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Charles Apple: The Visual Side of Journalism

 

‘Orange County Register’ archive

Number of comments in parentheses

today: A look at today’s notable Oklahoma tornado front pages

In the future, whenever you think of the horrifying tragedy Monday in Oklahoma, you’ll remember this image: That was shot in Moore, Okla., by Sue Ogrocki of the Associated Press. Sue’s first-person story is downright chilling: I expected chaos as I approached the piles of bricks and twisted metal where Plaza Towers Elementary once stood. Instead, it was calm and [...]

May 16: Three features treatments for the ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ movie (2)

Tonight, the new Star Trek Into Darkness movie opens around the country. In fact, it actually opened last night on some Imax screens. Most of the reviews I’ve seen are pretty decent. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Saturday, which is the first chance I’ll have to see it. In the meantime, here are a few [...]

May 10: Let’s go surfin’ now. Everybody’s learning how. Come on a safari with me.

Wednesday, the newspaper I work for — the Orange County Register — ran a terrific graphic on the back page of sports that explains some of the finer points of how to surf. First, put on some Ventures or the Beach Boys. And then click this for a much larger view: These graphics were reported, written and drawn by the [...]

April 16: A look at today’s best and not-quite-the-best Boston bombing front pages (6)

As you’re already aware, the Boston Globe and its photography staff rose to the challenge of yesterday’s bombings during the Boston Marathon. Pictures by staffers John Tlumacki and David L. Ryan appeared in papers around the world, bringing the horror and the emotion home for readers everywhere. Here’s a quick review of some of the day’s notable front pages… — [...]

April 12: Everything you ever wanted to know about the visitors’ locker room (1)

Talk about finding a fun story in a place where you’d never think to look! Sharon Henry — a former “visual columnist” for the Orange County Register who moved away but then returned to the paper last winter — took her amazing sketchbook skills into the locker room at the California Angels stadium this week. The visiting locker room. Where [...]

March 14: A look at today’s Pope front pages (3)

[Freshly updated with a few more credits that rolled in throughout the day Thursday...] As you know, we have a new Pope. He’s from Argentina and is the first Pope ever from the Americas. As you might imagine, papers in Argentina went crazy with the story today. But you can spot right away why I’m reluctant to spend a lot [...]

Feb. 22: Charles Apple moving to the Orange County Register (52)

Hey, guess what? I have a job. A real, live job. Seriously. After 52 months of unemployment — and barely scraping by with a little consulting work — I’ve been hired by the Orange County Register of Santa Ana, Calif. I’ll be editor and designer of the Register‘s daily Focus page, which takes a look at a variety of topics [...]

Jan. 31: Fred Matamoros re-enters newspapers with the Orange County Register (1)

Longtime graphics editor and illustrator Fred Matamoros — who left newspapers in 2010 — is back in the game: He’s been hired as a senior artist by the Orange County Register of Santa Ana, Calif. Fred tells us: This coming Monday, Feb. 4, is my return to journalism! I’ve accepted a great offer to join the Orange County Register in [...]

Dec. 25, 2012: A look at today’s best Christmas front pages (2)

There was an awful lot of great work out there today. Really, too much to try to take note of. However, let’s give it a try anyway, shall we? Take special note of my picks of the ten best pages of the day, mixed into the categories below in no particular order… __________________________ PHOTO-DRIVEN FRONT PAGES — No. 1: DENVER [...]

Dec. 17, 2012: Jeff Goertzen returns to the Orange County Register

I mentioned the other day that longtime infographics guru Jeff Goertzen‘s byline was on the front of the Orange County Register. Jeff worked at the Register back in the 1980s. I had heard he was back there again. But the Register — which has worked this year with its new owners to beef up its print edition — never made [...]

Dec. 5, 2012: The ‘return’ of a visual columnist

Sharon Roberts, assistant managing editor of the Austin American-Statesman, writes overnight: I thought you might be interested in the latest from Sharon Henry. I bet you remember her stunning visual columns that ran in the Orange County Register until about five years ago when she left daily journalism. She is back again. What caused Sharon Roberts’ excitement was this gorgeous [...]

Nov. 22, 2012: Today’s ten best page-one Turkey Day presentations (1)

Lots of newspapers built elaborate Thanksgiving presentations for page one today. Here’s a look at my ten favorites… — GASTON GAZETTE Gastonia, N.C. Circulation: 24,354 What’s Thanksgiving all about? It’s about family. It’s about being grateful what what the year has given you. But it’s also about shopping. Or, to be more precise, preparing for a long day of Black [...]

Nov. 4, 2012: A look at today’s election-oriented front pages (4)

Is it just me or has this presidential election cycle seemed way too damned long? Either way, it’s finally nearing its end. Here’s how my old friend Mark Marturello illustrated this today for the Des Moines Register. Let’s take a look at the day’s most notable presentations featuring the election on the Sunday before Election Day… — DES MOINES REGISTER [...]

Oct. 2, 2012: A backlash to ‘digital first’? Or a zig while everyone else zags? (3)

Marla Jo Fisher, the bargain-hunting “Deals Diva” columnist and blogger for the Orange County Register, reveals something interesting in her most recent post. The paper’s new owners have invested a lot of money lately in the print product, she writes, such as adding a business editor, a daily business section and a full-time restaurant reviewer. Marla Jo writes: As a result, [...]

Sept. 17, 2012: An amazing investment in high school football coverage by the Orange County Register

You’ve read about how a new owner bought the Orange County Register this summer. And how that owner is adding staff like crazy. But what does a desire for a beefed-up print product really look like, out in the field? It looks a little like this: OC Varsity, the massive high school football section that inserts into the Saturday Register. [...]

July 20, 2012: Today’s super-heroic Batman movie feature treatments (2)

Those of us who are fans of comic book movies should pause for a moment and think about the folks who were caught up in the horrible tragedy overnight in Denver. A gunman opened up during a midnight showing of the new Batman movie. At last count, 14 12 are dead and 50 are injured. Many of the victims were [...]

July 4, 2012: Today’s five best Fourth of July front pages (5)

Fireworks, hot dogs and American flags. What did you put on page one today? Here’s a look at today’s five best Independence Day-themed front pages, as found in the daily archive at the Newseum. — #5 KANSAS CITY STAR Kansas City, Mo. Circulation: 200,365 In the category of kids running back flags, this wonderful centerpiece photo by staffer Keith Myers [...]

June 29, 2012: The good, the bad and the most interesting health-care court ruling front pages (7)

One of the reasons I love the little 26,531-circulation Victoria (Texas) Advocate is because the paper does a pretty great job now. But it’s always looking to do better. Case in point: I heard this morning via Twitter from Chris Cobler, the editor of the Advocate. Chris writes: And my reply is: You did pretty well today, Chris. You recognized [...]

June 15, 2012: Under new ownership, Orange County Register hires new media guru Rob Curley

New media journalist, manager and strategist Rob Curley has reportedly been hired by the Orange County Register. Rob stepped down last month as chief content officer of Greenspun Media, owners of the Las Vegas Sun. Today’s announcement to staffers was a little unclear as to just what Rob will be doing at the Register, other than planning coverage across all [...]

May 27, 2012: Today’s top five Memorial Day front pages

Memorial Day weekend means lots of U.S. flags, graveyards and memorial services on front pages around the country. From a design point of view, Memorial Day stories and pages tend to look the same from year to year. So it’s important — if we can — to find a fresh angle, a different look to our stories and our displays. [...]

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