Have you ever seen a picture and had a story? It is not merely an image of a person or a place. It is as though it were one of the moments of a movie. You would wonder, what happened next? or "How did that person feel?"
And this is the magic of a photo story. It is an ensemble of images which collaborate, as book chapters. They narrate a real life story, story about people or the world we live in. The finest of them end up being award winning photo stories.
What Exactly Are Award-Winning Photo Stories?
Let's start with the basics. One photograph may be beautiful. A photo story is however a set of images. These pictures are united with the same theme or idea. Imagine it as a pictorial story.
You read the pictures rather than read the words. Now and now your eyes pass by pictures. Your mind links them to comprehend the entire story. These narratives may be of any kind. They are able to depict the existence of a society. They can document a big event. They are able to exchange a subjective experience.
Also read :- Underwater fashion photography: Fashion Below the Waterline
The Key Ingredients of Award-Winning Photo Stories
But what is unique about a photo story? Why does a story receive the best prizes and some do not? It is not simply possessing a good camera. It is concerning some other significant things.
A Strong and Clear Story
Any photo story worth taking is one that has a heart. This heart is its main idea. An excellent documentary photography begins with a question. The photographer desires to discover and tell a response. The story must be clear. Looking at the photos you then get to know what is communicated.
A Deep Emotional Connection
The best award-winning photo stories hold an emotion. They may turn you into a happy, sad, curious or amazed person. This emotional centre is what the story becomes memorable. It is what you know about seeing a picture and having a story.
Consistency in Style
The style will be uniform among a professional photographer. This is the case that all the photos seem to belong. It may be similar colors, lighting, or composition. The uniformity assists in the smooth movement of the story through the pictures.
Discovering the Power of Documentary Photography
One of the most typical photo stories is documentary photography. Its objective is to capture the reality in an observable manner. The photographer is a newspaper reporter but with a camera in his hands.
They never command what people should do. They observe and wait to have the right time. This is the kind of photography that exposes us to places and lives that we would never get the opportunity to see with our own eyes. It is a strong instrument that can enlighten us on the world. Several photo stories that are award winning are the ones of this kind of work. They depict us truth and reality in an uncouth and beautiful manner.
A Closer Look at Famous Award-Winning Photo Stories
Let us consider some of the actual examples. This will aid us to comprehend the theory.
Case Study 1: The Story of a Young Girl and a Vulture
It is a one of the best-known photojournalism stories of all time. In 1993, a photographer called Kevin Carter captured a photo in Sudan. In the image, there is a tiny, starving child. There is a vulture sitting on the ground waiting behind her.
The photo narrates a horrific tale without uttering a word. It demonstrated to the world the dreadful famine in Sudan. It brought a sense of sadness and the need to intervene to the people around the world. This single and strong image received Pulitzer Prize, which is a very large award. It is a pathetic illustration of how a photograph may convey a whole story, breaking the heart.
Case Study 2: Migrant Mother
The other iconic one is the picture of Migrant mother by Dorothea Lange. She captured this shot in 1936 in an era that was referred to as the Great Depression. A large number of individuals in America were extremely impoverished and unemployable.
A close-up of the face of a mother is depicted in the photo. Her children are concealing their faces on her shoulders. Her eyes tell you how worried and tired she is. This photo turned into the image of struggle of thousands of families. It is an ideal representation of effective visual stories that bring about transformation. Its narration was what persuaded the government to deliver food to the camp in which the mother resided.
How You Can Start Creating Your Own Photo Essays
A photo story does not require that you go to a different country. Good stories are all around! You may begin in your own backyard. The following is a basic tutorial on how to make your first photo essay.
Step 1: Find Your Story Idea
What are you curious about? Look around your world. Perhaps, you are interested in narrating the history of your neighborhood park in the various seasons. Perhaps, you would wish to record the life of your dog on a daily basis. Or maybe you can tell about a friend that plays a sport. The most genius ideas come about regarding what you know and like.
Step 2: Plan Your Shots
Consider the various sections of the story. Any good story contains the beginning, middle, and an end.
- Beginning: Set the scene. Where does the story happen? What is the environment like? The whole area should be shown using a wide shot.
- Middle: This is the action. What are the main events? Record the significant events and details in form of pictures. Seize the feelings and behaviors of individual people.
- End: How does the story finish? Do you have an outcome or emotion that you desire people to have? This may be an image of a peaceful, happy, or thoughtful image.
Step 3: Take a Diversity of images
Take not the same photo repeatedly. You will require various kinds of shots in order to make your story interesting.
- The Wide Shot: This displays the entire picture.
- The Medium Shot: This shot is nearer to the action such as a person performing an action.
- The Close-Up: Discloses significant information, such as hands in motion or a cheerful face
- The Portrait: A potent image of a human being, displaying his/her personality.
- The Action Shot: Documents action and activity.
Mastering the Art of Storytelling Through Images
It is one thing to take pretty pictures. Telling a story is another. These are tips to using images to tell stories.
- Pay attention to Emotions: Find the instances of how people feel. One smile, one tear, one look of concentration. The common language that all people understand is emotions.
- Details: Details can reveal an enormous portion of the story. Two dirty pairs of shoes are enough to say that somebody had made a long trip. The drawing of a child on a fridge can inform you on the love of a family.
- Reflect on Sequence: It matters so much in the sequence of your pictures. Arrange your photos in a sensible way. Take your viewer through the story line to the end.
The Equipment You Need for Powerful Visual Narratives
You may be asking about cameras. You will be pleased to learn that you need not start with nothing. A lot of spectacular photography is done using smartphones. The individual with the camera is more significant as compared to the camera.
But should you wish to enlarge, you may have this simple kit:
- A Camera You Know: This might be a smart phone, a simple point and shoot or a DSLR. Learn all its settings.
- One Good Lens: When you have any camera that is capable of changing its lenses, a basic prime lens (such as a 35mm lens or a 50mm lens) will be an excellent accessory. It trains you to kick the feet to take the right shot.
- Your Eyes and Your Heart: It is your greatest weapon. Be taught to look at the world with curiosity and benevolence.
Editing Your Work: Building a Narrative Photo Series
You have not finished when you take your pictures. An editing process is also an essential stage of making a narrative photo series.
- Choose your best photos: View all of your photos. Select the sharpest and brightest of them.
- Locate the Story Arc: Now you will find the pictures that best tell your story. You could have an excellent picture which does not correspond to the story. Be brave and leave it out.
Arrange Them:... put your selected photos in the sequence that best tells the story. Does the sequence make sense? Does it have a good flow?
The importance of Award-Winning Photo Stories
These tales not only compet. They make an actual difference in this world.
They are able to inform us of other cultures. They are able to demonstrate to us nature beauty. They are able to reveal the issues that should be corrected. Photo stories that receive awards generate empathy. They assist us in appreciating others who are not like us. They are an essential account of our human history.
Conclusion: It is Your Time to Start
The world is abound with stories to be narrated. You can tell them what you want through your prism. The winning photo stories begin with such simple idea: the wish to share the part of the world with others.
You now know the secrets. You know how to have a clear story, emotional appeal and variation of shots. You have read with the gurus. You have heard celebrated ones.
Now, it is your turn. Take your camera, whatever that could be. See new things with your fresh eyes. Take a story of your interest and begin shooting. It is your first step into the fantastic realm of visual storytelling.