Photojournalism courses online
A fantastic illustration of a photojournalist is Robert Capa. His catchphrase was “If your images aren’t excellent enough you’re not close enough.” He covered several battles. Unfortunately, he passed away as a result of the Indochina War injury that brought to this phrase.
Online photojournalism courses are available on websites like the Photography Ethics Centre, Skillshare, Domestika, ACS Distance Education, and others that will help you improve your resume whether you’re a new or seasoned photojournalist.
If you are a beginner or you are interested in telling stories with pictures and you are looking for Photojournalism courses online then this article will tell you everything and more about how to start your journey.
Photojournalism online courses
There are so many online learning, colleges and universities that offer photojournalism online courses. Some of these institutions have a variety of free online courses while some have paid courses.
In the list below you will find a number of Photojournalism courses online, some of them require a fee and some are free.
- Intro To Photojournalism: How to Use Photography to Tell News Stories
- Introduction to Photojournalism: Capture Powerful Stories
- Photojournalism Practice I
- Photojournalism Ethics Course
- The Photographer’s Ethical Toolkit
Intro To Photojournalism: How to Use Photography to Tell News Stories
This is a 10Lesson class on Skillshare by KC Nwakalor an Independent Photojournalist, Documentary Photographer & Producer based in Abuja, Nigeria but who works extensively across West Africa. His work aims to humanize the region’s real socio-economic, educational, health, and environmental issues.
You will learn:
- What Photojournalism is and why it is important
- How to Find Newsworthy stories
- The Ethics of Photojournalism
- How to caption your images
- Components of a Story: Man at work, relationship, entertainment, and environment.
- Documentary Photography vs Photojournalism
- How to get your work published
This class is suitable for all levels. If you are just starting out, you will learn the foundations of Photojournalism. If you are an intermediate or advanced photographer that wants to delve into Photojournalism, this is a great start.
Introduction to Photojournalism: Capture Powerful Stories
In this 17-lesson course on Domestika by Finbarr O’Reilly, you will learn to create a structured narrative through a sequence of images with visual and emotional impact. you will learn how to identify, research, and capture your story while upholding ethical considerations. Explore the beauty of human connection and document captivating stories.
You will learn:
- About the Tutor
- Research
- The Shooting
- Developing and Editing
- Documentary Photographer: Responsibilities with a Community
- Pitching Stories to Editors and Publications
- Final project: Introduction to Photojournalism: Capture Powerful Stories
Photojournalism Practice I
This is a course offered by the ACS Distance Education platform. In this course, you will learn how to choose images for a particular publication, submit work for publication, and fulfill editor and publisher requirements.
You will learn to shoot in accordance with predetermined criteria, negotiate with a publisher, and successfully engage with other people involved in the publishing process under the direction of a mentor (a photography/publishing instructor).
You will learn:
- A Short History of Photojournalism
- Ethics and Photojournalism
- What Should I Photograph?
- How Should I Photograph It?
- How Should I Photograph It?
- Publishing Opportunities
- Working to Specification / Problem-Based Learning
- Publishing Using Online Management Systems
- Taking Photos and Submitting Images
- Writing Articles and Captions to Accompany Your Image
Prerequisites:
•A photography course (eg. Introduction to Photography, Photographic Practice, Digital Photography) or equivalent
• Medium-level computer skills, or higher
Photojournalism Ethics Course
This is a 3-series course offered by the Photography Ethics Centre. The purpose of this series is to improve the abilities that photojournalists require in order to deal with moral conundrums in their line of work. You will gain access to a closed Facebook group when you enroll in one of the Photojournalism Ethics course modules, where you can debate the course material with other students.
You will be given the opportunity to submit an application for certification once you have finished all three modules in the Photojournalism Ethics course series. Please be aware that in order to get certified, active participation in the online exercises is required.
The Photographer’s Ethical Toolkit
The founder and director of the Photography Ethics Centre, Savannah Dodd, is the instructor for this course. It aims to introduce fundamental photographic ethics principles. It’s an introductory course that anyone who frequently shoots or shares photos can use.
This course is divided into six sections:
- Section 1 provides an overview of the course and introduces the course trainer and media experts.
- Section 2 discusses photography ethics and introduces three key ethical principles in photography: Empathy, Autonomy, and Integrity.
- Section 3 explores how empathy can be applied in photography.
- Section 4 explores the principle of autonomy in photography, and discusses how you can handle consent in different situations.
- Section 5 explores the importance of acting with integrity toward the audience.
- Section 6 summarizes the key points covered in the course and lists some takeaway questions to consider in your photography practice.
You will have at least one online or offline opportunity in each component to put the ideas you cover in the course into practice.
You will be a part of an online community where you may obtain new information and interact with colleagues about ethical dilemmas.
You can complete the course in as many sessions as you choose; it takes a total of 5 hours.
It is said that photojournalists go where the story takes them. All the beautiful images of animals in the wild, happy children in Africa, astronauts on the moon, and the war in Ukraine, were all taken by photojournalists. After looking into the courses available, let’s take a look at what photojournalism is today
What is photojournalism
Photojournalism is journalism that uses images to tell a news story. Typically, it simply refers to still photos, although it can also refer to news broadcasts that incorporate video.
Imagine reading an article in a newspaper, magazine, billboard, news segment, or on the internet without any pictures. Pictures tell stories on their own, in addition to enhancing stories. Photos give context and understandability to the story when they are intelligently used. Photos can make or break a story in the media world, making photojournalism a crucial profession in and of itself.
Using pictures to illustrate a story is the practice of photojournalism. Photojournalists use a camera as their medium, as opposed to traditional journalists, who will communicate their knowledge using pen and paper (or occasionally a laptop). If done well, a reader may not even need words to completely comprehend the content being delivered since a photojournalist will use photos to tell the entire tale, from beginning to end.
The proverb “a picture is worth a thousand words” is one that most of us are familiar with. This is the underlying theory of photojournalism. When a photojournalist can capture the most spectacular photographs on film or their CCD chip, news organizations are willing to pay a high price for their services.
In some instances, a single image was so potent that it impacted the public’s perception and really had an effect on politics.
The History Of Photojournalism
Between 1880 and 1897, printing and photographic advancements allowed for the practice of using images to illustrate news items. While significant events were shot as early as the 1850s, wood engravings were the only type of illustration used for printed news reports until the 1880s. Before being published, news images had to be reinterpreted by an engraver to work with the time’s printing presses.
The groundbreaking combat images captured during the Crimean War (1853–1856) by British newspaper photographers like Roger Fenton and William Simpson of the Illustrated London News were eventually turned into engravings and published.
Flash powder was created in 1887, allowing photographers like Jacob Riis to capture candid interior subjects. Halftone photos could be reproduced on printing machines operating at full speed by 1897,
Despite these advancements, there were still some restrictions, and many of the exciting newspaper and magazine stories from 1897 to 1927 had engravings as illustrations. The invention of the wirephoto in 1921 allowed for the transmission of images almost as quickly as news could be spread. All the prerequisites for a “golden age” of photojournalism, however, weren’t met until the development of the commercial 35mm Leica camera in 1925 and the first flash bulbs between 1927 and 1930.
Characteristics of Photojournalism
A lot of people who want to get into photography and photojournalism usually seek to know what features of photojournalism make it unique from the other forms of photography. The distinctive features of photojournalism set it apart from other forms of photography. Photojournalism stands out on its own for the following reasons:
Images Must Be Accurate and Neutral
Overall the aim of photojournalism is to tell a story visually. A photojournalist’s responsibility is to convey their photos objectively. To ensure that photographs won’t be faked to produce an untrue outcome, they must take a clear and impartial approach. Instead, every image should emphasize capturing a genuine moment in time.
In general, photojournalism does not use its photographs to fabricate a story. Images will aim to depict all sides of a narrative, regardless of how challenging, unpleasant, or disturbing they may be, in order to accurately depict an event, a person, or a location.
If images taken by photojournalists are found to be skewed or altered to achieve an untrue narrative then the photojournalist has failed
Images Must Be Informative
As earlier stated a photo is worth 1000 words. An image taken by a photojournalist should be able to convey a story that cannot be written in a news article. In other words, Photojournalists convey a story that would be difficult to capture with words alone. The photos they present should be vehicles for educating the public.
Images Ought To Convey Current Events
Every image must be timely since readers want to see the news as it happens. In other words, photojournalism must depict something or someone who is now making headlines. Instead of using text, the goal is to explain the tale at hand using fresh images, and each one should help to clarify the meaning and lesson of the story. For example during the US presidential elections, photos should be able to show presidential candidates during debates, rallies, and campaigns before news articles are rolled out.
In general, we cannot discuss the issue of the characteristics of photojournalism without talking about the ethics of the profession. One of the guidelines in the Society for Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics is this one, which is a good one to adhere to when it comes to truth in photojournalism: “Never distort the content of news photos or video. Image enhancement for technical clarity is always permissible. Label montages and photo illustrations“. Photojournalists should be able to stay away from most ethical blunders by abiding by this rule and the ones set forth by the NPPA.
Different Types of Photojournalism
There are numerous varieties of photojournalism, such as general news photography, portrait photojournalism, Orbitutary photography, feature photojournalism, and documentary photojournalism.
General News Photography
General news photography is any pre-planned event that is not considered breaking news. This category includes elections, the Olympics, and other regularly planned events. A journalist can thoroughly understand a story before reporting on the outcomes or consequences by using general news photography.
Portrait Photojournalism
This style of photojournalism typically features well-known local or governmental figures striking a natural pose in their usual setting. A picture of the president working in the Oval Office or a picture of a doctor performing surgery in a hospital operating room are both excellent examples of portrait photography.
Obituary Photography
Obituary photography aims to highlight a life through a collection of carefully chosen photos. Its goal is to remember and honor a dead person while acknowledging their influence on a group, a community, or society at large.
Feature Photojournalism
This kind of photojournalism provides additional in-depth coverage in addition to a headline story or photo series. The context provided by feature photojournalism provides more information about the people and locations mentioned in the main narrative as well as additional viewpoints on the events and problems the main article addressed.
Documentary Photojournalism
This type of ongoing photography depicts a developing narrative. For example, photojournalists may be tasked with covering the Olympic Games or other sporting events that last for several days, weeks, or even an entire season.
How to Become a Photojournalist
Many of those who have achieved a lot in photojournalism sometimes have at least a bachelor’s degree or they must have gone through extensive on-the-field training and have gotten a certification to practice. But as a beginner, you can take baby steps by following the steps listed below.
Learn all the skills needed
Before you become a photojournalist you must learn the basics of taking good pictures, you need to know the different camera parts and their different functions. You can start by simply taking your camera everywhere you go. There are other important skills like editing, taking videos, uploading images using different software, writing skills, and much more.
Read Also: 5 Free Graphic Design Courses Online
Get a degree or a certification
Experience is valued more highly in photography professions than education. But earning a formal degree can teach you about the field, its trends, various tools, and editing methods. To increase your employability, you can also expand your portfolio.
Fine-tune your skills by getting an internship
Your institution may be able to assist you in finding an internship to gain experience, strengthen your resume, and develop your photographic abilities, depending on the degree program you decide to pursue.
Build your resume and your portfolio
A portfolio will almost certainly be requested by employers. This aids them in deciding whether or not to hire a photojournalist.
So be careful to put your greatest work in a portfolio that is professional. Select images that reflect the type of photographer you aspire to be.
Networking
Create and expand a network of photojournalist industry experts. Professors from universities, journalists, editors, photographers, and coworkers all fall under this category.
They can provide assistance to someone just getting started in the photojournalism industry. They might know people, be aware of work openings, or be able to recommend you.
Job search
Finding employment is the last step in the photojournalist career path. A competitive applicant for photojournalism is one who possesses the education, experience, and a strong professional portfolio.
Entry-level positions or work as a freelancer are the first places to look for employment.
Where Do Photojournalists Work?
Photographers go where their stories lead them, whether it is to political gatherings, sporting events, or even the front lines of battle. Additionally, they put in time in their homes or in offices developing film, printing photos, downloading them to computers, and writing captions and other text.
- A company may hire you as a photojournalist
- You may operate independently and sell your images to anyone who is interested in buying them. Newspapers, magazines, and television news stations are examples of potential clients and customers.
- Another option is to offer a photo collection to a book publisher for publication.
- As a photojournalist, you can also sell your exhibitions to several museums.
Statistics in the US show that over the following ten years, there will be roughly 12,700 employment openings for photographers. From 2020 to 2030, there will be a 17 % rise in employment in the photography industry, which is about the average growth for all occupations. As more people enter the field thanks to more accessible cameras and advancements in digital technology, expect fierce competition for those positions. Wedding photography and commercial photography, like that used in advertising, have the highest potential.
What Is The Average Salary Of A Photojournalist?
By media, photojournalist income varies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean salary for television photojournalists in 2020 was $54,910. According to the Economic Policy Institute, photojournalists employed by newspapers, magazines, or book publishers made an average yearly salary of $56,080, which was more than the $40,000 mean compensation for all jobs in the United States.
In the United Kingdom, a photojournalist can expect to make an average salary of £33,906 per year and £16 per hour. A photojournalist can expect to make between £24,277 and £40,891 per year on average. A photojournalist’s greatest level of schooling is typically a bachelor’s degree. This examination of remuneration is based on salary survey data gathered from anonymous employees and employers in the United Kingdom.
Conclusion
Photojournalism will always have its place in the world of news, and trends but the availability of Photojournalism courses online is not well reported. If you take any of the courses above it will lay the groundwork for you if you are willing to go the extra mile and get a bachelor’s degree.