The role photography plays in telling a story

Responsibility of the photographer to be aware of how the

viewers perceives images

Photo Essay

Text gives context, history and the facts of the story.

Photographs add an emotional element to text and

makes the story more tangible.

Ex. Stock Market tumble

Holocaust

6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust

Relevance of still photography in a video-centric world

Still photography makes you pause and reflect on an image

better than a video.

Photographers have to be aware of how viewers

perceive their images.

Camera angle, perspective, and how an image is framed

or set up can create different perceptions.

Camera Angle

Low Angle Straight On High Angle

People believe in what they see, but seeing is NOT always

believing.

Not every photograph is as obvious as a

fake.

Trained wolf in a ‘wildlife’ photograph

Set up shot

Photographers can manipulate photographs by what they

include or exclude from an image.

The photo on the left indicates many people were in

attendance to the toppling of Hussein’s statue. The photo on

the right indicates otherwise.

What is a Photo essay?

A collection of images that tell the progression of events,

emotions, or concepts.

Photo essays can incite change

Lewis Hines and Child Labor Laws

How to create a photo essay

Find a topic

Get an assignment

Ask yourself what is meaningful or interesting to you

What is an important issue in the country or world

What do you want to learn more about

Do your research (Be willing to change your essay if find new evidence)

Find the ‘real’ story/core values

Plan your shots

Find a topic- Assignment from Alabama Magazine

I'd like to use the shots you already have, plus I'd need lots

of photographs of the town's historic center (interiors and

exteriors, with and without people). Maybe seafood tights

from a restaurant. Vignettes in cool shops. Happy smiling

people. Maybe a few more of the water, pelicans, seagulls,

etc.

Basically anything that your artistic eye gravitates toward.

Please include horizontal and vertical options and identify

where the photos are taken.

Do your Research

What makes Fairhope

Fairhope?

What is the magazine

trying to illustrate?

Find the real story

Ask questions

Talk to everyone

I took an extra day, so I

could walk around Fairhope

and get a feel for it.

Plan your shots

This essay is 3 photographs

This essay is about the effects of war on soldiers.

A large photo essay called The Family of Man had over

500

This essay is about the similarity of people, no matter where they

are from.

Types of photo essays

Events

Time sequence-linear

Location-travel stories

Idea/concept (more abstract) Love, blue, red couch, poverty,

etc.

Day of the Dead

Event

Getting Ready for Wedding

Time Sequence

After the Atomic Bomb

Location

Yowayowacamera.com Concept

Photo Essay Examples

www.nocaptionneeded.com

www.americanpovery.org

www.thephotoessay.com

www.time.com/time/photoessays

www.jpgmag.com

www.life.com

www.nationalgeographic.com