5/3 Blog Post (SLO)

I gained a great deal from my internship this year with Jacobs Media Corporation. I learned how to behave in the professional world. I learned valuable journalism ethics, how to appropriately gather information, and how to cite sources. I learned how to construct good pieces in accordance with the AP style guide, along with how to construct good radio pieces in the form of HTs, HRs, RVs, and RWs. I learned how to behave professionally while still having fun and maintaining and developing great relationships with coworkers.I took specific actions that allowed me to get the most from my internship, such as being punctual, maintaining good communication between myself and my mentor, by being polite and always willing to help, and by always being willing to to learn and accept criticism. This mentorship prepared me for the future by teaching me professional skills I need to move forward in the professional world that will allow me to reach the level of success I am aiming for. It taught me how to deal and get along well with coworkers, how to respond to constructive criticism from superiors, and how to maintain good communication with an employer. It changed my idea of the career I am looking into (journalism) by showing me its complexity, its requirement for speaking to lots of new people frequently, and for introducing me to radio and written journalism.My advice to future HMP students is to try it! It taught me priceless knowledge and gave me a friend for the rest of my life. It was an awesome experience- so I would tell them to be open-minded, kind, and ready to learn!

Graphic: Taken by fellow coworker at Jacobs Media Corp. in Gainesville

March 22 Post

The video I watched on conquering the fear of public speaking listed three short steps to allow you to give a successful oral presentation: prepare, watch your posture and physicality, and and pander to your audience. It is imperative to prepare extensively- know your material and what points you want to get across backwards and forwards so that you are prepared no matter what. Next, your posture and physicality is important to make your audience think that you are in control and that you're calm. Maintaining a natural, not too stiff but not too loose posture along with breathing from your diaphragm will accompplish that. Lastly, pander to your audience... make them like you! Make a few jokes and stay calm and be excited, make the audience want to hear what you say!

Now, how will I incorporate this? Well to begin, I will prepare. I will practice extensively to ensure that I know exactly what points about photojournalism I want to get across to my audience- and in what order. I will hook them with a personal anecdote and go through my presentation in the desired order. I will maintain a calm demeanor, a natural posture and calm breathing. Lastly, I will make sure that I am having a good time, genuinely trying to show my audience something I really care about and am passionate about. I will maybe throw out a joke or two or in the very least remain lighthearted and just have a good time with it.

March 8 Blog Post

Career Path:  If you wanted to follow in the career path of someone at your internship site, what would you need to do to make this happen?  (Tip – If possible, ask that person at your mentorship for advice and use this in your response.)

Tasks:  What types of tasks are you discovering that you enjoy or excel at completing?  Which ones are less attractive or fulfilling?

1. If I wanted to follow the career path of someone at my internship, there would be several steps to get there. I spoke to a few of my mentors and newsroom workers about this, and a lot of them said I was on the right path. They said a degree from UGA in journalism/media communications would be the PERFECT first step. The fact that I've been an intern and already have experience in the field is even better! After graduation from UGA, I could join the ranks of the many applicants to AccessWDUN and wait for my turn! 

2. I really love tasks of covering events for pictures and seeing my photography on a news website. I love working with the webmaster and seeing that we had 52.1 million page views last year alone. I love writing HTS, RVS, RWS, and HRS. I don't like tasks of calling Ed Jones to get the daily stocks, but hey, it does teach me valuable personal and calling skills. I don't like any time I'm asked to voice something (so far only once), and I don't particularly love the rare occasion I am asked to do intern stuff like filing but hey! That's the job of the intern sometimes-you gotta start somewhere!

2/2 Blog Post- What I'm working on

I've been trying to focus my research lately on exactly what I am trying to figure out: why is photojournalism important and what can I accomplish through it? To do that, I've been gathering information and talking to various people in order to prepare for my final project. I worked with the webmaster at my internship one day, rather than my usual newsroom mentor, who showed me the importance photos and photojournalism will/does have on upcoming projects the company is working on (stay tuned! Exciting things are coming for access north ga!) I've also been talking to the relative group I want to present to. I've been interviewing journalists I know/talking to my regular friends about the impact photos have had on them and their lives, and lastly, I've been studying the work of my favorite photojournalist of all time: Steve McCurry. I've also been taking on more photography projects around the school to see what impact my super small scale projects has.

This is an interview of Haley McNeal, Atlanta journalist.

1. When did you figure our you wanted to be a journalist? The earliest I can remember loving to write was around fifth grade when I created a journal and raincoat full of gadgets just like Harriet the Spy so I could write down everything I saw. I truly realized that I wanted to be a journalist in middle and high school through the yearbook program. Each year that I continued taking the class the more my adoration to reporting stories, laying out page designs and utilizing powerful photos grew. That's not to say I knew exactly what kind of journalist I wanted to be, but I knew what direction I wanted to go.

My take: I had a very similar experience. It was in 5th grade that I started to realize I LOVED photography and then through yearbook and this internship it's grown and I just know journalism is right for me.

2. What is your degree in and where is it from? I have a bachelors degree in journalism with a concentration in magazines from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

My take: UGA is a great school! That's where I intend to go- I want a media broadcasting/photojournalism degree.

3. Why do you love journalism? There are many reasons. Personally, I love that I can express myself through the written word in ways I cannot through spoken words. I love advocating for others by telling their amazing stories through different modes of communication. I love that I live in a country where I have the freedom of speech where I can tell the stories that need to be told.

My take: I love all these things. I love That through my photos and my written words I can stand up for my beliefs or a cause and advocate change. I'm a champion of free speech and love that I live somewhere I can exercise that right.

4. I know you've focused in the writing side of journalism, but could you describe the significance of/what you think of regarding the importance of photojournalism?Photojournalism is just as important as written journalism, it simply depends on the impact you are trying to make on your consumer. There are emotions you can portray and stories you can tell easier, and more dramatically, with photos than with words. Just as with written journalism, photojournalism is an art that takes a certain skill, and when photos are snapped at just the right time the result can be world-shaking.

My take: Yes. Yes. Yes. Photos can change the world. They have changed the world. And they will continue to do so. 

5. What's the coolest thing you've done for your career so far? Following my internship at with a lifestyle magazine I was able to interview a restaurant radio talk show host and write a profile article on her. I actually met her at a coffee shop in Atlanta and interviewed her on behalf of the magazine. Armed with the notes I scribbled during our talk and the recorded audio I captured, I wrote a feature article that was published online and in print. This was the first completely original feature article I had published and it was monumental for me.

My take: I kinda had a similar experience through my internship. The first time I got to publish my own work, even though it was a tiny little story, I was so so proud. And the BEST day was when my photos were published and it said "Photo: Hannah McQueen" beneath it. I know it wasn't a huge deal at all. But it was the first time my photos had been published on a news website and I was ecstatic. 

6. At the end of your career, where do you see yourself? I'm not really sure. I want to be a successful career woman that is happy with where my career leads along my journalism journey. I also hope to raise a family at some point, and still be able to write. For me, finding a happy balance between work and home life is what is most important.

My take: I want a balance too. I see myself, at the end of my career, hopefully following the steps of Steve McCurry. I want to have traveled the world and taken iconic photographs that'll be around long after me, you know?

7. What would be your dream assignment? To be in a stable position, able to write about topics that are important to me is my dream assignment. I believe that if you truly care about something you pour your heart and soul into it, making the story one that people have to read, watch, listen to, or see. As far as a specific job...I would like to see what it's like working at CNN/Turner Broadcasting.


My take: I love That. I think everyone has a dream job specific to themself. Mine would be to become a National Geographic photographer that gets to travel the world and experience things most people never get to. 

8. Do you think journalism can truly change the world? Absolutely. The communications industry as a whole has the potential to influence people profoundly, both in good and bad ways. This includes newspapers, magazines, television, and even blogging and social media (which is growing each day). My hope is that those who exercise their rights to free speech do so in a positive way. It's our job to work towards doing just that; reporting the truth and standing by every word we write or every photo we take. 

My take: YES. It's a simple as that. Photos and written word have, can, and will change the world. 

9. Journalists are often targeted, especially photojournalists. Why do you think people still continue to pursue journalism? 

I've heard it said before that you can't help who you love, and I think it's the same with what you love. No matter what career you choose, there is always going to be someone that you just can't make happy, someone who disagrees with you, and someone who wants to criticize your point of view. That's life. This career  lets you practice your freedom of expression in a professional way, and your works may butt heads with the passionate beliefs of others...just be ready. You can't help if you love it.


My take: ah! Yes. I couldn't have phrased it better. So many journalists lose their lives every single year. Like the American journalists who were beheaded by ISIS or the Charlie Hebdo killings more recently. It's tragic and unfair but someone has to do. Someone has to care about telling the truth and has to be brave enough to do it. I couldn't quit even if I wanted to.

10. What is the best thing about your job in journalism? At this point, the best thing about my job is that I get to experience every aspect of the magazine management business. From selling ads, planning each issue, finding writers, managing the budget, editing the entire book, attending trade shows, writing, and so much more, I get to do it all. It's building on to my education and arming me with experience I need for my future career steps.

My take: That's a big reason I love this field too. It's definitely not boring or routine. At my Internship, I get to try a little bit of EVERYTHING. There are so so many awesome opportunities in journalism and that's so exciting! 

1/5 Week Assignment

I need and want to know several things for my final product. I want to know what kind of impact photojournalism has made in individual lives and to what extent it did. I want to know if photojournalism can bring about actual change and fix major world problems. I want to know, in fact, need to know, if the path I have chosen for my life (photojournalism), is meaningful, is change-inspiring, and is important. I want to know that using photojournalism as a tool to change the world for the better is possible.
My current essential question is still the same that it was earlier: How can I utilize photojournalism and all its elements to such an effective degree that I express common social, political, and economic problems of our generation and promote awareness of said various world issues?
I plan to use other elements beside my website. I want to display some of my work, and mainly, some of the work of my greatest inspiration and possibly best photojournalist of all time- Steve McCurry (National Geographic- Afghan Girl). I also want to use a powerpoint presentation and oral anecdotes regarding my own experiences.
I will interview regular people. Because my whole research centers on the idea, the hope, that photojournalism effects REGULAR people, completely removed from the field of journalism. I want to see that photojournalism has effected normal people, maybe without them even knowing it.