| Course Type | Elective Course |
|---|
| Course Level | Associate Degree |
|---|
| Year of Study | - |
|---|
| Semester | - |
|---|
| ECTS | 4 |
|---|
| Name of Lecturer(s) |
- |
| Learning Outcomes |
At the end of this course, the students;
- Explain the historical development of photojournalism, visual testimony, public interest, and the socio-political role of the press photographer.
- Comply with journalistic ethics, international codes of conduct (NPPA), press law, privacy regulations, and strict limits on digital image manipulation.
- Operate cameras under unpredictable field conditions to capture decisive moments using continuous autofocus, rapid burst modes, and responsive exposure controls.
- Write objective, publication-ready news captions adhering to the 5W1H format and integrate comprehensive metadata (IPTC).
- Produce, edit, and curate compelling visual stories across spot news, sports, environmental portraits, and in-depth documentary photo essays.
|
| Mode of Delivery | Face to face |
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| Prerequisites | No |
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| Recommended Optional Programme Components | |
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| Course Description | The objective of this course is to provide students with theoretical knowledge, technical agility, and ethical responsibility essential for professional visual reporting. The course covers news values, gear selection, field safety, fast decision-making in dynamic environments, caption writing, editorial workflows, and storytelling methodologies for spot news, sports, and documentary photo essays. |
|---|
| Course Contents |
| WEEK |
TOPICS |
|
1st Week |
Introduction to Photojournalism: Its definition, scope, and differences from other branches of photography. Historical development, the emergence of news agencies (Magnum, AP, Reuters), and pioneering photojournalists. |
|
2nd Week |
Newsworthiness and Visual Journalism: The definition of news and the criteria of newsworthiness in photography. Visual witnessing, public interest, and the social responsibility of the photojournalist. |
|
3rd Week |
Photojournalistic Equipment and Field Preparation: Fast-response camera bodies, zoom and prime lens preferences (24?70 mm, 70?200 mm, etc.), memory cards, data backup, and personal protective equipment. |
|
4th Week |
Field Shooting Techniques and Rapid Camera Control: The decisive moment, continuous shooting modes, continuous autofocus (AF-C/Tracking), exposure in changing light conditions, and ISO management. |
|
5th Week |
Captioning and the Text?Image Relationship: The relationship between photographs and text, the application of the 5W1H principle to visual content, international editorial caption-writing standards, and IPTC metadata. |
|
6th Week |
Spot News Photography: Working during unexpected events, accidents, disasters, and crises; choosing the right position, maintaining a safe working perimeter, and developing rapid responses. |
|
7th Week |
Ethics and Law in Photojournalism: The NPPA Code of Ethics, the limits of intervention and manipulation in photography (restrictions on cropping, removing, and adding elements), privacy, and copyright. |
|
8th Week |
Midterm Examination (Theoretical Assessment and News Photograph Reading/Analysis Examination) |
|
9th Week |
Sports Photography: Freezing fast action or conveying a sense of movement through panning, observing sideline rules, and capturing athletes? emotions and struggles. |
|
10th Week |
Environmental Portraiture: Photographing news subjects within their living and working environments, interview photography, and human-interest stories. |
|
11th Week |
Photo Reportage and Visual Storytelling (Photo Story/Essay): Exploring a subject in depth through multiple photographs; constructing establishing, detail, action, portrait, and closing shots. |
|
12th Week |
Field Practice: Individual fieldwork and data collection based on the photo-reportage topics selected by the students. |
|
13th Week |
Editorial Process and Post-Production: Image selection (culling), careful cropping, basic tonal adjustments consistent with journalistic ethics (RAW processing), and archiving. |
|
14th Week |
Final Project Presentations: Editorial presentation of the completed photo-reportage series, jury assessment, and end-of-term critique. |
|
| Recommended or Required Reading | Kenneth Kobre ? Photojournalism: The Professionals' Approach, Focal Press.
Brian Horton ? Associated Press Foto Muhabirliği El Kitabı (Çev: Atilla Erdener).
Susan Sontag ? Başkalarının Acısına Bakmak, Agora Kitaplığı.
John Berger ? O An(lar)a Adanmış, Metis Yayınları.
National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) ? Code of Ethics. |
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| Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods |
|
|---|
| Assessment Methods and Criteria |
|
Quantity |
Percentage (%) |
| Mid-term |
1 |
30 |
| Total(%) |
|
30 |
| Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%) |
|
30 |
| Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%) |
|
70 |
| Total(%) |
|
100 |
|
| ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload |
| Activities |
Quantity |
Duration (Hour) |
Total Workload (Hour) |
| Midterm exam |
4 |
14 |
56 |
| Preparation for Quiz |
|
|
|
| Individual or group work |
2 |
14 |
28 |
| Preparation for Final exam |
1 |
14 |
14 |
| Course hours |
14 |
4 |
56 |
| Preparation for Midterm exam |
1 |
10 |
10 |
| Laboratory (including preparation) |
|
|
|
| Final exam |
1 |
14 |
14 |
| Homework |
|
|
|
| Total Work Load | 178 |
| Total Work Load / 30 (h) | 5.93 |
| ECTS Credit of the Course | 4 |
|
| Language of Instruction | Turkish |
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| Work Placement(s) | No |
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