Last night , while the local news program affiliate was off refueling its helicopter , police displace tear accelerator pedal into a crowd of Occupy Oakland protesters . Which made citizen journalists , who captured and distributed the action even while being assailed , themselves , suddenly indispensable .
With Twitter and live - picture - streaming services like UStream becoming an important instrument for reporting events like the one in Oakland , it ’s a good idea to learn the effective way to cover what ’s happening as it happens .
But before you grab your iPhone and head to the near riot , here are some top to serve keep you good , and to help you get your photos , television , and words to the mass .
Safety
Tear gas and gum elastic bullets are painful . They ’re described as non - lethal weapons , but that does n’t mean they ca n’t do serious harm . Here are tips to help you pull round riot containment procedures .
work a Buddy
Find a booster that share the same warmth as you do about reporting on their subject . Someone that ’s rather sorta into this will quickly bail when all hell breaks loose . you’re able to look out each other ’s backs if things get nasty and if you ’ve ever fritter video , you sleep with that you’re able to get blinker while trying to get the double-dyed guesswork .
Tear flatulency
Unless you have a gas mask , tear gas pedal is going to mess up you up . Be disposed . The police force will ordinarily monish a crowd before it shoots chemic agents at them . You have two options , leave the surface area and remain safe , or rest and continue to cover the event as it unfolds . If you ’re like me , you ’ll stay .
Before you channelize to any event with the potential for conflict , catch a bandana and rob it in cider vinegar . computer storage that in a ZIP code lock grip . take hold of a pair of tight - fitting swim goggles from the local sports store . Finally , saline solution resolution will be your best friend once everything cash in one’s chips down . As shortly as you suspect that tear gasolene will be unleashed , endeavor to move upwind if possible . If you have contact , take them out . Put the swim goggles on , these will protect your oculus . Get your vinegar rag quick , you ’ll breath through this once the gas pedal has been unleashed . Get your photos / video and speedily move aside from the scene . If you do n’t have the vinegar bandana , breathing time through your shirt . cough and spit will help get the agent out of your system . Whatever you do , DO NOT scratch YOUR EYES . This will make it unfit . Once you ’re in the clear , use the saline resolution on your eyes . If you do n’t have saline solution solution , Egyptian protesters allegedly used Coke / Pepsi to rinse tear gas out of their eyes . If you have any chemical burns from the gas , seek immediate medical tending .
Rubber Bullets / Bean Bag Bullets
tread one , adjudicate not to get shot . You ’re there to document the result , so do not give rock , fireworks , or used tear gas canisters at the law . Being a good journalist does not have in mind you wo n’t get shot , it just lowers the chances . To be prepared anyway in case you ’re caught in the crossfire I urge come protective equipment from people that spend the weekend getting shot . Paintball gear is relatively cheap and easy toorder from the Internetor foot up a sporting goods store . peck up a chest defender , slide shorts , and face masque for the best trade protection . In a tinge , put the blockheaded sweater you own under your clothes . If you ’re in a office that escalates out of mastery , free weekly newspapers shoved under your clothes can offer some protection from containment hummer . Whatever you terminate up wearing , remember that if you get struck , it ’s break down to injure , BAD . Have your pal help you move to safer area or get aesculapian attention if you ’re seriously injured .
Know your Surroundings
Do n’t trust on Google Maps on your smartphone to work . publish out a map of the area and keep it handy . If you could , get that puppy laminated . If you need to find an escapism itinerary , this will come in ready to hand .
hear
Do n’t get caught up in the chanting when the police are spend a penny announcement . hear to what they are saying . Not only is this important for your insurance coverage , it can help you avoid getting stuck in the center of a tear gas attack , or getting shot with rubber bullets . Also rest close to the drawing card of the bowel movement . What they say will also be important to your coverage , but could also keep you secure .
Pepper Spray
Buy some , put it on your keychain or in your bag . This is for self - defence only . Use of pepper spray on an person is a felony in some states , so gravely , do n’t mess around with the stuff and nonsense .
communicating and Rendezvous Point
Text messaging works best in loud situations . GroupMeis a great tool for group electronic messaging and will work on any mobile phone once put up . place a meeting lieu for your grouping at a specific time .
Coverage
Remember you ’re not the nightly news , you ’re nimble and able to get to areas the local news ground tackle wo n’t want to go . apply this to your advantage .
Backpack
contribute a small pissed - fitting bagful . If require to be able to lay in your equipment in font you want to make a tally for it .
Two - Person Coverage
One soul takes photos , while the other gathers information and tweets . apportion a Twitter and photo / picture uploading account between the two of you . There ’s nothing worse than squeeze an update and missing a spectacular photograph .
ride out near
Stay close to the action , but hear not to get in the way . Make indisputable your photos / videos and word correlate . speak about a huge police presence , but only photograph one police officeholder is confusing . heed to the police commander and whoever is manoeuvre up the activists . This is the information hoi polloi want to know .
Talk to the Protesters / militant
They can help you get the undecomposed photos if they have a plan . They can apprise you to run up the mental block because they ’re getting ready to march down a street . If possible , talk to the leaders of the group . Ask them to give you a 30 - arcsecond summary of what they require and why they are there . They ’ll go over 30 - seconds , but giving them a clock time boundary squeeze them to consolidate their manifesto into something tangible .
mouth to the Police
Inform the law that you are a journalist , There is a chance they could give you selective information that will keep you out of danger . Also make your presence known could be good if shit starts getting crazy . If the law ask you to go out the surface area , turn off your camera , or in the main endeavor to browbeat you , document this . This entropy could aid you if you get arrest . If you are arrested , hazard are you ’ll just spend the night in pokey without any charges . If thing get serious , inter-group communication theACLU .
Photography Tips
A DSLR with a fast lens is gravid , but most of us will be using a smart phone for up - to - the - min reports . Wide shots of action are better than shaky unaired ups . Understand that the zoom on your phone is a digital zoom so it ’s pretty worthless . You might as well take the across-the-board nip and snip it down later . The newsflash on your phone is only utilitarian for about 10 feet . Turn it off for all-embracing crack . Because land a tripod is out of the question , steady yourself against a bulwark or perch when ingest photos in low light . Even in bright light source , the epinephrin run through your torso can make you to create a whole record album of blurry pictures . Use a paries .
If you do have admission to a nice DSLR , endeavor to get anEye - Fi cardthat will send pic to your overbold phone . verify to post low - resolution effigy to your phone and keep the eminent res on the South Dakota card . There ’s not ask to conk your transfer and upload of photo by mail large photo to your equipment .
Video
Unless you ’re describing action , shut up . You ’re there to papers what ’s locomote on . Talking about how tired you are , or how awesome it is to be there is distracting and serves no aim . If someone foretell something , let them complete and reiterate what was just enunciate in case TV audience could n’t hear the proclamation .
encompassing stab are your supporter . Whipping the camera around for no reason adds nothing to your video . Keep a extensive shaft of the action . apply dumb Pan to show areas to large for a wide shot . you could whip the camera if something off CRT screen is exciting , but do n’t make this a use . As with shot photo , if you need to steady yourself practice a bulwark or terminal .
Battery Case
All this picture taking and video is run low to eat through your battery . Get a battery causa for your smart headphone . Nothing spoiled than being two - hr into a great cyclosis telecasting and have the provender thin out out because the battery give way .
Short descriptive tweet with photo or radio link to television study well . For example :
The law have burn tear gas into the crew of protesters .
is sound than :
OMG I ca n’t conceive the law just used tear gas on us . Protestors are running everywhere sample to escape the gas .
The photo should show the action while the tweet describes the situation that induce the action .
call up to add the result ’s hashtag to every tweet . This is how the great unwashed are searching for news of the case on Twitter . For efficiency , imitate the hashtag and glue it into every tweet instead of typing it out .
recollect , you ’re not the nightly intelligence . You do n’t need to stand up in front of a bunch and secernate us all what ’s happen . Report from the scene quickly and expeditiously . Use your speed and agility to your advantage . While the local news is up in their helicopter reporting from the studio apartment , you may be showing what ’s actually happening to the man and women on the basis .
Good luck .
Photo Credit:@Adreadonymous
you could keep up with Roberto Baldwin , onTwitter , Facebook , andGoogle+ .
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