By Kirstin Heinle
Student Writer

USC Annenberg’s Digital Lab was transformed into a sound stage on May 27. Bright lights, multiple cameras and a complete crew from ArcLight Productions took over for the day to shoot a film for the Annenberg Space for Photography’s “Pictures of the Year International” gallery. Created as an embellishment for the gallery — which opens in June — the piece examines the impact of documentary photography and its power to affect social change.

One of the key voices of the film is Geneva Overholser, director of USC Annenberg’s School of Journalism. After going to hair and makeup and a sound check, she spoke to the camera about her thoughts on photojournalism and the current and future state of the journalism field.

Overholser said photojournalism plays an imperative role as a watchdog in society, a role also called the Fourth Estate along with other forms of journalism.

“The purpose of journalism is to give the people the means of informing themselves so they can self-govern,” Overholser said.

Even though she is trained as a writer, Overholser said when she was editor of The Des Moines Register that she showed great respect to the photojournalists, ensuring that they were included in the reporting on stories as they broke because she thinks photojournalism is an excellent way to captivate an audience.

“A photo gives you that direct image—unfiltered by anyone else’s experience,” she said. “It enables viewers to make their own decision … Photojournalism is one of the most important parts of journalism because it reaches people so deeply.”

Another part of the film could include Overholser’s opinions on a few of the “Photos of the Year.” She deemed a photo of Barack Obama at the Democratic Convention in Chicago "exhilarating," saying, "This one is going to be around forever."

While examining a photograph of a young woman whose face was burned off with acid, Overholser said journalists should consider the impact of their work, but should not strive to elicit reaction.

She said journalists should make every effort for objectivity. "However, objectivity can be misused," she continued. "Journalists are human. They are still moved."

More importantly, expressed Overholser, is the importance of transparency in journalism.

She said manipulating images is easy, and suggested journalists describe the atmosphere in which a photo was taken, including background on the subject to gain the audience’s trust.

"The digital world makes it possible to do deeper, richer stores than we ever did before," she said.

"Pictures of the Year International" (POYi) is an annual photojournalism contest that dates back to the spring of 1944 in Columbia, Missouri at the Missouri School of Journalism. Each year, the winning images are chosen from more than 45,000 entries. The exhibit is being moved from Missouri to the Annenberg Space for Photography, according to the Web site.

Overholser called the competition "a visual feast (that) recognizes excellent content and educates us all."

The POYi exhibit will open July 10 with a two-day event that includes presentations, speakers, and discussion forums based on award-winning photojournalism.

Annenberg Space for Photography
Pictures of the Year International