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1. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a way of telling a story by just using a photo, the photo is usually very
descriptive and evokes a lot of different emotions. Photojournalism has shaped the way we
receive news and how we report it. It started as war photography in the mid-19th century and
throughout time it’s spread to other newsworthy events. Photojournalism has featured a lot of
controversial and risky photos, but the more controversy the more real the picture is. For
photojournalism, the photographers like to take pictures of raw and real scenes,
photographers take everything into consideration, e.g. the scenery, the focus of the camera,
the shot type.
In modern day, we abbreviate things as much as we can and try to use as less words and as
little effort as we can. Photojournalism can be interpreted as an easy way of telling a story
without having to use any words. I appreciate photojournalism because I think it’s important
to understand how difficult it is to tell a story and trigger emotions using just a photograph.
Where photojournalism started
Crimean War – Roger Fenton
War photography is where the origin of photojournalism started, Roger Fenton was the first
official war photographer during the Crimean War 1850. Cameras were first created in 1816
so by 1850 we had more advanced technology, but compared to modern day the cameras
were nowhere near as advanced, they were large and bulky, requiring photographers to shoot
landscapes or, if photographing people, to pose them because they couldn’t capture moving
shots. They required long exposures on plates that had to be developed immediately in huge,
mobile darkrooms. These photos were published in ‘Illustrated London News’ it was the first
newspaper that was able to include images with the paper. The first time these types of war
photos were exposed to the public was revolutionary because it was the first-time people
really saw what it was like.
American Civil War – Mathew Brady
Whereas Fenton was only able to focus on scenery pictures due to the lack of technology, 10
years later during the American Civil War photographer Mathew Brady recreated War
photography in a different way. With slightly advanced technology he explored different
scenery and began capturing scenes of camp life and the battlefield for newspaper ‘Harper’s
Weekly’. He started taking photos of troops before they left to fight because he assumed that
if they didn’t return then families would want portraits of them. However, after being out and
experiencing life on the field he became more interested in War itself. He began taking
photos of the war in 1861 and in a lot of situations he put himself in danger during battle so
he could get a good shot. Brady’s was a large operation, with him employing over 20
assistants, each equipped with a mobile darkroom.

2. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
World War 1
World War 1 was the first War where the technology was advanced to smaller cameras and
film formats that let professional photographers make images quickly and under difficult
light, making them able to capture moving images from the front line. The cameras were so
advanced that there was a camera called ‘The Vest Pocket Kodak’ introduced in 1912, they
became the most popular camera carried by soldiers. Although forbidden by some militaries,
including Britain’s, many soldiers took these cameras to the front.
“Photography seems to have played a substantial role in the personal life of soldiers, it made
them proud that they could inform their families with pictures and, more importantly, to
document their heroic participation in this war. After 1916, there were strict rules of what to
show and what not. But the pictures from the front, sent by soldiers to their families, could
not be controlled that much.” - Bodo von Dewitz, an expert on photography during World
War
Perspective/Interpretation
Photojournalism can be interpreted as different things for different people, for a lot of people
photojournalism is as standard as broadcasting the news on recent/current events around the
world. Or an audience can interpret photojournalism as just a meaningless photograph,
however it has a deeper meaning and demands a more severe thought process. It entirely
depends on the audience’s interpretation.
Photojournalism links well with the theory about perspective from Georgia O’Keeffe, her
artwork/career was orientated around perspective. Georgia O’Keeffe was an artist born on 15
November 1887; she was more famously known for her paintings of flowers. O’Keeffe

3. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
painted a lot of flowers that, to first glance looked just
like flowers but after looking closer they had another
interpretation. O’Keeffe created her paintings so they
would look like a flower but also be interpreted as a
vagina, like an illusion. The meaning behind O’Keeffe’s
double meaning paintings were interpreted as coming
from a feminism point of view, trying to stir emotions
about women and symbolising female empowerment.
However, just because they were flowers/vaginas didn’t
mean they demanded a further interpretation. O’Keeffe
refused to let any ‘women’s liberation’ or ‘feminist stuff’
immerse in her paintings. It is obvious that the paintings
were flowers and also resembled vaginas, but it wasn’t for
a feminist movement, it was just to distinguish her work
from other contemporary male artists. O’Keeffe is a great
example of what the painting is, is entirely in the eye of
the beholder and depends on the perspective of the audience
“I made you take time to look at what I saw and when you took the time to really notice my
flower, you hung all your associations with flowers on my flower and you write about my
flower as if I think and see what you think and see—and I don't.” Georgia O’Keeffe talking
about her interpretation of her paintings.
I think Georgia O’Keeffe’s perspective is interesting to try and employ to the concept of
photojournalism because they are both dependent on how the audience receives it.
For photojournalism, the way they receive the photo is completely dependent on the
audience’s ability to decode the photo because there is no text to support the photo, so for
photojournalism it is important for the photo to contain symbolic meanings.
I think the symbolic connotations is a very important part of
photojournalism because the point of photojournalism is to tell a
story with a picture, and as the same with any story if you have
background knowledge you will understand the story in a
different way. For example, a photograph from Alfred
Eisenstaedt’s of a sailor kissing a nurse, it is an iconic photo from
the war. To the eye it is just a photo of a nurse and a sailor kissing
but with background and cultural knowledge the viewer would
understand that the two people in the picture don’t actually know
each other but just grabbed and kissed each other in the moment,
due to celebrating on VJ day when the war was declared over.
This photo stands out and is a very powerful photo because it
commemorated such an important time in history successfully
capturing the atmosphere.
Colours Scheme
Photojournalism can either be taken with or without colour, more than not they are developed
without colour. It is personal to the artist’s preference, but a lot of artists tend to stay loyal to
decolourisation because it is the way that photojournalism first started in the late 1800s.
Choosing to develop the photo with or without colour both have their own advantages and
disadvantages.
Black and White

4. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
Photojournalism in black and white is a popular decision because the boldness and the
solidarity of the black and white together make a statement, and the way the dark and soft
tones complement each other are sometimes more descriptive than if the picture was in all
colour. The black and white emphasises the shadows and makes the photo immediately more
dramatic, a black and white effect is more timeless and classic. Removing the colour from the
photo can let the viewer have a new perspective and concentrate on the point of the photo,
taking away any interference. For example, in a photo if the sky was light blue then this
would give the viewer a false sense of security because of the subconscious connotations that
our minds make, Blue skies are usually associated with tranquillity and positiveness. But with
the black and white effect it gives us the freedom to abandon stigmas and subconscious
patterns that different colours tell us to feel.
In photographs colours can sometimes introduce aspects of magical realism, for example
they can give the photo a hazy tone and be misleading. For example, war photos would have
been taken on the battlefield, with green grass and during the middle of the day with the sun,
so the connotations of the photo are happy and positive, however the photo should take us on
an emotional journey and through a more dark and mournful process because of the upsetting
and serious meaning that the photos should provoke. So, to have the photos processed
without colours it gives the viewers the chance to appreciate the non-obvious aspects of the
photo and allows them to recognise the emotional connection they have with the photo.
Colour
Although, it can be argued that colour gives the photo more context. And therefore, the
ability to have a deeper understanding of what is going on in the photo, so some artists still
keep they’re photos developed in colour. They even enhance colours to make them
overpower and highlight of the photo. The impact that colour has on photos is that colour
catches the eye, if there was a bright photo next to a black and white one then the viewers
eyes would immediately be drawn to the bright piece. However, art isn’t meant to fit into a
small box with just a few people’s perspectives, there may be more people who would be
drawn to a black and white photo because it evokes mystery and depth but that point of view
is not glorified because in the media the most interesting and radiant piece of work is the one
that produces most attention with first glance.
The different colours in a photo can immediately set a tone and give the photo more detail,
cold colours can connate a winter day, or a calming, antiseptic day. Including colours in
photos can be effective from this point of view because isn’t photojournalism meant to tell us
a story, and it is easier to understand a story if you have more factors explaining it.
Sometimes artists will even leave some colours in and then decolourise the rest to send a
message to the viewer.
Structure
Shot Angle
The angle of the photo is important because different angles have different meanings. For
example; if the photograph is taken from an angle looking over the subject of the photo it
belittles the character, showing that they are inferior to viewer. It makes the audience feel
above them, in control, we call this a bird’s eye view. However, a worm’s eye view would be
the opposite. An eye level angle represents that the viewers are equal to the subject of the
photo, this angle would be used to humanise the photo, it would give the photo a more
relatable perspective for the viewer, instead of feeling either intimidated or in control. A lot
of people would interpret an eye level shot as a “normal” shot but if you are able to
understand the depth that the angle of the photo carries then you will be able to have a deeper
connection with the photo. A lot of photojournalists take their photos from an eye level angle

5. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
to emphasise the realism of the photo. It is also very important to use an eye level photo
because this angle doesn’t include any judgement it creates an idea of equality.
Shot Type
As well as the camera angle the shot type is just as important. There are numerous different
shot types in photography. For example, a long shot, where the camera includes an entire
scene, so typically shows the entire object or human figure and the background. Or there’s a
close up shot which is, a photo of a certain feature or part of the subject, it takes up most of
the frame. A close up of a person usually means a close up of their face, e.g. their eye. In
photojournalism, a lot of the photos acquire an extreme long shot, or a long shot, with the
exception of a few close-up shots. It is predominantly long shots because this style of
photograph gives the photographer the freedom to have as much in the shot as possible,
which gives the photo more ability to tell a story. It is easier to set a scene and create an
atmosphere with a long shot and they are more likely to convey a tone and emotion.
However, a close-up shot is frequently used because in a close-up piece of photojournalism
the photo is usually a lot more descriptive and detailed because there is just one subject in the
photo for the viewer to focus on.
Marilyn Silverstone
Marilyn Silverstone was a photojournalist and ordained Buddhist, 9 March 1929 – 28
September 1999. She was born in London, but her family moved to America just before the
Second World War. She grew up in Scarsdale, New York. After graduating from Wellesley
College, she became an associate editor for Art News, Industrial Design and Interiors in the
early 1950s. She moved to Italy to make documentary art films.
Silverstone’s photography stood out for me against other photographers for multiple
reasons. Firstly, because when conducting my research finding famous photojournalists, I
found it very difficult to find women photojournalists. This is because it is a lot harder for
women to get publicity for doing the same job as men. When I searched ‘famous
photojournalists’ only 3 out of 10 results were women. So, Silverstone immediately stood out
to me as her work must be impressive. Also, in the time period it was even more difficult for
women to be appreciated as men were more successful and seen as inferior to women.
I find Silverstone’s photographs interesting because she took a lot of photos from a portrait
angle instead of landscape. Most photojournalist photos are taken from a landscape angle
because a landscape photo can be more descriptive and lets you see more of the photo. But
Silverstone captures a lot of her photos using a portrait angle, this looks effective and makes
her photos stand out.

6. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
Different Types of Photojournalism
There are different types of photojournalism, for example; Feature photojournalism, Sports
journalism and Environmental portraits are the most popular. Different photographers favour
different styles. Photojournalism means a different thing to each photographer and each
photographer introduces their own element of personality to it. Feature journalism is human
interest activities, e.g. art exhibitions, movies, and technology etc. Where the photo features
on something. Through the years the photos
have become more developed with modernised
cameras resulting in more contemporary
photos. Feature journalism concentrates on
humans and movement, and relies on the action
and emotion in the picture to tell a story. A lot
of feature photos are taken in the midst of an
event, so right in the middle capturing the
highlight of it, this is in order to make the
photo feel as real as possible.
Sports journalism is also an important part of
photojournalism because it captures the wins and the
loses or different teams/athletes, being able to capture
the moment of realisation on someone’s face when
they’ve won or lost is so powerful because you can see
all the emotion seeping from their face. This can make a
very effective photo. Also, especially during the
Olympics, sport is an opportunity for us to come
together as a country and makes us full together, so seeing powerful photos of our athletes
before they’re about to race or take part can make us feel proud and honoured. Or just before
an athlete scores and we can see the team supporting him, and the tension in the photo can be
really moving.
Environmental portraits are a popular genre of photojournalism; they are similar to feature
and sport photos as they capture important moments however they are still photos. They
capture the essence of a subject, they take photos of their subjects in their natural
environment, e.g. a painter in his workshop, or a solider on the battlefields.

7. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, screenwriter, photographer and producer. He
is frequently cited as one of the most influential filmmakers in cinematic history. He was
born 26 July 1928, Manhattan and died 7 March 1999, Childwickbury Manor. While still in
high school Kubrick was chosen as an official school photographer. In the mid-1940s, since
he was not able to gain admission to day session classes at colleges, he briefly attended
evening classes at the City college of New York City.
Kubrick captured photos in the 1940s New York, which was a prime time to take photos
because New York City was buzzing with life, the population of Manhattan nearly reached 2
million. The architecture and the style in the 40s was so different and undeveloped in
comparison to modern day which make his photos so interested to look at now, he
perfectively captured the essence of life in New York City in the 40s.
Kubrick captures a mix of feature and environmental photojournalism, because a lot of his
photos are taken in a feature perspective of people taken of guard, however they are all in
their nature habitat, e.g. a dog walker walking a dog on the sidewalk, or passengers on a
subway, so they could be interpreted as either type.
I think in some of Kubrick’s photos he concentrates a lot on how the light reflects on the
photo and the highlights and contrasts of the black and white tones in the photo. A common
style that he follows in his photos is having the light seeping from behind the photo giving
the people in the photographs a shadow, also brightening up the photo. There’s only so much
he can do with the tones/colours of the photos because in the 40s there wasn’t any colours on
photos.
Examples:
“The screen is a magic medium. It has such power that it can retain interest as it conveys
emotions and moods that no other art form can hope to tackle”- Stanley Kubrick.

8. Hannah McNeill Photojournalism
Potential Questions:
1. How has Photojournalism evolved in the last 50 years?
2. How has Photojournalism developed in the last 200 years?
3. What different approaches Photojournalists take to their photos?
4. Has there been a deeper meaning to Photojournalism occurring in comparison to
when Photojournalism first began?
5. Can Photojournalism make a wide scale difference?
6. Are we taking advantage of photojournalism as much as we can? / Are we ignoring
the capabilities and potential it acquires?
7. Should Photojournalism be taken seriously as real journalism?
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