"Do news photographers
have to develop an individual "style" for shooting news? What is YOUR
"style"?
(Letters from the
archives of PhotogsLounge.net)
Littlephotog
"I always try to
shoot with my iris almost fully open. I also tend to use some shutter
outside (I stay away from crazy shutter speeds, more like 1/125) and
pull out the high speeds for sports, traffic, or when the situation
calls for it (blowing up watermellows with fireworks, etc)
As far as shooting style, I pretty much shoot for sound as many do.
I listen for the sounds that are being made at a location and I sequence
those. I also spray the scene with a tripod from far back just to CMA.
I also like to do a little Q&A with a subject as they are doing their
thing.
The majority of
my interviews are wide. I try to work foreground objects into them whenever
appropriate. I also try to mix up the framing of interviews as they
progress to give the package some variety when I'm using more then one
bite from someone.
Lately I've been
doing lots of silloutte stuff. I've also gone back to doing some slow
zooms here and there for slower stories. I also add movement to still
pictures whenever possible via the NLE's built in digital effects. If
it's a good system you can blow the picture up to about 150% without
major artifacting or aliasing along edges. Looks much smoother than
camera movement on little pictures."
Coonass
"My style is pretty
much whatever works for the story. i can shoot rock solid steady sequences,
or quick snaps, swish pans, all hand held when its called for.
i prefer the solid
steady sequences.
lots of nats always.
sneak it in whenever the reporter takes a breath (again if its appropriate)
i try to stay
away from the formal sit-down interview. even when the reporter insists,
i always shoot a few questions at my subject while getting b-roll --
works great for nat breaks.."
Steve Goldstein
WISH-TV Indianapolis, IN
"I
think my "style" of shooting varies from reporter to reporter. There
are still reporters out there who just don't get. If I'm with one of
those (and unfortunatly there are too many) I go into "passive mode".
Just get the pictures, not too creative, and get "plenty of reporter
cut- aways", do the 30 second stand-up and bang it together. I know
going in that it's a lost cause, so I just bang it together. Now if
I'm fortunate enough to go with the token creative reporter,I will go
to "interactive" mode. Angles, sequences, natsot, experimental. I will
do whatever I can (in the hour that the producer gave us to shoot the
story in) to make OUR story the shining minute/thirty of the show."
Kevin Johnson Cox
Broadcasting
"I don't feel photogs
"have" to develop a style, but I do get a bit of pride when someone
recognizes a piece as mine, because of the "style". There is a certain
rhythm to my editing, a certain way I compose a shot, and a certain
way I light. I'm not saying my way is better, just slightly unique.
On the other hand, a photog shouldn't stray too far from the "style"
of the newsroom. A specific style of photography develops in a shop,
and if one individual tries to be too different, too unique on a standard
news story, it is jarring to the viewers. (Granted, series and special
features can be exceptions.) There is time to "play" and time to do
it the "usual" way."
Darryl Wingard
WSAW-TV Wausau, WI
"I have
found that whatever "style" that I may (or may not!) have is fluid,
constantly changing. Different stories deserve different approaches.
Looking back at old stories, I'm often surprised to see things that
I used to do a lot and I don't do anymore. Sometimes it's neat to bring
out some tricks that I haven't used in a while. I feel that my repertoire
is constantly growing. I don't want anyone to be able to pigeonhole
my shooting."
Chuck Purnell WVEC-TV
Norfolk, VA
"If you want your
work to standout among the rest of shooters in your shop or your market
perhaps, I think you need to have a certain style of shooting. I personally
like shooting low angles, and video that is 3-D; Shooting an object
in the foreground pratically to the right or left of the lens then having
the subject in the middle of the frame with a nice backdrop. This will
show a good depth of field. When I am editing I try to use as much nat.
sound as possible! My latest technique is when I have 2 bytes that were
framed on the same side or just 2 bytes together I will through in some
nat. sound to break this up and the reporters I work with love that!
I also love hanging out of trucks getting wild angles of bike races
and such. Last but not least I use my wireless lavilier mic 99% of the
time. It looks more Professional than a mic cube all up in my shot!
The only time I use the stick mic is run and gun situations or live
shots."
Lou Angeli Fire
TV
"I was fortunate
enough to develop my style before the "reality" craze skewed the entire
industry. I shoot using a formula, similar to a documentary. It's flexible
enough that I can "play around" within the formula, which covers my
butt in the edit suite. "
Bruce Johnson
Wisconsin Public TV
"Since I don't
have a daily deadline(I work on a weekly news magazine) I can take time
to do a little more lighting than many others can. I'm a big fan of
the 'soft front, hard back' school of lighting-a Lowell 1K broad bounced
off an umbrella in front, a Lowell VIP 250 watt for a back, 180 degrees
opposed, key light to the far side of the reporter usually. Also I shoot
interviews wide with a Canon 6-48 lens-seeing people's hands is a must
for me. BTW, I carry all of my lighting stuff and my tripod in a Portabrace
backpack. Room to spare for extension cords, foil for reflection, camera
raincoat, etc.
Merry Murray WZZM-TV
Grand Rapids, MI
"I think everyone
has their own style. When I first started shooting, I could tell which
one of my co-workers shot which story by their style. I can't tell my
own, but others say they can. If we all shot the same stories the same
way...then one person could do it all for every station."
Phil Cantor WTVF-TV
Nashville, TN
"Developed or not
most of us have our own styles. Nobody's is the same. If you look closely
within your own shop you can usually tell who shot the story. It is
not difficult to see. It is part of what makes us all unique and that
is why it is tough for us who edit our own stuff to edit someone else's.
My style is usually easy to see. I use a lot of shots, normally less
than 3 seconds each. Big on sequencing and rarely a jump cut. Pacing
is very obvious. I also use a lot of nat sound. And I am very tall (6-6)
so if I am off the shoulder it is not hard to tell."
Mike Woeste WXIX-TV
Cincinnati, OH
"Photogs just develop
their own style naturally...you are influenced by those you work with
and the people who taught you. Through the years you find out what works
for you. My style continually evolves. If it just started using a cookie
cutter pattern for shooting that's when I'll know I'm burned out. I
try to adapt to my subject matter. If I'm involved in a story where
things are moving and the situation is developing I won't lock myself
down to a tripod and a set of lights. On the other hand, if no one's
going anywhere and the action is confined...I say make it look as good
as it can look."
David Renner WMC-TV
Memphis, TN
"Styles are like
clubs in a golf bag: you have a bunch of them at your disposal and the
circumstance you are in dictates which one you use. I think I have a GREAT
BIG bag! 'Nuff said."
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