What Gets Published

The Better Photo

I didn’t get to stay in the work zone very long. It was a safety issue prohibiting the untrained, uninsured, and wayward photographers working to find the single, best storytelling photo from injuring themselves or someone else.

Essentially, there were only three photos to be made that night. Yet all three needed to have the same elements: workers in the street, working in the street in front of city hall, and working in the street with Uptown in the background.

These three photos met those criteria, each with a slightly different view of the site and successfully communicating the story.

Published in The Westerville News.

The photo I chose to publish with the story in The Westerville News (above) best shows the most obvious arrangement of required elements. All three fell into a good composition with foreground emphasis, middle ground inclusion, and background setting the scene.

It captures the intensity of roadwork as two workers, illuminated by a portable light, cut through the pavement, creating swirling dust. The low-angle perspective highlights their focus and determination, while the contrast between warm and cool tones adds drama. Sharp details and atmospheric lighting enhance the scene.

It is the best photo for a news story, but it isn’t my favorite. That reward goes to the photo at the top of the page. It contains the same elements as the selected photo, but they sit in a different arrangement, using composition elements to create movement in the photo.

Why It Works Better

The foreground worker, standing with a slight tilt indicating action, anchors the scene while diagonal lines from the machinery and workers’ postures guide the eye through the image. The contrast between warm streetlights and the eerie blue-green haze enhances the moody atmosphere, while reflective surfaces add texture and depth. Layers of figures, vehicles, and city infrastructure provide context without overwhelming the primary subjects. The dense smoke creates a cinematic, almost dystopian effect, reinforcing the intensity of the labor. With its dynamic framing and striking interplay of light and shadow, the photo combines both the grittiness and the artistry of working overnight in brutally cold temperatures.

It is a very good photo, but one that is more appreciated by photographers than by the public looking for a news photo while swiping through social media.

Having said that, perhaps it would have been better to use it to elevate daily local news photography into a more artful and mystic realm. I'm not convinced today’s social media reader would care enough to pause before swiping to the next influencer post.

The Unchosen

The photo above also meets all the criteria but is close to being two-dimensional. It is a photo of something, not a photo that relates to a story. It is not an about photo. This is an insurance photo—a photo made just to get something into the camera in case my quest for something better was interrupted, like being told to get out of the work zone.

The Blue Plate Special Kitchen

Today's kitchen offering is cheesecake with fruit, chocolate drizzle, and tart cherry preserves. Perhaps there is nothing superior to a slice of plain cheesecake with fresh berries, chocolate, and a tart preserve topping.

This close-up shot of a cheesecake slice is tightly composed, with rich textures and vibrant colors. The creamy white cheesecake contrasts with the deep red berry sauce and dark chocolate drizzle, creating an indulgent visual appeal.

The raspberries and blueberries add freshness and texture, while the blurred background keeps the focus on the dessert. Well-balanced lighting enhances the glossy details, and the blue checkered tablecloth adds a cozy, rustic touch. The dripping sauce and sharp focus make the image feel dynamic and mouthwatering—an excellent example of food photography that truly tempts the viewer.

Shot on an iPhone. Edited with Snapseed.

The Good Thing That Happened To Me Today -

was remembering an earlier call about an injured deer and that this one might be the same that survived an incident that broke its leg. I didn’t get to photograph the deer but Animal Control Officer Mare Dembec shared her photo. [ The Westerville News ]

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My Final Photo News recommends its friends, Civic Capacity and Into the Morning by Krista Steele.