Final Project

Photo Essay

In this project, you will create a meaningful photojournalism essay and publish it in print and digital formats. The final products will demonstrate the skills you’ve been building through weekly assignments with shooting and editing photos, print layout, webpage design, typography, and color. It will also showcase your reporting and storytelling abilities.

Due: Monday of Week 15 at 11:59 p.m. After the initial submission, revisions are accepted until the Monday of Finals Week at 11:59 p.m.

Grading: Photo essay and design products evaluated for technical proficiency, application of course principles, and effort/originality. See the full rubric on Canvas.

Project Theme

The project theme is “Behind the Scenes.” This phrase is often used to describe things that are done out of the public eye, and it can apply to intentionally secretive processes or important efforts that go unappreciated. It can also imply access to people, places, and events that contrast with the public view that most people get to see.

It is your task to find a specific photo essay idea that fits into this broad theme. You have creative freedom to interpret the theme in a way that fits with your own personal and professional interests. Your photo essay must focus on a person, group, event, or other specific story that is distinct from other students’ stories. The photos should demonstrate planning and relate to each other so the meaning of the photos together is deeper than the meaning of a single photo on its own. The photos should also show visual coherence, such as using specific composition techniques, colors, contrast, gestalt principles, etc.

Examples of possible photo essay ideas:

  • Feature photo essay about someone who works backstage at a theater performance
  • Process-based photo essay about a charity group that puts on a big event each winter, showing what goes into making it happen
  • Day-in-the-life photo essay about the kitchen staff at a popular restaurant
  • Conceptual photo essay about how a social media influencer's daily life compares to what they post and share
  • Lighthearted portrait series about the sentimental items students keep in their rooms that other people might not expect

Many of the best photo essays require photos over time or planning around a particular event, so it’s best to think of an idea right away. It helps to think of an issue or problem you care about, and then find out who locally is taking action on that issue, since you can approach them with a shared interest.

Your photo essay will:

  • Use images and captions, with both parts helping to tell the story
  • Include 10 photos online and 4-8 in print; you will need to shoot 10x this many, at a minimum, to choose your best
  • Depict people in at least 3 of the photos
  • Follow photojournalism ethics in shooting and editing — if photos are staged or manipulated, they should be clearly labeled that way
  • Make use of image composition techniques and visual design principles from this course
  • Be intended for a public audience; it should make sense and appeal to someone outside WSU who knows nothing about our class

Photo essay examples: teenage refugee, grandparents taking care of children, Zipolite beach, NYC library, bartender-turned-photographer, dinner party, shoemaker shop, Portland diner, Seattle bar, school day, golf training academy

Part 1: Photos and Captions

Your story will be told through a combination of photos and captions that show meaningful visual storytelling. You will need to have a minimum of 10 photos to publish with captions, as well a 100-150 word statement explaining your idea and process. A viewer should learn or feel something by looking at your work, and the captions should clarify the images or add depth to your message.

Visual Storytelling:
• Story idea is focused and meaningful, giving new insight to viewers
• Story shows effort and thoughtfulness about the subject
• Selected photos show variety and build on each other to tell the story with more depth than would be possible with a single photo
• Project adheres to ethical standards of professional photojournalism

Technical Proficiency:
• Photos show thoughtful composition and make use of visual composition principles
• Photos show understanding of exposure and make use of light
• Evidence of effort to get technically successful shots
• Appropriate use of Photoshop to crop or tone photos without overstepping ethical bounds

Captions and Statement:
• Captions of at least once sentence for each photo clarify and add to the meaning.
• Statement of 100-150 words explains the story idea and process from your perspective.
• Writing that accompanies the photos answers questions for viewers so there is no confusion or ambiguity about what is shown in the photos.

Instructions:

  1. Choose the specific story you want to feature, and get in touch with someone who’s involved to find out more information and get permission to take photos. Do this well in advance since some groups can require a lengthy process to get access, and have several back-up ideas in mind.
  2. Take photos to tell your story visually, and also gather material for writing captions. You may want to include quotes, statistics or other contextual information along with descriptions of what each photo shows.
  3. Go through your photos and select the best shots, taking into account visual variety and how they work together as a story. A software program such as Adobe Bridge or Lightroom may be helpful to stay organized and identify your top 10 photos.
  4. Use Photoshop to crop your photos if necessary to improve the framing, and to tone your photos for improved exposure and color balance. Make sure to keep a copy of the original file for each photo to submit with your project!
  5. Save a copy of each photo formatted for print: 300 dpi and at least 6 inches on the longest side. Also save a copy of each photo formatted for the web: 72 resolution and 1200px on the longest side. You will submit the originals to Canvas and use the saved copies for the next two portions of the project.

Part 2: Web Publication

You will display your photo essay online, using design principles such as hierarchy, color theory and responsive design. You have the option to create a webpage using HTML/CSS or create an online slideshow/video.

Format options:

  • Code a webpage using HTML/CSS similar to the Grid System Web Layout assignment. You can even use the same template as a starting point. For this format, submit it as a zip folder.
  • Make a webpage with a free tool, such as Adobe Express or Google Sites, that allows you to customize the layout, colors and fonts. You must be able to include captions with your photos (some tools do not have this capability.) You should not use any paid tools or platforms. For this format, submit it as a link or zip folder.
  • Design your photo essay as a slideshow that could be displayed looped on digital signage, such as the screens around Murrow College buildings or the CUB. This should fit standard 16:9 screen dimensions, and must include text integrated with the images. For this format, submit it as a series of images or as a video file.
  • Something else! If you have an idea for a different format, such as an email newsletter or social media post, discuss this with the instructor to get approval. The format must support customized design choices including colors, fonts and visual hierarchy.

Examples of digital signage that makes use of both photo and text with customized visual styles.

Technical Proficiency:
• Online photo essay includes a unique title, written explanation of the photo essay, and display of 10 photos and captions
• Finished digital story shows technical proficiency for web publication, including photos formatted correctly for web display and the selected medium (webpage, slideshow, etc.)
• Tools and platforms are used appropriately, with credit for use of advanced techniques or options to customize and optimize the digital experience for viewers

Design Choices:
• Arrangement of the elements shows intentional decisions for hierarchy and usability to guide the viewer and make the story easy to understand
• Choices for text, backgrounds and other visual elements demonstrate use of the WSU style guide
• Design demonstrates originality within the creative constraints of conventional and accessible design standards

Instructions:

  1. Choose the digital format you want to use, based on your own learning goals and what will work best for the content of your particular photo essay.
  2. Sketch a wireframe or outline to plan how you will include all required elements of your photo essay in a logical way. Your final product may deviate from this outline, but your technical process will be more efficient if you have a thorough plan as a starting point.
  3. Make intentional choices for the design elements in your selected digital format, including text and any accent colors, with the WSU style guide in mind. You should make use of the WSU color palette.
  4. Preview your digital product and save the final version. For a webpage made with HTML/CSS, submit the zip folder containing all files for your webpage. For all other formats, submit the published web link.

Part 3: Print Poster

You will create a poster to display your photo essay, using print design principles to adapt your web content for a different setting. These posters will be displayed during Week 15 in a class poster show.

Technical Proficiency:
• Poster includes at least 5 photos with captions, plus a title and 100-150 word statement
• Page layout makes use of WSU style guide for color choices
• Poster is 11×17 inches and created in InDesign or Illustrator
• Page layout is sized correctly with appropriate margins and grid layout
• File is saved as a PDF file with printable quality

Design Choices:
• Arrangement of the elements shows hierarchy and intentional decisions to guide the viewer
• Choices of colors, fonts, sizing and other design elements show understanding of print design principles and audience expectations

Note that you do not need to print it yourself! All posters for the class will be printed together.

Instructions:

  1. Create a new document in Illustrator or InDesign sized 11×17 inches (tabloid). You can choose which program you prefer to use; they both have all the necessary tools and options.
  2. Create a column layout grid on your page (6 columns is recommended) to help organize and align your elements. Then add your title, name and design statement, and at minimum 5 photos with captions. Use the photos formatted for print, or the quality will not look good.
  3. Save the original file (.ai or .indd) and then use Save As or Export to save a PDF version of your completed poster. Saving as a PDF is very important for printing the posters correctly, so your poster won’t be accepted as complete if it’s not the correct file type.

Examples of possible poster layouts that include a title, design statement, photos and captions. All of these layouts use a 6-column grid to keep the elements aligned and proportional. Many other layouts are possible, but keep hierarchy in mind so the viewer knows where to look first.

Submitting Your Work

When your full project is complete, submit the following files to Canvas:

Since the webpage folder and poster will include your edited photos, you don’t need to include those photos separately with your submission. You are not required to include your original page file (.indd or .ai) since the photos will likely make this a large file, but you must have it available to submit if the instructor requests.

Deadline and revisions: This project is due the Monday of Week 15 at 11:59 p.m. However, as long as you submit a draft showing substantial progress by that deadline, you can resubmit a revised version by the Monday of Finals Week at 11:59 p.m. and the later version will be graded. This weeklong revision window is intended to give you time to seek feedback or technical help, if needed, and to double-check all project requirements.

FAQ

What should be in the 100-150 word design statement?

This statement should explain your photo essay idea and process for shooting the photos and putting the project together. It can be written from the first-person perspective (“I”) to explain why you chose this story and whether it worked out as expected. You can consider this an updated version of the story pitch you previously submitted.

Can you use the same photos on your webpage and print page?

Yes, you should choose your 10 best photos and then choose a subset of those for the print page layout, since it’s unlikely that all 10 will fit. You can also use the same captions and introductory statement; the webpage and page layout are meant as two ways to publish the same material. However, it’s also fine to use different photos or captions if this works better for any reason.

Can you use photos you took in the past, or taken by other people?
The 10 required photos must be taken by you for the purposes of this project. However, you can additionally use photos you already have, or photos taken by other people, if they help to tell your story. This may benefit your overall visual storytelling and design even though it does not contribute to the photo-specific requirements.

Can you use more photos than required?

You are welcome to use more than 10 photos on the web, if you have more than 10 photos that are visually distinct and add something new to the photo essay. You must have at least 4 photos on your print page, with a recommended maximum of 8 because the photos need to be large enough to view properly. But you can have more than 8 as long as the photos are organized well and display fine at small sizes.

Do the photos need to be edited in Photoshop?

Each selected photo will need to be resized, and ideally should be toned to adjust the exposure. There are some web-based tools, apps and software programs that can also do this if you do not have access to Photoshop. Occasionally you get a photo that is perfect straight from the camera, but in most cases your photos will look better if you do some minor toning in Photoshop, such as adjusting the exposure and color balance.