JOUR479J

This course will challenge students to evaluate how photographers cover news and investigate social issues through the medium of the photo essay. Students will learn research skills where images are the data; through critical thinking assignments, they will examine the limitations of research methods in considering visual media, as well as explore the distinctive concerns of assessing photocentric journalism relative to ethics, perception and bias. Through their own final photo-essay projects, students will additionally wrestle with why photography and other visual media are increasingly central to news reporting and are a dominant means of communication across both news and social media. Note: The only photographic equipment needed for the course is a smartphone.