The Rule of Thirds and Bad News Photos

In tutorial, we discussed picture stories. Before taking this class I did not know about the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is when you take a photo using a digital or camera phone, you can either imagine a grid of three vertical and three horizontal lines or you can find a setting to make a grid on the screen. To make a photo more interesting, you should place your points of interest on the intersecting lines. I find this photography concept very interesting, because your eye is drawn to these points of interest. 

Today during class, each class member found an example of a news story with a bad photo based on the rule of thirds or relevance. I found the task to be easier than I had imagined. I found a story titled “Gunman holding fireman hostage killed; hostage OK.” The picture above is associated with this story and is a blurry, unfocused shot of a line of cars. If I was just looking at this picture I would not have known there were hostages being held. If I were the journalist I would have tried to capture a clear shot of the hostages coming out of the house. As a journalist it is important to capture a picture that tells the story. The picture should not be an after thought. 

Another article I found titled “Guess who is not coming to dinner?”, this article describes President Obama’s dinner with the GOP senators at the White House. The picture above is associated with the story and depicts President Obama giving a speech. If I were the journalist covering this story, I would have tried to take pictures at the event. I would try to capture a picture that is relevant to the story. I would have taken a picture of Obama and the GOP senators at the dinner table. In an ideal world I would be able to gain access to the event and capture pictures, if not I would try to capture a picture of the GOP senators entering or leaving the White House while being greeted by President Obama. 

When I am a journalist I will take pictures that will bring meaning to the story. For lecture recess I have plans to go to the Whitsunday Islands and Melbourne. I will be taking many photos this weekend. I plan taking pictures based on the rule of thirds this weekend to try to find a great story. I will have to think about other elements such as framing, focus, angle, exposure, timing, and capturing “the moment.” These elements will guide the photos I will be capturing.

Should Taping Farm Animal Cruelty Become Illegal?

There are many abuses occurring in United States farms and slaughterhouses. One of the best ways to prevent abuses is for owners of farms and slaughterhouses to know there is a possibility that one of their workers might secretly be taping their every move. 

Instead of states making animal cruelty illegal states including Iowa, Utah, and Missouri have created laws which make the taping of animal abuse illegal. Indiana and Tennessee are expected to vote on similar laws in the coming weeks. The Indiana bill is considered very controversial with labour groups and the state press association opposing the bill. 

The videos taped by animal rights activists spark change and farmers feel the consequences for their mistreatment of animals. In some cases large businesses buying meat from farms with awful treatment of animals will find a new farm to buy from with better farming practises. McDonald’s refused to buy any meat or egg products from a Wyoming farm because of a video released about their cruel practises. McDonald’s later said the video played a role in their decision to find a new supplier. Farmers are hurt economically by these videos. 

Many state legislatures seek to make taping animal abuses and applying for a job without telling of affiliations with animal rights groups illegal. The American Legislative Exchange Council is a business advocacy group comprised of many representatives from farm states. Officials from the group play a large role in creating model bills to protect farmers. 

The new possibilities of activists being sentenced to jail time has caused a chilling effect. The First Amendment should guarantee activists the rights to free speech, instead state legislatures are punishing people for uncovering injustices in the American food system. 

Don Lehe, an Indiana Republican State Representative said farmers are shown in a false light when videos of animal cruelty are posted on the internet. Lehe said farmers are not able to redeem themselves and the practise of taping animal treatment is unfair. Farmers and livestock companies believe the videos shown are not about making conditions better for animals, instead activists are trying to persuade the audience to stop eating meat. 

Animal rights activists have currently been pushed out of states with laws making the taping of farming practises illegal. Activists have to find new creative ways to obtain the information they need to expose cruel farming practises. The videos gathered by activists have played major roles in exposing injustices. If activists are not able to film farming practises the public will remain ignorant about the origin of their food. 

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/us/taping-of-farm-cruelty-is-becoming-the-crime.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Learning the Three Act Style of Writing

During tutorial on April 4, 2013 my class discussed the ways to write a story in a three act style. Writing in a three act style is very different from writing a story in an inverted pyramid style. To write in a three act style first a journalist must find a way to hook the reader in either by using mystery, the unexpected, contrast, etc. Then a journalist must use logic and structure to construct the middle of the story. At the end a journalist has to find a way to link the ending of the story back to the beginning. 

 Our professor, Marie, gave us an assignment to interview a classmate and write a 500 word feature. This assignment is going to be challenging. First I have to interview a fellow classmate and obtain enough information about them to be able to write 500 words. Then I need to find the angle of my story, since I don’t have enough information, due to time constraints, about my interviewee I need to send her some questions in an email. After I need to write the feature story in a three act style. 

In my previous journalism class, I did not write many feature stories. I have mainly written news stories in the inverted pyramid style. This assignment will test my journalistic abilities to write in a different style. 

I enjoy the inverted pyramid style because there is more structure than in the three act style. The three act style is a circle and this concept is difficult for me to grasp. 

Before I begin my assignment I need to research different feature stories that use the three act style. I will look at features other journalists have written to understand how to write in this style. In the inverted pyramid style there is hardly ever an ending, it will be difficult for me to connect the ending back to the beginning. 

I am very interested in learning about this new style of writing. To become a better journalist it is important to understand different writing techniques. Hopefully, I will be able to master the three act style. 

I am excited to hear the stories fellow students will write. Hopefully, I will be able to learn from the constructive criticism of their assignments. After I am able to master the three act style I will post a feature story on my blog. 

Drones Used in Australia to Spy on Livestock Conditions

Animal Liberation, an Australian animal rights group, plans to use drones uncover livestock conditions on private property. Animal Liberation plans to hover the drone over free-range egg and cattle farms to uncover abuse. The drone looks similar to a helicopter and has six-blades. 

Farmers are unhappy with Animal Liberation’s plans to look into their farms. Fiona Simson, the new president of the New South Wales Famers Association, said the drones are an invasion of privacy. Farmers have a high animal welfare standard, and believe it is unnecessary to look into the treatment of animals on the egg and cattle farms. 

Mark Pearson, the executive director of Animal Liberation, said the treatment of animals in the farms are in the public interest. Since Pearson is using drones and is not walking into the farms he is not breaking any trespassing or privacy laws. Pearson said since the treatment of animals is of public interest it is not an invasion of privacy. 

In the past couple of months there has been discoveries across Europe of horse meat being used in beef products. Public interest in their consumption of meat and the treatment of animals has increased because of the contaminated meat in Europe. Animal Liberation wants to ensure Australians that their meat is being produced humanely and there is not any corruption in the cattle farms. Animal welfare is a major issue currently in politics, Animal Liberation is ensuring animals are being treated fairly.

Different associations related to the meat industry in Australia do not believe the drones will last long. The president of the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association, David Warriner said the majority of Australian farmers follow the regulations and rules associated with animal welfare. 

Warriner believes farmers might shoot their guns at the drone. If farmers decide to shoot at the drone this will cause many safety issues. Warriner said having noisy drones flying over the cattle will frighten them. Many farmers believe using drones to spy on their farms is excessive and unnecessary. 

This is not the first instance in which drones have been used to uncover animal welfare in the meat industry. The United States in the past has used drones which resulted in an investigation of a meat packing plant in Dallas, Texas. If Australian citizens want to find out the truth of the practises employed by cattle and egg farms, the drones are a good way to legally discover the treatment of livestock.

1. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/australian-group-plans-to-use-drones-to-fight-animal-abuse/

2. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/animal-liberation-spying-drones-attract-ire-of-farmers/story-fncynkc6-1226609953499