Walking the Line

Focus, focus, focus-BUT don't focus so much that you form preconceived notions of what the story is. I feel like I'm walking the line. With a print story, I could have an idea, but change it halfway through the interview-no harm done. Visual is different. Like the readings reiterated-you need a focus. You don't want your story to be so broad that it spreads itself too thin (anyone remember that "jack of all trades, master of none"-you don't want this to be your story). However, at the same time, you don't want to go in so determined to find the story your looking for that you misinterpret what is truly happening. Take for instance, my project. I went in to the school cafeteria with my camera expecting to take pictures of fryers, but they weren't there. It took me a little while to shake off my initial focus of the story and find a new one.

The technical issues addressed in the readings were helpful, but nothing is better than trial and error. Someone can tell you how to do something-those guidelines do help (especially with the preplanning process)-but nothing is better than physically having to do it yourself.