In the five years that I have captained this blog, I have written this post four times. It remains one of my favorite annual pieces to pen, because it involves one of my favorite annual traditions: watching the winners of the NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism video awards.
Every year I sit down, click on links, and marvel at the winners. And every year I take away new lessons that, I hope, will boost my own work. This year I was named a NPPA finalist for three of my stories, and I won the association’s prize for Solo Video Journalist of the Year. But I found, in the Best of Photojournalism winners, work that inspires me to improve and compels me to keep crafting.
Here are five lessons that will stay with me – and perhaps you too:
THE STORY: Light Will Prevail, by Ryan Oliveira (KXAS-TV, Dallas)
THE LESSON: Sometimes the best treatment for raw emotion is restraint behind the camera.
A mass shooting last fall at a baptist church caused a crush of media to descend on the tiny town of Sutherland Springs, Tex. Residents struggled to grasp with the horror and loss, and they didn’t hide their emotions.
In this story, which took first place in the category of General Hard News Photography, Ryan Oliveira of NBC5 in Dallas met the rawness with distance and technique. He largely kept his camera back, focusing instead on framing and lighting exquisite shots to capture the intensity. I cannot say enough about his sensitivity here, and the same goes for his teammate on this story, reporter Noelle Walker. I have no doubt they were moved by what they saw in Sutherland Springs. It showed in pieces like this, that eschew boldness and instead show tenderness and sympathy during a tragic time.
THE STORY: Ethan’s Stand, by Heidi Wigdahl (KARE-TV, Twin Cities)
THE LESSON: If you’re doing it all, you must deliver in your writing.
I speak often with solo video journalists about taking advantage of your autonomy in the field. You shouldn’t shoot a story, then write it, then edit. You should write and edit in your head while you shoot, and each step should inform the others.
I’m not sure how KARE-TV’s Heidi Wigdahl approached this piece, which took the prize for Solo Video Journalist – General News. But it epitomizes how an SVJ’s final product should look. The writing leads the way, as Wigdahl offers a deceptively simple script that reveals little nuggets throughout. Her video doesn’t upstage her words but supplements them, making for a heartwarming piece that deserves its award.
THE STORY:Brand New Day, by Forrest Sanders (WSMV, Nashville)
THE LESSON: Learn. Your. Craft.
Another extremely talented solo video journalist, Forrest Sanders was named a finalist for the coveted Photographer of the Year award – a huge achievement in a category dominated by traditional photographers who don’t write and report their own stories.
I have known and followed Sanders for several years, and I even interviewed him (and Wigdahl too!) for my how-to book for do-it-all reporters, The Solo Video Journalist. I discovered then what rings true in stories like this, which won for Solo Video Journalist – Feature: Sanders knows his stuff. He studies photography and editing (he even picks up tips from horror movies!), and he keeps pushing himself. Young solo video journalists often poo-poo the photography side and learn just enough to get by. Sanders provides a shining example of what can happen when you embrace your autonomy.
THE STORY: Hunting for Addicts, by Emily Kassie (NBC Left Field)
THE LESSON: Don’t just look to tradition for inspiration.
For those of us who work in local news, it’s easy to conform. It’s easy to stick to the style that’s demanded by news directors and consultants across the country. It’s easy to produce stories the same way they have been done for decades.
That’s why I extend my search for storytelling inspiration beyond the traditional. I sponge off of stories like “Hunting for Addicts”, produced by a dazzlingly skilled young journalist named Emily Kassie for the content production team at NBC Left Field. From camerawork to lighting to pacing to flair, Kassie packs an extraordinary amount of technique and talent into one stomach-punch of a story about a health care scam in Palm Beach County.
THE STORY: Brick by Brick, by Steve Rhodes (WTHR-TV, Indianapolis)
THE LESSON: When you get time to produce a story, don’t relax. Explode.
If you look at my previous years’ versions of this story, Steve Rhodes is a fixture. Quite simply, he is one of the best editors on the planet, and when he develops a vision for a story, he doesn’t just run with it; he Usain Bolts around the track.
I watched Rhodes’ piece with anchor Scott Swan about a local LEGO enthusiast, and I instantly ran to show two of my coworkers. Rhodes takes a potentially mundane feature and uses all sorts of photography and editing techniques to revel in its joyfulness. I’m not going to say much else. I’m just going to beg you to click play, be inspired, and figure out how you plan to explode into a story the way Rhodes does here.
Cheers, and let’s get to storytelling!
The Solo Video Journalist is available for purchase. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the publisher’s web site.
Matt Pearl is the author of the Telling the Story blog and podcast. Feel free to comment below or e-mail Matt at matt@tellingthestoryblog.com. You can also follow Matt on Facebook and Twitter.