| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Visual Literacy for Newspaper Copy Editors
Tim Vizer, Photographer
 |
Belleville | IL | USA | Posted: 12:31 PM on 06.16.10 |
->> I have been asked to develop a training program for our copy desk, to help them develop stronger visual literacy skills and apply those skills in selecting the strongest and most compelling images from AP and other outside/non-staff sources, plus using the images our staff presents to them in the most effective and appealing manner for section fronts and inside pages. Everything from single photo usage to multiple image/picture story-type groupings.
I've looked at numerous websites "for" copy editors and have found some information, but I'm throwing this topic out here for any of you who might have had a similar duty given to you or if this has happened at your publication. This program can be as big or as little as I want to make it, a single meeting or a series of seminars -- handouts, website links, watching online video tutorials, the future role of the copy desk in print and online --- everything and anything is fair game.
We're a 55K daily, editorial staff size is 43, we have four shooters including myself, and an eight-person copy desk.
Thanks! Tim |
|
Stephen Brashear, Photographer, Assistant
 |
Seattle | WA | USA | Posted: 1:36 PM on 06.16.10 |
| ->> Tim - Try the Newspaper Designer's Handbook by Tim Harrower, a former Oregonian designer and editor. It is out of print now. Wish I'd kept mine as it has a better ROI than many investments of the last decade. One copy might could be shared easily. It's and easy read. Also check out the Poynter Institute. |
|
Mark Loundy, Photo Editor
|
San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 1:55 PM on 06.16.10 |
->> How about copy literacy for photo editors?
Why do editorial managers always think that photo skills are trivial to teach to word-oriented people?
Don't train your replacement.
--Mark |
|
Jack Howard, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
Central Jersey | NJ | USA | Posted: 2:12 PM on 06.17.10 |
->> "Don't train your replacement."
Exactly! It's much better to be fired for insubordination, isn't it? ;)
Anyways, I personally see this as more a future staffing concern for either a desk-based photo editor or a page layout designer than for staff shooters.
That being said, for reasons I simply cannot imagine, there are still good, talented people–both word and visual people–toiling away in the newspaper business despite the staffing cuts, dwindling circulation and page count, unreasonable management demands, furloughs, stockholder dividends, management bonuses that dwarf your average shooter's annual salary and so on.
I personally think it great to see that a paper is asking the photo department for their help and subject matter expertise in presenting visual journalism as best they can.
Seriously, what am I missing here? Why isn't this a good thing? |
|
Jeff Brehm, Photographer, Photo Editor
|
Charlotte | NC | USA | Posted: 4:59 PM on 06.17.10 |
->> Wow! You have 43 staffers, including four shooters, on a 55K daily?
I think Mark is right. There might be a hidden agenda here. |
|
Jim Comeau, Photo Editor, Photographer
|
Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 5:16 PM on 06.17.10 |
->> Hire a photo editor with a copy of the AP Stylebook.
Boom! problem solved. |
|
Sid Hastings, Photo Editor, Photographer
|
St. Louis | MO | United States | Posted: 11:38 PM on 06.17.10 |
->> The cold fact in many newsrooms these days is that picture editors have become an endangered species. So while I'm sure you'd like to have a night photo editor, I would suspect you're just dealing with reality of your situation.
Given that reality, a simple thing to consider doing would be to make sure editors on the desk are aware that an AP photo editor in NY attaches the phrase "TOPIX" to the images that have moved that AP considers the best of that day's photo report. So if they do a search for "gulf and TOPIX" with the parameters set to images that moved today, they should get today's top photos from the Gulf.
Now I realize that doesn't really help their skills grow, but it should help enhance the work that appears in the paper and on the site. |
|
Sid Hastings, Photo Editor, Photographer
|
St. Louis | MO | United States | Posted: 12:00 AM on 06.18.10 |
| ->> Tim, one more quick thought on this -- please be aware that with some image databases you need to use the complete phrase "APTOPIX" not the truncated "TOPIX" to get those images. One of those phrases should work with whatever you all use, and either way, this is a quick tool to help get those better images into consideration by those putting the pages together. |
|
Tim Vizer, Photographer
|
Belleville | IL | USA | Posted: 9:52 AM on 06.18.10 |
->> Thanks to you all, for your serious, thoughtful answers.
Tim |
|
Return to --> Message Board Main Index
|