Visual journalism, the ability to tell a story differently

A modern human, to be informed, needs not only text but also data and figures, all presented in a form at most easy to understand. And the struggle for this attention is getting harder for media representatives. What are the new trends in the visual journalism? How to attract and retain the consumer's attention? How could we provide him with information in a dynamic visual format? All these were discussed, analyzed and taught at the Visual Journalism course. Graphic designer Angela Ivanesi was the one who has brought the SAJ disciples itto the world of fonts, logos and infographics.

The course lasted seven days, during which the students familiarized themselves with the basic concepts of press design, such as alignment, contrast, proximity, repetition. Besides, they grasped to use various graphic elements: font, image, logo, infographics. After a theoretical introduction, the disciples applied all the knowledge in practice, for a few days they stood in the shoes of the real press designers. The young people say that it was not easy at first, and the two-page layout of the newspaper became quite a difficult problem for them. However, it fared very well. "I've never thought that the design of the press could be so exciting. Now I know how much work stays beyond the first page of a newspaper," - said at the end of the course the IJC student Dan Petrusan.   

According to the trainer, the Visual Journalism gains more and more popularity in the media, and the trend continues in the recent years. Providing the combination of letters and images that are suitable and harmonious, it gives to a journalist the opportunity to tell a story in a different way, unique and unusual.

A special emphasis was put on creating the infographics. Students have learned how a press release, containing many figures and seemingly dull, can be presented in a dynamic way and be more attractive. Angela Ivanesi showed the young people various online tools that can be used in their work. "Infographics can help you convey an idea into a novel in a compact way, thus to draw attention of larger number of readers. Be creative and think in images", - concluded she.

Today at the School of Advanced journalism starts the course of Online Journalism.