Using the camera you have

Expensive staff cameras and lenses will produce the best photos. However, a staff member may come across a good photo opportunity and not have a staff camera with them.

Help your students to understand that the camera they have in hand is the best camera, which would be their smartphone camera.

Just because most students use their smartphone cameras all the time doesn’t mean they know how to use all the settings. Spend a little time having students practice taking photos using the settings on their smartphone camera, and share those photos with the class to critique them. That practice time now may help those photos reproduce well in print.

You can also have them go online and find the owner’s manual to their smartphone. Have them read about the camera they own.

Remember, your students should be learning to keep their eyes and ears open for good story ideas and for photo opportunities. They should be ready at all times to take photos.