Michelle Kanaar

Jan 15, 2025 | rjionline.org | Michelle Kanaar |Alyssa Schukar

What to consider when sourcing imagesOriginal photojournalism enriches local reporting, but it’s not always practical or possible to commission new visuals for a story. Newsrooms sourcing visuals via stock photography, handout photos or AI-generated images should develop clear ethical standards to guide how and when these resources are used.

Dec 9, 2024 | rjionline.org | Michelle Kanaar |Alyssa Schukar

Addressing digital, physical, psychological and legal securityAs a community, we need to work together to cultivate a culture of safety and care in this industry. Newsrooms should invest in training at all levels to expand awareness and buy-in. We recommend the asynchronous course The Fundamentals of Safe Commissioning, which teaches editors how to identify and mitigate risk for journalists they commission.

Nov 6, 2024 | rjionline.org | Michelle Kanaar |Alyssa Schukar

Maintaining copyright is key to photojournalists’ sustainabilityMost U.S. publications rely on freelance visual journalists to illustrate original reporting. Offering plain-spoken contracts provides clarity, protection and accountability for both parties. This can lead to more trust and long-term relationships, which lessens the burden on newsrooms to constantly train new people.

Oct 30, 2024 | chicagoreader.com | Michelle Kanaar

One becomes hundreds becomes thousands. And on a recent weekday, as dusk settled and autumn fell in, a group gathered in search of them: seeds. Round, rust-colored rose mallow seeds, fluff-ended butterfly weed seeds, and the biting edges of rattlesnake master seeds could all be found in the native plant garden in front of the Pottawatomie Park field house in Rogers Park. About 20 people huddled together to learn native plant seed-saving skills from pollinator biologist Imeña Valdes.

Sep 11, 2024 | chicagoreader.com | Michelle Kanaar

The urban agriculture ecosystem in Chicago has grown fivefold in the last 23 years, according to Grow Greater Englewood lead steward Anton Seals Jr. In the past, Englewood has seen the closure of several grocery stores—notably Whole Foods in 2022.