Overview
The ability to tell a story in photographs is a valuable skill for both casual amateurs and professional photojournalists alike. For this project, you will work in a group to produce an actual photographic story. The story will be submitted to the campus newspaper, RaiderView, for publication consideration. 
Readings and Resources
Instructions
For this assignment, you will work in groups of three to produce a photographic story. The following guidelines and procedures apply:
- Each member of the group should contribute at least 10-25 photographs to the story. Of course, you can take as many pictures as you’d like and choose what you feel are your best shots. In fact, it’s recommended that you take a wide variety of shots.
- Keep in mind that only 5-10 photographs from the group will be selected for publication (if the newspaper decides to publish your group’s photo story).
- All photographs taken for the project should be shot at the highest possible quality. No photograph under 8 megapixels in size will be accepted.
- Each photograph should be accompanied by a caption.
- You should consider answering all relevant questions when gathering information to write your captions. Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?
- If people are included in your composition, you should get name and hometown information. Make sure all names are properly spelled. A misspelled name will result in automatic failure of the assignment.
- At the end of each caption, a byline should identify the photographer. EXAMPLE: Photograph by John Smith.
- You must use the LIFE Magazine formula for a photo story:
- Introductory shot
- Medium shot
- Close-up
- Portrait
- Interaction shot
- Signature shot
- Clincher
- You do not have to represent all of the photo types outlined in the LIFE Magazine formula, but you should use enough to effectively tell the story.
- Each photograph should be above-average to excellent photographic quality.
- Assignment submission guidelines are as follows:
- Each group will submit their photo story on a CD.
- Each group member will have a separate folder on the CD with her or his photographic contributions to the project. The folder will be labeled with the group member’s last name.
- The outside of the CD should be labeled with a permanent marker and include the following information:
- 2153 Photo Story Project
- Spring 2010
- Group members (list everyone’s name in the group)
- Be creative. Your ultimate goal is to tell an engaging visual story.
Groups and Topics
- TBA
Assignment Evaluation
Overall Quality
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Overall quality of the photo story is excellent, displaying a high degree of effort, creativity, and thought. Project clearly shows performance above and beyond what was required. Almost all assignment standards are met to pass with distinction. | Overall quality of the photo story is above average, displaying a credible degree of effort and creativity, but not at the highest level of performance. The project has areas of excellence, but also some minor weaknesses or problems. Most assignment standards are met to pass. | Overall quality of the photo story is on an average level, displaying an acceptable degree of effort and creativity. Assignment fulfills requirements and may be strong in some areas, but quality is generally lacking in others. Enough assignment standards are met to pass. | Overall quality of the photo story is below average and may border on unacceptable. The project displays a low degree of effort and creativity or may appear to be thrown together at the last minute. Assignment does not fulfill enough assignment standards to pass. |
Shot Selection and Composition
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Project shows excellent shot variety and demonstrates high understanding and application of the LIFE Magazine photo story guidelines. Shot variety clearly demonstrates a high level of effort, creativity and ingenuity. Grasp of compositional techniques is at a high level. Most relevant shot angles are explored. Almost all assignment standards are met to pass with distinction. | Project shows above average shot variety and demonstrates credible understanding and application of the LIFE Magazine photo story guidelines. Shot variety may be excellent in some areas, but have minor issues or problems elsewhere. Grasp of compositional techniques is at a noteworthy level. Many relevant shot angles are explored. Most assignment standards are met to pass. | Project shows an acceptable level of shot variety, but is clearly lacking in areas. May have too many shots that are similar in scope. Effort demonstrates a basic understanding of the LIFE Magazine photo story guidelines. Some relevant shot angles are explored. Project shows a general grasp of compositional techniques. Enough assignment standards are met to pass. | Photo story shows an obvious lack of shot variety and displays an inability to understand and apply the LIFE Magazine photo story guidelines. Few, if any, relevant shot angles are explored. Grasp of compositional techniques is at a below-average level. Shot variety does not fulfill enough assignment standards to pass. |
Captions and Visual Reporting Skills
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Captions reflect excellent reporting skills. All relevant questions are addressed (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?). No information is lacking and the captions contribute significantly to the meaning of the photographs. Writing is clear, concise, and written in the present tense. All photographs have a proper byline to identify the photographer. | Captions reflect above average reporting skills. Most relevant questions are addressed (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?). Minor information may be lacking. The captions contribute to the meaning of the photographs. Writing is clear, concise, and written in the present tense. All photographs have a proper byline to identify the photographer. | Captions reflect average reporting skills. Almost all relevant questions are addressed (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?). Minor information may be lacking. The captions generally contribute to the meaning of the photographs. Writing may not be clear, concise, and/or written in the present tense. Proper bylines to identify the photographer may be missing. | Captions reflect below average reporting skills. Relevant questions are not addressed (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?). Major information is missing. The captions do not, as a whole, contribute to the meaning of the photographs. Writing may not be clear, concise, and/or written in the present tense. Proper bylines to identify the photographer may be missing. |
Technical Evaluation
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Photo selections have no technical problems. Quality is generally excellent and of professional level. Almost all assignment standards are met to pass with distinction. | Photo selections have some technical problems, but not enough to cause viewer distraction. Quality is generally excellent with only minor issues in some or all of the following: exposure, focus, contrast, and back or side lighting. Most assignment standards are met to pass. | Photo selections have some technical problems that are serious enough to cause viewer distraction. Quality is generally average with occasional major issues in some or all of the following: exposure, focus, contrast, and back or side lighting. Enough assignment standards are met to pass. | Many photo selections have technical problems that are serious and cause viewer distraction. Quality is generally below average, with frequent major issues in some or all of the following: exposure, focus, contrast, and back or side lighting. Technical quality is at a level that does not fulfill assignment standards to pass. |
