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Each and every one of us, when we look upon a photograph is taken on a journey.
Most of the time this journey is quite simply to the time and place when that photograph was taken. These types of images are called snap shots, and just show the viewer a place recorded in time, which personally, makes for very dull imagery; they’re the type of thing one would expect a great aunt, showcasing them to you as you sit there, pretending to be interested on some equally dull Sunday afternoon!
Photograph by Ben Ward
The most successful photographs in the world are visual feasts! They take the viewer into them and hold them there with questions raised, then quickly or slowly answered. The images are spellbinding, and generate a level of intrigue that can only be compared to the fascinations as a child.
Welcome to Storytelling
As artists in our own right, a photographer must always ask himself questions.
What are you trying to say?
What emotions do you want to evoke?
When approaching any artistic medium you must always focus on these two key questions. Ultimately you are a story teller and you want your images to stay with the viewer leaving a lasting impression.
Photograph by Ben Ward
Is this going to be a progressive series of images that tell a tale or is this going to be one image that strikes a chord instantly?
Research is the key
As much as I love just picking up my camera and venturing into the unknown, when you get to the post processing stage, often I end up with way too many photographs of the same image; or a multitude of different ones that have absolutely no narrative at all!
The best way to combat this is to do as much research as possible before embarking on your photographic adventure:
- Scout a location
- Check the weather
- Storyboard
- Pick an emotion,then go and find it!
The Structure of Narrative
The beginning, middle and an end is the basic structure, however with singular images; this has to be portrayed in one sweeping motion, which won’t take place in the photograph, as this journey belongs to the viewer.
Impact is everything; look for subjects that have a relationship with one another.
Like any great story there’s always a central character that takes center stage so isolate them within the photograph so the viewer knows this.
Photograph by Robert Bradley
It’s always good practice when starting out, to work with a maximum of one or two subjects. If you venture beyond this, then it’s even better practice to learn all of the fundamentals associated with composition, as this knowledge will help you to arrange them.
Photograph by Robert Bradley
Finding the story is tough but like anything all it takes is practice. If you feel that there are other ways I’ve not mentioned feel free to include them below in the comments.
