How to be an inspiring photography leader

This article supplements material in the winter 2011 issue of JEA’s magazine — Communication: Journalism Education Today.

The Winter 2011 issue of Communication: Journalism Education Today presents “Must-have Images for Every Photo Assignment” on pages 20-26. Writer Eric Thomas, MJE, suggests how photography-conscious journalists can maximize the value of this convenient 1-10 list.

• If you are a photo editor … insist that when your photographers upload a gallery from a football game or any old assignment that they must have all 10 of the categories represented. If you coach them, insist on it and check for it, you will be amazed at the visual variety.
• If you are a writer or page designer … think about that “perfect checklist.” Which kind of photo would be a fresh look at the topic on your page or for your story? Think it through and then drop a note, text or Facebook message to the photographer. But here is the key: Do so before the event. Do not pin your hopes on one kind of photo without communicating it to the photographer.
• If you are an adviser … assign students to cover a huge campus event: something like Back to School night, Homecoming dance or soccer playoffs. If they have enough space to shoot and not be on top of one another, they can each shoot to fulfill these 10 categories in their final edit.
• If you are a photographer … jot down the 10 categories on an index card, type them into your phone … or better yet, put them on a luggage tag on the outside of your camera bag. Don’t leave an assignment until you have collected all 10. Treat each shoot like a scavenger hunt.