Reportage photography
The word “report” familiar to many came from the French “reporter” – “carry”, and English – “report”, which literally means “report, report”. It is easy to guess that, in the literal sense of the word, a reporter or a journalist is a person who “moves” news events from the real world to the paper or virtual world.
A photo report presents these events to the viewer not by means of words and intonations, but by means of an image, a visual perception of images. In other words, this is a story about an event in photos.
The photo essay is interesting because it is impossible to frame a shot in it, it excludes a staged shooting. The photographer catches moments of real life in the whirlwind of events; he must be able to see the most successful angle, is in the thick of what is happening. And the main feature of such a photo is its documentary. In addition, the photographer has no opportunity to re-frame, take of the same moment.
Types of reportage photos
In the genre of photo-reportage, we can conditionally distinguish two types, sometimes closely interrelated with each other:
Event;
Daily.
The first is an event report. This is a filming of various events – premieres, competitions, various forums, presentations, holidays, etc.
The second is an everyday form of reporting that reflects the events of ordinary life in its everyday life, familiar to many.
Features photo essay
A photo report may consist of one single frame in which the entire plot of the event is reflected, or in the form of a photo essay, a series of shots. It does not matter whether the events are consistent or occur in a chaotic way, the main thing is that they are united by one common theme.
A photo essay allows the photographer to convey a more connected and complete narrative. To make it easier for the viewer to perceive and understand the course of events, the material is removed according to a simple scheme, similar to the film’s scenario: the beginning, development, culmination and final.
Shooting in this genre is not the easiest, and not so much because you need to be in tune all the time, seize the moment, be attentive to the details of what is happening and generally evaluate the situation, looking for the most successful places for personnel.
Event reporting, for example, is not only the shooting of joyful moments and events. Event reporting also includes shooting of funerals, accident sites and catastrophes, strikes, as well as armed clashes and even hostilities. Often, in addition to the heavy emotional load, the work also represents a threat to the life of the photographer.
However, in addition to the reports from the “hot spots” of our planet, press photographers cover sports events and concerts, public performances and holidays, conferences and exhibitions. In addition, this genre is often used for shooting home events: weddings, proms, children’s matinees, and birthdays.
A high-quality photo essay retains the most significant events, impressions, emotions, moods and experiences. And the photographer is faced with the task of snatching and capturing the most vivid moments in the picture, creating a complete picture of what is happening.
