When a news photograph runs at the top of a news website, is circulated on social media, or is on the front page of a newspaper, millions of people see it and instantly form an impression. Most people will read the image before they read the full article. The photographer’s choices about foreground and background have already shaped what those millions of people believe before they’ve even read a single word.
Look Closely at a Photograph of a Presidential Candidate
The image John F. Kennedy, Burbank, California, shows Senator John F. Kennedy on the campaign trail in 1960, about two months before he was elected to become the 35th U.S. President. As you examine this photograph, discuss or write your responses to the following questions.
- Where are these people?
- Look from the foreground to the background. What are some people holding?
- What are the people in the crowd reacting to? What kinds of reactions do you notice?
- What can you tell about the central figure? Why?
- How did the photographer emphasize the central figure?
Take Your Own Photographs of a Newsworthy Topic or Event
Select Your Topic
Identify a topic or event that you would like to capture as a news story. Here are some ideas of what you might select:
- something happening at your school
- a community event or issue
- a sporting event you attend or participate in
- a cultural event like a play or concert
Take Four Photographs
Take at least four photos of the same subject. Each one should tell a noticeably different story based on how you position your camera and what you let into the frame.
Here’s your shot list:
- Move in Close: Fill the frame with your subject. The background is there, but it’s not the point. The viewer should feel like they’re right in the moment with the person or object.
- Step Way Back: Let your subject go small and the background take over. Now the location is telling the story just as much as the subject is.
- Capture Something Unexpected: Find a background that clashes with your subject. It could be something ironic or surprising. Or, you could take a photo of an unexpected subject that is also present in your scene. For example, perhaps you’re photographing a soccer game but instead you capture a bird that lands on the field.
- Try a Different Composition: Frame your photo to highlight a composition that you haven’t tried in your other photos. For example, you could shoot your scene through a fence or bush, select a different angle that is very high or low, or put your subject off to the side of your frame.
Important: You are not changing what is happening, only where you stand and what you choose to include in the frame or leave out. The same moment can become four different stories depending on your angle and framing.
Write a Caption for Each Photo
News photographers always write captions. Captions are the short lines of text that appear beneath a published image. For each of your four photos, write 1–2 sentences as if the photo were going to run in a newspaper.
Every caption should answer:
- Who is in the photo?
- What is happening?
- Where or when is this taking place?
Then add one more sentence that answers this question:
- How does what’s in the foreground and background help tell this specific version of the story?
You’ll notice that writing a caption for each of your photos may feel different, even though the subject is identical.
Write a Reflection
Pick your two most contrasting photos. Find the pair of pictures that show the biggest difference in the story being told. Then write answers to the questions below using complete sentences.
- Describe both photos in detail. What is in the foreground of each? What is in the background? Don’t just say “my subject”—name the details.
- What story does each photo tell? How are they different, even though the subject is the same topic or event?
- What compositional choice caused the story to change? Be specific: was it your distance from the subject, your angle, what you allowed into the frame, or something else?
- Think about the ethics. You just proved that framing changes how truth is perceived. A photojournalist’s job is to report what actually happened—but you can make the same event look totally different depending on where you stand. What responsibility does that create? Answer in at least three sentences.
Be very specific in your reflection. Saying “the foreground made it look different” isn’t enough. Name what was actually in the frame and explain how that specific detail changed the story.
