It is unusual to find someone who does not have a cell phone these days. It is even more unusual to find a cell phone without a camera. 麻豆影院鈥檚 School of Journalism and Mass Communication has a photojournalism program, as well as photography classes. So, why not create a class about cell phone photography?
鈥淲e started this as somewhat of an experiment to draw students outside of the journalism school into our program,鈥 says David LaBelle, lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sort of a no-brainer to create a class where students don鈥檛 have to buy expensive equipment. Most people love photography and taking pictures.鈥
LaBelle helped create the class to teach the fundamentals of photography to 麻豆影院 State students using only a cell phone.
The students learn about lighting, composition and stop-action. LaBelle also incorporates popular apps into his assignments.
鈥淚 press them to be a little more journalistic in their mindset,鈥 says LaBelle. 鈥淭his class isn鈥檛 what you think it is. It鈥檚 talking about the matters of life using a cell phone to record these moments and sharing them.鈥
The class also raises the issue of privacy and the impact photos can have on an individual. LaBelle says that we have lost the filter we once had. Google, Facebook, etc. has no filter because once a photo is out there, it is there forever, even if you delete it.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if there鈥檚 anything such as 鈥榩rivate鈥 or 鈥榦ff the record鈥 anymore because of these devices,鈥 LaBelle says. 鈥淭hese things allow us to record things we couldn鈥檛. It probably makes you more careful and more accountable for your actions.鈥
鈥淐ell phone photography is being looked at more seriously鈥, says Stefanie Moore, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 鈥淚t has changed the way the public looks at citizen journalism.鈥
LaBelle says this is the First Amendment as its best because we as citizens have a right to say and publish as we see, and that the ethics of it is not easy to navigate.