SET A TONE AND CLOSING OFF

The opening spread or lead picture is

important because it sets the tone and

provides a sense of place. It introduces

the story and presents the central theme,

an overview of the remaining photo-

graphic essay to come. The lead picture

needs to be strong and if your overall

shoot turns out to be a disaster and you

only come home with a single image, it

should be the opener.

Just as the opening frame sets a tone and sense of

place, the closing image should work to conclude your

photographic essay. It can often be a dark and moody

shot, a sunset, or a person walking out of the frame.

The closing image lets the audience know that this is

the end, so take a moment to ref lect on the key mes-

sages of the photographic essay.

IMPERFECT PRACTICE

MAKES PERFECT

We learn from our mistakes

and in this digital age, we

don’t have to pay for film and

processing so we have the ad-

vantage to really work hard

to capture each image in the

photographic essay. Don’t be

afraid to try something differ-

ent, you might just see the be-

ginnings of your strongest frame through experimenta-

tion. Be aware that the more time you spend on each

element, the stronger the resulting essay and ultimately

the better photographer you will become. ❂

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PHOTO TIPS: STORY IMAGES