Reading and Writing Workshop
Photography and Multimedia in Journalism
Objective: Learn the basics of visual storytelling and multimedia journalism.
Session 1: The Power of a Photo — Composition, Lighting, and Angles
Topics:
Session 2: Integrating Multimedia — Images and Video in Reporting
Topics:
Session 3: Journalism on Social Media — Visuals and Platforms
Topics:
Session 4: Tools of the Trade — Creating Multimedia Journalism
Topics:
Session 5: Final Project — A Multimedia Story
Objective:
Objective: Learn the basics of visual storytelling and multimedia journalism.
Session 1: The Power of a Photo — Composition, Lighting, and Angles
Topics:
- Rule of thirds, framing, and focal points
- Natural vs. artificial lighting
- Camera angles and perspective in visual journalism
- “How to Tell a Story with a Photograph” – Library of Congress: Photograph Analysis Tool
- Browse iconic images from the Farm Security Administration collection (e.g., Dorothea Lange): https://www.loc.gov/collections/fsa-owi-black-and-white-negatives/about-this-collection/
- Choose an FSA image. Write a short article using the image as a centerpiece. Focus on what story the photo tells and what’s left unsaid.
Session 2: Integrating Multimedia — Images and Video in Reporting
Topics:
- Complementing text with multimedia
- Ethical use of images and video
- Captioning and contextualizing visuals
- “Ethics in Visual Journalism” – National Press Photographers Association Code of Ethics (Public Domain):
https://nppa.org/code-ethics - Silent video footage of historical events (e.g., 1930s newsreels):
https://archive.org/details/UniversalNewsreels
- Watch a historical newsreel and write a multimedia news article including embedded video, stills, and captions. Add ethical considerations in a sidebar reflection.
Session 3: Journalism on Social Media — Visuals and Platforms
Topics:
- Visual storytelling on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter)
- Hashtags, headlines, and visual consistency
- Engaging audiences with short-form content
- “Photographs That Changed the World” (from U.S. Government public domain photo collections):
https://www.archives.gov/research/still-pictures - Explore the National Archives’ "Today's Document" Tumblr (archived):
https://todaysdocument.tumblr.com/
- Create a mock Instagram or Twitter post using a public domain image. Write a caption with journalistic clarity, add hashtags, and write a brief rationale for platform choice and tone.
Session 4: Tools of the Trade — Creating Multimedia Journalism
Topics:
- Introduction to Canva, Adobe Spark, and free online tools
- Infographics, timelines, audio slideshows
- Layout and storytelling structure in visual media
- Public domain visual graphics from the U.S. Census Bureau:
https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations.html - Digital Public Library of America visual exhibits:
https://dp.la/exhibitions
- Using a free tool (e.g., Canva), create an infographic to accompany a short news article you write based on data or trends. Reflect on how the visual shapes reader understanding.
Session 5: Final Project — A Multimedia Story
Objective:
- Apply what you’ve learned in photography, video, social media, and design
- Select a topic (e.g., local issue, historical moment, personal story)
- Gather or select public domain visuals (photos/video/audio)
- Write and design a multimedia news article or feature story using at least 3 visual/multimedia elements