Join NPR multimedia trainer, Kainaz Amaria, to learn about what makes a good photo and how to best use images to tell a story.

1. Elements of Photography &
Visual Storytelling
October 2012
Kainaz Amaria| Multimedia Trainer | 650-281-8843 | kamaria@npr.org

2. Our Photographic Journey
• Foundations of visual storytelling
• What makes a good image and why
• How do you get that good image
• Tips on how to make better portraits
• Tips on how to approach visual decisions for your story
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3. Close-up – A Detail Shot
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4. Portrait
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5. Medium
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6. Action
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7. Wide – Scene Setter
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8. Five Foundations of Visual Storytelling
1. Wide
2. Medium
3. Detail
4. Portrait
5. Action
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9. Slideshow
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10. Establishing Image
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11. Sense of Place
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12. Medium
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13. Detail
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14. Action/Transition
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15. Action
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16. Portrait
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17. Portrait/Action
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18. Medium
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19. Six Ways to Make a Good Gallery Great
1. Use a variety of image types to provide a sense of pacing
(wide, medium, detail, portrait, action)
2. Each picture should have a purpose
3. Pictures shouldn’t be redundant
4. Kill the puppies: Not every images is worth keeping
5. Know what story you want to tell, plan accordingly
6. The first image should draw your reader into the story.
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20. Three Most Important Aspects Of An Image
• Content
• Composition
• Light
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24. Content
• Know your story
• Focus on what it is
you want to say
• Position yourself to
get the image
• Make more than one
or two images
• Make images when
people are doing
something active
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25. In The Field: Aurora Memorial
Sam Sanders / NPR
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26. Sam Sanders / NPR
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27. Sam Sanders / NPR
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28. Sam Sanders / NPR
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29. Composition
• Who/What is your
focus
• What is the best
angle to
communicate your
vision
• Look at the entire
frame what are you
including and more
importantly excluding
• Use your legs to
move around the Jackie
Northam/NPR
situation
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30. Rule of Thirds
 Divide an image
into thirds,
horizontally and
vertically – where
the lines intersect,
place the subject of
the photo
David Gilkey/ NPR
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31. Perspective
 Look at a scene
from the
perspective of
the person in the
story
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
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32. Leading Lines
 Leading lines
help focus where
your viewers eye
goes in the frame
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
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33. Framing
 Use every
opportunity to
look through
things
David Gilkey / NPR
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34. Light
• Golden Hour –
happens twice a
day
• Window light
for when you
are indoors
• Try to make
images outside
as much as
possible, unless
it is high noon
David Gilkey/NPR
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35. Lighting – Hour of Day Matters
 Early morning
and late
afternoon are
the best times
photograph
 Keep the sun
behind you, or
to the side for
nice contrast
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
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36. Lighting – Hour of Day Matters
David Gilkey/NPR
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37. Lighting – Hour of Day Matters
David Gilkey/NPR
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38. Caption Information
 Keep the 5 W’s in
mind
 Make sure to get the
correct spelling of
names and where
they are from
 If you aren’t sure
what they are doing,
or confused about a
specific detail in the
frame make sure to
write that down
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39. Good Captioning Practices
 Name
 Location
 What are they
doing?
 Keep it short
 Add context
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40. Practical Ways To Approach Visual Storytelling
 What is the best way to represent my story — single
image, slideshow, audio slideshow, video, graphic
 What are my resources?
• If I need one image then can I make that one my own?
• If I need a slideshow can we hire a freelancer?
• If it’s a news event can we rely on the wire services?
 Think of the visuals from the beginning of your reporting
• Can I go when people are doing something?
• Can I set aside enough time to make an image?
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41. Three Things That Make a Better Portrait
 Lighting (on face)
 Focus
 Background
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42. Lighting – Portraits
 Try not to
silhouette a
subject
 Keep the light
at your back
 Reposition a
subject for
better lighting
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
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43. Background – Remove the Clutter
 Remove
distracting
objects
 Look around
the frame,
reposition the
camera
 Get closer
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
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44. Focus – Subject Must be Crisp
 Focus the
camera on the
subject, then
take the
picture
 Take your
time
 Work it!
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45. Lighting, Background, Focus
Kainaz Amaria / NPR
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46. Common Mistakes
 Objects
protruding
from the
subject’s body
 Excessive flash
 Too far away
 Awkward
expression
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47. Editorial Relevance: What Image Best Fits the Story?
 India's Power Woes A Classic Story Of Supply, Demand
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48. What Image Best Fits the Story?
 Justice Scalia Disputes Accuracy Of 'Leak'
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49. What Image Best Fits the Story?
 How The Taliban Is Thwarting The War On Polio
Jackie Northam / NPR
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50. Images Go Everywhere
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51. Photography is about relationships!
Kainaz Amaria/NPR
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52. Your Photography Assignment
 Submit three images that tell a story
• Make sure each image is a different visual perspective (i.e. wide,
medium, portrait, detail, action)
• Make more than three images total
• Go to a place where people are actively doing something
• HAVE FUN!
 Caption each image and email them
to dseditorial@npr.org
 Put your station call letters (ex: KUNC) in the subject line
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