Documentary and journalistic photography

Introduction to Documentary and Journalistic Photography

• Documentary and journalistic photography serve to tell a story or document specific events, concepts, or themes.
• The distinction between the two is often a matter of intent. Documentary photography typically has a broader, social scope, while journalistic photography is often associated with news and immediate events.
• Both photographic techniques serve to raise awareness, educate, show beauty, evoke emotion, and/or contribute to historical record.

Key Aspects of Documentary Photography

• Documentary photography aims to chronicle events or environments in a truthful and objective way, often in the context of history, culture, and politics.
• The narratives expressed through documentary photography are often long-term projects showing an in-depth exploration of a subject matter.
• It tends to be characterised by long series of images that delve into the detail and complexity of a specific subject.

Key Aspects of Journalistic Photography

• Journalistic photography, or photojournalism, refers to the creation of images in order to tell a news story.
• It serves as direct visual evidence of a specific moment, event, or instance of cultural significance.
• Timeliness is a crucial aspect of journalistic photography, as it often accompanies breaking news stories.

Techniques and Approaches

• Both documentary and journalistic photography often utilise shoot-from-the-hip techniques, where the photographer captures images candidly without drawing attention.
• Knowing when to use long-focus lenses to photograph subjects at a distance and wide-angle lenses for close proximity is crucial.
• Understanding and mastering lighting is key, since many events and subjects will not provide optimal lighting conditions.

Ethics and Responsibility

• Ethical considerations are paramount, particularly when dealing with images of sensitive or traumatic subjects.
• The photographer has a responsibility to portray subjects with dignity, respect, and truthfulness.

Popular Tools and Software

• Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop provide tools for enhancing, editing, and processing photographs.
• Capture One offers advanced tools for colour grading, layer editing, tethering, and organising photos.

Understanding the differences, techniques, methods, and ethics related to documentary and journalistic photography can improve your ability to capture and express visual narratives in these fields. Fine tuning these skills can greatly refine your photographic style and increase the impact of your work.