ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the fundamentals of using photos, graphics and type, devices available in all of the media capable of visual communication. The chapter provides editors an appreciation of the role of photos and graphics in the appeal of newspapers, magazines and websites. A photo editor is almost as essential to a newspaper as a city editor. Some executive— preferably one with a background in photography— should be responsible for assigning photographers to news and feature events. Someone in authority should insist that all photos, including those from news agencies, be edited and that captions be intelligently written. A prime job of a photo editor is to help the photographer take out some unnecessary details to strengthen the overall view. The editor also searches for compositional patterns that could be strengthened by cropping. Some photographs can be improved by electronic enhancement, retouching, the process of toning down or eliminating distractions within the frame.
