Ugly frame grabs.

So I’m all for shooting video. In fact my latest purchase was a Canon XH-A1 instead of a still camera. I’m even up for using video to do frame grabs(it’s all about the story after all, right?) but please make the sure quality holds up to the same visual standards we’ve worked so hard to create. I know there’s always exceptions to this(surveillance tape) This though isn’t an example of where content matter trumps all. The Washington Post a few days ago ran a Travis Fox frame grab(as you know Fox shoots video not stills) on their front page. I know newsprint is extremely forgiving, but even on the web this image looks so pixelated it might as well been shot on a fan’s cellphone. In fact my cellphone probably would of done a better job with it.

I’m all about using whatever tool best tells our subject’s story, but please if you’re going to do something make sure it holds up to the high standards we as visual journalists have worked/fought so hard to create at our papers.

Here’s the image attached to the article as it’s seen on the web:

By Travis Fox — Washington Post.com

Here’s the Washington Post frontpage:

via: Photo Business News and Forum