Picture Perfect
Ashley Tactac
KIPP San Jose Collegiate
San Jose, CA
On the first day of seminars for Auburn University’s Summer Journalism Workshop, Andrew Goetz, a professional photographer introduced his class of 19 students to a snippet of the photography world by providing the students with a D40 Nikon SLR camera, tips about being an effective photographer using artistic expression, and hand-on activities for the students to take part in.
“You want to learn photography, take pictures,” Goetz directly told the students. He even mentioned to the class, “Do not believe everything I say,” even though his credentials include taking pictures for Time Magazine, among many more, and of various amounts of artists from Carlos Santana to Lil Wayne, selling pictures in Poland, to even taking his own photographs of the sides of trains.
Andrew created an immediate and personal connection to the workshop participants. He presented what he does for a living, showing pictures of his work, explaining his experiences and then put the participants to work.
He paired students up with a D40 Nikon SLR camera and sent them off to take pictures a block from Tichenor Hall, the room where they are taking his class. Students spent about 30 minutes shooting pictures of their partners from different angles and different areas close to campus.
After the photo-shoot, participants were introduced the fundamentals of Photoshop and key facts about how to edit their photos. Goetz gave easy and precise steps for the students to use in order to increase the quality of their pictures, assigning the students to take pictures for their partner for portraits as well as a photo story of their experience thus far at the journalism program.
As students experienced hands on activities and carried around the D40 for their free use, he reminded them the simple rules and advice of taking pictures, “Do not be afraid to make it look stupid. Don’t play it safe. Your job is to get in the way and to photograph a story. ”
Students in the class learned to not just take horizontal or vertical pictures, but to take photos from different angles, different styles, expressing their own artistic expression and own stories as well as editing their picture to make them better than what they already had.
What the class experienced was an introduction to the world of photography through the lens of a professional photographer. Goetz encouraged aspiring Auburn journalists to take engaging picture that would tell a story for all audiences to see.
KIPP San Jose Collegiate
San Jose, CA
On the first day of seminars for Auburn University’s Summer Journalism Workshop, Andrew Goetz, a professional photographer introduced his class of 19 students to a snippet of the photography world by providing the students with a D40 Nikon SLR camera, tips about being an effective photographer using artistic expression, and hand-on activities for the students to take part in.
“You want to learn photography, take pictures,” Goetz directly told the students. He even mentioned to the class, “Do not believe everything I say,” even though his credentials include taking pictures for Time Magazine, among many more, and of various amounts of artists from Carlos Santana to Lil Wayne, selling pictures in Poland, to even taking his own photographs of the sides of trains.
Andrew created an immediate and personal connection to the workshop participants. He presented what he does for a living, showing pictures of his work, explaining his experiences and then put the participants to work.
He paired students up with a D40 Nikon SLR camera and sent them off to take pictures a block from Tichenor Hall, the room where they are taking his class. Students spent about 30 minutes shooting pictures of their partners from different angles and different areas close to campus.
After the photo-shoot, participants were introduced the fundamentals of Photoshop and key facts about how to edit their photos. Goetz gave easy and precise steps for the students to use in order to increase the quality of their pictures, assigning the students to take pictures for their partner for portraits as well as a photo story of their experience thus far at the journalism program.
As students experienced hands on activities and carried around the D40 for their free use, he reminded them the simple rules and advice of taking pictures, “Do not be afraid to make it look stupid. Don’t play it safe. Your job is to get in the way and to photograph a story. ”
Students in the class learned to not just take horizontal or vertical pictures, but to take photos from different angles, different styles, expressing their own artistic expression and own stories as well as editing their picture to make them better than what they already had.
What the class experienced was an introduction to the world of photography through the lens of a professional photographer. Goetz encouraged aspiring Auburn journalists to take engaging picture that would tell a story for all audiences to see.