When in Photojournalism self-portrait pictures can be real unique.

Nick Link mopping up a wet spot on the concourse.  Photo taken by Allen Jackson/The South End

So I decided to take my camera to my job and shoot one of my co-workers working.  Nick Link who was been working at Comerica Park for three seasons is known as the hardest worker in the event housekeeping department.  He works on the same level as me on some occasions because we get moved around a lot.  So anyway he was willing to cooperate and let me do this assignment on him. 

He sweeps the concourse, cleans the bathroom maybe two of them if I’m placed somewhere else and we go on the Pepsi porch/New Amsterdam Bar to check for trash or sweep up peanut shells mostly.  I used my camera to take a picture of Link sweeping, mopping and cleaning his bathroom. 

Overall this self-portrait assignment was a learning experience for me as I continue in my journey as a journalist to take pictures when necessary.  Also, journalists can take the most unique pictures like a person outside of a statue at Wayne State or of a person doing projects or making unique paintings of something.  Also, people can take emotional pictures of a person crying or being devastated after a loss.       

Shooting sports is not as easy as it looks: But learning long the way will help us get better!

Tigers players warming up for opening day.  Photo taken by Allen Jackson/South End

So I decided to take my camera to my job at Comerica Park to shoot opening day.  Unfortunately, shooting with a tablet camera was not the way to go about it.  It will give you a low ISO and as a result the shutter speed will suffer from it.  In one of my photos where I tried to get a picture of one of the players, I should have went closer to the dugout instead of half way down the lower bowl.  

Tiger fans standing outside in front of the ballpark signing up for Chevy ride and drive in front of the Nikolas Kronwall bobblehead.  Photo taken by Allen Jackson/South End

I also took a picture of people holding the United States flag while the Four Tops were singing the National Anthem.  For this picture, I wanted to use shallow depth of field to focus on the flag.  However, shooting with a tablet camera pales in comparison to shooting with a DSLR camera.  DSLRs gives the best shutter speeds, higher ISOs and proper f-stops while on tablet camera the three are limited.  

Volunteers holding the U.S. flag while the Four Tops sing the National Anthem.  Photo taken by Allen Jackson/South End. 

Now for the shooting sports part, it is not easy because when being a photojournalist you have to get in the right position and have the proper settings in order to stop the action at just the right time to get a decent photo.  This is why it will be learning curve for me that tablet cameras won’t cut it in photojournalism.       

Camera Ops: The Exact Way to take a photo

After taking these pictures around campus, I can come to the conclusion that cell phone photography will not get journalists anywhere in the photo part of the business.  The fact that DSLR camera will help get out digital photos in crystal clear style than on a cell phone where it can come out a little blurry. 

Rule of Thirds, Outside Manoogian Hall

Camera operations is also difficult in certain situations because you have to get in certain positions to shoot accurate photos, give the proper captions and if it’s a difficult photo to take then people have to shoot it the first time.  In the photojournalism business we all know that it is more to it than just taking photos and posting it.  We have to watch out for pictures that can sometimes be out of focus or don’t come the way you want it. 

Another thing is that we have to be careful about ISOs, shutter speed and proper metering when taking these photos, because if you set your settings to the wrong ISO or if your f-stop or aperture is not in its proper then the issue of white balance will come in to play.

Shallow depth of field, WSU