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Last updated on
8 September, 2007

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Photography for Writers
with Stephen Morrill

REGISTRATION:

COST, LENGTH, PREREQUISITES:

No prerequisites.

Standard course: $100 / 4 weeks. Click here to register

Extended schedule: $125 / 8 weeks. Click here to register
Extended course gives you two weeks to do each lesson but contains NO additional material.

For questions about this COURSE, e-mail Steve Morrill at steve@stevemorrill.com

YOU DO NOT NEED A CAMERA TO TAKE THIS COURSE, but it's a good idea to learn to use one.

I teach five course modules for freelance nonfiction writers. This is the photography course, a how-to in making extra money as a writer by taking your own pictures--or at least finding your own pictures -to illustrate your work.

Like my other courses, this one centers upon extensive written materials in a private library. Students download these at their convenience and interact with me via e-mail.

Being able to take photos, or find photos, to accompany your writing can help sell the story, keep control over your work, and even earn you extra money. Photography is not rocket science, and most people already have cameras capable of taking publishable pictures. Professional-quality photos are often available free if you know where to ask.

This course will discuss what editors and art directors look for in photos, how to take those photos, and how to locate photos when you can't take them. Warning: this is not a course for professional-quality photographers; this is a very basic course for writers who want to take photos on the side to illustrate their work.

The class consists of two parts. Each week I upload, to our private library, materials you should read before the next week. Each week you also receive an assignment to carry out before the next class.

Week 1:
Why take your own photos?
How do you get the assignment?
What makes a good photo?
Getting photos from sources.
Rules for good photography.
HOMEWORK: Call at least one local source and see what they have in the way of photos you can use.

Week 2:
How a camera works.
Using film speed, shutter speed, f-stop.
Using film.
Using light and filters.
Using lenses.
Digital cameras
HOMEWORK: Outdoors, shoot one roll of color print or film or digital equivalent in an instructor-led exercise.

Week 3:
Composing the photo.
Flash photography.
Other camera gear (tripod, lights, more).
Recording data.
Tricks of the trade.
HOMEWORK: Using flash, shoot one roll of black-and-white film or digital equivalent in an instructor-led exercise .

Week 4:
Captions and credits and copyright.
Privacy rights and releases.
Getting paid for photos.
Sending in photos and getting them back again.
Developing film or getting it developed properly.
More tricks of the trade.
HOMEWORK: Prepare some personalized model releases using instructor-provided materials.

Stephen Morrill has been freelancing full-time since 1984, writing more than 1000 articles for national and local magazines and for newspapers. Realizing that he could earn more money if he could illustrate his own stories, he bought a camera and learned photography. He also learned where to get professional photos, free for the asking. His photos, including many cover shots, have appeared in magazines ranging from KNOW Tampa Bay to the New York Times Magazine.