Storytelling is a crucial aspect of human culture, and people have narrated stories from time immemorial. Technology has impacted storytelling like any other aspect of human life. For example, some people use photography to tell stories. One of the best examples of visual storytelling or ‘photo story’ is the Souls of San Francisco by Dijon Bowden. In this kind of storytelling, the photographer may use one picture or a series of photographs arranged to influence the viewer’s intellect and emotions.
Below are some of the tips for telling stories using photography:
Plan Ahead
One of the crucial things needed in visual storytelling is planning. You have to have in mind what you want to see for you to see it, and this is only possible if you visualize the story ahead of the photo shoot. That will enable you to get the structure that you require for your narrative. Some of the crucial things involved in the planning include choosing the topic, exploring the topic, clarifying the chosen topic, and planning your shots. Although you may not manage to capture the images in the order you want them for your story during the shooting, when you have the flow in the head, it will make your editing easier. It is worth noting editing a photo essay is selecting the shots to include in your project, not the image post-processing using a software.
Believe Your Instincts
As you look for the best shots for your visual story, you have to trust and believe your instincts as they guide you on the perfect images. For example, assume you are out on the streets in a bustling city or town and want to get pictures for your photo essay on ‘’Tranquility Amidst Chaos”. You are overwhelmed by vehicles hooting, loud music from automobiles and entertainment places, and sellers in the streets calling sellers. However, in the midst of that you notice somewhere outside a shop calmly reading a book, and your mind tells you that is a perfect shot for your story. You should capture it without hesitation.
Capture Emotional Shots
Some aspects make an image strong for a photo story, and and these elicit an emotional response from the viewer toward the image being layered with meaning. For a photo to be vibrant and impact the viewers, it must contain elements that speak to people. On the contrary, it may have various things, such as landscape, still objects, etc.
In addition to the above tips, it would be best to strive to be original. You have to be unique in your shots and avoid copying other people’s work.
