in the nation’s Capitol and gave it some exposure. The tone was obviously skeptical, and the ambassador played into those skepticisms. I found the threat of withdrawing Coca-Cola especially amusing.

The content of the video allowed them to take a different view than many hard-line news people would. Dana Milbank is a serious journalist. This story would not have worked as a print story. The irony of the Ambassador’s words doesn’t work in print. By using shadows of the speaker, close ups on a gaudy watch, and interspersed commentary, Milbank and Akira Hakuta achieved a piece that was both informative and critical.

On Another Note....

I found the photo of a Mary McHugh lying in front of her fiancé’s grave far more striking than it's equivalent multi-media piece. I assume that is why it won for best magazine photo.

Last year I attended the funeral of a friend’s cousin. What struck me about the funeral was that it was so, uniform. Yes it’s military, and yes they carry out several of them a day. Still, it seemed almost rehearsed. Everything was done at the appointed time. The family met, drove to the gravesite, buried the young man, and then came back to the main building for another short reception before heading to lunch.

The entire experience did not offer closure. It was strange to attend. This young man, from a military family, received full honors. He died after throwing himself on top of an IED in a house in Iraq, saving 7 fellow soldiers. Still, when leaving Arlington Cemetery there wasn’t a feeling of honor, pride, or even finality. Instead there was echoing loss and a $100,000 check along with a flag. Small compensation for the bereaved, and barely enough to see his two-year-old daughter to college.

The photo brought back these memories and expanded them. The empty field across the road in the photo is the final resting place of my friend’s cousin. He is buried about 10 yards from the road unseen through the trees. His grave is below the hill shown, and slightly to the left. The grief expressed by the young woman in the photo could be that of any number of young people who’ve lost a loved one.

John Moore captured her pain and grief. He also captured the innumerable losses not only in this war but also in previous ones. The fading tombstones, combined with the trees and cars show the number of losses. The fact that the tombstones around the grave are fresh indicates that many of graves in the photo are recent. The details to the gravestones show that these men and women were loved. Balloons and flowers indicate family members, while the flags honor the service to our country.

John Moore did an exemplary job capturing a moment. He also captured the pain that so many feel.

Response to Pictures of the year

I loved the first place winner for Newspapers by Stephen M. Katz because it clearly depicted the emotions that the subject was feeling and allowed the viewer to feel the same grief. I appreciated the photo because most people would look at the photo and think that his injury was from some sort of fighting within his hometown, but that was not the case. The young boy merely fell out of a tree near his house while playing. His injury would seem so basic to people here in the United States but unfortunately in less fortunate countries those kinds of injuries can cause life-altering changes. This picture invokes so many emotions and really mesmerizes the viewer.

My other favorite out of all the winners was the picture that won the Global Vision Award. I really liked how the photographer took an aerial shot of the area that was being photographed. I think this angle really allowed the viewers to see the extent of the damage that the mercury was causing in this area. I also think that the aerial shot allows the readers to see how greedy the people of this region are to obtain gold that they were willing to destroy their environment by incorporating mercury into their search. The viewer is able to see the destruction to nature that this search for gold is causing and is able to form their opinion on their methods.

I really appreciated those two pictures the most because they allowed the viewer to see the obvious but left room for them to form their own opinions on the message they were trying to portray.

POYi Multimedia Projects Review by Danielle Destrade

"A New Dawn", the 1st place multimedia story from the Lexington Herald-Reader in the Best Multimedia Project category, is probably the best news story I have ever seen. It does everything journalism should do. I was really affected by Dawn's story. It addressed the effectiveness of drug court in a way that a cut & dry news report can't do. By seeing Dawn's life play out over years, you understand what this issue is for individual Kentuckians. I really loved everything about the work, especially the incorporation of music. Looking back, I just now realized there was no video included, because the photojournalism so beautifully and accurately captured moments, and the pictures were combined so seamlessly with the audio.

Likewise, another favorite of mine was SoulofAthens.com. Along the same lines as the "A New Dawn" story, Soul of Athens finds the human element in newsworthy issues in Athens, Ohio. I thought they did a wonderful job of telling important, relevant stories about their community from within the community itself. This multimedia project resembles a favorite of mine, Mediastorm.com, but the fact that it is centered on a specific community, and not only reports on that community but seeks to contribute to it in concrete ways, really made it stand out even more so than Mediastorm to me.

These amazing POYi multimedia projects reinforced to me how powerful juxtaposition of video, audio, graphics & still photos can be in journalism. It can tell complex, resonating, complete stories in ways I haven't seen done in just one medium.

Pictures of the Year by Brandon Twichell

I always enjoy looking at Pictures of the Year. Some of my all-time favorites are those currently on display in the RJI lobby. While all of the photos on this website are excellent, my personal favorites are Global Vision. The views of the various stages of destruction of the Amazon rainforest (photo #4) send very powerful messages about the effects we humans have on the planet. At first I thought photo #13 was of an oasis in a desert but was surprised to learn that it was a plot of rainforest surrounded by destruction. If that does not show the amount of pain we are putting on the land, I do not know what does.

Another one of my favorites was photo #22 in that same group of photos. It is a very strange ice formation that I have honestly never seen before. I hope to take beautiful pictures like this someday and to hopefully be among the photographers honored by Pictures of the Year.

Pictures of the Year -Jennifer Elston

I love looking at photography.  My first instinct is to find black and white photos because I am naturally drawn to them.  There were many moving pictures such as those in the gallery "A Burning Problem."  These pictures visually tell the tale of Nigeria's bitter battle with oil.  One picture, number eight of ten, of a child with burns so bad that he has bone damage shows raw emotion, which is an essential for excellent photographs.  Black and white photographs, in my opinion, better tell the story of emotion than color photography because the viewer is drawn to the emotion or patterns in the photos and not the elaborate color schemes.  

The next striking set of shots were those surrounding the death of Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.  The photographers did not go the event expecting to capture Bhutto's final moments, but took excellent shots despite the chaos and the danger to their own lives.  One photo is entitle "Raw Grief" and it made me look at it exceptionally long.  The photo does not obey the rules of typical excellent photography.  It is not in perfect focus and the subject is sort of in the middle of the picture (violating rule of thirds), but the emotion captured in that photograph is especially striking.

My favorite set of photos were probably the collection called Hotshoe by Carolyn Drake, which detail life for young girls in Ukrainian orphanages.  The girls have very little.  The shots of the young girls going to the bathroom in pots lining the walls of the hallway made me very sad.  I have never heard of this exact story before and I do not think that text would properly show the lives of these children.  There are no smiles to be seen on these young women and the most emotion captured on their face was at their weekly shower.  I, too, one day, aspire to take photographs that tell such a vivid story.  Drake's photos are very close to the subject, but somehow, not intrusive.

Photos of the Year-Chris Vlahos

I enjoyed scrolling through the pictures of the year on poy.org. As usual my first instinct was to look at the Sports Photos of the Year. I had seen a few of the photos before, but for the most part this was the first time I had seen many of them. In my opinion some of the best sports pictures are taken in black and white. This is somewhat ironic because in a day and age where HD TV and cutting edge video quality rules the market, black and white may sometimes capture the essence of the moment better. I enjoy looking at black and white sports photos because I feel they illustrate only what the athlete is doing and the viewer’s eye is drawn to the task the athlete is performing rather than the vivid color scheme of the court or field.
What struck me as I scrolled through the other non-sports themed photos was the photojournalist’s ability to show an individuals emotion without becoming obtrusive or obnoxious. The shots were taken from far enough away as to not invade the individual’s space, but close enough so the viewer could understand what was going on. I liked the framing in many of the pictures as well as the sense of timing when to take the photo. Specifically there was a photo of pigeons flying over the Turquoise Mosque as pilgrims visit the Holy Shrine on the day of Naw-Roz (Islamic New Year) on March 21, 2007 in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan that illustrated great shooting. The eye is drawn to the intersections of most pictures (Rule of Thirds) and in this picture the photographer waited for the pigeon to fly in the right spot and snapped the photo so the shrine is evident in the background and the pigeon is in the foreground.

Best Multimedia Project of the Year by Jacob Carah

I would like to start by agreeing. To elaborate, the story of a young mother of five going through Drug Court of Fayette County, Kentucky as presented by The Lexington Herald-Reader is compelling to me for three reasons. Reason one, the project had clean relatable audio in relation to the photographs taken of the subject throughout her subsequent treatment appeared seamless. Two, the use of black and white photographs had a very plain contrast to the information conveyed by the content that they displayed, this made me want to study each image as I heard the narrative. In essence the pictures act as a point of reference for the story line as well as milestones for Dawn Smith struggle with addiction. Lastly, I liked the selection of music for each chapter, while at times I am opposed to music used as a tool for setting and emotive purposes I found the music fitting for the images presented as well as for the piece as a whole. 

Recently it seems that multimedia presentations are the new glossy portal and template that news providers have found to drape over stories. Perhaps to make features and profiles more appealing or approachable for the public. Sites such as MediaStorm (in my opinion the pinnacle of the genre) take advantage of how audio and photo can work together in such way as to put the audience through every turn and element in a story's narrative. Most projects and presentations that I have seen are profiles or news features that can be told in a storybook seudo-theatre fashion. So by stating earlier that I agree, well I agree that the Lexington Herald-Reader and David Stephenson did a fine job of telling Dawn Smith's story, I found it compelling and can see why it received Best Multimedia Project.  The pictures captured the emotional events, set-backs and process that Smith went through during her treatment, while the audio complement each photo and vice versa.  For these reasons of approachability and style is why I love multimedia presentations, I think they communicate more effectively than just a print story or broadcast story.

Pictures of the Year multimedia story Lindsey Weygandt

The winners for the Pictures of the Year multimedia stories captivated viewers with exceptional use of a variety of digital resources. The photos, audio, and streaming visual clips all worked together to personalize the web pages. The pages were all worthy of the award given. The photos that were selected for the prestigious award were all news worthy and attention grabbing. The lighting, focus, and angle used to capture the photos allow the audience to feel for the subjects photographed. I believe that viewing these award winning multimedia stories and photographs was helpful. They gave me an better idea of how the professionals use the options available in order to deliver a successful story.

Great way of discovering the feature ideas

I think that the article of "The Great picture hunt" posses valuable information. It allows photographers to recognize how to prepare to shoot and, thus, to find the feature story. As a photojournalism student, I believe that this article is well organized to let photographers know what they have to do and what they need to do. I'm kind of astonished after I find myself that what some of this article mention is what I have committed while I looked for the feature story's ideas. Personally, I'm interested in the way of cruising the place where I might find the subjects because I failed to discover them by cruising. I was jumping around the city of Columbia four times after I divided the four parts of this area. However, I got nothing but to be familiar with this places because I drove a lot. 

 The contents make me refresh what I've done and what I have to do in advance.

Great Photo Hunt/Street Pictures

Although some of the information was outdated (most references were to film cameras rather than digital) The Great Photo Hunt was very helpful for someone like me who doesn't really know the first thing about taking good enterprising pictures. The suggestions to always be prepared with extra batteries, cash (I still can't figure out of he was joking about using it for bribes...) and enough gas in your fuel tank to take you at least 50 miles. His example of taking pictures of anything that moved from 8-10 am in Chanute, Kansas was one of the many good reasons he provided for photojournalists to be well-practiced in the art of enterprising shots.

The Street Pictures website was basically the examples of what LaBelle was attempting to teach in his book.  It helped to see these examples, since most of the photos that were in LaBelle's Eres document weren't very easy to see. Snider's photos showed me how something as simple as children playing on a playground could make a good picture, with the right angle and at the right moment. The foreword to his gallery made the pictures seem accessible, like anyone with the correct tools and knowledge could make these photos.

Photography Readings

Kelsey Waananen

Awful extended metaphor aside, “Picture Hunt” makes for a solid introduction into the thought process behind making pictures. At least for me, the article enforced the difference between the artistic photographs and photojournalism. While they may share many of the same characteristics in the method of obtaining them, the overall message in the product is different. And of course the difference between the two types of photos is obvious but I think it was important that we be reminded of this as we attempt to achieve great photojournalism.

If David Labelle’s article was enforcing the steps for photography, David Snider’s pictures just reinforced all those steps by showing them as a finished product.

Lindsey Wolf Repost

The most important thing to learn from “The Great Picture Hunt” by David LaBelle is to blend in with your surrounding to ensure you get real pictures.  He states that a feature photo hunters are curious to discover new things in the world and share them with the viewer. The best way to be able to show true circumstances is for the subject to be unaware that they are posing for a photo. When cameras are present, people often change their stance and often look posed and unnatural. David Snider’s street pictures show a excellent representation of a photographer stalking their prey and taking excellent natural pictures. My favorite example in this compilation of photos is the little boy running through the sprinklers in Tompkins Square Park. The expression on his face is pure pleasure, and only a skilled photographer is able to capture that. Being an idea person allows feature photo hunters to think of important things to share with the rest of the world. Although this article was mostly about going into the field and taking photos, there is still an importance in studio photography because some stories are better explained through portraits and posed photography. 

Lindsey Wolf Photojournalism Response

Great Picture Hunt and Street Photo, response by Manu Bhandari

I found LaBelle's guidelines for making good photos very helpful. As with other fields of journalism, curiosity is vital in photography too. When you are curious, you go sniffing around for something interesting to come up. Picture hunt also means story hunt. I also found LaBelle's sentence that said good photojournalists are not in love with photography but with people and with life quite poignant.
Also, I was amazed to see how Snider has managed to add so capture life in the everyday happenings on the streets. He has also experimented combining two photos to tell a story. That was interesting. I would love to walk down the streets with a camera capturing life beautifully like he did.

How to zing!

One thing that really struck me about Snyder’s photos is how he is able to draw your eye to detail very quickly. You don’t have to study his pictures to notice that the two little boys holding trumpets are too small for their outfits: their ties are too long, their gloves are too big, and the hats nearly flop over in their eyes. There’s an awkwardness about the two—like they’re not grown-up enough to fulfill the job they’re doing—that is immediate. And that’s how his photos are: immediate, but detailed, they’re zingers. They get right to your heart.
Snyder is able to do what LaBelle does: hunt a photo. I like that he’s able to spell out what Snyder seems to so effortlessly produce. I especially liked how he highlighted "action and reaction" as a kind of shot- I hadn't thought of that, and it's one way to really "hunt" the emotion of a scene.

Thoughts on Photography

J.T. Burns

I'll be honest.  Prior to taking this course, the grand total of knowledge or interest I had in photography and photojournalism was pretty low.  I had always been interested in the words on the page and thought that pictures were just additional information, and not extremely vital to the story.  I have to admit, though, that I have become much more appreciative of photojournalism as an art form.  While reading David LaBelle's writing on what it takes to be a photojournalist, I was fascinated by the amount of energy and thought that go into making a great photograph.  Contrary to what many think, a great photographer is not simply at the right place at the right time.  A great photographer makes his own luck by careful, and sometimes tedious, preparation.  The fruits of this labor were illustrated in David Snider's work.  It was interesting for me to think that this man had literally gone all over the world in search of a few images.  I wondered, was it really worth it?  But after looking at the images he captured, I realized how they could instill emotions that no news or feature story ever could.  That power to illicit such a strong emotional response is a critical part of what separates the snapshot photography of the "facebook generation" from the thoughtful photojournalism seen in these readings.  

David Snider Pictures

There is no question David Snider has a ton of talent and really knows how to find a good photograph. His detailed description of how to “hunt” for a good photograph and the natural motivations a good photographer should have were extremely insightful. Every word of “The Great Picture Hunt” is bursting with knowledge about the subject matter and the best way to learn something like photography is to listen to the advice of someone who’s been working as long as David has. David is simply a master of catching shots of people and capturing human emotion through the art of photography. He is also a master of brainstorming and finding the right story to shoot for the proper occasion. Each of his photographs depicts a different emotion or expression and each tells its own unique story. I really liked the Rockefeller Plaza picture of the man mimicking the statue behind him. It has everything you want in a photograph: Originality, art, human emotion, simplicity, and an element I am very happy David addressed. Humor.

Photography Response

Farrah Pappa

I loved the way David Snider described the shots he took of his subjects: "I began making pictures that I felt were the ultimate realization of photography's power to record the river of life that flowed all around me". His words allowed me to look at the world in a different perspective and see it as a river whose actions were being captured as they flowed by. I admire his candid photography because one must have real patience and talent to be able to capture the events he does. It takes valor to be able to just take pictures of random people on the street and not worry about their reactions. Some of Snider's pictures invoke emotions of hope and happiness. Others depict a deeper meaning with symbolism to force the viewers to think outside of their comfort zone and view the world in a different angle. His photographs are not only focused on a certain group of people they show all of humanity going about their daily lives, while capturing the precious moments within them.
David LaBelle’s article allowed new photographers to learn how different photographers go about hunting for their feature pictures. I learned an abundance of methods and qualities that one must possess in order to capture the best photo. Curiosity is a huge quality that assists in finding those little details that the average eye wouldn’t discover. After locating those minor features then the photographer can exploit them for all viewers to notice. Blending into one’s surroundings is another technique that I acquired while reading this article. I never realized how important it was to become one with your environment so that nothing is disturbed while you are taking pictures. LaBelle and Snider's work allowed me to realize that I should be more outgoing when obtaining photographs while still keeping an inquisitive eye at the same time.

Meg Burcke-Week 3

Gripping, stark, cute, all words that sprang to mind when looking at the Snider photos. I especially liked the hand holding the necklace/cross. The blisters were not noticeable at first, but later stood out. They seemed to contrast with the softness of the cross. All of these photos show the virtues mentioned in the reading. The pictures show emotion. Capture moments and simplistically convey what occurred. The shots of the children and street scenes have captivating subject matter. Some are funny while others are sad. The emotion of both draw in the person looking at the photographs. The the photos also had "arousing technique and originality." The combination of these traits is what made Snider successful. He illustrates the idea of always being ready, and shooting from the hip. Literally.

Danielle Destrade's Blog #2: Photojournalism

I read "The Great Picture Hunt" before taking a look at David Snider's Street Pictures, and I was able to really discover the important elements of photojournalism David Labelle explained in Snider's photographs. I thought Labelle's article was an excellent explanation of the fundamentals of photojournalism. Instead of focusing on the technical aspects of making pictures, he explained two essential elements of being a photojournalist - how to make sure your photos are telling a story, and how to find opportunities to take those photos. I'm sure his practical advice will be really helpful to me as I explore photojournalism for the first time.

An Enjoyable Read and some Wonderful Views

If David LaBelle is half as good a photographer as he is a writer then he must have taken fantastic photos through out his career. He wrote with a clear, as well as gripping, manner that kept me glued to my computer as I read his advice and wisdom.

After reading, I viewed Street Pictures by David Snider, and I believe I had a much greater appreciation for the pictures than if I had seen them first. The time, effort and skill that must have gone into these fantastic photos boggles the mind. The man must have had extraordinary patience and a keen eye to gather all those excellent shots.

Patience is one of the two things that struck me most when  reading Picture Hunt. A photographer must have a strong will to wait hours just for that right moment. Frankly, I'm fairly certain I'd go insane if I had to sit still for a great length of time just for that one opportune moment that distinguishes a good photo from a truly excellent one. But that is a skill I'm going to have to learn.

The other thing that struck me, networking, ties into patience and is an excellent tool to ensure that long hours waiting do not go wasted. Several eyes looking for good shots seems like it would ease up some of the agonizing over the search of great pictures. And, as we are convergence students, they could quite possibly give us good information for the captions and maybe even the story itself. 

All in all, this was an informative read, and the gallery was a wonderful way to show fine examples of photography. If I can become even a forth as skilled in the art I will consider my time at Mizzou to have been well spent.

The Great Hunt in the streets and elsewhere by Jacob Carah

David Labelle and Snyder both know what it takes to take a good picture. In Labelle's chapters in "The Great Picture Hunt " he does a thorough job of outlining what it takes to do feature pictures or enterprising shots. In comparison to Snyder's portfolio of street pictures there is a common thread of catching a moment that tells a story. As I looked through the photos in Snyder's portfolio they seemed to parallel Labelle's criteria for images that tell a compelling story. Although the pictures in the chapters of the Great Picture Hunt were sort of grainy I found the variety of photos really interesting.

The section that I got caught up on and actually tried to apply was the cruising section. Like in Snyder's roving pictures throughout the US and Europe, cruising pictures really seem to catch moments in a quite literal sense. This is where Labelle's hunting metaphor really spurred me to try these methods out on my own. I cruised for a little while on Broadway and a few side streets without any particular direction in mind to find a subject for my three photos assignment. I attempted to apply the perspective of Snyder in his reference to "photography's power to record the river of life." Downtown Columbia may not seem like a fluid torrent of existence at first glance, but I did find that one can apply the fundamentals of a good picture that Labelle outlined. While I don't know for sure if I got a feature photo, I did manage to capture some odd or perhaps unique moments just by keeping my camera ready and sighted.

In applying a sort of hands on approach to the readings, I noticed that Labelle had made some very obvious but also very key observations about how to set up a good picture. One, composition is everywhere, from framing to background everthing has a use and form. Secondly, it helps to step outside of your comfort zone in terms of position, angle and range; when I actually started kneeling, bending and climbing over everything, I felt my pictures became less boring. Finally, the best point I took away was from Labelle in that a good photographer must be patient and try to capture in a simple way the originality of a moment. As Labelle put it, moments are, "fleeting capsules of life, usually found at the creast of an emotional wave." Yet, my favorite moment in the pictures I looked at was by Snyder; it is of a little boy at Tomkins Square Park in New York City laughing as he is running through a sprinkler. The image conveys the elements that Labelle outlined that make a good picture; it has a lot of emotion and composition that conveys an original humorous moment of youth.

The Picture Hunt

I looked at David Snider's photographs before reading "The Great Picture Hunt by David LaBelle. Then after reading LaBelle's article, I returned to Snider's photographs and the components in his pictures immediately became apparent. Although LaBelle's advice is evenly discussed, it seems that much of a photojournalist's job is to be prepared, to blend into the environment and to make something of the moment. It wasn't until I read LaBelle's article that I saw composition, humor and emotion in Snider's photographs. If one trait of a photojournalist is to stand out, I think it would be his or her preparation and approach to shooting subjects or events. Second to this, I think patience and a photographer's willingness to be open about ideas even if those ideas don't immediately turn into an assignment - these are the underlying factors that can make a hunt something of a learning opportunity instead of just a hunt. 

Jen Elston's Blog #2: Picture Hunt and Street Pictures

David Snider's Street Pictures are a different type of photojournalism than what I would think most consider when they think of this sequence.  His photographs capture life in a candid way, with simple, everyday moments captured forever on film.  His pictures tell a story, which is the basic purpose of photojournalism - to tell a story in a visual, two-dimensional form. His detailed photograph of hands in "Sonny's Rosary Beads" is an excellent photograph. You can get a sense of how old this person is, and maybe even the life they have lived from a single picture.  

In the picture hunt article, the author compared photojournalism and the hunt for a picture to hunting an animal or a living being.  It is the author's believe that enterprising is a vital aspect of photojournalism and it was his goal to share that with young journalists.  After reading this article, I felt both prepared to make a good photograph, and terrified.  His passion for photojournalism and his desire to share stories with the world is what makes a photojournalist a photojournalist and not a photographer.

Photography by Brandon Twichell

I think the "Picture Hunt" article is a great guide to photography and photojournalism. Comparing photography to hunting made the article easy and interesting read. I have read many photography books, and none of them summed up photography in such an easy manner as this article. I even learned a few new things. For instance, I never considered all of the things I should keep in my camera bag or my car (screwdriver kit, pliers, synch cords, etc.). Also, I focus on so many aspects when taking pictures, usually composition and originality, that I do not even consider "keeping it simple."

David Snider's pictures bring the previous article to life. All of his pictures seem to focus on a different aspect of photography. For example, the kid blowing the big bubble was pretty original, and the first photo had great composition. I see why we read these two things together.

Photojournalism by: Lindsey Weygandt

In the article, "The Great Picture Hunt," it makes several valid points about how photojournalism is an acquired skill that demands a curious and enthusiastic attitude about life. I agree with the author about his general attitude about how to capture those perfect "moments" in photojournalism. It is something that does not happen right away, and requires patience, thought, and research. The main difference between photographers and photojournalists is the innate need to share. Photojournalists want everyone to know about what is going on in the world. They want to capture real people in everyday life, and visually tell their story. Street photography is unlike photojournalism because in general it is described as "artsy" while photojournalism is more informational. However, photojournalism and photography are similar because they are both visually capturing the story of life. The two styles both use the same creative medium to speak to the audience but the overall reaction that the artist is trying to evoke is different.