check passing

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                   30-Jul-10  
                   30-Jul-10  

If only every newspaper editor in America would sign a pledge reading, “Check-passing pictures are about the stupidest photograph possible and I will no longer use them.” Then the few of us who don’t include them wouldn’t look like such schmucks. Why do newspapers publish check-passers? Because sometime back in history a hurried editor with a lot of space to fill was at a meeting and he said, “OK, you guys line up here and you two come up in front. You hold the check with your right hand, you hold it with your left hand, then look at the camera and smile.” This doesn’t happen in real life; it’s only when a newspaper guy with a camera is around. We win Michigan’s top small weekly award more years than not, but it’s not because of a dearth of check-passing photos. I think we would still win even if they were included. I’m saying this to let you know that I don’t worry about a contest judge when I decide what photos I’m using. Besides, the odds are pretty good that the judge uses these photos in his or her own paper. (That reminds me of one of my all-time favorite newspaper judge comments: “This paper looks just looks mine!” First place.) The only reason I don’t use them is because they’re so silly. I certainly don’t recommend that others follow my lead because I know I have too little “refrigerator news.” It’s a failing of mine. I use a lot of team photos, both sports and academic, and I have my share of photos with people standing there looking at the camera, but I use far fewer than neighboring papers. But I do suggest this: Think about the photo ahead of time before lining up the handshake. If a check is being passed to buy dictionaries for a school class, then get a photo of someone from the club distributing the dictionaries to students. You get kids in the photo; an added bonus at the newsstand. If a check is for the new infrared camera that the fire department will use, take a photo with someone from the fire department demonstrating how the camera works to a couple of the donors. New equipment for the ambulance? Have the EMT strap it on the donor. Tell the story minus the check - the check that’s too small to read anyway. I know you aren’t going to sign a pledge against check-passing, plaque-giving, etc., but at least consider pledging to think about the story and how to tell it visually.

I prefer gas passing.

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