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Photo
journalism
One of the leading
streams of Journalism today is photo-journalism. A
photo-journalist should not be taken to mean a photographer
who can write as well as take pictures. He is a photographer
who is able to tell a story with pictures. Photographs reveal
as well as inform. They let us live with people different
from ourselves, and experience events half a world away.
Pictures extend our reach, allowing us to see events that
have passed into history, to travel to places we will never
visit and to experience the emotions of others. Pictures
communicate feelings, set moods. A good picture is first a
truthful portrayal of an event.
If you want to be a part of this extremely creative
profession, all you need is a keen eye for aesthetic detail
and for what is "photo-worthy"; a thorough knowledge of
cameras and the technicalities involved in taking pictures,
of light, distance and perspective; a sensitive and
introspective nature, and most importantly, the guts to take
up as a profession, what most of the time remains a hobby.
Establishing oneself as a professional photographer is no
cakewalk, which is why, perhaps unfortunately, many talented
photographers remain amateurs. The climb is hard and long,
and the financial returns, not very satisfactory in the
beginning.
It's a profession as well as an art form. For photography as
a career, one must have that extra quality, an interest in
visuals, an attentiveness to colour, shape and shadow, an
interest in light, in observing how colours look on certain
days.
Study Routes: There are two routes into this career. The
formal and the experiential. A course or formal training in
the subject opens options for working with magazines or
newspapers.
The second is to learn as an apprentice to a professional
photographer, which can involve learning the basic jobs
before getting to know the real techniques of the profession.
Photography is more craft learnt through practise and
training of the eye. Technical training and information
cannot make you 'see' things unless you have that inner
ability, an intelligent, curious and perceptive mind.
Where to Study?: Most BFA or Applied Art Courses impart
specialised training in photography. Design Courses at
National Institute of Design have photography as a subject.
Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi and Mass
Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia offer
basic courses in Photography.
Besides, there are also degree courses in photography.
Three-year integrated bachelor's programmes are offered at:
Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa; Jiwaji University,
Government Model Science College, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh and
University of Poona, Fergussen College, Pune. Degree courses
in Photography (BA 3-year integrated)
One-year diploma courses in still photography are available
at:
University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002; University of
Gorakhpur, Gorakhpur - 273009; Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi -
221002; Ravishankar University, Raipur - 492010; Sri
Venkateshwara University, Tirupati - 517502 and Chitoor
District Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Masab Tank,
Mahaveer Marg, Hyderabad - 500028.
Some other recognized courses in photography are at
Verve
Visuals, 323, CMH Road, 108, Building, Indiranagar, Bangalore
- 560038; and India International Photographic Council, 12,
Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi - 110001.
TV journalism
Since the mid-1980s, TV growth in India has been the fastest
in the world. There are now some 70 million television sets
in the country, and 45% of them have cable. From the cities
to the villages, people are exposed to television. With
satellite television bringing in more work, and now cyber
journalism making news faster than it ever was before, the
opportunities this field offers are tremendous.
Jobs in broadcast journalism:
Researchers: Research work, unless on super-specialised
topics, can be done by graduates (any stream) with interest
in media.
Script Writers: Script Writers for the electronic media need
a special approach. Formal training helps in effective
writing.
Production team: Producers, production assistants, floor
managers, researchers and scriptwriters are graduates with a
keen interest in this medium. Post graduates in Mass
Communication or diploma holders from the Film and Television
Institutes also enter as professionals. Doordarshan recruits
Programme Executives (PEs) through the UPSC. This is a Group
'B' post and postgraduates in Literature, Music, Dance or
Education, in the 21-30 age group, are eligible.
Production Assistants: The official media directly recruits
graduates/post graduates who have knowledge of a regional
language, besides English and Hindi.
Cameramen: Cinematography or videography are desirable
quali-fications. In Doordarshan, Grade II recruitment for
cameramen are made through the UPSC.
Sound Technician/Engineers: The Sound Engineer is required to
be a Graduate in Physics or Electronics. An interest in
audiography, or a degree or diploma in the subject are
useful. Generally, a science background at the Plus Two level
is preferred for admission to the audiography courses.
Editors: For editing, professional training can be attained
after graduation, preferably in science subjects. The best
places are Pune, Bangalore and Chennai Film Institutes. Jamia
Millia Islamia imparts adequate training in the mass media
communications.
Radio/TV Announcers and Newscasters: For AIR and DD,
selection is made on the basis of a written test. Voice
tests, screen tests and interviews are also conducted for All
India Radio and Television. The tests may involve writing
announcements, presentation of scripts for special programmes
and the like. Entry into private production is possible as
commentator, compere, interviewer and script reader.
Reporters and Correspondents for radio/TV news: People with a
good command over language and a feel for the medium are
recruited for these positions to feed information from
various places. Correspondents are employed by satellite
channels and various video magazines. A degree or diploma in
journalism or mass communication is necessary.
Comperes: A course for compering is conducted by the Xavier
Institute of Communications, Mumbai-400001 and is called ABCD,
Announcing, Broadcasting, Compering and Dubbing.
Where to study?
Film and Television Institute of India Law College Road, Pune
- 411004.
Candidates have to clear the written test, aptitude test and
then an interview.
Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, CIT Campus,
Chennai.
This institute conducts degree courses in direction, screen
play writing and cinematography. These are of three years
duration.
Chitrabani, St. Xavier's College, Calcutta (Affiliated to
Calcutta University) offers a one-year course which deals
with various aspects of cinema like theory, aesthetics,
history and technique, film industry, film stars, censorship.
Jadavpur University, Calcutta - 700003, West Bengal
Course-The University offers two years Master's Degree in
Cinema Studies.
Pune University, Ganeshkhind,-Pune - 411007, Maharashtra
offers one year Post Graduate course in cinema Studies. The
University also conducts an MA course in Mass Communication
Asian Academy of Film and Television, Marwah Studios Complex,
FC 14/15, Film Centre, Sector 16A, Noida - 201301 offers a
three months diploma and covers Production and Direction and
TV Journalism, Video Editing and Sound Recording, Camera and
Lighting Techniques, Acting and Presentation.
Academy 18, Studio Kabuki, F-7, Sector 16A, NOIDA - 201301
offers six month's course in T.V. Production and Direction.
Third Channel Institute of Television Training, Delhi, offers
three months course in Film Editing and Camera.
Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Aruna Asif Ali Marg,
JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067. The admission to the four
Post-graduate Diploma Courses is done on the basis of an
All-India Entrance Examination and personal interview.
Courses offered are:
Post-graduate Diploma Course in Journalism, Post-graduate
Diploma Course in Advertising and Public Relations,
Post-graduate Diploma Course in Journalism (Hindi),
Post-graduate Diploma Course in Radio and TV Journalism,
Diploma Course in Development Journalism for Non-Aligned and
other Developing Countries.
Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi offers M.A.
course in Mass Communication which comprises
Radio/Television, Film and Audio-visual production, is
conducted by Mass Communication Research Centre of Jamia
Millia Islamia.
Satyajit Ray Film and T.V. Institute - E.M. Bypass Road, P.O.
Garia Calcutta-94 offers two years - course with
specialisation in Motion Picture photography, Sound
recording, Film Editing including Video Direction. This is an
academic Institution of Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting.
ZED Institute of creative arts - 1-11-112, Nagilla Towers,
Begumpet, Hyderabad - 500 016.(A.P.) is India's first
Animation Film Institute of international calibre. ZICA
offers a three-year diploma course.
Course in Communication technology and management:
All India Management Associ-ation and Centre for Management
Education, Management House, 14 Institutional Area, Lodhi
Road, New Delhi - 110 003 and Apple Publishing Technology
Centre, A 220 Okhla Industrial Area Phase I, New Delhi --110
020 conduct a professional diploma in Communication
Technology and Management for graduates or those enrolled in
3/4 years graduate programmes in Printing
Technology/Advertising and Public Relations/Mass
Communication/Journalism
News reading courses are conducted by the following
institutes:
Indian Institute of Mass Communication, JNU Campus, New
Delhi.
Janaki Devi Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University, New Delhi.
Film and Television Institute, CIT Campus, Chennai.
Film and Television Institute, Pune.
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