Chapter 3: Breaking & General News
Supporters of President Trump battle law enforcement officers on the west steps of the Capitol during the attack on the day of Joe Biden’s election certification by Congress on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by David Butow/BRINK/Redux)
RESOURCES + FURTHER READING
We have supplied robust resources in Chapter 3 of the book, such as a section on gear and technical logistics and what to have on hand to be prepared for covering breaking news events. Here are a few other ideas that might be useful:
- Check out the Pictures of the Year website for excellent examples of both general and breaking news events.
- World Press Photo has excellent examples of powerful general and breaking news images and bodies of work to study and for inspiration.
- Join the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) and you can also pay a little extra for a press pass which can be helpful when covering news events, especially protests. https://nppa.org/.
- Apply to attend a workshop such as the Eddie Adams Workshop or the Missouri Photo Workshop where you can learn more from industry experts on their approaches to both general and breaking news assignments, as well as work on your own approaches to covering news events.
ADDITIONAL LEARNING PROMPT
Read the news for one week every morning (which you should be doing anyway), preferably from a news outlet that covers international and national news. Choose at least one story each day, then brainstorm a way to localize the story in your own community. Pitch your idea to a photo editor you work with or who you want to work with.