News

18 Jan Make your mobile pics shine: Learn tricks of the trade Monday

Thousands gather at the Washington state capitol for a union protest. (Photo: Josh Trujillo)

Cell phones have turned just about everyone into a photo taker, but how do you use your mobile phone to take the clear, impactful photos of a true news photographer? How do you turn your cell phone into an important part of your journalism toolkit, on the road or in the office?

Learn from award-winning Seattlepi.com photographer (and phonographer) Josh Trujillo at 7 p.m. Monday at the second session of the 2012 SPJ of Western Washington Continuing Ed Series hosted at Fisher Plaza.

The session is free for SPJ members and $10 for non-members. As with all sessions in the Continuing Ed Series, pizza will be served.

Space is limited and we had a sold-out crowd at our first session (read all about it!), so RSVP soon!

Josh describes phonography as “the art of making photos with a phone.” He bought and started using his iPhone to shoot news after the PI went online-only in 2009. Last weekend he covered a protest march downtown and used the smartphone’s WordPress app to shoot photos and post the images, along with text, instantly to the Seattlepi.com site.

An elephant at Woodland Park Zoo (Photo: Josh Trujillo)

“I basically use it anytime I think I am witnessing news or something that people would likely want to know at that moment,” Josh said. “As a tool it has proven indispensable and without it I would likely be lost.”

While just about anyone can take an OK picture with a smartphone, Josh said one of the biggest mistakes he sees people make is in the way they hold the phones to shoot pictures.

“Stability is key,” he said. “Use two hands, brace your elbows against your body, and please turn off that awful flash!”

Check out Josh’s phonography on his phonography blog and don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the city’s best!

Check out the rest of the SPJ Continuing Ed Series lineup — all happening Mondays at Fisher Plaza at 7 p.m. — here.