JOUR1111- Lecture 5

Stained Glass window depicting baptism

The phrase " a picture tells a thousand words" is more than just a phrase to a photojournalist. It is an embodiment of their profession and a testament to the effectiveness of images in journalism.

Within this lecture, although its entirety was relevant, there were a few points that seemed particularly pertinent to me.

The lecture chose to further iterate the idea that all pictures are stories. While I was already well aware that a picture could tell a story, I now realise I was often failing to see the underlying messages in many images. By taking the approach that all pictures tell a story I can approach images with a much more analytic and open mind. An interesting fact from the lecture was regarding stained glass windows inside churches. I was previously under the impression that these were simply decorative however I now know that they were to help illiterate people understand the stories of the bible. A real world example of pictures telling stories that are often overlooked.

Pictures are an integral part of telling a story in my opinion. In the words of war reporter Robert Capa, " If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough." These words show how a picture tells a story for what it actually is, or at least until it is altered, which brings me to the second part of the lecture. 

I previously thought all the whining about body image in media and unrealistic goals of appearance being set were simply puffery.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U 

This video proves me to be completely mistaken. It may be ethically incorrect to think this but I'm a guy, this is my blog and my place to say what I think. So here it is. Honestly this disappoints me. Not because of the high standards of appearance set by todays media. No, quite to the contrary. I couldn't care less if magazines make people feel unattractive in comparison to popular models. Models are meant to be good looking after all. Don't feel down that they put the rest of us to shame.  Digital modification of photos upsets me because of its implications. It means that perhaps there isn't quite as many flawlessly good looking people in the world today. I feel deceived and cheated. I really think its a bit of a deflating revelation to find out the extent of what a photoshop wizard can do these days. 

This lecture was an enlightening insight into an aspect of journalism that I am rather unfamiliar with. At this rate I feel I will come away from this course with a broad, if not completely in depth, knowledge of the varied elements and types of journalism.