LoudFoxCult: Midwest Punks Newest Phenomenon

By Owen Armentrout

@warriorradiotok

Midwest Punk band LoudFoxCult records and practices at their home studio in Warren in preparation for their upcoming show on the 28th videoographer/producer: Owen Armentrout #punkrock #midwestband #interview

♬ original sound – Warrior Radio

WARREN, MICH- This past weekend I had the pleasure of interviewing a couple of the members from the local band, LoudFoxCult, during a recording session at their home studio. I arrived in the afternoon and their lead singer Isaac Thorne showed me inside where I was met with bundles of equipment strewn about and frustrated grunts from guitarist Austin Kadlitz attempting to set up their new speaker system in preparation for an upcoming show. Isaac sat down and started to restring his guitar and I immediately got my phone up and started recording. Now, in retrospect I should have been more prepared, but in my own personal experience home studios have typically been in guest rooms or living rooms where there’s been an abundance of natural light. Now while half of their studio was in a guest room upstairs, they insisted on keeping the lights off to create a more suitable ambiance for the creative process. Regarding the other half, it was stationed in the basement where the only halfway decent light source was near the drum set, and all the other bulbs were dimmer than sunsets. I’ll let this experience serve as a reminder to bring some sort of lightweight lighting equipment to future shoots. Regardless, I made do with the boundaries I was given. It was far more difficult to obtain vertical shots in comparison to horizontal videos like the ones done for the video story. Everything constantly seemed to get cut off or for whatever reason just seemed less appealing; it was hard to know how far away I should be from the subject. I took somewhere around 100 videos, constantly repositioning for a different perspective of the same action and sometimes it paid off and others it became evident that the shot just wasn’t worth pursuing. When they were recording vocals, I felt like I was getting good footage but when I went back to review it, I noticed that a lot of it lacked direct shots of their faces and made them feel very amateur. But at the same time, I had to keep in mind that I’m translating this video through TikTok, and it can’t seem overly professional otherwise it just looks like a piece of corporate sponsorship. Admittedly, looking back on it I think I lost sight of that a bit throughout the process, but it’s my first attempt at making a TikTok video so I’ll just consider it to be a part of the learning experience. As for what I gained from the textbooks and assigned reading, I came to learn how broad of a reach TikTok has and how influential their platform is with multiple generations of users. Having started out as an app to post dances and evolving into a structured media outlet that showcases everything from breaking news to comedy sketches to an audience of well over half a billion is insanely impressive. But at the end of the day the evidence also suggests it becomes addictive and degrades our attention span, so who’s to say if this new platform is truly the new bastion of mobile entertainment.  

Firearm Season Opens in Port Hope

By: Owen Armentrout

PORT HOPE, MICH-

Last weekend I had the pleasure of driving up north to my father’s farm in Port Hope, Mich, where a group of other hunters and him were spending their opening week of firearm season. Originally, I had planned to leave the night of opening day, hoping to be welcomed with a buck hanging in the garage and a story for the camera; let this serve as a reminder that not all things work out the way you envision them. 

I ended up departing the following morning as the fear that a deer may decide to reenact Armstrong’s “giant leap” across Capac Rd in the pitch dark, had begun to swell. When I arrived, there was hot food, and indeed there were tales to be told, but alas, they were woven with the misfortune of small bucks and bad sightlines. So, while there was plenty of footage to be shot inside of the camaraderie between the guys, Mother Nature insisted that I make some luck for myself.  

Evening was approaching as I packed some gear and headed for a box blind south field. I stepped up the 2×4-fashioned ladder, laid out my binoculars and started my sit. You never really appreciate how fast the sun sets, it’s ubiquitous, hunting is much like photography in that way; sometimes, it’s just a race against the light. I had no difficulty obtaining panned shots of the field, but by the time the deer started to trickle out from the tree line, dusk had begun to set in. The sky erupted mosaic swells of pink and orange from the right and it became a battle to get the right exposure between it and the herd.  

Had I done my sports assignment prior to this, I would’ve been more aware of how challenging it would be to get a decent shot with the zoom on. Given, the videos turned out, although a majority of the stills I took were grainier than a barley harvest. On top of that, wildlife is unpredictable. Sometimes you can afford to make a loud thud and not alert anything, other times, your subject has picked up your scent and made a mad dash before you were even aware of their presence. It’s a game of patience more than anything.  

Lastly, let it be noted that it pays to have a backup interviewee on deck in case of any unforeseen circumstances. I woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Saturday morning to find that my candidate had fled the scene to take care of a work call. Fortunately for me, I still had a couple of volunteers willing to give their two cents. Honestly, the whole thing came together much smoother than expected. The only other piece of advice I could give myself in retrospect would be to know the importance of the environment in which you’re conducting the interview. The entire cabin was built out of wood, along with the furniture we used during the taping, which made for a lot of background noise.  

Wayne State Defends Win Streak

By: Owen Armentrout

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  Wayne State’s Colin Golson Jr shoots a 3-pointer over Lawrence Tech’s Blake Lund at the Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit on Sunday.

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  Lawrence Tech’s Aaron Dolny fires a shot over Carmelo Harris from 3-point range.

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  Wayne State’s team cheers as they watch Kaimen Lennox score from inside the paint.

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  Wayne State’s Coach Smothers contests a foul during the second half.

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  Fans embrace one another as they head into the stands to watch the second period.

DETROIT, MICH- In all honesty, I came into this assignment with my nerves on edge, but by the end of it, I enjoyed it more than any other story I’ve pursued thus far. The instant I entered the fieldhouse, I felt overwhelmed; music was blaring, cheerleaders were dancing in formation, and there was a hectic buzz of staff huddled around the scoring table as both teams stepped onto the court. However, once I managed to weasel my way through and get my press pass, everything seemed to fall into place. I made my way toward the opposite side of the court, and within a matter of a minute, I had a sterling video of Wayne State’s Carmelo Harris making a basket from inside the paint.  

Personally, I’d say it’s easier in the sense that there’s constant action. While I did have to be patient and wait for the right moment to shoot, often, it was delivered rather than found. Timing was the key element I had to implore, consistently splitting focus between the bench and the play at hand, attempting to get that perfect three-point reaction. You never know what’s going to garner the most attention until after you shoot it, like Seth Gitner says in his book Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World, “Sometimes the reaction shot is the one that says the most”. The most difficult thing to time was how long Coach Smothers would be talking with an individual player; until the second period, it seemed as if every time I raised my camera, the moment between them concluded.  

Overall, the most challenging thing to manage, which hadn’t occurred to me until I was courtside, was that I couldn’t get behind the bench or near the scoring table to get a closer picture of the coaches. I was specifically told not to get a close picture of the huddle or be on that side of the court which, considering the coaches were standing in the mid-court nearly the whole time, made it exceptionally difficult to get a clear picture. I took over 450 photos and still, there was less than a handful of times where one of the coaches came close enough for me to get a shot below 2.0 zoom on my iPhone, resulting in a multitude of grainy pictures.  

However, despite that, I found the assignment to be quite entertaining. I wouldn’t go as far as to say the game was “electric”, but it gave me a unique perspective on the industry. The stories I’ve shot before felt somewhat mundane, perhaps even “puff piece-ish”, but this genuinely felt like a professional experience. It was important for me to gain that insight, truthfully, it felt rewarding, not just like it was something I had to get done; by the end of it when I looked back at my camera roll and shook the Athletic Director’s hand, there was a sense of accomplishment and purpose that came along with it. I suppose the thing I learned the most was how fulfilling it is to cover stories that involve your community.  

Sunday at the Armada Flea Market

By Owen Armentrout

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  Vendors and patrons look to strike big at the Armada Flea Market in Richmond, Mich. on Sunday. (Photos by Owen Armentrout)

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  Carlee Allen, left, and Ethan Holmes sift through a table of war memorabilia and trinkets in an attempt to find vintage lighters.

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  Tommy Gilbert searches through rows of sports trading cards hoping to find a Wayne Gretzky Rangers card.

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  Farmers Lee Campbell, left, and C.R. Frantz, right, sell honey by the jar to begin preparing for winter.

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  A musician plays songs by suggestion for tips.

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  A German Shepherd and pit bull mix reach up in excitement as people lean in to pet it.

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  Customers take their newfound treasures back to their vehicles after negotiating with vendors at the flea market.

Richmond, Mi, Oct. 22- Every Sunday and Tuesday over the last fifty years, families from the southeast Michigan area have migrated to the gates of the Armada Flea Market to scrounge and sell in hopes of making their fortune. The property spans seventeen acres and holds dozens of vendors with a seemingly never-ending variety of items. One may find a new furry companion as easily as a twelve-gauge shotgun or a Derek Jeter rookie card, there’s truly no end to the possibilities.

Patrons typically enter the market as early as six a.m. as there seems to be a collective yet unspoken mentality that the closer the sun is to the ground the better the chances of finding something worthwhile. As I came into the vendors area I was greeted by the sound of a man playing an old Toby Keith song with a tip jar in front of him labeled “suggestions”. To his right was a small building with a canopy and picnic tables, inside they served hot coffee, donuts, and breakfast sandwiches. As I strolled down the first lane I could see the sun’s reflection bouncing off the vintage Budweiser and Miller Light decal mirrors from table to table.

Hospitality seems to come over you like a crisp breeze here. I started my trek down the second row and as I was taking pictures a couple of older gentlemen selling honey asked what I was documenting, I replied that I was doing a story covering the market and they proceeded to ask if I would take their picture. I inquired as to which one of them owned the stand and the man on the right held out his hand and introduced himself as C.R.

“I’ve been coming here since 1965.”

C.R. Frantz

The man on his left then extended out his and said that his name was Lee. I asked how often they rented a spot here and Lee replied, “oh no, this is all his deal I’m just here to lend a hand” and let out a hearty laugh, “I own a farm a couple miles up the road, been making pickles there since I was ten back in 1945. I just like to help out this guy when I can”. C.R. went on to say he just tries to make it out as often as possible. We proceeded to chat for a few minutes about college football and hunting season before I departed, though not before grabbing a mason jar full of honey of course.

Making way way through the final row was like being transported into a world where the sole purpose of life itself was to admire rock and roll. Crates upon crates of vinyl records lathered the grass while CD’s and vintage band memorabilia covered the folding tables. KISS Action figures and Bob Seger albums as far as the eye could see, or at least another hundred yards. On my way out, I had the pleasure of meeting a litter of german-shephard/ pit bull mixes, who although adorable and fairly priced, sadly would not be well received by my mother. One can find almost anything of value here at the Armada Flea Market, whether it be dollars or sentiment you seek, you just have to take the time to look.

Lawful and Ethical Boundaries for Photojournalists

By Owen Armentrout

The First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Throughout the duration of this project, I gained lucrative insight into the world of professional conduct. As photojournalists, we are bound not only by our own moral convictions but also by ethical standards and lawful restrictions, and with this, we submit ourselves to serving as purveyors of truth. Whether that be through providing raw undoctored images or unbiased reporting, anything less facilitates the consequence of legal action or, arguably worse, career suicide. So, in order to keep yourself out of any hot water, what should you be keeping in mind? 

Photo Manipulation

Photo manipulation refers to anything you do as an individual to alter the shot. For example, one cannot stage a photo or intervein with the subject in hopes of getting a “cleaner” image, the entire idea is that you are capturing the authenticity of that moment, and at the end of the day, any adjustments you make become fabrications that compromise the validity of the piece. Furthermore, this can take on the form of digital modification. This may be as drastic as the Lebanon War photographs where Adnan Hajj edited plumes of smoke into his images or more minuscule infractions like photoshopping out a wall socket. As Seth Gitner states in Chapter 8 of his book Multimedia Storytelling for Digital Communicators in a Multiplatform World, “never manipulate an image to change its content. Once again, it is the job of the journalist to present what was in front of the lens, not to manufacture it”.  

Ethical Considerations

There are a multitude of ethical concerns that we must circumnavigate as photojournalists. How you address these concerns ultimately determines your level of credibility, not only within the industry but with your readership as well. Stories are difficult to come across; you may have to spend weeks on end digging to find anything of substance, or if you’re lucky, all you have to do is be patient, and eventually, the piece will come to you, but no matter the situation it’s always better to shoot a genuine scene rather than damage your reputation by forging your “next big scoop”. Another thing to consider is remaining objective and equally presenting both parties’ sides of the story. Any sort of bias that you bring into your work seeks to infect it and mutate your chronicle into propaganda; as journalists, we set out to supply a balanced argument that allows the people to make their own determinations without leeching on our personal sentiments.  

Ethical Boundaries

As professionals in the news industry, we must adhere to the guidelines laid out in the NPPA’s Code of Ethics. Your photographs should represent the entirety of the scene as well as provide objective context to the situation without you staging or seeking to influence the event. Moreover, during the editing process, only enhance the quality of the image, don’t jeopardize the photo by manipulating its content or color. Make sure to treat all your subjects with kindness and respect, and only insert yourself in moments of intense grief if the public benefits from its publication. Lastly, do not pay or coerce your subjects, do not accept anything that may be considered as a bribe, and most importantly, do not seek to sabotage fellow journalists. However, there are also a handful of things that are generally expected of you. One must strive to make sure information stays in the public domain and work to present a variety of viewpoints. Furthermore, stay involved with current events, avoid topics that call one’s journalistic independence into question, stay humble, capture the true moments, and ask your peers for assistance when in doubt.  

Legal Limitations

Firstly, in regard to public disclosure of private and embarrassing facts, a journalist must ask themselves if the subject is newsworthy enough to rationalize publication. If the material is sufficiently private, intimate, or highly offensive, it may be liable for a private facts claim; however, the social value of the distributed facts, the depth of the article’s intrusion into private affairs, or the extent to which the subject voluntarily ascended to public notoriety may prove to overrule these claims. Next, you need to be aware of false light, the use of misleading pictures or statements out of context can easily escalate into a legal dispute. Also be mindful of intrusion, this accounts for trespassing, secret surveillance, and misrepresentation. For example, an unauthorized product endorsement or use of likeness could be labeled as misrepresentation. Lastly, pay attention to copyright laws. This goes from blatant plagiarizing to including artwork without citation. Although you can bypass copyright boundaries if you have consent or if the piece falls under fair use for non-profit, educational, or personal purposes.  

Simplifying the Stresses of Camera Controls

By Owen Armentrout

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  Shallow Depth

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  Wide Depth

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  Stopped action

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  Panned Action

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  Blurred Action

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  Rule of Thirds

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  Extreme Perspective

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  Silhouette

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  Extreme Lighting

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  Panoramic

During this project, I studied various techniques that will help improve my photographs’ compositional quality. I gained a basic understanding of the camera’s integral mechanics, figured out how to set up shots that would produce my desired effects, and learned to recognize the best techniques for specific situations.

First, I got acquainted with depth of field and action shots. A shallow depth of field is when the subject is in focus, but your background is blurred. On the other hand, a wide depth of field is when both the subject and the background are in focus; shallow is best shot in portrait mode, while wide is better suited for the standard photo mode.

Stopped action is when a moving subject is stopped and in focus. Panned action, however, captures parts of a moving subject in focus, but the foreground has blur streaks, and finally, blurred action is the vice versa of panned, where the subject is blurred, but the background is in focus. Stopped action can be utilized in a well-lit scenario while panned and blurred perform better in low light.

Next is rule of thirds, originally, I had thought this to be three subjects placed symmetrically in frame, but upon further instruction came to learn that it meant placing your subject in one third of the frame; simple mistake I’m glad to have had corrected.

Then I was introduced to extreme perspective, wherein a photo must have a distinct set of leading lines or a discernable up/down perspective; some prime examples of this could be yellow road lines, railroad tracks, lampposts, etc. Furthermore, I was taught about extreme lighting, how to utilize window light, shadows, and side lighting to get the perfect shot.

Overall, I’d have to say that incorporating panned action and extreme lighting into my photos proved to be the most difficult. It took multiple takes of running back and forth trying to obtain that one shot that had a substantial enough streak; moreover, I kept snapping pictures of my bedroom in the morning, hoping to get this photo that would encapsulate what a hangover would look like if it was embodied by the room of a 20-year-old college student, but for whatever reason the pack of Marlboros being hit with window light struck me for a better representation.

Lastly, I learned about ISO, shutter speed and f-stop. ISO controls how much light your camera allows in, in turn, this affects exposure, the settings range from a general base of 400 and up to 800, 1600, 3200, and 6400. In well-lit situations, use a lower ISO, and for dim or nighttime pictures, use a higher one.

Shutter speed determines how fast the shutter closes, this regulates time for exposure, the slower the shutter speed, the more motion blur is created. Not only that, but the faster the speed, the darker the image becomes. Shutter speed ranges from a general base of 1/60 (being the slowest) up to 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, and 1/1000.

F-stop controls the aperture size of a lens; which affects depth of field. The smaller the number is on the f-stop, the larger the aperture, equating to a blurrier background and vice versa. The general base setting for f-stop range between f-2.8, up to f-4, f-5.6, f-8, and f-11.

These three settings create a balance that varies from situation to situation, for example, a larger aperture like f-2.8 will let more light in; therefore the ISO and shutter speed need to be adjusted to something compensatory like 200 and 1/500.  

The Development of Journalism

By Owen Armentrout

This project educated me not only on the general impact of journalism but also on the way the messages are conveyed, the purpose of news outlets, and how both have adapted to change over time. Furthermore, discovering the lengths that news organizations and journalists will go to in order to preserve their freedom of the press or exert their dominance over a rival publication. The main points of interest are as follows: 

• Zenger’s Trial 
• Pulitzer/ Hearst Spanish War  
• Kennedy Assassination 

Firstly, I was unaware of the stringency in matters of the press in The Colonies; in 1734, Zenger’s allegations of corruption in New York led him to be arrested for libel when the governor deemed his writings defamatory. However, he was later acquitted when a jury decided that “truth when published from good motives and justifiable ends became an adequate defense for the journalist brought to bar.” according to Chapter 1 of Tim Harrower’s Inside Reporting. Although, to men like Pulitzer and Hearst, the only “good motives” are to elevate the status of your publication and rake in dough by painting the headlines yellow. Fabrication and instigation became weapons of necessity in the power struggle between The World and The New York Journal, so much so that they manifested conflict in the Spanish-American War in an effort to draw readership, according to Chapter 1 of Tim Harrower’s Inside Reporting, “When The World sent correspondents to Cuba in 1896 to dramatize the rebels’ fight for freedom…Hearst dispatched staffers of his own” moreover, “Hearst and Pulitzer inflamed readers, pressured politicians — and the day after a Navy battleship exploded in 1898 … War was declared, and circulation skyrocketed”. Lastly, I was intrigued to hear that the Kennedy Assassination was regarded as a turning point for television news; Chapter 1 of Tim Harrower’s Inside Reporting stated, “America sat spellbound for four days watching nonstop coverage.”

“To many critics, it was television’s finest hour”

-Tim Harrower

Originally, I had thought that television had prevailed as the superior channel prior to the ’60s, but when you put it in perspective, it only makes sense that this level of multi-day reporting on a national tragedy would aggrandize the industry.  

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