The advent and evolution of cell phone photography



Thursday the Food and Wine class at Owens Community College was preparing for their final exam.

   It is amazing how far technology has come in the past 10 years.  With new innovation and higher resolution, cell phones have become more advanced.  Now everyone has a decent camera built into there cell phones and can take creative pictures.
   People can add filters and edit them through either the phone itself or by using applications like Instagram. 
   Cell phone cameras have encourage millions of people to become more interested in photography. There are many people that have turned into professionals just by using there cell phone camera to take pictures.  Many believe that applications like Instagram should only be used for cell phone photos and not for pictures taken with SLR cameras.          
   Photojournalist use cell phone cameras  every day.  Sometimes it is easier to grab your phone really quick and snap the picture instead of hauling out your big SLR.

   Taking a picture with a cell phone is a lot different than taking one with a digital SLR camera.  Cell phone cameras are more like point and shoot cameras.  There are no fancy buttons that you need to set before taking the picture.

Owens students taking the Food and Wine class have to set a table properly for their exam on Thursday.

   Here are a few tips to keep in mind using your cell phone as a camera:  
   Make sure you look for the light source.  The light source is the first thing to observe.  

   Determine how close you are to the object.  Most cell phone cameras have the capability to be able to zoom in but in using the zoom feature quality of the photo will show more grain.  To ensure you have the highest quality possible, try to move so that you are closer to the object.     Be creative.  You can make something look totally different that what it is in real life. 

   Take for instance the pictures I published in this blog post.  Both were taken with my IPhone very close and at a lower angle to the object.  The second image makes the food and wine glass look very big even though they are small.   
  I love using my digital SLR but my camera is not always attached to me like my phone is.  With cell phone cameras being more advanced over the years, now I never miss a shot.
   



Caption writing in progress

   All photojournalists have certain ways they tell a story through their pictures.  A picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes a caption below the pictures explains more.

   Captions tell readers who, what, where, when, why and how.  These key answers help the reader to understand more about the picture.  

   Usually your first sentence is where these answers are located, and the information should always be accurate or they could lose their credibility.  Otherwise, the photojournalist could lose credibility.

   The Associate Press style guide is a tool that journalists use to help standardize the spelling, punctuation and grammar in their captions and stories.  The AP Stylebook is used by the vast majority of newspapers in the United States.  Journalists could lose their jobs or be less credible if they do not follow AP standards. 

   The AP Stylebook is the bible to journalists.  Many journalists keep their guide with them at all times for reference. 

   I use the AP Stylebook regularly.  Being the Editor-in-Chief of the Outlook, I want to be a good role model for my staff.   We keep copies of the book in our office for staff to use daily.  

   It is difficult to follow the AP Stylebook due to it being different than other formats that I have used.  It is a learning experience and it will come natural to me.            

Rossford Fire/ Rescue Explore Post 790 participate in a mock disaster Saturday July 12, at Owens Community College.  Fire departments from around Northwest Ohio helped the Explores get experience in the field of Fire and EMS services. (Photo by Katie Buzdor)

   

The First Amendment protects the photojounalist

  

    
   The First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.                               

   The First Amendment means that we are not subject to censorship by the government. 

   In other words, the government does not have the right to try to control or block certain things from being published by the press. The press provide citizens of the United Sates with a variety of information and opinions on matters of public importance.

   I have learned that prior restraint means an attempt by the government to prevent the expression of ideas before they are published. Under the First Amendment, prior restraint is clearly unconstitutional, even though at times this happens. For example, a newspaper that publishes false information about a person can be sued for libel. Most journalists strive to exercise their freedom to publish in a responsible and ethical manner. 

   The case of Mandi Wright, a Detroit Press photographer, challenged these rights.  She was teaching a colleague about cell phone videos.  A man was being arrested.  An undercover policeman in street clothes started to yell at her and told her to stop videotaping.  At the time, she did not know he was an undercover policeman and did not stop filming.  Wright was arrested.  After many hours she was able to leave the jail feeling like she was stripped of her freedoms.  

  The press will keep fighting for the First Amendment freedoms that allow it to inform our citizens. 

Getting to know this lover of photography!


  

Katie Buzdor

  I am a photography major at Owens Community College in Perrysburg, Ohio.
   During my time as a photography student at Owens, I began to be interested in photojournalism, so decided to join the student paper at the Owens Outlook.  I started as the photo editor spring semester 2014 and the next semester than was promoted to the Editor In Chief.
   The more I worked at the Outlook, the more I enjoyed reading the news.  Now I want to be the first one to leak the story.  I never thought that I was a talented writer, but I have yet to reached my potential. 
   Taking photos is a love of mine, and now I have the opportunity to merge that talent with my newfound passion for journalism. 
   Working on videos for the Owens Outlook, as well as on the website itself has helped me learn more aspects of the photojournalism field.