PHOTO TIPS: STORY IMAGES

CHOOSE A SUBJECT

CLOSE TO YOUR HEART

Although there are a number of technical

aspects to consider when creating each im-

age in a photographic essay, the ultimate

depression of the shutter of each frame

should come from the heart.

We all have subjects that we are pas-

sionate about, and so the focus of a photo-

graphic essay should be a subject that you

are passionate about and enjoy spending

time working on. Ultimately, the more time you spend

on a subject, the better the resulting images are going

to be. Spending time with your subject will also allow

you to practice in a variety of lighting situations, which

will ultimately improve your approach and technique.

GET TO KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

You need to consider where the images

are likely to be viewed by the audience.

This might vary from a magazine, news-

paper, gallery or self-published photo-

book. The audience and outlet can in-

f luence your style and the story itself. For

example, if you are putting a story togeth-

er for a magazine it is best to be familiar

with its contents to gauge how your essay

might fit. If you are planning to submit

your work to a newspaper, then only one or two images

might be used, however more images may be published

online. Knowing your outlet can help determine the

number of images that you are likely to need and the

potential style, which will all help with your planning.

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