I was recently asked a question by Pocket Lenses Club Member Scott, on how to best tell a story using pictures. I thought I’d share my response to him with you here:
Telling a story using photos is not always easy, but it can be fun! Here are a few tips:
Capture the big picture:
These are called “Establishing Shots” because they help establish the Where, the When, etc. Notice that MANY movies begin with establishing shots (i.e city skyline, open country field, dark castle on a hill, spaceships above a planet) so that the viewer instantly knows what they’re in for. I also like to interject establishing shots every so often to reinforce the time / place / event. Establishing shots don’t have to include one particular strong subject or clutter. Just a wide angle, step back and take in the scene shot. Outside of a church, an empty reception hall before guests arrive, a table with food and birthday cake, etc.
Get people interacting:
Although posed shots are OK, getting people interacting with each other are the real gems. Try to be as unobtrusive as possible, so the people you’re photographing remain comfortable and at ease. Oftentimes, when they realize the camera is pointed at them, they get stiff or try to pose and that’s not what you’re trying to capture at all! Sometimes using a telephoto lens from a distance might help you get those candid shots.
Get close up portraits:
Again, I really like the candids. Watch them interact, zoom in, wait for the expression (smile, laugh, etc.) then BOOM, get the shot. Frame them so that nothing distracting is in the shot.
Get pictures of things too:
Don’t forget the details. Bring your viewer in and allow them to feel like they were there. Party favors, a lit candle, a pine cone on the ground, a doorknob, someone’s bracelet. Really zoom in here and show the detail.
Mix up the picture styles, but keep them in chronological order. In this way you walk your viewer through the story.
I usually like to end with another big picture establishing shot to close the story. A car driving away, a parting shot from your campsite, wrapping paper and ribbons, a sunset shot with a silhouette of horses headed home, etc.
Take LOTS and LOTS of pictures:
This is sometimes a challenge for me. Am I a guest, a participant, a friend, a family member or a photographer? The best stories I’ve captured are when I put aside my role as a guest (most of the time). I also have to get past the self conscious feeling of taking so many pictures (candids, etc.). This feeling can be a big and very real obstacle. When I’ve been a “hired gun” at an event, it’s much easier to shoot and move with confidence. There’s no question on why I’m there or what I’m doing. When I’m at a nephew’s birthday party, I may feel self conscious about taking so many photos from so many angles … but I can get over it if I have my goal / final product in mind. You’ll need to decide if it’s more important for you to “be present, in the moment” or to capture those moments. Often times, you cannot do both or at least not well.
Sort it out:
Decide with brutal intention which images contribute to the story and which ones are just sentimental and nice. This can be tough. Define with clarity “who is my audience?”. Once you have that audience envisioned, design the story for them. You may need to create a different story for different audiences.
Use words if you have to:
Captions and bits of text can go a long way to help bring the viewer into the story and clarify what’s going on in the images.
I hope that helps.
Have you told a story using photos, images and pictures before? Leave a comment below and share yours!
About putting people in the shots: I was told once that by putting a person in the shot, it makes it much easier for the viewer to put themselves into the eyes of the person.
I call this concept of putting a person into my shots the Bonocore, as the person who told me this was Michael Bonocore.
Dave, very true. It can give a sense of scale and people in shots immediately become the focal point in most cases.
Great ideas. Often when we take pictures at a sporting event, like a tournament, we forget the “establishing shots”, and the parting shots. Action photos from sports can get monotonous, so using these tips like close-ups, pictures of things, and lots of images from the event will help when it comes time to sort them out. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
What would you recommend these days for a good photo sharing website in order to tell a story? I still really only have Flickr these days, but that’s more albums than a good narrative. I see that you used Storehouse two years ago. Is that still recommended?
Hey Doug. Actually Storehouse closed up shop. Disappointing. The new service that I’m enjoying is called Adobe Spark. Here’s an example here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/usnxsqwcJeb8B/