(4) What do I wish to show in my pictures?
b. Your list of questions could be endless and you can't stop to get
all the answers. Be sure, though, to ask enough to get the subject clear in
your mind and decide what and how you want to communicate to your viewer
about the subject.
c. You will occasionally be required to produce a photo story about an
inanimate object. Don't panic. You can use the same approach and research
methods to gain that understanding.
You have completed your research, gained some understanding about your
subject, and wrote out a flexible shooting script. You are ready to start
shooting. Think again. No photojournalist worth his silver halides heads
out to a photo assignment without inventorying and thoroughly checking his
gear.
13. Equipment Maintenance.
You and your supervisor would be very unhappy if you lost a picture or maybe
a whole roll of pictures because a piece of gear did not work. Equipment
checks should become a routine part of your approach to every job. Build
your own preventative maintenance kit and keep it in your camera bag. The
following is a list of basic things to put in the kit.
Items
A lint-free cloth.
A small container of denatured alcohol.
Cotton swabs in a clean plastic pill bottle.
Jeweler's screwdriver.
Pencil or typewriter eraser.
Lens tissue.
A soft bristle brush 1/2" wide.
One dozen toothpicks.
You start by finding a clean work place with good light.
Then proceed as
follows:
a. Using the lint-free cloth, wipe down the camera's exterior,
including the case. If you find dirt build-up, lightly dampen a cotton swab
and brush the area; then wipe again with the cloth. (A toothpick with a bit
of cotton wrapped around one end makes a good substitute if cotton swabs are
not available.)
b. With the jeweler's screwdriver, tighten all screws on the exterior
of the camera body. Look under the rewind knob and
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