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Info for
High School Journalists

Editor's note: Brian Plonka is a former photographer for the Herald News in Joliet. He now works for the Spokesman Review of Spokane, Wash., where he was named 2002 National Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association. These tips are from a workshop Brian did in 1997 at the Northern Star.

• Create an atmosphere where excellence is the standard. Do not accept mediocre results.
• Carry your camera at all times. Any time you go out, take a quick light reading and set your camera -- point it at the grass, check the meter and then underexpose just a little from there. By having the exposure set in advance, if you see a good picture, all you have to do is focus and shoot.
• Look for emotion. People overcoming adversity almost always make good pictures.
• Establish camaraderie with your subject. Don't just go in and start shooting pictures. Find out what you have in common, then exploit that.
• Think as a journalist. You're a reporter, not just a photographer. Ask questions. Dig for information. Always get the phone number of people you shoot -- a reporter may want to contact the person for a story to go with your picture.
• Concentrate on a clean background. It allows you to show the subject clearly, with no distractions. Find the setting, get a clean background, then wait for the moment.
  One good technique to highlight a subject is to decrease your depth of field to put the background or foreground out of focus. That helps the reader to zero in on the subject.
• When using a flash, don't shoot a subject straight on -- you'll get a harsh reflection. And, move away from walls to avoid harsh shadows.

Light & Exposure

Light is 100 percent of any photo. The secret to being a good photographer is to look at light in a way no one else looks at it.

The best natural light for photography comes early in the morning or late in the afternoon -- times when the sun is low in the sky. Those are the times you should be shooting outdoor assignments. Use the middle of the day for indoor shots if possible.

Try to know whether your photo will run in black & white or color. If b&w, then think in black and white.