The Art of Photojournalism

This week was a learning experience in manual photography, since it was my first time using a camera where I could change the ISO, aperture and shutter speed. Prior to playing with the camera, we completed a tutorial in class as well as a series of readings from the Nikon website and from photojournalism professionals. Taking good photographs requires curiosity, patience and good timing to capture moments and emotions. Detailed pictures aren't just present to enhance a story, they contribute to the story by showing an aspect of it that the reader can't envision already. Below are some inspiring ideas that I plan to incorporate into photojournalism assignments the rest of the semester:

• Framing- Choosing which elements to include in a photo and blending them with the environment in a balanced manner requires a lot of thinking. Applying concepts like the Rule of Thirds and placing subjects strategically will enhance future photo projects. 

• Preparation- Being prepared seems like it's obvious, but rather than being prepared to just take a picture, you must be prepared to interview the source as well. I plan on having background questions ready to really obtain the context behind the story. 

• Showing interaction- Photos should show interaction not only between people, but between humans and their environment. Assuring that captured moments use angles and emotion to show that communication will add a layer of meaning to pictures.

Attributes of multi-platform reporters

As I enter the Convergence Journalism emphasis area in my coursework, readings and class lectures this first week of school have taught me the definition of multi-platform news. Converged media is shared  through a combination of text, photographs, video clips, audio, graphics, online interaction and emerging methods. Class readings emphasize that each medium complements the others, rather than telling the same story in a different way. 

Being a multi-platform reporter requires versatility. This occupation caters to individuals who are willing to learn developing platforms, innovative and ambitious to embrace new ideas and express their stories in different ways. 

A good multi-platform reporters prioritizes:

• Being purposeful and articulate.  A story published in different media vehicle must bring something new to the table and not repeat the same ideas as a text story. There should be a defined purpose for why you select one medium over another, and the outlet you choose should be where you can best articulate that piece of news or feature.

• Creativity. Multi-platform journalists are creative and willing to learn & try new things. They can think of new, innovative ways to portray information and have concept and strategy behind what they do. 

• Ability to keep the conversation going. As more platforms arise, it is a journalist's responsibility to produce talk value in his or her pieces and continue the conversation after the story is published. Participatory journalism is active in today's society and a good reporter knows how to enter and facilitate such conversation around the news.

• Being a good writer. Traditional text stories are not the only medium that require good writing skills. Radio and audio require copy text, videos need scripts and websites need well-written descriptions too. Regardless of the platform, clear and concise writing skills are valuable. I respect and agree with the quote below from Simon Dumenco, and believe it applies to all platforms- not just blogs. 

Quoted in Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism by Tim Harrower (McGraw Hill, 2007)

Not done yet, Chicago

If you would have asked me at the beginning of this summer if I would move back to Chicago after graduation, I would have smiled & said no. Why did I limit it out so quickly? The idea of living in Chicago seemed like the "easy" thing to do, rather than where I truly wanted to be. (Side note: We live in an economy where you go for the job before the location, and the fact that I even considered this is pretty ridiculous. What a Millennial mindset). It's the simple routine for a North Shore young adult- go to high school, receive a good college education, find a job in downtown Chicago, get an apartment there with some high school/college friends and take the Metra back to your parents' house when you need free food or a car. Pretty straightforward, right?

Over the past few years, I started to fall in love with some U.S. cities I have visited and considered them places to move after graduation. The opportunities I've had to travel throughout college pointed out how other people live and feel compatible in the cities they reside in. Cities like Boulder, DC, Kansas City, Boston, San Diego and New York all have very different feels and I made a conscious effort to observe how people find comfort there. I could envision myself living and working in some of them, but thought of others as livable, but a place I'd rather keep as a vacation spot. Particularly, I fell in love with San Diego for its west coast feel, diverse culture, medium-sized town feel and proximity to Mexico.

When you travel or vacation somewhere, you spend a lot of time becoming acquainted with the area and trying all the best-of-the-bests. Studying abroad in Buenos Aires taught me the true meaning of this. My roommates and I bought travel books and made efforts to hit every attraction and restaurant we could. We would choose a burrow of town and explore it in and out--its art museums, parks, churches, food--and create an impression from there. I applied this travel mindset to every city I went to and explored the streets of them as well. After my parents decided to transition to Milwaukee, Chicago really became out of the picture for next summer's job search. But, working a wonderful internship this summer in Chicago right on Wacker & State Street has changed my mind.

As I sat on the Metra train commuting from the suburbs to the city everyday for ~80 minutes, I pondered about my last few summers in Argentina and at Project Mexico. I can tell you every cross street, where to eat, where the places to be are and what I like about each section of town. And while I can do that with the North suburbs of Chicago,  I definitely cannot do that with the city. And that is not okay.

I'm familiar with the tourist areas from showing friends around, and could easily navigate Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, Sheridan Avenue, Navy Pier or Evanston. But the fact that I couldn't tell you which bars to go to in Lincoln Park or Lakeview, where to eat in Wicker Park or what's in Lincoln Square is pathetic. Being "from the suburbs" is not a valid excuse. So having a lot of good friends working downtown--we made it our goal to see as many areas of the city as we could and just EXPLORE. Any unfamiliar territory was game--for happy hour, dinner or even just roaming around.

Our attempts at reaching this goal have been pretty successful. Driving down Lake Shore Drive puts a smile to my face. I've killed the River North area, went through most of the Loop, gone through Grant Park, the strip by North Avenue Beach and gone out in Lincoln Park. But the feeling sparked me that there was so much more to see. I wasn't done yet.

So stay open-minded about where to live and don't feel like you're settling if you're staying where you're grew up. There are still places to see--in both the city and the suburbs--and just because it was routine when you were younger doesn't mean there's not more to life there.

Check out some photos of some of the Chicago adventures this summer!

The river view from a window in my office

The guacamole woman at a beautiful rooftop restaurant in River North

Anna and I at Oak Street Beach downtown

What a view from a beach!

The view of Montrose Beach from a friend's apartment

The lobby of the Palmer House

And this is more touristy- but got to go on a boat cruise at work & see the skyline! 

Special edition: You can even have fun in the suburbs!

Meredith and I rode our bikes to the Botanic Gardens where I hadn't been since middle school- so nice!

Helen and Dean gambling at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines!

 And Greek festivals, of course!

Make a commitment & enjoy time with your friends

A lot of people say that the way we socialize is different these days. Making plans through texting, tweeting our every move or Facebook chatting people you would never acknowledge in a crowd are definitely normal occurrences. This surplus of ways to connect gives us so many outlets for information overload that we set high expectations in our own plans with our friends.

I see this happen with my friends at home, school, groups of Greek people, other interns and even my friends' friends. One person (or group of people) initiates a hangout, dinner or party and others "commit." Every invitee considers their RSVP pending until the event starts. So when the actual event approaches, it's time to figure out what the scene's like, who is there, if it's fun and if the people there deem it worth your time (all decided via text messages, of course). And if it appears to be 'happening' or a group of people you like are there- you go. If not, you skip out.

There are plenty of inherent flaws with this routine.

• Our lack of commitment. The definition of commit has changed. "Attending" on Facebook is a loose term, telling someone in a text message that you'll stop by or make an appearance is polite, and you can only really depend on your best friends to be there with you. We need to learn what it is to make a promise, commitment or trust will never exist.
• Everyone has different definitions of fun. The tweets and statuses being posted reflect only one person's point of view. Only you know who you are compatible with and how you connect to others in social settings. What could be the night of your life could be incredibly boring to one of your best friends. 
• Most importantly, you're letting someone else down. Just because you aren't incredibly close with someone doesn't give you permission to be deceptive. Committing gets someone else excited to host something, they spend their resources trying to please you and the rest of a large group, and when you don't show up, you're hurting them--it's not just on your own terms of making a decision.

We must learn that it doesn't matter who else is there. When someone invites you somewhere, consider the purpose of why you do (or don't) want to attend. Then provide an honest answer- don't lead people on. When you aren't too pleased to be going somewhere, think: what were you expecting to happen? Who did you secretly hope will show up? What made the group boring or fun? That's why knowing your intentions before going in is helpful. If someone bores you that much or feels like such a forced part of your routine, think about what traits that person or group has that makes you want to put in the time, effort and resources to be their friend.

Some of the most exciting times in your life will be those spontaneous situations where it didn't matter who you were with- you had a great time. This is what I plan to remember as I enter my last year of college--prioritizing who to spend time with, where to show up and not trying to make it all or please everyone.  When you attend parties for acquaintances or classmates you might not keep in touch with later in life, go happily and enjoy their presence, but make your RSVP clear to be a reputable person. Figure out who your real friends are and give them the respect they deserve-- because you don't want to take the opportunity to have time with the people you're closest with for granted.

Family adventure

After hearing about my sister and some of my friends' experiences skydiving last summer, it sounded like something I wanted to try. This spring, I stumbled across a Groupon for skydiving in Wisconsin--and figured, what a great graduation present to myself! My sisters and I went on this adventure together this past Saturday- jumping out of a plane from 14,000 feet in the air.

Eleni, me and Maria- all in our college shirts!

Many asked us if we were scared, and none of us really were. I thought I'd panic the morning of the dive, but never felt a fear in my stomach. The biggest scare came from signing three packets of waivers claiming the skydiving company cannot be sued for injuries, death or any issues that arise in your experience. My sisters and I were those people that actually read the waiver, and it brought more ideas to our heads. You sign off on saying the company is not responsible for any mid-air collisions, issues with the harness or other equipment. You initial a statement that says "I understand that parachute jumping will expose me to risk of personal injury or death." They really know how to get you- you can pay $500 to NOT sign parts of the waiver that let you sue them. Nice to know that if you die skydiving, it costs the price of the dive + $500 to sue them. Oh America.

Enough about legal documentation. The experience is technically "tandem skydiving," where there is an experienced skydiver behind you and your harnesses are latched together when you jump. You sit through a short class of instructions, where we learned that diving from 14,000 feet up gives you slightly over a minute of free fall, then some parachute time. There is no depth perception at that altitude, and you fall at 135 mph, and when the parachute goes up at 5,000 feet, you slow to 24 mph. Another reassuring statistic they provide is "jumping out of this plane is statistically safer than you driving here." Interesting!

Us on the plane with our tandem buddies and photographers

We waited a few hours, got harnessed up and met our instructors and photographers that would be on the plane with us! They document and videotape your experience too and do a great job (see photos below).  Maria, Eleni and I jumped from youngest to oldest, and all enjoyed it.

The coolest aspect to me was that it didn't feel like "diving" or "freefalling" - it felt like floating or flying in the air. The speed was unreal and seeing the land below, watching you get your depth perception back and seeing lake Michigan was phenomenal. It was the slowest minute of my life, taking in the beauty and not feeling a bit of fear doing it. The temperature was about ~3 degrees colder for every 1,000 feet up, so the cold air felt amazing. No one got sick, and I was the only sister who felt slightly nauseous after flipping and spinning in circles with my tandem instructor.

I'd highly recommend skydiving to anyone interested in being adventurous and assure you that it will be one of the most captivating minutes of your life!

Check these pictures out to see more!

Time flies by

I can't decide if summer goes by faster when you're at home--mainly staying in one place--or exploring new territory. In the past, I've had more extended travel experiences that broke off the summer into segments, and now, any travel I plan is on weekends for quick trips out of town. Living in other cities for those longer periods of time requires adjustment time and sometimes has felt slow, but you always leave feeling like there was more to do and how the experience flew by. Being at home, in Chicago for that matter, has given me a different concept of time. A different mindset than I have while I'm at school or traveling.

At school, I'm always mentally ahead of where I need to be, logistics-wise. My schedule has always revolved around others--classes, meetings, activities & friends--and you have to keep yourself up to speed. At the end of every night, all of my stuff is put away and I'm prepared to start off fresh in the morning, ready to go for the next day's plans. Sleep is irrelevant, because my outfit needs to be laid out, transportation planned & the day is on a pretty strict timeline. I guess you could call it living for the future.

At home, I'm living in the present. Waking up, getting on the train, conquering the ~hour commute to work each way, working the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. life, having some sort of social plans and suddenly, it's 10 p.m. already. Go to bed, rinse, lather, repeat. Just kidding, but the process goes on. I often feel like I never left work once I return there in the morning. Each week goes by as its own entity, each weekend after, and the cycle continues. Suddenly, three weeks of relaxation and six weeks in the work force have gone by. I've rarely slept for more than six hours on any night and can't seem to catch a break. Unfortunately, as a result, I feel like I'm constantly falling behind on my own goals and living in rewind. 

But just because I haven't gotten to achieve my to do list of scrapbooking, cleaning or completing other long term projects doesn't mean it hasn't been an enjoyable summer. Forcing myself to do one of these things instead of taking up spontaneous plans would contradict living in the present. Catching up with an old friend or high school acquaintance on the train might be more valuable than rushing to read a book to cross it off of a list. Visiting Milwaukee, Champaign, Kansas City, Mexico & San Diego in the past few weeks has been incredibly fun, even if I haven't vacuumed my room but stare at that instruction on my to do list daily. I enjoy quality time with high school and college friends-in person, oh the phone or via email-- and it's great.

So will this worldview of living in the present translate to my graduate school career? Or will I need to revert back to planning SO FAR ahead? I'll have my own bedroom (and bathroom!) for the first time and will already have plans you on more of your own time instead of what it's like living with roommates. Two semesters will already go by quickly, but do you make more out of it by living in the present, the future or a combination of the two? I guess we will see as time goes on!

Smartphoneless

A few hours ago as I was loading the dishwasher, my iPhone slid off of the counter and the screen stopped functioning. It digitally created white and blue lines that filled the screen and didn't permit me to see the actual phone, but I was able to tell that the operating system was still working. I have insurance, the phone didn't crack and overall, it should be a pretty easy fix.

But I freaked out. Faster heart rate, tears and being upset at the situation. It's a Sunday night so there was nowhere open for me to get the issue fixed, and because of my work and commute hours, I'm going to have to rush to scrunch in some time at Best Buy to see what can be done. 

It's a pretty normal feeling these days to be let down without a cell phone; they are vital to our communication and the rise of the mobile market and smartphones in particular is massive. As I sat down in silence to think about what I could do, analyze why exactly I was upset and how many other ways I could communicate with people, I determined some reasons for this depression.

A simple one could be our reliance on smartphones. My tentative plan for Monday was staying in the city, taking the L to Lincoln Park and meeting friends for dinner, taking the L back to the suburbs and calling for a ride home. Without a phone, I can't call for rides, map out where I'm going or check the train schedule. Thankfully, I quickly realized that because of my do-it-yourself personality with these things, this was only a minute reason because I don't rely on applications as much as some of my friends do. I wasn't worried about getting lost, having a mobile computer to save information on or being "cellphoneless"- I've spent chunks of time out of the country where I function perfectly fine without a phone (despite how much I love to talk). 

The bulk of my sadness about the broken phone was not how much it would inconvenience me, but how much it inconveniences those around you. I was in the middle of a few conversations, waiting for some calls back and now don't know what these people said. I have to drastically change my plans for Monday because I can't confirm where exactly I'll meet my friends to commute together before dinner. And I can't communicate with my parents to pick me up, so now I have to use a car and pay to park at the local train station. People rely on others being accessible, and even if they're not responsive to calls, texts or emails, others are fairly certain that they notice them. 

Therefore, I'm hoping to take some days away from my phone and trust that those I'm close with have other ways of contacting me, like a house phone number or email. I sincerely apologize for anyone I have inconvenienced and hope that the issue is fixable!