Tools of the Trade
Photography, email, kit, digital toolkit
The craft is the craft, but the tools change. Simon's original guides covered typewriters, phones, and film cameras. This section keeps the principles he taught and adds what modern journalism actually uses today.
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A Guide to Trove for Journalists
Trove is the National Library of Australia's digital research service. It is free, it is enormous, and it is the single most useful online...
The Journalist's Digital Toolkit
Simon carried a notebook, a pen, a phone, a tape recorder, and a Filofax. That was the kit for forty years of working journalism. Today's...
The NFSA: Australia's National Treasure for Journalists
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, the NFSA, is a working archive. It is also one of the most under-used research tools...
Then and Now: How Journalism Has Changed
Simon Townsend was a reporter in 1962. The typewriter on his desk was a Remington. Copy moved by pneumatic tube. The subeditors smoked. The...
Photography and images
Cameras for Journalists
Cameras 'What kind of camera should I buy?' Students ask me this frequently. I answer the question with a question: how good are...
Photo Libraries
Photo libraries. The way they work is fairly simple. They accept good photographs from photographers. They sell 'usage rights' to...
How to Store Your Photos
The BEST way to store photos is to use a digital camera, and store your photos on computer disks. This is the 21st century and...
Email - photos
Submitting photographs by email. This is the modern, fast, efficient and cheap method, and is preferred by most publications. It...
How to Send Photos to Editors
The BEST way to send photos is to use a $2000 topline digital camera, and email your photos with your emailed article. This is...
Digital and desk
The Journalist's Digital Toolkit
Simon carried a notebook, a pen, a phone, a tape recorder, and a Filofax. That was the kit for forty years of working journalism...
A Guide to Trove for Journalists
Trove is the National Library of Australia's digital research service. It is free, it is enormous, and it is the single most...
The NFSA: Australia's National Treasure for Journalists
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, the NFSA, is a working archive. It is also one of the most under-used research...
The research stack
More in Tools of the Trade
Computers: Best to Buy
You ask about computers. My son worked for IBM for 11 years and now works for Dell. He assures me you can't buy a bad computer...
Creating Your Own Questionnaire
You have devised a questionnaire to send out. You want to take an opinion poll. Why? This does not happen in the real world of...
Email Etiquette for Journalists
Email etiquette By SIMON TOWNSEND It's impossible to be a fast and effective journalist unless you make full use of the internet...
Email-your address
Your current email address should be improved. Here's why your full name should be your email address and here's why your NAME...
How to Crop Photos
You ask about 'cropping'. Cropping is the cutting-off of one or more sides of a photograph, either when printing it, or preparing...
How to forward emails professionally
Good tips on forwarding emails This is great email with good advice to follow and send to our friends Important!! How To Forward...
Photo Books
Photography books: I have no favorites. I've never seen a bad one, only that some are better than others. But new and better ones...
Photos and Transparencies
You ask about transparencies. A transparency is a photo you hold up to the light, so light from behind allows you to view it. You...
Photos free and cheap
Photos: free or cheap, to illustrate your articles From the internet: reprinted with permission iStockphoto is the internet's...
Printers for Journalists
Printers . . . I strongly urge not to user inkjet or thermal printers, or any kind of old-fashioned printer. Use ONLY laser...
Reversing and Flipping Photos
Reverse and flip means printing the photograph backwards (reversing it). Or printing it backwards and upside down. The viewer...
The Best Kind of Photos
You've asked about the best kind of photographs. I suppose the best photographs are the ones that editors will buy and publish...
Then and Now: How Journalism Has Changed
Simon Townsend was a reporter in 1962. The typewriter on his desk was a Remington. Copy moved by pneumatic tube. The subeditors...
Typewriting and Handwriting
Student problems with typewriting and handwriting I can't believe it, but in today's world about two students a year say they...
When You Don't Want to Take Photos
I suspect - from what you're saying - that you'd rather concentrate on writing and not worry too much about photography. That's...
Wikipedia: A Guide for Journalists
Wikipedia (trust it or not?) Students constantly ask me: 'Can I trust the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia for facts and...
You Must Be a Touch Typist
Learn to touch type online FREE Don't remain a 'hunt-and-peck, two-finger' typist the whole of your career in journalism Being a...