Photo Tips to Tell Better Stories, With Chris Pietsch

Chris Pietsch, director of photography for Gannett Newspapers in Oregon, shares tips on "making — not taking" better photos while previewing the sessions he will lead at StoryConnect in April.

Creators & Guests

Host

Andy Johns

Vice President of Marketing

What is The StoryConnect Podcast?

StoryConnect features interviews with marketers, communicators, CEOs and other leaders at cooperative and independent broadband companies, electric cooperatives and municipal power providers. The goal of the podcast is to help listeners discover ideas to shape their stories and connect with their customers. It is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources.

Intro:
A production of Pioneer Utility Resources.

StoryConnect, helping communicators discover ideas to shape
their stories and connect with their customers.

Andy Johns:
What are some things you can do to make yourself a better visual
storyteller?

That's what we'll be talking about on this episode of The
StoryConnect Podcast.

My name is Andy Johns, your host with Pioneer.

And I'm joined on this episode by Chris Pietsch, who is the
photography instructor at the upcoming StoryConnect Conference,

as well as director of photography for Gannett Newspapers in
Oregon, and a adjunct instructor of photojournalism at the

University of Oregon.

Chris, thanks so much for joining me.

Chris Pietsch:
My pleasure. Thanks for having me, Andy.

Andy Johns:
I'm excited to hear some of your sessions in Hood River in April
at StoryConnect.

It's coming up quick, so just wanted to take a few minutes to
get a little bit of a preview on that, and let folks who maybe

aren't going to be able to join us out in Hood River to hear a
little bit about how they can make themselves a better visual

storyteller. Let's start then, and we were talking about a
little bit beforehand just about the role that photos

play in communications and marketing pieces in journalism.

Is it fair to say that good photos matter now more than ever?

Chris Pietsch:
Oh, absolutely.

Yeah, My point of view on photography is, is that it's such a g
reat way to

connect with viewers.

There's so much information can get conveyed by a photograph
that might take, you know, a writer has to be pretty, you

know, good at what they do in order to pull off what a
photographer can kind of do, you know, almost by accident.

But and, you know, obviously honing your skills and trying to
figure out how to be most effective is what this class

is about. And we're going to have fun with that, I think.

Andy Johns:
I think so. And, you know, one of the things that we talked about
with this, with the training session, like the one at

StoryConnect, is they're going to be people that come in there
that may be fairly accomplished photographers, that aren't afraid

to switch the dial over to manual and do some work there.

They're going to be other folks that that maybe just use a
phone to shoot.

But they're I imagine with the experience that you've got, there
are some basic things that anybody can do, no matter what their

device is, to become a better photographer, a better visual
storyteller.

What are some of the things that that you advise folks, no
matter what level that they're at to focus on to be better?

Chris Pietsch:
Well, when I'm talking to young people, particularly, I say, you
know, if you just paid better attention to the

light that's in front of you, after this lecture, I will shed
tears of joy.

Andy Johns:
That's a win. Yeah.

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, that's a win right there.

But of course, there's all kinds of variables in play there for
you to execute

what you think you're seeing as you're standing there.

The tool can get your road sometimes if you're not proficient
about it.

But so it is a really interesting combination of technical stuff
and esthetic judgments all in

real time. So, you know, there's a lot of challenges that are
happening there.

But I find it to be infinitely fun.

You know, it never gets old.

You know, I'm getting a little long in the tooth, but it still
gets me jazzed to go out and make a nice picture.

And so I'm looking forward to – you know, one of the things I
felt for a long time is that

mentoring is a form of teaching is, you know, much more
effective.

I feel like I'm better at that than just standing up in front of
a classroom.

And, you know, this setting is going to be ideal for that.

It's going to be very hands on.

People are going to get a chance to make some mistakes and
then, you know, make adjustments in real time to better what

they're working on.

So, yeah, I think everybody's going to learn a lot.

Andy Johns:
Diving into some of the specifics, and we were talking about it a
little bit before I hit the record button.

But one of the tougher things to I know that we see on photos
that comes in or just from the little bit of photography that

I've done. One of the harder things, and you summed it up well,
is thinking in 3D to produce a 2D image.

So how do you go about when you come to a scene or something
you're going to photograph, how do you kind of train yourself to

start thinking foreground, middle ground and background all into
one image?

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, it's kind of a left lobe, right lobe thing that can be a
challenge.

But yeah, you know, the classic thing is when, you know, you see
these funny pictures where somebody's got a tree behind them, and

in the finished image it looks like they've got, you know, some
kind of weird hairdo or something.

You know, those are the most obvious ones that you know you need
to be aware of.

But just being situationally aware and feeling confident enough
when you're standing

there that you can say to yourself, "Okay, I've got everything's
lining up the way I want, but I've got this one thing behind me."

And, you know, it could be a simple matter of just moving left
or right six inches or something, you know?

But you just have to be aware in that moment to do those kinds
of things.

For me, it's, you know, there's always going to be those moments
of regret that you might learn from, you know, a past mess up

or whatever. But hopefully during the course of these three
days, we'll get to the point where people are – the light bulb is

starting to go on with people a little bit, and they're going to
have some confidence that they can make those kinds of

adjustments in the moment.

Andy Johns:
Some of the photos that we see that we love to share around and
all that are ones that seem to be just right place, right time.

There's a lot that a skilled photographer can do to kind of put
themselves in that right place, you know, generate a little bit

of luck for themselves, as it were.

What are some of the things that you're thinking about when you
go, whatever it is you're shooting, whether it's something for,

you know, one of the newspapers, or the news outlets, or whether
something you're shooting on your own, what are some of the

things that you're thinking about before you even get to a
location where you're going to shoot?

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah. I couldn't agree with you more.

You know, one of the things I say is that, you know, anybody can
do photography when things are going well, but it takes a

pro to land on your feet when there's some obstacles, get in
your road.

And so hopefully we're going to talk a little bit about that.

And people have some confidence in themselves a little bit
there.

And the way I have run my, you know, sort of thinking

process for some time now, is that I go in there with a
preconceived notion about what I'm hoping to get out of it and

what the boxes I know I need to check.

And when I've got that in the can, that also, you know, if
you're dealing with a person or subject of some sort, it gives

you some ice breaking opportunities there.

And then I always try to ask myself, "Okay, is there something
else I could be doing creatively?

Have I had an idea in the past that I've thought about
executing, and would this be a good opportunity to try that?" And

use it, you know, almost as kind of a creative testing grounds
for some of the concepts that you might have about trying to

do interesting visuals.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but you almost always
learn something if it falls short, for whatever reason.

It's like you had this vision, but there was something that got
in the road of pulling it off.

And then you can bring that – but you learned to bear, you know,
the next time you have a similar circumstance that you know.

But, you know, I think everybody will find themselves getting
rewarded and end up making, you know, a picture that has that

kind of je ne sais quoi quality, maybe that they didn't really
know they were going to get until they got it.

Andy Johns:
Very nice. We don't often speak French on this podcast, so
that's –

Chris Pietsch:
That's all I know.

Andy Johns:
You're classing up the podcast.

I like it already.

One of the things and I know from one of the first times, when I
worked at the

newspaper. I made the mistake of referring to the photographer
as my photographer.

And, I learned a lot that day about the relationship between the
wordsmith and the photographer and then, of course, the graphic

designer as well.

If somebody is coming to this or is listening to this podcast
who's not a photographer,

what are some things that either writers or graphic designers can
learn and benefit from in their careers just

by knowing a little bit more about photography?

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, well, one of my classic lines when I hear that is that I
say the word reporter has the word "porter" inside of it, and

then I hand him some gear to carry.

Andy Johns:
As you should. As you should.

Chris Pietsch:
Punish him a little bit for that.

Yeah. I think, you know, if you are working with a reporter, as
a photographer, you know, teamwork is everything.

And, you know, I'm a strong believer in words and pictures
packages.

There's a magic that can happen there if everybody's on the same
page that it's the sum is greater than the

parts when you finally put it all together.

So you know that can be a challenge.

You know, you've got some egos maybe at work there a little bit
about what direction the story's going.

But when it clicks, it's really amazing to me.

And the same is true for designers.

You know, I think if everybody's on the same page, designer can
make you look better.

You know, they can mask over shortcomings or they can, you know,
exalt, your successes.

And, you know, it's just good communication really is the key to
that.

And having respect for what each of the partners are bringing to
the table there.

And, you know, do some real listening, when the conversation is
happening about those kinds of things, but then being willing to

speak up for your yourself, you know, about what you feel.

You know, it's going to be different every single time and, you
know, personalities getting involved and whatnot.

But, you know, sometimes, I'm just really amazed and, as I say,
the whole thing is so much better than it could

have been as a result of that partnership that.

You know, it brings me back to the interacting like that in the
future, even if I have a bad

experience once in a while.

Andy Johns:
Makes perfect sense. Turns out relationships matter just about
everywhere.

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, that's absolutely true.

Andy Johns:
Well, Chris, I appreciate the time with you.

If I can close just one last question here for you.

If there's, you know, through the mentoring that you've done
before, the students that you teach at the University of Oregon,

if somebody won't be able to attend the sessions at
StoryConnect, but, they're having some new photo responsibilities

or trying to become a better photographer.

What's the one or two things that you normally always advise
folks or pieces of advice that you give where folks can start

becoming better photographers?

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, well, for me, the one thing that I always tell people is
that I think they need to understand that they have to have some

intention there.

Like I say, I'm making a picture instead of taking a picture,
because I feel like it kind of communicates that I'm

a factor in, you know, how this thing is going to work out.

And it gives me kind of a mindset that I'm, you know, not
necessarily controlling the circumstances, but that

I'm more responsive to whatever is unfolding in front of me
there, and part of the dynamic.

And so, you know, the other thing I would say is to, you know,
be kind to yourself.

You know, it's a learning process.

And, you know, I have gone out and, you know, I tell young
people I've learned more from my mistakes over my career than I

have from my successes.

But you have to be willing to go back and kind of dissect where
things went wrong for you, or what you could have done

differently. And, you know, for me, it's like a life lesson,
really.

And, you know, photography is just part of that.

But I've found that, you know, really, has contributed to me,
you know, growing as a

photographer and a person over time.

So, you know, fatherly advice, if you will, you know, but it
never gets old.

I love photography, and, you know, I'm getting up there in age,
but it still is a reason for me to get out of bed in the morning

that, you know, it would be hard to imagine ever giving it up.

Andy Johns:
Yeah, yeah.

And I think we are all going to benefit from those life lessons
that you talked about from a lifetime of making photos,

not taking photos. I think that's well said.

Well, Chris, thanks for joining me.

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, this was a pleasure.

Thanks for bearing with me.

My philosophical side conversations and whatnot, but it all
makes sense to me.

I'm like the Bill Walton of photography or something, I don't
know.

Andy Johns:
I like it. I like it.

And I can't tell on Zoom how tall you are.

So, you know, you may be the Bill Walton, I don't know.

Chris Pietsch:
Not as tall as him, unfortunately, my back is still working
because that's definitely key to being a photographer.

Andy Johns:
That's an important part.

Well, if you have not registered for the StoryConnect Conference
yet, when we're recording this in kind of mid-February, we've

got about eight spots left before we cap the conference at 100
to kind of preserve that intimate,

close feel that it's always had.

So make sure that if you're listening to this, and you haven't
registered yet, but you'd like to join us in Hood River, make

sure you visit storyconnect.com.

And that way you will you'll be able to gain some of the wisdom
from Chris and from our other speakers and presenters at the

conference. Chris, thanks for joining me.

And thanks for coming to Hood River with us.

Chris Pietsch:
Yeah, it's my pleasure.

I'm really looking forward to it.

Andy Johns:
He's Chris Pietsch.

He is the director of photography for Gannett Newspapers in
Oregon, as well as an adjunct instructor at the University of

Oregon. I'm Andy Johns with Pioneer.

And until we talk again, keep telling your story.

Outro:
The StoryConnect is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources, a
communications cooperative that is built to share your story.

StoryConnect is engineered by Lucas Smith of Lucky Sound Studio.