ACCURATE  INFORMATION A vital part of a news assignment is the written information   that   accompanies   the   photographs. Excellent  photographs  with  tremendous  impact  could go unused if you do not provide adequate identifying information.  Take  a  notebook  with  you  on  each assignment and write down information to answer the following   questions: What was the event that took place? Who was involved in the event? Write down the  names  in  correct  order  (from  the  left)  as  the people  appear  in  the  photograph.  Do  not  hesitate  to ask for correct spelling of people’s names. Titles or positions of people should also be obtained. Where did the event take place? When did the event take place? Write down the time and date. Why did the event take place? How did the event take place? When   these   questions   are   answered,   a   news photograph  has  adequate  accompanying  identifica- tion. FEATURE  ASSIGNMENTS Feature assignments and accompanying text can be divided into categories of feature picture, picture sequence, picture story, and picture essay. Because speed in publishing a feature assignment is not usually a critical factor, a more in-depth report of  an  event  or  story  is  possible.  Ideally,  before starting a feature assignment, you should compile a shooting script. A shooting script is a written guide for planning the coverage of a story. The picture ideas in a shooting script are ideas only. They should not  repress  the  photographer  shooting  photographs. Seldom are the ideas in a script identical to the actual photographs.  A  script  allows  you  to  previsualize  an entire feature story. Important aspects are emphasized because you have already pinpointed the main features you  plan  to  cover.  To  plan  an  effective  shooting script,   you   must   research   the   subject   matter thoroughly. Research   is   gathering   facts   on   the   history, present-day  proceedings,  and  intended  projections  of the subject matter that you plan to feature. This may involve trips to the library, checking your own files, interviewing people, and so on. It is difficult to create a picture story that stirs emotions when you know nothing about the subject. With research, you should acquire an insight on the subject that helps you to present an effective in-depth story. On  any  assignment,  you  should  be  aware  of potential   "spin-off"   stories.   Concentrate   on   the assignment for which you were tasked, but write down ideas or "leads" to new stories. FEATURE  PICTURE A feature picture is a single picture that tells a story. It could be a color or black-and-white print or a  transparency.  It  is  quite  possible  that  the  end product  will  be  used  in  the  print  media,  in  the electronic  media,  as  an  advertisement  (recruiting,  for example),  as  a  news  feature,  or  for  photographic exhibition. A feature picture serves a single purpose–to tell a story  quickly  and  clearly.  A  "feature  picture"  is defined as any picture, other than instantaneous news, that informs, entertains, or provokes a reaction or response. The goal of a feature picture is to communicate. Without the power to communicate an idea or feeling, the finest quality print and prolonged hours of work are  reduced  to  a  mere  sheet  of  photographic  paper. Whether it is your goal to become an artist, technical photographer, or photojournalist, the finished product must be of professional quality. It is this quality that helps  transmit  the  message  that  you  worked  to produce. No doubt, the feature photos that inform are the most common. This is the photo you see on the front page  of  a  newspaper,  the  one  that  shows  Miss America   receiving   her   crown,   or   the   flooded Mississippi River as it overflows its banks. These are informative  pictures  that  have  lost  some  of  the hurry-up, rush-rush of a hard (straight) news photo. When a feature picture is used to entertain, it usually depicts the lighter side of life. It does not require  the  full  attention  of  the  reader  to  get  the message; for example, children and animals in funny 1-4