JOUR1111 Lecture 5

The Visual Medium

Week five's lecture was quite interesting. Whilst it taught me some new and interesting facts about the use of the visual medium in reporting and writing, it also confirmed some of my prior assumptions regarding photos and moving imagery.

It was both shocking and intriguing to find out some of 2011's statistics in relation to vision in the media. Such facts as the average number of photos being uploaded per second to instagram being 60 was quite astounding and 72 hours of video uploaded every minute to youtube a little hard to comprehend. It just goes to show though that for the vast majority, people tend to enjoy the visual medium and what it has to offer - a vibrant, powerful and engaging way of telling a story.

"...a picture has no meaning at all if it can't tell a story..." - Eetu Silanpaa

In light of this quote I have found some of my favourite photos that I feel tell an intense story without any words at all:

So incredibly powerful. Such an intense photo that somehow screams and whispers a story at you.

Changing up the visual effects used when taking/editing photographs has a profound impact on the messages and stories it conveys.

 

Love the patterns this shot creates.

Another point taken from the lecture was the 'rule of thirds' when one goes about lining up and taking a photo. It is handy to understand what pleasures the audience so as to create the best shot possible as I feel all the above do.

The framing of a photo also came up as something which can be quite significant in shaping what story is told as could be seen by the shot captured at Jonathan Thurston's uncle's funeral of him receiving a hug. The gap in the wall perfectly frames the story, its shape suggestive of extra meaning behind the situation. The fact the young journalist captured this photo on a smart phone is also significant as it demonstrates how you do not necessarily require the expensive equiptment to take good and meaningful photos as is commonly perceived, just an eye for them.

I will finish week 5's lecture review with another of the quote Dr Redman included in his presentation as I find it quite poignant in light of everything thus far discussed.

'...if it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry, if it rips out your heart, that's a good picture...' - Eddie Adams