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How to Create an Engaging Photo Essay (with Examples)
Photo essays tell a story in pictures. They're a great way to improve at photography and story-telling skills at once. Learn how to do create a great one.
Learn | Photography Guides | By Ana Mireles
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Photography is a medium used to tell stories – sometimes they are told in one picture, sometimes you need a whole series. Those series can be photo essays.
If you’ve never done a photo essay before, or you’re simply struggling to find your next project, this article will be of help. I’ll be showing you what a photo essay is and how to go about doing one.
You’ll also find plenty of photo essay ideas and some famous photo essay examples from recent times that will serve you as inspiration.
If you’re ready to get started, let’s jump right in!
Table of Contents
What is a Photo Essay?
A photo essay is a series of images that share an overarching theme as well as a visual and technical coherence to tell a story. Some people refer to a photo essay as a photo series or a photo story – this often happens in photography competitions.
Photographic history is full of famous photo essays. Think about The Great Depression by Dorothea Lange, Like Brother Like Sister by Wolfgang Tillmans, Gandhi’s funeral by Henri Cartier Bresson, amongst others.
What are the types of photo essay?
Despite popular belief, the type of photo essay doesn’t depend on the type of photography that you do – in other words, journalism, documentary, fine art, or any other photographic genre is not a type of photo essay.
Instead, there are two main types of photo essays: narrative and thematic .
As you have probably already guessed, the thematic one presents images pulled together by a topic – for example, global warming. The images can be about animals and nature as well as natural disasters devastating cities. They can happen all over the world or in the same location, and they can be captured in different moments in time – there’s a lot of flexibility.
A narrative photo essa y, on the other hand, tells the story of a character (human or not), portraying a place or an event. For example, a narrative photo essay on coffee would document the process from the planting and harvesting – to the roasting and grinding until it reaches your morning cup.
What are some of the key elements of a photo essay?
- Tell a unique story – A unique story doesn’t mean that you have to photograph something that nobody has done before – that would be almost impossible! It means that you should consider what you’re bringing to the table on a particular topic.
- Put yourself into the work – One of the best ways to make a compelling photo essay is by adding your point of view, which can only be done with your life experiences and the way you see the world.
- Add depth to the concept – The best photo essays are the ones that go past the obvious and dig deeper in the story, going behind the scenes, or examining a day in the life of the subject matter – that’s what pulls in the spectator.
- Nail the technique – Even if the concept and the story are the most important part of a photo essay, it won’t have the same success if it’s poorly executed.
- Build a structure – A photo essay is about telling a thought-provoking story – so, think about it in a narrative way. Which images are going to introduce the topic? Which ones represent a climax? How is it going to end – how do you want the viewer to feel after seeing your photo series?
- Make strong choices – If you really want to convey an emotion and a unique point of view, you’re going to need to make some hard decisions. Which light are you using? Which lens? How many images will there be in the series? etc., and most importantly for a great photo essay is the why behind those choices.
9 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay
Credit: Laura James
1. Choose something you know
To make a good photo essay, you don’t need to travel to an exotic location or document a civil war – I mean, it’s great if you can, but you can start close to home.
Depending on the type of photography you do and the topic you’re looking for in your photographic essay, you can photograph a local event or visit an abandoned building outside your town.
It will be much easier for you to find a unique perspective and tell a better story if you’re already familiar with the subject. Also, consider that you might have to return a few times to the same location to get all the photos you need.
2. Follow your passion
Most photo essays take dedication and passion. If you choose a subject that might be easy, but you’re not really into it – the results won’t be as exciting. Taking photos will always be easier and more fun if you’re covering something you’re passionate about.
3. Take your time
A great photo essay is not done in a few hours. You need to put in the time to research it, conceptualizing it, editing, etc. That’s why I previously recommended following your passion because it takes a lot of dedication, and if you’re not passionate about it – it’s difficult to push through.
4. Write a summary or statement
Photo essays are always accompanied by some text. You can do this in the form of an introduction, write captions for each photo or write it as a conclusion. That’s up to you and how you want to present the work.
5. Learn from the masters
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Making a photographic essay takes a lot of practice and knowledge. A great way to become a better photographer and improve your storytelling skills is by studying the work of others. You can go to art shows, review books and magazines and look at the winners in photo contests – most of the time, there’s a category for photo series.
6. Get a wide variety of photos
Think about a story – a literary one. It usually tells you where the story is happening, who is the main character, and it gives you a few details to make you engage with it, right?
The same thing happens with a visual story in a photo essay – you can do some wide-angle shots to establish the scenes and some close-ups to show the details. Make a shot list to ensure you cover all the different angles.
Some of your pictures should guide the viewer in, while others are more climatic and regard the experience they are taking out of your photos.
7. Follow a consistent look
Both in style and aesthetics, all the images in your series need to be coherent. You can achieve this in different ways, from the choice of lighting, the mood, the post-processing, etc.
8. Be self-critical
Once you have all the photos, make sure you edit them with a good dose of self-criticism. Not all the pictures that you took belong in the photo essay. Choose only the best ones and make sure they tell the full story.
9. Ask for constructive feedback
Often, when we’re working on a photo essay project for a long time, everything makes perfect sense in our heads. However, someone outside the project might not be getting the idea. It’s important that you get honest and constructive criticism to improve your photography.
How to Create a Photo Essay in 5 Steps
Credit: Quang Nguyen Vinh
1. Choose your topic
This is the first step that you need to take to decide if your photo essay is going to be narrative or thematic. Then, choose what is it going to be about?
Ideally, it should be something that you’re interested in, that you have something to say about it, and it can connect with other people.
2. Research your topic
To tell a good story about something, you need to be familiar with that something. This is especially true when you want to go deeper and make a compelling photo essay. Day in the life photo essays are a popular choice, since often, these can be performed with friends and family, whom you already should know well.
3. Plan your photoshoot
Depending on what you’re photographing, this step can be very different from one project to the next. For a fine art project, you might need to find a location, props, models, a shot list, etc., while a documentary photo essay is about planning the best time to do the photos, what gear to bring with you, finding a local guide, etc.
Every photo essay will need different planning, so before taking pictures, put in the required time to get things right.
4. Experiment
It’s one thing to plan your photo shoot and having a shot list that you have to get, or else the photo essay won’t be complete. It’s another thing to miss out on some amazing photo opportunities that you couldn’t foresee.
So, be prepared but also stay open-minded and experiment with different settings, different perspectives, etc.
5. Make a final selection
Editing your work can be one of the hardest parts of doing a photo essay. Sometimes we can be overly critical, and others, we get attached to bad photos because we put a lot of effort into them or we had a great time doing them.
Try to be as objective as possible, don’t be afraid to ask for opinions and make various revisions before settling down on a final cut.
7 Photo Essay Topics, Ideas & Examples
Credit: Michelle Leman
- Architectural photo essay
Using architecture as your main subject, there are tons of photo essay ideas that you can do. For some inspiration, you can check out the work of Francisco Marin – who was trained as an architect and then turned to photography to “explore a different way to perceive things”.
You can also lookup Luisa Lambri. Amongst her series, you’ll find many photo essay examples in which architecture is the subject she uses to explore the relationship between photography and space.
- Process and transformation photo essay
This is one of the best photo essay topics for beginners because the story tells itself. Pick something that has a beginning and an end, for example, pregnancy, the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the life-cycle of a plant, etc.
Keep in mind that these topics are linear and give you an easy way into the narrative flow – however, it might be difficult to find an interesting perspective and a unique point of view.
- A day in the life of ‘X’ photo essay
There are tons of interesting photo essay ideas in this category – you can follow around a celebrity, a worker, your child, etc. You don’t even have to do it about a human subject – think about doing a photo essay about a day in the life of a racing horse, for example – find something that’s interesting for you.
- Time passing by photo essay
It can be a natural site or a landmark photo essay – whatever is close to you will work best as you’ll need to come back multiple times to capture time passing by. For example, how this place changes throughout the seasons or maybe even over the years.
A fun option if you live with family is to document a birthday party each year, seeing how the subject changes over time. This can be combined with a transformation essay or sorts, documenting the changes in interpersonal relationships over time.
- Travel photo essay
Do you want to make the jump from tourist snapshots into a travel photo essay? Research the place you’re going to be travelling to. Then, choose a topic.
If you’re having trouble with how to do this, check out any travel magazine – National Geographic, for example. They won’t do a generic article about Texas – they do an article about the beach life on the Texas Gulf Coast and another one about the diverse flavors of Texas.
The more specific you get, the deeper you can go with the story.
- Socio-political issues photo essay
This is one of the most popular photo essay examples – it falls under the category of photojournalism or documental photography. They are usually thematic, although it’s also possible to do a narrative one.
Depending on your topic of interest, you can choose topics that involve nature – for example, document the effects of global warming. Another idea is to photograph protests or make an education photo essay.
It doesn’t have to be a big global issue; you can choose something specific to your community – are there too many stray dogs? Make a photo essay about a local animal shelter. The topics are endless.
- Behind the scenes photo essay
A behind-the-scenes always make for a good photo story – people are curious to know what happens and how everything comes together before a show.
Depending on your own interests, this can be a photo essay about a fashion show, a theatre play, a concert, and so on. You’ll probably need to get some permissions, though, not only to shoot but also to showcase or publish those images.
4 Best Photo Essays in Recent times
Now that you know all the techniques about it, it might be helpful to look at some photo essay examples to see how you can put the concept into practice. Here are some famous photo essays from recent times to give you some inspiration.
Habibi by Antonio Faccilongo
This photo essay wan the World Press Photo Story of the Year in 2021. Faccilongo explores a very big conflict from a very specific and intimate point of view – how the Israeli-Palestinian war affects the families.
He chose to use a square format because it allows him to give order to things and eliminate unnecessary elements in his pictures.
With this long-term photo essay, he wanted to highlight the sense of absence and melancholy women and families feel towards their husbands away at war.
The project then became a book edited by Sarah Leen and the graphics of Ramon Pez.
Picture This: New Orleans by Mary Ellen Mark
The last assignment before her passing, Mary Ellen Mark travelled to New Orleans to register the city after a decade after Hurricane Katrina.
The images of the project “bring to life the rebirth and resilience of the people at the heart of this tale”, – says CNNMoney, commissioner of the work.
Each survivor of the hurricane has a story, and Mary Ellen Mark was there to record it. Some of them have heartbreaking stories about everything they had to leave behind.
Others have a story of hope – like Sam and Ben, two eight-year-olds born from frozen embryos kept in a hospital that lost power supply during the hurricane, yet they managed to survive.
Selfie by Cindy Sherman
Cindy Sherman is an American photographer whose work is mainly done through self-portraits. With them, she explores the concept of identity, gender stereotypes, as well as visual and cultural codes.
One of her latest photo essays was a collaboration with W Magazine entitled Selfie. In it, the author explores the concept of planned candid photos (‘plandid’).
The work was made for Instagram, as the platform is well known for the conflict between the ‘real self’ and the one people present online. Sherman started using Facetune, Perfect365 and YouCam to alter her appearance on selfies – in Photoshop, you can modify everything, but these apps were designed specifically to “make things prettier”- she says, and that’s what she wants to explore in this photo essay.
Tokyo Compression by Michael Wolf
Michael Wolf has an interest in the broad-gauge topic Life in Cities. From there, many photo essays have been derived – amongst them – Tokyo Compression .
He was horrified by the way people in Tokyo are forced to move to the suburbs because of the high prices of the city. Therefore, they are required to make long commutes facing 1,5 hours of train to start their 8+ hour workday followed by another 1,5 hours to get back home.
To portray this way of life, he photographed the people inside the train pressed against the windows looking exhausted, angry or simply absent due to this way of life.
You can visit his website to see other photo essays that revolve around the topic of life in megacities.
Final Words
It’s not easy to make photo essays, so don’t expect to be great at it right from your first project.
Start off small by choosing a specific subject that’s interesting to you –Â that will come from an honest place, and it will be a great practice for some bigger projects along the line.
Whether you like to shoot still life or you’re a travel photographer, I hope these photo essay tips and photo essay examples can help you get started and grow in your photography.
Let us know which topics you are working on right now – we’ll love to hear from you!
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Ana Mireles is a Mexican researcher that specializes in photography and communications for the arts and culture sector.
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How to Create a Photo Essay
The photographic essay, also called a photo essay or photo story, is a powerful way for photographers to tell a story with their images. If you are interested in creating your own photo essay, this article will guide you through the whole process, from finding a story to shoot to the basics of crafting your first visual narrative.
Table of Contents
What is a photo essay.
A photo essay tells a story visually. Just like the kind you read, the photo essay offers a complete rendering of a subject or situation using a series of carefully crafted and curated images. Photo stories have a theme, and each image backs up that overarching theme which is defined in the photo essayâs title and is sometimes supported with text.
From documentary to narrative to essay, photo stories are designed to move their audience, to inspire a certain action, awareness, or emotion. Photo stories are not just a collection of cool photos. They must use their visual power to capture viewersâ attention and remain unforgettable.
History of the Photo Story
In the “old days”, that is, before 1948, magazines ran photo stories very different from what we know today. They were staged, preconceived by an editor, not a truthful observation of life. Along came a photographer named W. Eugene Smith, who worked for Life magazine.
Deciding to follow a rural doctor for six weeks, he gathered material for a photo essay that really showed what it was like to be in that doctorâs shoes, always on the go to help his scattered patients. Smithâs piece, â Country Doctor ,â shook other photographers out of their scripted stupor and revolutionized the way photographers report what they see.
From then on, photojournalism gained life and an audience through the lenses of legends like Robert Capa, Dorothea Lange, David âChimâ Seymour, Gordon Parks, Werner Bischof, and Henri Cartier-Bresson. The Vietnam War provided many examples for photo stories as represented by Philip Jones Griffiths, Catherine Leroy, and many more.
More recently, photo stories have found a sturdy home online thanks to the ease of publishing a series of photos digitally versus in print. Lynsey Addario, Peter Essick, and Adam Ferguson represent a few of the photographers pushing visual storytelling today.
Ways to Find Photo Stories and Themes
Photo stories exist all around, right in the midst of everyday life and in the fray of current events. A good place to begin developing a photo essay is by choosing a general theme.
Topics that Interest You
The best expression comes from the heart, so why not choose a topic that interests you. Maybe itâs a social issue, an environmental one, or just something youâre curious about. Find what moves you and share that with the world.
Personal Experiences
The more youâve lived, the more you have to tell. This doesnât necessarily mean age, it can also refer to experiences, big and small. If you know a subject better than most, like what itâs like to recover from a car crash, youâre an expert on the matter and therefore you have a story to tell. Also, consider the things you read and see or watch, like news or history, and incorporate that into your search for a story.
Problem/Solution
Problems abound in the world. But so do solutions. Photojournalists can present either, or both. Have a look at something thatâs wrong in society and show why itâs a problem. Or find a problem thatâs been resolved and show the struggle it took to get there. Even better, take your time shooting your story â sometimes it can take years â and document how a wrong is righted.
Day-in-the-Life
One of the most popular formats, day-in-the-life photo stories present microcosms of life that relate to the bigger picture. In a similar vein, behind-the-scenes photo stories show viewers what life is really like for others, especially in situations that are difficult or impossible to access. Events represent another simple yet powerful theme for documenting and storytelling with a camera.
Types of Photo Stories
Most photo stories concern people. If itâs about something like the environment, for example, the photo story can showcase the people involved. In either case, the impactful photo story will present the challenges and dilemmas of the human condition, viscerally.
There are three general types of photo stories.
Narrative Story
Narrative deals with complications and their resolution, problems, and solutions. If there appears to be no resolution, at least the struggle to find one can provide material for a photo essay. Some sort of narrative thread must push the story from beginning to middle to end, just like what you see in a good movie.
A good story also requires action, which in this case must be visual. Good stories are page-turners, whether theyâre a Kerouac tale or a series of photos demonstrating the difficulties of single parenting. Adventure stories are one good example of photographic narrative storytelling.
The term “photo story” is generally used interchangeably with “photo essay”, but some photographers hold that there are subtle differences between the two. The essay type of photo story implies opinion, they argue. Essays make a point. They are the opposite of facts-only news. A photo story essay makes a case for something, like showing the danger and consequences of illegal fireworks or advocating for the preservation of a forest.
Documentary
On the other hand, documentaries lack opinion. Their purpose is to inform without adding judgment. Documentaries present the facts and let viewers decide. They illustrate something thatâs occurring but they donât always include a narrative story or an opinionated approach. Historical places, current events, and unique lifestyles always make for good documentary photo stories.
How to Craft a Photo Essay
Several elements come into play when putting together a photo essay. Once youâve found a theme, itâs time to give your project a name. While out shooting, jot down titles that come to mind. Consider the title a magazine headline that explains in few words what the whole story is about.
Choose your photos according to whether or not they relate to and support the photo essayâs title. Reject those photos that donât. If your collection seems to suggest a different angle, a different title, donât be afraid to rename it. Sometimes stories develop organically. But if your title canât assemble and define your selection of photos, maybe itâs too vague. Donât rush it. Identify the theme, take the photos and the photo essay will take shape.
Certain techniques help tell the photo essay.
A photo essay is composed of a diversity of views, angles, and focal lengths. While masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson could capture a photo essay with a single prime lens, in his case a 50mm, the rest of us are wise to rely on multiple focal lengths. Just like what we see in the movies, a story is told with wide shots that set the scene, medium shots that tell the story, and close-ups that reveal character and emotion.
Unique angles make viewers curious and interested, and they break the monotony of standard photography. Consider working black-and-white into your photo essay. The photo essay lends itself well to reportage exclusively in monochrome, as the legends have demonstrated since W. Eugene Smith.
Visual Consistency
The idea of a photo essay is to create a whole, not a bunch of random parts. Think gestalt. The images must interact with each other. Repetition helps achieve this end. Recurring themes, moods, styles, people, things, and perspectives work to unify a project even if the photos tell different parts of the story.
Text can augment the impact of a photo essay. A photo may be worth a thousand words, but it doesnât always replace them. Captions can be as short as a complete sentence, as long as a paragraph, or longer. Make sure to take notes in case you want to add captions. Some photo stories, however, function just fine without words.
Tell a Story as a Photographer
Few genres of photography have moved people like the photo essay. Since its inception, the art of visual storytelling has captivated audiences. Photo stories show viewers things they had never seen, have moved masses to action, and have inspired video documentaries. Today, photo stories retain their power and place, in part thanks to the internet. Every photographer should experiment with a photo essay or two.
The method of crafting a photo essay is simple yet complicated, just like life. Careful attention must be paid to the selection of images, the choice of title, and the techniques used in shooting. But follow these guidelines and the photo stories will come. Seek issues and experiences that inspire you and go photograph them with the intention of telling a complete story. The viewing world will thank you.
Image credits: Header photo shows the May 13, 1957 story in LIFE magazine titled, “ The Tough Miracle Man of Vietnam .” Stock photos from Depositphotos
18 Immersive Photo Essay Examples & Tips
By Tata Rossi 13 days ago, Professional photography
A photo essay tells a story or evokes emotion through a series of photographs. The essays allow you to be creative and fully explore an idea. Such essays exist in a variety of forms â from photos only to images with brief comments or written essays accompanied by shots. Choose a photo essay example that you can easily do based on your professional level and the equipment you use.
1. Protests
- View the âResistanceâ photo essay by David Moore .
A great idea for photo essays for students is to shoot the protest to show its power. You can capture people with signs and banners to demonstrate what they are standing for. Besides, you can learn how to capture moving subjects. Use the best example of photo essay and donât forget about angles, composition, and framing.
To create a photo essay , go up to the front and photograph the leader of the protesters walking forward. After that, go back to the end of the group to take pictures of families joining the protest. As a result, you will gain experience shooting big groups of people in motion.
2. Transformation
- View the âA Self-Portrait Every Dayâ photo essay by Noah Kalina .
This idea is all about capturing the way a person changes. You may take photos of a pregnant woman and then capture the same model with a child. By documenting the development of the child for several years, you can tell a great story in the form of a photo essay.
However, you can also create a photo essay about the transformation of different objects. For instance, you can create a time-lapse series to capture the history of a renovated building. While you will have to take a lot of similar photos to bring this idea to life, it will allow you to achieve an impressive result.
3. Local Event
- View the âMonday Marathonâ photo essay by Quinn G. Perini .
Whether you are a resident of a large city or a small town, you can find an opportunity to visit a local event, like a marathon or a festival. This is a nice chance to follow modern photography trends and bring photo essay ideas to life.
You can capture the before-and-after stages of the event. Arrive earlier and take pictures of the preparation activities, then shoot the actual event starting with the official beginning.
Keep photographing even when the event is over and capture the cleaning up and disassembling processes.
4. Photowalk
- View the âEmpty Campusâ photo essay by Elise Trissel .
Explore the location where you live and find interesting objects to capture in the vicinity. Using the most interesting photo essay examples, you can decide how to make the best decisions. Donât hurry and try to discover which angles you can use to capture the unique atmosphere of each place.
If you live in the city, you may capture architectural details, wide shots of busy streets, or just take photos of passersby and street signs. Think about the details that make every location unique. For instance, you can try capturing reflections to see how they allow you to see the city from an unusual angle. You can find reflections everywhere, so be sure to pay attention to mirrored buildings, puddles, and fountains.
5. Place Over Time
- View the âAt Home in the Ozarksâ photo essay by Kylee Cole .
If you want to document changes and show how the streets, buildings, and parks in your city change over time, select your favorite locations and start to visit them regularly to capture the way they look during different seasons.
- View the âLast Momentsâ photo essay by Ross Taylor .
You donât necessarily have to focus on profound photo essay topics to evoke emotions. Capturing pets enjoying their worry-free and untroubled life seems like an easy but interesting activity.
Choose any animal â from a domestic bird to a dog, cat, or horse. For more emotional images, use such pet photography ideas when your pet is still a baby and recreate these shots when it is older or is in its final days.
7. Street Style
- View the Tribal Street Photography photo essay by Hans Eijkelboom .
People often express themselves with the help of clothes. The way passers-by on the streets are dressed may reflect the clothing style of a whole society. Thatâs why you can travel around the world and capture peopleâs outfits in various areas. When taking portrait photos in the streets, you can also include some of the surroundings to put them in the context.
You can ask people in the streets to pose for you or try to capture them in movement. Select a suitable location for taking photos and create a photo essay to document what kinds of people one can meet in this location. When doing urban photography , you should ask people for permission before taking photos of them. You can ask their contacts and send them your photos later.
8. Abandoned Building
- View the âLost Collectiveâ photo essay by Bret Pattman .
Old buildings are excellent architecture photography essay topics for students since you can capture a large number of elements. They allow you to imagine what a particular street looked like in the past. You may use a photo essay example for students as references.
Get approval before going in, but mind that such places are far from being totally safe. Bring various lenses: the macro lenses â for details and the wide-angle one â when you want to include many elements in one shot.
9. Alternative Lifestyles
- View the âLast Nomad Hippiesâ photo essay by Roberto Palomo .
Some people decide to lead a lifestyle that differs from the one generally accepted by society. Explore different areas and look for people with an unusual way of living. You can capture candid photos of regular people or take pictures of a person with an unusual hobby.
Take pictures of those, who reside in extraordinary conditions, representatives of various subcultures, or the LBGTQ community. These photo essay topics show other people that it is okay to go out of their comfort zone and run against the wind.
10. Social Issues
- View the âJuveniles in Prisonâ photo essay by Isadora Kosofsky .
The best photo essay examples for students are related to social issues, like unemployment, domestic violence, gender discrimination, and more. Address the topic carefully and look for a proper perspective.
Your shots may draw the peopleâs attention to a truly burning and relevant matter and have a stronger effect than any text.
11. Behind the Scenes
- View the âFollow Meâ photo essay by Marius Masalar .
If you are going to visit an event, get ready to take some behind-the-scenes photos. For instance, you can document the preparations for a festival. Capture the work of the lead event planner and other professionals to tell the story of the festival from an unusual angle.
Alternatively, you can capture the events happening backstage during a drama production. Take pictures of actors and actresses when they are getting ready for the performance. Try capturing the emotions of the main lead and show how stage workers make final preparations. You can also document the work of designers and makeup professionals.
12. Landmarks
- View the âVolte-Faceâ photo essay by Oliver Curtis .
The pictures of landmarks are typically taken from a certain spot. One of the best photo essay ideas is to try shooting sights from various angles. You will also have an opportunity to improve your composition and your framing skills.
If you take a look at any pictorial essay example, you will see that the variety of perspectives is endless: through the streets, in the morning, afternoon, and evening, with a drone or including reflections.
⢠View the âFamilyâ photo essay by Olivia Moore .
You can capture the way family members interact with each other and demonstrate the strong connection they share. In some cases, it makes sense to focus on capturing candid photos when doing family photography .
However, you may also opt for a different approach and focus on more difficult social topics. For instance, if you want to examine the issue of immigration, you can take pictures of a family from another country. In addition, you may show how families cope with other social issues, including poverty or unequal access to healthcare.
14. A Day in the Life
- View the âA Day in the Life of Carlos Gaytanâ photo essay by Sandy Noto .
One of the best photo essays concepts is related to a day in a personâs life. The main character can be any person â a relative, family member, teacher, writer, or policeman.
People are generally interested in finding out facts about the lives and daily routines of others. The life of every human is incredible, especially if you learn it in more detail. This idea is especially suitable for taking documentary photos. For instance, you can select any photo essay sample you like and then capture a portrait of a person with the tools they use for their work.
15. Education
- View the âSchool Dayâ photo essay by Nancy Borowick .
You can also take great photos in the classroom capturing the interactions of teachers and their students. Avoid distracting them, as it will be easier for you to take natural shots. Using a variety of settings, you can make your photo essay more engaging. For instance, you may visit chemistry labs, capture teachers during a break, and take photos in other locations.
- View the âMeals From the Motherlandâ photo essay by James Tran .
You can also focus on specific meals to create a professional photo essay about food. To make it more attention-grabbing, try using different food photography ideas .
For instance, you can take photos of popular meals, capture the meals made by a specific person, or document cooking traditions in different countries. When taking photos in a restaurant, pay attention to the surroundings as well to capture the unique atmosphere of a place.
17. Capture the Neighbors
- View the âOur Neighborsâ photo essay by Jeanne Martin .
Regardless of the place where you live, you have to establish good relationships with your neighbors. People who live nearby can also be great models for professionals who specialize in portrait photography. To implement this idea, make sure to capture people at home or in front of their houses to include some of the surroundings in your photo essay.
You will discover many interesting facts about people who live nearby. Shooting a photo essay will allow you to learn them better and establish a strong connection with them. This way, you can create a sense of community and discover what holds its members together.
18. Climate Change
- View the âEffects of Climate Changeâ photo essay by Sanya Gupta .
It is possible to a variety of photo story ideas bring to life examining the impact of climate change. Travel to places most affected by climate change, for instance, glaciers or famous resorts.
Capture the way the continuous drought has influenced the environment, animals, and the inhabitants. As an alternative, take pictures of environmentalist protests or inexhaustible energy sources.
Photo Essay Tips for Students
Explore your topic . An in-depth exploration of the main topic of your photo essay will help you find the best ideas for conveying your message. You can also find some sources for inspiration and useful materials. This stage allows you to learn more about your subject and select the best way of organizing your photo essay.
Create a storyboard . Using a storyboard, you can better understand what shots you need to take and what order can help you to tell a story in the best way. It will also allow you to create the right mood.
Take as many pictures as you can . To create a compelling story, make sure to take a lot of photos. It will allow you to choose the best pictures for your photo essay. Besides, you will always have backup photos if some of your pictures get damaged.
Experiment with different techniques . By changing the angle and using a variety of editing techniques, you can transform the way your photos look. When taking photos, try using different angles to capture the subject in the best way. You can also try changing the distance from the model, using black-and-white film, or employing a range of developing methods.
Add text . While some photographers create photo essays without text, it can still help you bring your point across more clearly and make it easier for a viewer to understand what you imply. By providing extra information, such as some facts, you can change the perception of your image. If you donât know how to write descriptions, you can hire a professional writer to perform this task.
Enhance your photos . To edit your pictures, make sure to use professional photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. Using the available tools, you can improve and change your photos. They allow you to fix issues with lighting, adjust WB, make colors richer, crop your pics to improve the composition, and perform other tasks. In case you need to edit your photos in a consistent style, you can use Photoshop Actions or Lightroom Presets.
In some cases, your pictures may require more advanced editing. If you see that your skills are insufficient or if you donât have enough time, you can outsource the task of enhancing your photos to the FixThePhoto team. They will professionally enhance your pictures for a budget price. Their prices start from $1.50 per photo.
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Bonus Tools
To streamline your workflow and quickly edit your essay photos like a pro, make sure to apply these actions to your photos. Even if you use a photo essay example when taking pictures, you can utilize these actions to give your images a professional feel, tweak colors, edit lighting, and improve the overall look of your pics.
In this bundle, you will find actions created by experienced professionals who used recent photo enhancement trends to create convenient editing tools. Here, you will find a collection of brushes, patterns, overlays, and other effects for editing your photos in a realistic way.
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How to create a photo essay
- Author Picfair
- Level Intermediate
- Reading Time 8 minutes
Cover images by James Gourley
Create a meaningful set of images by producing a photo essay or story
A photographic essay is a deeper and more meaningful way to use your photography than a single image tends to be. Typically associated with documentary and news-gathering, a photo essay doesnât necessarily have to follow those genres, but can be used as a way to tell a longer or more in-depth story about all manner of subjects. Creating a photo essay however is about more than just taking a set of images and presenting them as one package. They require more forethought, planning and editing than many other forms of photography, but the results are often more rewarding, too. Follow our guide below if itâs something youâd like to consider putting together. â â
1 Find a story
The first thing you will need to do is to figure out what you want to do your photo essay on.
"Inspiration can come from anywhere, but a good starting to place is to look at news sources to see if something catches your eye."
Inspiration can come from anywhere, but a good starting to place is to look at news sources to see if something catches your eye. If youâre not sure where to begin, you could start by looking at whatâs going on in your local area - if nothing else, itâll make the practicalities easier. Start jotting down ideas that you can explore and figure out exactly why you want to do it. Try to be as active as you can in discovering whatâs going on in the world and eventually something will keep your attention for long enough that it will seem like the right idea.
â 2 Do your research
â Next, try and find out as much as you can about whatever it is you want to create your photo story on.
"If you find that others have done photo essays on the same or similar subject, then thatâs something you should be aware of."
Importantly, youâll need to see what else already exists out there - if anything - on your story. If you find that others have done photo essays on the same or similar subject, then thatâs something you should be aware of. Thatâs not to say that you canât also do one, but it pays to be prepared so that you can perhaps approach it in a different way. Youâll also need to do some research into the practicalities that will be required to help you along the way. Youâll need to look into people you should be contacting, how you will get to the destination (if itâs not local), any requirements you need for visiting the location, any restrictions on what you can and cannot shoot and so on. Doing as much research ahead of time as possible will make the project run smoothly when it comes to actually shooting it. â
3 Make a structured plan Â
Once your research is complete, itâs time to make a detailed and structured plan about how youâre going to go about shooting your photo essay. It doesnât have to be completely rigid so as to disallow flexibility, but sorting out shoot times, shoot dates, shoot locations will give you something to work with, even if things eventually go off plan. Some photo essays can be shot in an afternoon, others might take several months or even years to complete. Having an idea of how long you want to spend on a particular project can help focus your mind and give you an end date for when you might want to publish the essay. Itâs also useful to tell subjects and those involved with the shoot a rough timeline of events. You might find it helpful to organise everything together in one easily accessible place - such as online calendars and spreadsheets, so you can quickly refer to anything you need to.
4 Tell a story
Your photo essay needs to be more than just a set of images on a similar theme.
"...including some introductory or contextualising shots before you get into the heart of the subject matter is a good approach."
Think of it exactly like a story, which usually requires a beginning, a middle and an end. Thatâs a very simplistic way of putting it, but photographically, including some introductory or contextualising shots before you get into the heart of the subject matter is a good approach. There might not necessarily be a neat âresolutionâ to whatever story youâre trying to tell, and it might not always be a happy ending, but having that at least in your mind as you go along can help to create a neatly-packaged story that has a definite and well-constructed narrative.
5 Stick with a cohesive style
Exactly how youâre going to shoot your photo essay is entirely up to you, but in order for your story to have a cohesive look, itâs usually best if you stick to the same style throughout.
"With a photo essay, you want the images to hang extremely well together as a set, so keeping things consistent will help you do that..."
That could be as simple as not mixing black and white and colour, always using a particular lens, always shooting in a particular way, or even applying the same post-processing techniques to the finished shots. With a photo essay, you want the images to hang extremely well together as a set, so keeping things consistent will help you do that - that is, unless youâre actively trying to use disparate styles as an artistic or storytelling technique. â
5 Create a strong edit
The chances are that in the process of creating your photo essay, you will have shot dozens, if not hundreds of images.
"It can help to step away from your essay for at least a few days if you can to give yourself some distance and perspective - donât be afraid to be brutal and keep your final selection down to only those that are the strongest or the best."
For the final edit of your photo story, you need to make sure that the images selected to appear are the strongest of the set, with each adding something unique to the finished story. Try to avoid âpadding outâ your story with too many fillers, even if you think they are strong images on their own. Itâs a good idea to avoid too much repetition, and here again you should look to include images that create a strong story arc with a defined beginning, middle and end. It can help to step away from your essay for at least a few days if you can to give yourself some distance and perspective - donât be afraid to be brutal and keep your final selection down to only those that are the strongest or the best. Thereâs no defined number for how many images should be included in a final story, but as a general rule, youâll probably want it to be under 20 for the most impact. â
6 Ask for input
Itâs very easy to get so close to your subject and your images that you become blind to any flaws in them, or the structure of your story. Asking for advice and input from somebody you trust can help to tighten up your story even further.
"Asking for advice and input from somebody you trust can help to tighten up your story even further."
In certain situations, it can be helpful to ask the subject of the photographs themselves what they think, to make it more of a collaborative process - but you should be able to determine whether thatâs appropriate on a case-by-case basis. If you have any contacts who are photographers, editors or publishers, asking them to cast an eye over your finished story is a good idea, too. â
7 Add some text Â
It can be a good idea to add some text or individual captions for a photo essay, to give some background information and context to whatever is shown in the pictures. If youâre not a writer, try to keep it as basic as possible - including things such as names, locations and dates. A short introduction to the piece to give some background information is useful, too. Ask somebody you trust to check it over for sense, clarity and mistakes.
8 Get the story seen
Once your story is complete and youâre happy with it, the next stage is to get it seen - also known as, the hard part.
"Once your story is complete and youâre happy with it, the next stage is to get it seen - also known as, the hard part."
A sensible first step is to create an album on your Picfair store which is dedicated to your photo essay. That way, anybody who is looking for that particular piece wonât have to wade through all of your other work to find it. â You can then start sending out information about the work to editors and publishers, including a link to the album on your Picfair page as an easy way for them to look at it.
Editor's tip: â If you're not sure where to begin with pitching to publishers, be sure to check our how to pitch guide .
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How To Craft the Perfect Travel Photo Essay (from the Pros)
Published/Updated: Nov 16, 2021 ¡ Laura Kiniry ¡ 4 minute read
A picture is worth a thousand words, so imagine what a series of images can convey.
Photographic storytellingâor what we know as photo essaysâcan say so much about a subject. It might be the visual narrative of a Berlin neighborhood undergoing gentrification through a minimalist cafĂŠ or capturing the delight of a Midwest summer carnival through a couple riding the carousel (or the close-up decadence of deep-fried Oreos).
Thereâs no need to be a professional photographer to lay out a captivating tale. Whether itâs using an iPhone camera to snap pics or exploring drone imagery , these tips from award-winning, renowned travel National Geographic and New York Times photographers will help you capture great photos and the story behind them.
Itâs not only about telling a story thatâs eye-catching, but also buzz-worthy. Mark Edward Harris , a photographer who has led workshops for Nikon and B&H, points out, âLook for stories that you relate to or have some personal interest in before looking outwards. Many of the best stories are in our own backyards.â
Remember, a location is not a story.
(Courtesy of Mark Edward Harris)
âThereâs no real equation or instruction manual for photographic storytelling,â says editorial photographer James Wasserman , whose work has graced The New York Times, Forbes and Fortune.
He does say, donât be afraid to let loose.
Think about the story youâre interested in sharing. Perhaps it is about documenting the history of a place like Philadelphia's Old City, or telling the story of a popular Parisian restaurant from start-to-finish on a busy night.
Remember, a location is not necessarily a story. This is the mantra that travel and documentary photographer Mark Edward Harris , author of The Travel Photo Essay Describing a Journey Through Images  and whose work has appeared in CondÊ Nast Traveler and National Geographic, follows.
Its meaning: Dig deeper into a place for a story rather simply skimming the surface.
For instance, Harris recently visited Lubbock, Texas, and while there, discovered it was the birthplace of rock and roll legend Buddy Holly. So, in tandem, he created a photo essay on how the city was memorializing Holly. In doing so, Harris captured the spirit of Lubbock (click to see contact sheet).
For other examples, see below.
Choosing and establishing a sense of place.
When it comes to connecting with a subject, Wasserman is a pro.
Take Old City, Philadelphia , a neighborhood where heâs lived on and off for years. âI was walking past the buildings here multiple times a day,â he says, âand watching them change. I developed a relationship to them.â
Start getting to know the places and people around you. Pay attention. Ask questions.
Take note of things, like the way a local bodega owner might leave a bowl of water out for the neighborhood cat each evening. Or how a parking lot transforms into an impromptu concert venue on Thursday nights.
Windows of time. (James Wasserman / Old City)
Businesses come and go; places change, notes Wasserman. âBut often, the most compelling images are ones that become windows into another time.â
They also capture a sense of place. A good example is Wasserman's Chengdu Eats , which features the story of Chengdu, China, recently designated as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
To do this, Wasserman looked at what makes Chengduâs culinary scene so great. He visited a local cooking school, explored the energy of its farmersâ markets, and familiarized himself with the dishes themselves. Like everywhere from Mexico to Morocco, Chengdu's food and its culture are undeniably linked.
Conveying this kind of connection will make your images that much more powerful.
Other examples could be kimchi-making parties in South Korea, or a typical workday of Japanese Ama, the female deep-sea divers who search for sea cucumbers and abalone. Telling these stories through different viewpoints will help them become more whole.
It's always helpful to have a shot list so that you know beforehand what types of images you'd like to include. But leave room for spontaneity: Some photos can occur spur-of-the-moment. Other photos might be arranged shots.
It's OK to include both.
Harris tries to go into new situations with what he calls an âempty cup,â filling it up with interesting ideas and asides as he goes. âThat said, I do some basic research before I head out to a location,â he says.
Contemplating the range of images.
Cooking school. (James Wasserman / Chengdu Eats)
Once you have an idea in your mind of the overall theme, start looking at it from a range of different angles.
For example, says Wasserman, âIf it's a person whose story you want to convey, ask yourself: Where does that person reside? Where do they work? What are the environments that are important to them?â
If something interests you, snap a pic. Snap more than several pictures, and do so from multiple angles and distances. Shoot wide angles from above (this is a time where that drone could come in handy), and zoom in close.
Take action shots and portraits. In particular, Harris loves the cameraâs ability to freeze a moment in time, using a fast-enough shutter speed âto capture a bear catching a salmon at Brooks Falls, Alaska, â he says, âor an officer directing traffic in Pyongyang, North Korea .â
Basic images should include a strong establishing shot , some detail shots , and a closing shot , says Harris.
If itâs a story about food, this might mean capturing images of chefs cooking it, people eating it, and close-ups of the dishes themselves.
Chicken feet. A great example of a close-up shot. (James Wasserman / Chengdu Eats)
In the case of the Buddy Holly story, one of Harrisâs detail shots is a photo of Hollyâs famous eyeglasses. â[It was also the same] pair of glasses Holly was wearing when his plane crashed on that freezing, wintery night in 1959,â he says. (Holly died in the plane crash.)
Environmental portraits, or a portrait of a person in a place theyâre connected with [ like this image of Bruce Springsteen in Asbury Park, NJ ], are also a key element to photographic storytelling.
Curating, and presenting, the story.
Though itâs both expected and encouraged that different angles, varying subjects, and a range of foci will be included in the storyâs universal theme, fight the urge to include everything .
Seriously. As much as you might be dying to feature all 150 photos from a visit to Alcatraz Island, donât. An onslaught of images is boring, and the story gets lost within them.
âThe viewers are always creating their own stories,â says Wasserman. Allow them the chance.
âIf you study the classic LIFE magazine photo essays by photographers such as W. Gene Smith, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Margaret Bourke-White, and Gordon Parks,â Harris points out, âa strong story should be able to be told in a dozen photos or so.â
Once you decide on the images youâre going to use, arrange them in an order that makes sense. Begin with a strong establishing shot, such as the cooking school from Wassermanâs Chengdu Eats story.
Then end with a closing shot: One like the pile of rubble in Harrisâs Vanity Fair photo essay on the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Use the in-between to fill in the blanks.
After all, that is where the magic happens.
(Backroads / Mark Edward Harris)
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What is a Photo Essay in Photography (13 Examples You Can Try)
Do you know what a photo essay is?
If not, thatâs okay. Many photographers arenât even familiar with the term. I didnât know until a few years back myself after doing many of them unknowingly.
A photo essay is an interesting form of visual storytelling that presents a narrative through a series of images.
Powerful photo essays communicate emotions and understanding without using words.
Youâre guiding the viewer through your narrative journey.
In this article, Iâll be going over the important parts of a great photo essay idea, 13 interesting photo essay ideas you can try, and a few photo essay tips.
What is a Photo Essay?
A photo essay is a powerful form of visual storytelling in which a narrative is presented through a series of images.
Unlike a written essay, a photo essay relies on visuals to tell a story and evoke emotions within the viewer. When you create a photo essay, you can stretch your creative limits and explore new ways of connecting with your audience.
In a photo story or essay, the images are carefully selected.
Theyâre arranged in order to create a coherent and engaging narrative.
Each photograph should contribute to the overall theme of the story and maintain visual and technical consistency throughout.
As the photographer, you play a big role in coming up with interesting photo essay ideas, the narrative, and providing context for the images.
To create a good photo essay, here are a few guidelines:
Choose a Strong Theme: Select a subject that resonates with your audience and communicates a clear message or emotion.
Curate the Images: Carefully select the photographs that best represent your theme and arrange them logically.
Maintain Consistency: Your images should have a consistent visual style, color palette, and framing. You want to create a cohesive narrative.
Provide Context: Include captions or short text descriptions to give the viewer a better understanding of the story being told.
Other Important Elements of a Photo Essay
These other components help provide a clear narrative and evoke emotions that keep the audience engaged in your story.
Storytelling : The primary purpose of a photo essay is to tell a story through your images. You must carefully choose your photos to convey a coherent and interesting narrative. The flow of your images should guide the viewer through your perspective or various viewpoints on the subject.
Emotion : A strong photo essay evokes emotions that resonate with the viewer. As you select your photos, consider how they touch the viewer emotionally. The emotions your images evoke can differ, ranging from happiness and love to fear and sadness.
Idea : Your photo essay idea should revolve around a central idea or theme. This foundation not only provides direction for your work but also ensures your images remain focused and relevant. Before starting your photo essay, you need a well-defined idea thatâll guide your photography and narrative.
Style : For your photo essay to be visually cohesive you need a consistent style. This can include using a particular color palette, choosing images with a distinct composition, or using a specific technique in each photo. As you curate your images, make sure theyâre consistent in their visual qualities to create a harmonious presentation.
Composition : The composition of each photo plays a significant role in guiding the viewerâs eye within the image. Pay attention to elements like leading lines, patterns, and framing.
Technique : Using specific photography techniques can create a unique style for your photo essay. Experiment with different techniques like long exposures, shallow depth of field, and post-processing methods. Doing so will enhance the visual impact of your images.
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Why Create a Photo Essay
Creating a photo essay allows you to merge your passion for photography with the art of storytelling.
By focusing on a specific narrative, you have a purpose and direction while capturing images. This can lead to a deeper connection with your subject and inspiration to create an interesting visual story.
And as a photographer, you can use photo stories to experiment with various styles, techniques, and compositions.
This not only challenges your creativity but also helps improve your skills as a photographer. The process encourages you to explore new perspectives and angles while conveying your message.
The images you choose can make people feel happy, sad, or even angry. By doing so, you harness the power of visuals to communicate a message beyond words.
Photo essays also serve as an opportunity for reflection.
By picking a topic or theme close to your heart, you can ponder, look back, analyze, and dive deeper into a subject matter. It can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-expression, allowing you to learn more about your own emotions and perceptions.
This is valuable if you intend to share your photography with a wider audience.
You can use a photo essay to show your skills in composition, storytelling, and emotional impact, making it a powerful way to gain recognition.
13 Photo Essay Examples
There are so many great photo essay examples, and I might try all of them myself!
But here are 13 not-too-hard photo essay ideas you can try.
1. Local Event Photo Essay
This is one of the most popular photo essay examples. Youâre capturing the joy of local events by focusing on the participantsâ emotions and interactions.
Doing so shows the diversity of the people and the range of activities taking place. From stall setups to exciting performances. Document memorable moments and unique aspects of the event that make it stand out.
2. A Day in the Life Photo Essay
Highlight a typical day in the life of a person, family, or community.
This photographic essay gives you an opportunity to capture the reality of daily life and routines. Focus on the small moments that give insight into the subjectâs personality and relationships.
3. Transformation Photo Essay
Transformation photo essay topics are popular. This photo essay project showcases the power of change through photographs that depict the transformation of a person, place, or object. Include before and after pictures.
You want shots with angles and perspectives that show change and development. One of the most common transformation photo essay examples is weight loss before and after.
4. Family Photo Essay
Tell the story of a familyâs life together by capturing candid moments, daily routines, and special occasions.
Focus on the relationships between family members and the unique characteristics that make them a cohesive unit.
5. Education Photo Essay
An educational photo essay shows the educational process in action by documenting classes, workshops, or seminars.
You can capture studentsâ learning and applying new skills. Observe interactions between teachers and students. Or show off diverse educational settings, from schools to informal learning environments.
6. Urban Renewal Photo Essay Examples
Explore the renewal of urban spaces with your photography.
Take pictures as the city improves, new developments go up, and the impact it has on local communities. Include images of old and new architecture, as well as scenes that feature revitalization efforts.
7. The Changing Seasons of a Park Photo Essay
Make a transformation essay showing the changing seasons in a park. With this photo story, you want to capture the elements of the atmosphere that make each season of the year unique.
Highlight the features and activities that define each season, from the colors of the leaves to the snow-covered landscapes.
Bonus points if you can shoot the same shot for each photo!
8. City Artwork and Murals Photo Essay
Another great photo essay example is celebrating the urban art scene by showcasing striking murals and street art found in cities and towns. Take photos that show the diverse styles, colors, and messages conveyed by the artists.
9. Historic Landmarks: Then and Now Photo Essay
Compare historic landmarks and sites in their current state with photographs from the past. This photo essay can show the changes and preservation efforts of these important cultural and historical places.
10. Coffee Shop Chronicles
Photograph coffee shops or the unique atmosphere of your favorite local coffee shop. Then document with your essay the diverse customers, staff members, and aesthetic elements that make it special.
Focus on the details that give it character and the emotions it evokes in visitors and customers.
11. Through The Lens of a Photographer
Be a photographer for another photographer and provide insight into their creative process. It can be a friend, another professional photographer, or even someone you want to learn from.
You can showcase their work, techniques, and equipment with your photo story. Include behind-the-scenes shots of the photographer in action, as well as their perspective on their craft.
12. Recipes From Your Favorite Local Restaurant
Do a photo shoot and partner with a local restaurant to create a visually appealing photo essay featuring their signature dishes.
You can include photographs of the cooking process, finished plates, and behind-the-scenes shots of the kitchen and staff.
13. Behind The Scenes Photo Essay
Offer a glimpse into the hidden aspects of various locations, professions, or events. Capture the unseen scenes and the people who make them happen by providing a unique and rarely seen perspective.
Tips for Creating Your Own Photo Essay
Choose Something You Love: Do something that sparks emotion in you and others. Tell a story thatâs personal and meaningful to you. Whether itâs a social issue, an event, or a day in the life of a specific person, make it a subject you love.
Develop Your Own Style: Your unique photography style plays a role in keeping your audience engaged. And having a signature style can help you carve out a niche for yourself. This will attract clients who appreciate and seek your unique perspective.
Plan Your Shots: Photo essays are like storytelling, so take time to compose and plan out each image carefully. Each photo communicates an essential part of your story. Without a story, thereâs nothing to captivate your viewers.
Keep The Story Cohesive: Maintain a clear narrative throughout your photo essays. Each image contributes to the storyâs flow. So, organize your photos logically for effective communication of your message.
The Power of Sequence: Plotting the Narrative Arc for Your Photo Essay
Just like a traditional narrative, your photo essay should have a beginning, middle, and end.
The opening image sets the stage and draws your audience in. Itâs similar to the hook in written storytelling.
As you progress towards the middle of your essay, develop your theme or subject further. This may involve using contrasting images or presenting different aspects of your topic to maintain viewer interest. And finally, end with an impactful image that leaves a lasting impression or delivers a powerful message.
View these steps as the equivalent of crafting plot points in written narratives:
Beginning : Set up your story.
Middle : Develop the main characters or themes.
End : Resolve any conflicts or deliver the final message.
Linking Images Together: The Art of Transitions in Photo Stories
Transitions are super important.
Theyâre key elements that string individual photos together. Photo essay transitions are like the transitions between paragraphs in writing. They help maintain flow and continuity.
A transition might be thematic, such as moving from color-filled scenes. Or black-and-white images to represent shifting moods or timescales.
It might even be visual: you can focus on common shapes, patterns, or subjects across several photographs.
To create effective photo transitions:
Identify common themes between photos.
Look for similarities in colors, textures, shapes, and lighting.
Experiment with gradually shifting the mood of your photos too.
How to Create a Photo Essay in 7 Steps
Step 1: choose a topic.
Select an engaging topic for your photo essay.
Reflect on your interests, the emotions you want to evoke, and the story you want your landmark photo essay to tell. Topics can range from personal stories to cultural explorations or even school events. You want an angle and style that will make your essay stand out and resonate with your audience.
Step 2: Research Beforehand
Before shooting, conduct research on your chosen topic. Gather information and familiarize yourself with the theme, people, and culture involved. This will help you capture consistent and authentic images. And provide depth to your photo essay project.
Step 3: Capture a Wide Variety of Images
Experiment with different shooting techniques, angles, and perspectives. Photograph various images that reflect your subjectâs emotions, moods, and environment. Cover every aspect of your story. And remember, quality shots are more important than quantity.
Step 4: Create a Storyboard With Your Ideas and Images
After shooting, review your images and develop a storyboard. Arrange the photos in a manner that portrays your story effectively. Consider composition, techniques, and the flow of your narrative.
Step 5: Narrow Down, Edit, and Organize Your Photos to Tell a Story
Select the images that best illustrate your story, and edit them for style and consistency. Then organize your images in a sequence that connects with your audience emotionally. And make sure your photo essay is visually appealing and reflects the essence of your topic.
Step 6: Use Captions for Your Images as Needed
Captions can help tell your story without overwhelming your audience with text. So, if necessary, include captions to provide context and explain your images. But keep them short, concise, and informative.
Step 7: Ask for Feedback
Before publishing your photo essays, ask for feedback from friends, family, mentors, or even strangers. Then listen to their insights and suggestions, and make adjustments as needed. Getting a variety of perspectives can help ensure your photo essay is engaging, clear, and relatable to your audience.
The Importance of Photo Essays in Photography
Photo essays tell an intriguing story.
Weâve all heard the phrase, âA picture is worth a thousand words.â
But have you ever thought about how true this statement is?
When photographs are thoughtfully grouped together, they can weave a captivating narrative. A photo essay allows you to explore subjects deeply and from various angles, telling stories that may not be possible with just one image.
For instance, highlighting the daily life of a particular subject.
Or showcasing the transformation of an abandoned building into a vibrant community center. These narratives become more profound and interesting when illustrated not just through words but through the lens of a camera.
Photo Essays Can Connect With an Audience
Theyâre powerful tools for connecting on an emotional level with your audience.
They allow viewers to walk in someone elseâs shoes, experiencing situations and emotions that might be entirely different from their own lives.
For example, a well-executed photo essay on local environmental pollution could stir up feelings of concern and urge viewers to take action.
A Good Photo Essay Can Market Your Products or Services
Photo essays offer businesses a unique way to promote products and services in a visual world.
But you arenât simply showing off your offerings. Instead, youâre telling engaging stories around them. These stories make it easier for potential customers to relate and respond positively.
Take Airbnb as an example.
Theyâre pairing photos of hostsâ homes with local attractions or experiences to create mini-photo-essays. Potential customers feel like theyâre getting a sneak peek at their vacation experience.
Can Convey a Wide Range of Emotions
One image may evoke joy. While another stirs up sadness.
By grouping these images together, a photo essay lets you create an emotional rollercoaster for your viewers. Youâre not just showing them whatâs happeningâyouâre making them feel it.
Consider a photo essay documenting the journey of a cancer survivor. From the initial shock and fear to the strength found in treatment, and finally, the joy of remission.
Such a powerful narrative can touch hearts and inspire action like no other medium can.
They Bring Life to an Otherwise Ordinary Collection of Photos
A random assortment of photographs might be visually appealing, but without context or purpose, they may lack depth or meaning.
Thatâs where photo stories come into play.
They provide structure to these collections, turning them into interesting narratives. Ones with clear themes and messages.
Imagine a series of seemingly unrelated photosâportraits of people from different walks of life.
When presented as part of a photo essay that explores societal diversity within cities, these portraits become more than just faces. They turn into symbols of unity and diversity.
Kyra Chambers (KyraTheCreative) is the Co-Founder of Red October Firm. And a photographer, artist, and graphic designer. She has been in the photography industry since 2015 and loves making photography easy for everyone.
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How to Make a Photo Essay
Last Updated: September 27, 2023 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Heather Gallagher . Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP). There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 290,447 times.
Photo essays are an increasingly popular medium for journalists, bloggers, and advertisers alike. Whether youâre trying to show the emotional impact of a current news story or share your hobby with friends and family, images can capture your topic in a personal, emotional, and interesting way. Creating a photo essay can be as easy as choosing a topic, getting your images, and organizing the essay.
Things You Should Know
- Reflect long and hard on your topic, considering your audience, current events, and whether to go for a thematic or narrative approach.
- Create an outline, including your focus image, establishing shot, clincher, and other image details.
- When you finally take your photos, remember to take more photos than you think you need and don't be afraid to let the project change as you create it.
Finding Your Topic
- Offer a photo essay of your place of business as a training tool.
- Use a photo essay about your business as a sales or social tool by publishing it on your website or social media page.
- Create a how to photo essay to help others learn about your hobby, so they can take it up as well. [4] X Research source
- Thematic subjects are big ideas including things like local gun laws, at-risk youth, or welcoming home soldiers.
- Narrative essays can include a day in the life, how to tutorials, or progression series that show changes over time such as tracking a building project.
- If you have been given a commission or specific publication to work with, you may need to choose a topic that will fit a thematic or narrative approach as outlined by the publication. Make sure you are aware of any publication guidelines in advance.
Organizing Your Shoot
- Consider how difficult it will be to get permission to photograph your subjects. If you already have relationships established, it will be easier. If not, allow for extra time to get permission and/or waivers.
- Schools, daycares, and other places with kids typically have more regulations on who can be photographed and for what purposes. Youâll usually need to get parental approval, in addition to permission from those in charge. [7] X Research source
- Consider doing interviews with people involved prior to the shoot. Ask things like, âWhatâs the most interesting thing you do during this event?â or âHow long have you been involved with this organization?â
- These interviews are also a great opportunity to ask for permission and get waivers.
- If youâre going to visit a job site, charitable event, or other large group activity, ask the person or persons in charge to explain what youâre doing to everyone before you arrive. [8] X Research source
Capturing Your Images
- Many new photographers stay away from high ISO shots because they allow more light through producing a âbusyâ image. However, these images are often easier to edit later as thereâs more information to work with. [11] X Research source
- If itâs very bright in your location or youâve set up artificial lighting, a low ISO is likely adequate, For darker areas, youâll likely need to use a higher ISO.
- If you need one second to capture an image with a base ISO of 100, youâll need one eighth of a second to capture with an ISO of 800. [13] X Research source
- Even snapping candid shots, which you may need to capture quickly, take a few moments to think about how objects are placed to make the most impact.
- Always think about how the main subjectâs surroundings play into the overall image, and try to create different levels and points of interest.
- You can change composition as part of the editing process in some cases, so if you canât line up the shot just right, donât let it deter you from capturing the image you want. [14] X Research source
Organizing the Essay
- If youâre doing a day in the life photo essay about a frustrated person working in an office, an image of that person struggling to open the front door against the wind might be an apt focus shot.
- If your essay is about the process of building a home, your focus image may be something like a contractor and architect looking at blue prints with the framed up home in the background.
- If your essay is about a family reunion, the focus image may be a funny shot of the whole family making faces, pretending to be fighting, or a serious photo of the family posed together. Capture whatever seems natural for the family. [18] X Research source
- Regardless of essay type, youâll need a focus image to grab attention.
- Use an overall shot to give context to your essay. Where is it, when is it happening, whoâs involved, whatâs going on, and why should someone be interested? The five âWâsâ of journalism are a great way to determine what your overall shot should capture.
- Find your final image. This should be something provocative that asks your viewer to think about the topic.
- Between the focus and overall shot and ending image, include a series of images that move the viewer from the lead-in shots to its result. Use images that build in intensity or draw the viewers further into the essay.
- If the images arenât telling the story, ask your friends to look at your other photos and ask, âI wanted this image to make this point. You got a different idea. Would any of these images make this point to you more clearly?â
- If the others like the images youâve chosen, you may still want to ask them to look at your other photos and tell you if they think any of the images you didnât include should be added in. They may see something you missed. [20] X Research source
- If you're commissioned to add photos to an essay, you should make sure images reflect the written word, but also add emotion and context the writing could not capture. For example, an essay on poverty may include an image of a child and parent living on the street could capture more emotional context.
- Captions should only include information the viewer could not derive from the photo itself. For instance, you can include a date, the subjectâs name, or a statistic relevant to your subject in the caption.
- If you choose not to have any text or just a title and some introductory and/or closing words, make sure you convey all necessary information succinctly. [21] X Research source
Expert Q&A
- Be creative with your topics. However, something as simple as "things I like" will suffice so long as you stay creative. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Make sure you're familiar with your camera. It will make the photo composition a lot easier. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Don't get discouraged. It may take several tries to get the desired results in your photos. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
You Might Also Like
- â http://digital-photography-school.com/5-photo-essay-tips/
- â Heather Gallagher. Professional Photojournalist & Photographer. Expert Interview. 8 April 2020.
- â http://improvephotography.com/30816/10-ideas-creative-photo-essays/
- â http://www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-create-a-photo-essay/
- â https://petapixel.com/how-to-create-a-photo-essay/
- â http://photo.journalism.cuny.edu/week-5/
- â http://clickitupanotch.com/2010/12/creating-a-photo-essay/
- â https://photographylife.com/what-is-iso-in-photography
- â https://wiredimpact.com/blog/how-to-make-a-photo-essay-nonprofit/
- â http://digital-photography-school.com/5-tips-for-creating-a-photo-essay-with-a-purpose/
- â https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/how-to-make-photo-essay-examples
About This Article
To make a photo essay, start by selecting a subject that is easy to capture and that inspires you, like a friend or a family pet. Then, decide if you want to present your photo essay as thematic, which shows specific examples of a big idea, or narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end. Next, create an outline of your essay to determine which photos youâll need, like an establishing shot. Finally, take your photos, select which images you want to use in your essay, and organize them according to your theme before adding text to explain the essay. To learn how to capture the best images, keep scrolling! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Advice for an Unforgettable Photo Essay
Six steps for turning your images into a memorable photo essay, from curating your best work to crafting a title.
A man sits alone on a chair on the side of the road. We see him from above, surrounded by grey cobblestones neatly placed, a broken plastic chair, and some pylons scattered along the curb. A street cat wanders out of the frame and away from the man. He appears lonely, the only person inhabiting the place in which he seems so comfortably seated. As the eye wanders throughout the frame, however, the viewer discovers more: a vast city cast beyond the street and behind the manâs chair. This image closes Sarah Pannellâs photo essay Sehir , a quiet study of urban life.
Possibilities, discovery, and stories: these are some of the most effective elements of a photo essay. Collections of images can help produce a narrative, evoke emotion, and guide the viewer through one or more perspectives. A well-executed photo essay doesnât rely on a title or any prior knowledge of its creator; it narrates on its own, moving viewers through sensations, lessons, and reactions.
Famous photo essays like Country Doctor by W. Eugene Smith or Gordon Parksâ The Harlem Family are acclaimed for showing a glimpse into the lives of the sick and impoverished. Other well-made photo essays offer a new way to look at the everyday, such as Peter Funchâs much-reposted photo series 42nd and Vanderbilt , for which Funch photographed the same street corner for nine years. As shown by these photographersâ experiences with the medium, a collection of photos can enliven spaces and attitudes. Strong photo essays can give voice to marginalized individuals and shine a spotlight on previously overlooked experiences.
You donât necessarily need to be a documentary photographer to create a powerful photo essay. Photo essays can showcase any topic, from nature photography to portraiture to wedding shots. We spoke to a few photographers to get their perspectives on what makes a good photo essay, and their tips for how any photographer can get started in this medium. Here are six steps to follow to create a photo essay that tells a memorable story.
Choose a specific topic or theme for your photo essay.
There are two types of photo essays: the narrative and the thematic. Narrative photo essays focus on a story youâre telling the viewer, while thematic photo essays speak to a specific subject.
The most natural method for choosing a topic or theme for your photo essay is to go with what you know. Photograph what you experience. Whether that includes people, objects, or the things you think about throughout the day, accessibility is key here. Common topics or concepts to start with are emotions (depicting sadness or happiness) or experiences (everyday life, city living).
For photographer Sharon Pannen , planning a photo essay is as simple as âpicking out a subject you find interesting or you want to make a statement about.”
From Paper & Stories , a photo series by Sharon Pannen for SchĂśn! Magazine.
Consider your photo subjects.
The subjects of your photographs, whether human or not, will fill the space of your photos and influence the mood or idea youâre trying to depict. The subject can determine whether or not your photos are considered interesting. âI always try to find someone that catches my eye. I especially like to see how the light falls on their face and how a certain aesthetic might add to their persona,” says photographer Victoria Wojtan .
While subjects and their interest factor are, well, subjective, when considering your subjects, you should ask yourself about your audience. Do other people want to see this? Is my subject representative of the larger idea my photo essay is trying to convey? Your projects can involve people you know or people youâve only just met.
âMost projects I work on involve shooting portraits of strangers, so thereâs always a tension in approaching someone for a portrait,” says photographer Taylor Dorrell . For Wojtan, that tension can help build trust with a subject and actually leads to more natural images âIf thereâs tension itâs usually because the personâs new to being photographed by someone for something thatâs outside of a candid moment or selfie, and they need guidance for posing. This gives me the opportunity to make them feel more comfortable and let them be themselves. I tend to have a certain idea in mind, but try to allow for organic moments to happen.”
Aim for a variety of images.
Depending on your theme, there are a few types of photos youâll want to use to anchor your essay. One or two lead photos should slowly introduce the viewer to your topic. These initial photos will function in a similar way to the introductory paragraph in a written essay or news article.
From there, you should consider further developing your narrative by introducing elements like portraiture, close ups, detail shots, and a carefully selected final photo to leave the viewer with the feeling you set out to produce in your photos. Consider your opening and closing images to be the most important elements of your photo essay, and choose them accordingly. You want your first images to hook the viewer, and you also want your final images to leave a lasting impression and perhaps offer a conclusion to the narrative youâve developed.
Including different types of photos, shot at different ranges, angles, and perspectives, can help engage your viewer and add more texture to your series.
Says photographer Taylor Dorrell: âAfter I have a group of images, I tend to think about color, composition, the order the images were taken, the subject material, and relevance to the concept.”
From Taylor Dorrellâs photo essay White Fences : âWhite Fences is an ongoing photo series that explores the theme of suburban youth in the United States, specifically in the midwest suburb New Albany, Ohio.”
Put your emotions aside.
Self-doubt can easily come into play when working with your own photography. The adage that we are our own worst critics is often true. It can be difficult to objectively select your strongest images when creating a photo essay. This is why putting together photo essays is such a useful practice for developing your curatorial skills.
âThe most important part for me is getting outside opinions. I donât do that enough, and have a bias in selecting images that might not be the most powerful images or the most effective sequence of images,” says Dorrell. Your own perception of a photograph can cloud your ability to judge whether or not it adds to your photo essay. This is especially true when your essay deals with personal subjects. For example, a photo essay about your family may be hard to evaluate, as your own feelings about family members will impact how you take and view the photos. This is where getting feedback from peers can be invaluable to producing a strong series.
Collecting feedback while putting your photo essay together can help you determine the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps within the collection of photos youâve produced. Ask your friends to tell you their favorites, why they like them, and what they think youâre going for in the work youâve created. Their opinions can be your guide, not just your own emotions.
Edit your photo selection.
Beyond post-production, the series of photos you select as your essay will determine whether youâve executed your theme or narrative effectively. Can the photos stand alone, without written words, and tell the story you set out to? Do they make sense together, in a logical sequence? The perfect photo essay will give your audience a full picture of the narrative, theme, or essence youâre looking to capture.
A good method to use to cull your images down is to remove as many as half of your images straight away to see if your narrative is still as strong with fewer photos. Or, perhaps, deciding on a small number youâd like to aim for (maybe just five to ten images) and using this as a method to narrow down to the images that tell your story best.
From Taylor Dorrellâs photo essay Over the Rhine , featured in Vice.
Give your photo essay a title, and add a concise written statement.
Finally, youâll want to create a title and written statement for your photo essay. This will help position your work and can enable the viewer to fully understand your intention, or at least guide their perspective.
A solid written statement and title will be relevant to your topic, detail your primary objective, and introduce your point of view. Itâs an opportunity to clarify your intentions to the viewer and ensure they walk away with a clear interpretation of your work. Depending on your photo essay, you may want to include several paragraphs of text, but even just one or two sentences of background can be enough to expand the viewerâs understanding of your work.
Consider if youâd like to add the written statement at the beginning of your essay to introduce it, or at the end as a conclusion. Either one can be impactful, and it depends how youâd like people to experience your work.
For his photo essay White Fences, excerpted above, Taylor Dorrell wrote only one sentence of introduction. But for his series Over the Rhine, Dorell included a longer written statement to accompany the work, which is âan ongoing photo series that seeks to explore the Cincinnati neighborhood of the same name and its surroundings. The series was started in response to the shooting of Samuel DuBose, an unarmed black man, by officer Ray Tensing of the University of Cincinnati Police, which happened July 19th, 2015.” Dorellâs text goes on to offer more background on the project, setting up the viewer with all the information they need to understand the context of the photo essay.
Depending on the motivations behind your photo essay and what sort of subject it depicts, a longer text may be necessaryâor just a few words might be enough.
Looking for a place to share your photo essays with the world? Take a look at our guide to creating a photography website for tips on showcasing your photos online.
Cover image by Taylor Dorrell, from his photo essay Hurricane Over Sugar .
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17 Awesome Photo Essay Examples You Should Try Yourself
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If you’re looking for a photo essay example (or 17!), you’ve come to the right place. But what is the purpose of a photo essay? A photo essay is intended to tell a story or evoke emotion from the viewers through a series of photographs. They allow you to be creative and fully explore an idea. But how do you make one yourself? Here’s a list of photo essay examples. Choose one that you can easily do based on your photographic level and equipment.
Top 17 Photo Essay Examples
Here are some fantastic ideas to get you inspired to create your own photo essays!
17. Photograph a Protest
16. Transformation Photo Essays
15. Photograph the Same Place
14. Create a Photowalk
13. Follow the Change
12. Photograph a Local Event
11. Photograph an Abandoned Building
10. Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot
9. Capture Street Fashion
8. Landmark Photo Essay
7. Fathers & Children
6. A Day In the Life
5. Education Photo Essay
4. Fictitious Meals
3. Photograph Coffee Shops Using Cafenol
2. Photograph the Photographers
1. Capture the Neighbors
Photo essays tell stories. And there are plenty of amazingly interesting stories to tell! Photographing photo essays is a great way to practice your photography skills while having fun. You might even learn something! These photo essay examples are here to provide you with the inspiration to go out and tell your own stories through photos!
Popular Content
Ten examples of immersive photo essays
By Marissa Sapega â Contributing Writer
Photo essays are one of the most powerful forms of storytelling in the last century. From the great depression photographer W. Eugene Smith to the photojournalism of National Geographic or Life Magazine , the best photo essays entertain, educate, and move readers more than words alone ever could.
But photo essays have changed. Over the last decade, web publishing technologies â including web browsers and file formats â have improved by leaps and bounds. A good photo essays today is more than a collection of images. Itâs a truly interactive, immersive, and multimedia experiences.
In this guide, we introduce 10 stunning examples of visually arresting interactive photo essays to fuel your creative juices.
Now, let's set the scene with a short introduction to immersive, interactive photo essays on the web.
What do the BBC, Tripadvisor, and Penguin have in common? They craft stunning, interactive web content with Shorthand. And so can you! Publish your first story for free â no code or web design skills required. Sign up now.
The rise of immersive, interactive photo essays
What is an immersive, interactive photo essay? Let's take these terms one at a time.
An immersive photo essay uses rich media and story design to capture and keep the reader's attention. Immersive content is typically free of the most distracting elements of the web, such as pop-ups, skyscrapers, and other intrusions on the reading experience.
As a basic rule of thumb, immersive content respects the reader's attention.
An interactive photo essay is one that allows the reader to control how the content appears. It may include interactive elements, like maps and embedded applications.
More commonly, modern interactive photo stories use a technique known as scrollytelling . Scrollytelling stories allow the reader to trigger animations and other visual effects as they scroll. Many of the examples in this guide use scrollytelling techniques. Read more scrollytelling examples .
Until relatively recently, immersive, interactive photo essays could only be created with the help of a designer or web developer. But with the rise of digital storytelling platforms , anyone can create compelling, dynamic stories without writing a single line of code.
If you're looking to learn more about how to create a photo essay â or are looking for more photo essay ideas â check out our introduction to photo essays .
Photo essay topics
If youâre looking for photo essay examples, chances are youâre looking to create a photo essay for yourself. If youâre just getting started, you might want some guidance on exactly what kinds of topics make for great photo essays.
More experienced photographers â feel free to skip this section. But for those who are just starting out, hereâs a quick list of classic photo essay subject matter, for all types of photo essays.
- Local events. A great way to start out is photograph local events in your community, such as a high school fundraiser. A bonus is that youâll have a ready
- Historic sites. Another classic photo essay topic is an exploration of a historic site. This could be a building, a monument, or even just a specific location that has significance.
- Profile of a person. A great way to get to know someone is to profile them in a photo essay. This could be a family member, friend, or even just someone youâve met.
- Animals in captivity. Another popular subject matter for photo essays is animals in captivity, whether thatâs at a zoo or elsewhere.
- A day in the life. Have you ever wondered what itâs like to live someone elseâs life for a day? Why not find out and document it in a photo essay?
- Street photography. Another great way to practice your photography skills is to head out into the streets and photograph the everyday lives of people around you. The world has plenty of photo essays of cities like New York and London. But what about street photography in your own backyard?
- Still life photography. Still life photography is all about capturing inanimate objects on film. This could be anything from flowers to furniture to food. Itâs a great way to practice your photography skills and learn about composition
- Landscapes . Landscape photography is one of the most popular genres, and for good reason. There are endless possibilities when it comes to finding interesting subjects to shoot. So get out there and start exploring!
- Abandoned buildings. Thereâs something fascinating about abandoned buildings. They offer a glimpse into the past, and can be eerily beautiful. If you have any in your area, they make for great photo essay subjects.
- Lifestyles. Document someone who lives a lifestyle thatâs different from your own. This could be a portrayal of an everyday person, or it could be someone with an unusual job or hobby.
- Social issues. Take photos depicting significant social issues in your community, remembering to respect your subjects.
Ten inspiring photo essay examples
Pink lagoon and peculiar galaxies â Julyâs best science images
In Pink lagoon and peculiar galaxies , Nature present a mesmerising series of images from the natural world. Highlights include:
- a blink-and-youâll-miss-it photo of rare albino orcas performing feats of synchronized swimming;
- an arresting aerial view of the aftermath of the flash floods in Germany; and,
- a scarlet gawping Venus flytrap sea anemone.
The best part? Nature publishes similarly powerful photo essays every month, showcasing some of the best and most creative photography of the natural world anywhere on the web.
Vanishing Lands
Vanishing lands â an ominously interesting photo essay from media company Stuff â opens with a bucolic visual featuring meandering sheep flanked by breathtaking mountains that blur into obscurity.
Soon, more awe-inspiring photos of breathtaking New Zealand farmland appear, accompanied by expressive prose whose tone matches the visualsâ stark beauty.
In this unflinchingly honest photographic essay, Stuff takes the viewer behind the scenes with a day in the life of a high country sheep farmer facing an uncertain future. One stunning photo fades into the next as you scroll through, broken only by the occasional noteworthy quote and accompanying narrative.
Olympic photos: Emotion runs high
This emotionally wrought sports story from NBC begins with a close-up of an anxious Simone Biles, her expression exemplifying the tension and frustration echoed on so many of her fellow athletesâ faces.
The subtitle puts it perfectly: âThe agonyâand thrillâof competition at the Olympics is written all over their faces.â
Devastation, disappointment, and defeat take centre stage in this piece â but not all the subjects of the photos in this compelling photography essay depict misery. Some of the images, like that taken of the gold medal-winning Russian artistic gymnasts, manage to project the athletesâ joy almost beyond the edges of the screen.
The NBC editors who created this visual story chose to display the series of photos using the entire screen width and limit the copy to simple captions, letting the visuals speak for themselves. The result is a riveting montage of photographs that manage to capture the overarching sentiment of the 2020 Olympic Games.
James Epp: A Twist of the Hand
In A Twist of the Hand , the Museum of Classical Archaeology at the University of Cambridge have produced a gorgeous photo essay. This online art show showcases artist James Eppâs installation, combining photographs of the exhibit with images of museum prints and authentic artefacts.
As you scroll down, close-up shots of the installation make you feel like youâre physically wandering among the ancient sculptures, able to examine hairline spider cracks and tiny divots marking the surface of every antiquated figure. In between the photosâand often flanked by museum printsâare James Epp's musings about what inspired him to create the pieces. Itâs an absorbing virtual gallery that will no doubt inspire real life visits to the exhibition.
The CafĂŠ Racer Revolution
Though itâs a cleverly built piece of interactive content marketing , Hondaâs â CafĂŠ Racer Revolution â is also a great photo essay. Alongside information about the latest and greatest motorcycles Honda has to offer, it details the history of the bikers who sought to employ motorcycles (specifically âcafĂŠ racersâ) as a way to forge an identity for themselves and project a âstatement of individuality.â
Scroll down, and nostalgic black-and-white photos give way to contemporary action shots featuring fully decked-out motorcyclists on various Honda models.
Dynamic photos of bikes rotate them 360 degrees when you mouse over them, and text superimposed over flashy shots rolls smoothly down the screen as you scroll. This photo essay will stir a longing to hit the open road for anyone who has ever dreamed of owning one of Hondaâs zippy bikes.
Built to keep Black from white
In Built to keep Black from white , NBC News and BridgeDetroit have built a stunning narrative photo essay that encapsulates the history of Detroitâs Birwood Wall â a literal dividing line intended to separate neighborhoods inhabited by people of different races.
The piece begins with a brief history of the concrete barrier. Between paragraphs of text, it weaves in quotes from residents who grew up as the wall was erected and a short video. Animated maps highlighting the affected neighborhoods unspool across the screen as you scroll down, accompanied by brief explanations of what the maps represent.
In the series of photographs that follow, contemporary images transition into decades-old shots of the wall when it was newly constructed. This is followed by images of original real estate documents, resident portraits, and additional animated maps â each considering the issue from different angles.
The piece ends with an interactive display of how Detroitâs racial makeup has changed over the past several decades, from majority white to black, and how the wall has impacted the lives of its residents who lived (and died) within its borders.
The story of Black Lives Matter in sport
The BBC pairs illustrations and bold imagery in this photo essay on how athletes participated in the Black Lives Matter movement . At the start, a narrow column of text leads into an iconic image of American football players kneeling during the pre-game national anthem in a solemn protest against police brutality.
The first excerpt, a summary of Trayvon Martinâs death in 2012, draws you in with piercing prose capped off with photographs that bleed into one another. Every account in the photo essay follows this layout.
WaterAid Climate Stories
Climate change affects everyone on the planet, but some people are feeling the effects more than others. WaterAidâs scrollytelling photo essay illuminates the plight of individuals living in areas where extreme weather conditions â caused by climate change â have drastically impacted the water supply and environment, endangering their livelihoods and ability to survive.
This climate change story starts with an engrossing video that provides an up-close and personal look at the devastation that climate change-induced droughts have wreaked on people and the environment. As you scroll down, images of massively depleted bodies of water with superimposed text and quotes unfold before your eyes. Itâs an efficient way to drive home the critical message WaterAid wants to convey: climate change is real, and itâs harming real people.
Each extreme weather story focuses on an individual to help viewers empathise and understand that climate change has real, drastic consequences for millions of people worldwide. The piece ends with a call to action to learn more about and financially support WaterAidâs fight to assist people living in the desperate situations depicted in the essay.
28 Days in Afghanistan
In this piece, Australian photo-journalist Andrew Quilty tells the story of the four weeks he spent in Afghanistan . He captures daily events ranging from the mundaneâlike a casual visit to his barberâto jarring. More than one photo documents blood-spattered victims of violence.
Viewers must scroll through the piece to follow Andrewâs daily musings and the striking photos that accompany them. His photo essay is a powerful example of how scrollytelling is transforming the art of long-form journalism .
La carrera lunĂĄtica de Musk y Bezos (Musk and Bezos' lunatic careers)
Billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are angling to conquer the final frontier: space.
El PeriĂłdico captures their story via a whimsically illustrated photo essay, filled with neon line drawings and bold photos of the massive spaceships, the hangars that house them, and footprints on the moon. La carrera lunĂĄtica de Musk y Bezos describes the battle between the two titansâ space companies (Blue Origin and SpaceX) for the honor of partially funding NASAâs next mission to the moon.
As you scroll down, white and fluorescent yellow words on a black background roll smoothly over images. The team at El PeriĂłdico slips in stylistic animations to break up the textâsuch as rocket ships with shimmering âvapour trailsââthen ups the ante with a series of moon images that transition into portraits of the 12 U.S. astronauts who visited the celestial body.
The photo essay ends with the question: âWho will be the next to leave their footprints on the dusty lunar soil?â At the time of publishing, NASA had not yet decided between the two companies. (Spoiler alert: SpaceX won .)
Marissa Sapega is a seasoned writer, editor, and digital marketer with a background in web and graphic design.
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23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)
A Post By: Kevin Landwer-Johan
Looking for inspiration? Our 23 photo essay ideas will take your photography skills to new heights!
A single, strong photograph can convey a lot of information about its subject – but sometimes we have topics that require more than one image to do the job. That’s when it’s time to make a photo essay: a collection of pictures that together tell the bigger story around a chosen theme.
In the following sections, we’ll explore various photo essay ideas and examples that cover a wide range of subjects and purposes. From capturing the growth of your children to documenting local festivals, each idea offers an exciting opportunity to tell a story through your lens, whether you’re a hobbyist or a veteran professional.
So grab your camera, unleash your creativity, and let’s delve into the wonderful world of photo essay examples!
What is a photo essay?
Simply put, a photo essay is a series of carefully selected images woven together to tell a story or convey a message. Think of it as a visual narrative that designed to capture attention and spark emotions.
Now, these images can revolve around a broad theme or focus on a specific storyline. For instance, you might create a photo essay celebrating the joy of companionship by capturing 10 heartwarming pictures of people sharing genuine laughter. On the other hand, you could have a photo essay delving into the everyday lives of fishermen in Wales by following a single fisherman’s journey for a day or even a week.
It’s important to note that photo essays don’t necessarily have to stick to absolute truth. While some documentary photographers prefer to keep it authentic, others may employ techniques like manipulation or staging to create a more artistic impact. So there is room for creativity and interpretation.
Why you should create a photo essay
Photo essays have a way of expressing ideas and stories that words sometimes struggle to capture. They offer a visual narrative that can be incredibly powerful and impactful.
Firstly, photo essays are perfect when you have an idea or a point you want to convey, but you find yourself at a loss for words. Sometimes, emotions and concepts are better conveyed through images rather than paragraphs. So if you’re struggling to articulate a message, you can let your photos do the talking for you.
Second, if you’re interested in subjects that are highly visual, like the mesmerizing forms of architecture within a single city, photo essays are the way to go. Trying to describe the intricate details of a building or the play of light and shadows with words alone can be challenging. But through a series of captivating images, you can immerse your audience in the architecture.
And finally, if you’re aiming to evoke emotions or make a powerful statement, photo essays are outstanding. Images have an incredible ability to shock, inspire, and move people in ways that words often struggle to achieve. So if you want to raise awareness about an environmental issue or ignite a sense of empathy, a compelling series of photographs can have a profound impact.
Photo essay examples and ideas
Looking to create a photo essay but don’t know where to start? Here are some handy essay ideas and examples for inspiration!
1. A day in the life
Your first photo essay idea is simple: Track a life over the course of one day. You might make an essay about someone else’s life. Or the life of a location, such as the sidewalk outside your house.
The subject matter you choose is up to you. But start in the morning and create a series of images showing your subject over the course of a typical day.
(Alternatively, you can document your subject on a special day, like a birthday, a wedding, or some other celebration.)
2. Capture hands
Portraits focus on a subject’s face – but why not mix it up and make a photo essay that focuses on your subject’s hands?
(You can also focus on a collection of different people’s hands.)
Hands can tell you a lot about a person. And showing them in context is a great way to narrate a story.
3. Follow a sports team for a full season
Sports are all about emotions – both from the passionate players and the dedicated fans. While capturing the intensity of a single game can be exhilarating, imagine the power of telling the complete story of a team throughout an entire season.
For the best results, you’ll need to invest substantial time in sports photography. Choose a team that resonates with you and ensure their games are within a drivable distance. By photographing their highs and lows, celebrations and challenges, you’ll create a compelling photo essay that traces their journey from the first game to the last.
4. A child and their parent
Photographs that catch the interaction between parents and children are special. A parent-child connection is strong and unique, so making powerful images isn’t challenging. You just need to be ready to capture the special moments as they happen.
You might concentrate on a parent teaching their child. Or the pair playing sports. Or working on a special project.
Use your imagination, and you’ll have a great time with this theme.
5. Tell a local artist’s story
I’ve always enjoyed photographing artists as they work; studios have a creative vibe, so the energy is already there. Bring your camera into this environment and try to tell the artist’s story!
An artist’s studio offers plenty of opportunities for wonderful photo essays. Think about the most fascinating aspects of the artist’s process. What do they do that makes their art special? Aim to show this in your photos.
Many people appreciate fine art, but they’re often not aware of what happens behind the scenes. So documenting an artist can produce fascinating visual stories.
6. Show a tradesperson’s process
Do you have a plumber coming over to fix your kitchen sink? Is a builder making you a new deck?
Take photos while they work! Tell them what you want to do before you start, and don’t forget to share your photos with them.
They’ll probably appreciate seeing what they do from another perspective. They may even want to use your photos on their company website.
7. Photograph your kids as they grow
There’s something incredibly special about documenting the growth of our little ones. Kids grow up so quickly – before you know it, they’re moving out. Why not capture the beautiful moments along the way by creating a heartwarming photo essay that showcases their growth?
There are various approaches you can take, but one idea is to capture regular photos of your kids standing in front of a distinct point of reference, such as the refrigerator. Over a year or several years, you can gather these images and place them side by side to witness your childrens’ incredible transformations.
8. Cover a local community event
A school fundraiser, a tree-planting day at a park, or a parade; these are are all community events that make for good photo essay ideas.
Think like a photojournalist . What type of images would your editor want? Make sure to capture some wide-angle compositions , some medium shots, and some close-ups.
(Getting in close to show the details can often tell as much of a story as the wider pictures.)
9. Show fresh market life
Markets are great for photography because there’s always plenty of activity and lots of characters. Think of how you can best illustrate the flow of life at the market. What are the vendors doing that’s most interesting? What are the habits of the shoppers?
Look to capture the essence of the place. Try to portray the people who work and shop there.
10. Shoot the same location over time
What location do you visit regularly? Is there a way you can make an interesting photo essay about it?
Consider what you find most attractive and ugly about the place. Look for aspects that change over time.
Any outdoor location will look different throughout the day. Also think about the changes that occur from season to season. Create an essay that tells the story of the place.
11. Document a local festival
Festivals infuse cities and towns with vibrant energy and unique cultural experiences. Even if your own town doesn’t have notable festivals, chances are a neighboring town does. Explore the magic of these celebrations by documenting a local festival through your lens.
Immerse yourself in the festivities, arriving early and staying late. Capture the colorful displays and the people who make the festival come alive. If the festival spans multiple days, consider focusing on different areas each time you visit to create a diverse and comprehensive photo essay that truly reflects the essence of the event.
12. Photograph a garden through the seasons
It might be your own garden . It could be the neighbor’s. It could even be the garden at your local park.
Think about how the plants change during the course of a year. Capture photos of the most significant visual differences, then present them as a photo essay.
13. Show your local town or city
After spending several years in a particular area, you likely possess an intimate knowledge of your local town or city. Why not utilize that familiarity to create a captivating photo essay that showcases the essence of your community?
Delve into what makes your town special, whether it’s the charming streets, unique landmarks, or the people who shape its character. Dedicate time to capturing the diverse aspects that define your locale. If you’re up for a more extensive project, consider photographing the town over the course of an entire year, capturing the changing seasons and the dynamic spirit of your community.
14. Pick a local cause to highlight
Photo essays can go beyond passive documentation; they can become a part of your activism, too!
So find a cause that matters to you. Tell the story of some aspect of community life that needs improvement. Is there an ongoing issue with litter in your area? How about traffic; is there a problematic intersection?
Document these issues, then make sure to show the photos to people responsible for taking action.
15. Making a meal
Photo essay ideas can be about simple, everyday things – like making a meal or a coffee.
How can you creatively illustrate something that seems so mundane? My guess is that, when you put your mind to it, you can come up with many unique perspectives, all of which will make great stories.
16. Capture the life of a flower
In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to overlook the beauty that surrounds us. Flowers, with their mesmerizing colors and rapid life cycles, offer a captivating subject for a photo essay. Try to slow down and appreciate the intricate details of a flower’s existence.
With a macro lens in hand, document a single flower or a patch of flowers from their initial shoots to their inevitable wilting and decomposition. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to bring viewers into the enchanting world of the flower. By freezing these fleeting moments, you’ll create a visual narrative that celebrates the cycle of life and the exquisite beauty found in nature’s delicate creations.
17. Religious traditions
Religion is often rich with visual expression in one form or another. So capture it!
Of course, you may need to narrow down your ideas and choose a specific aspect of worship to photograph. Aim to show what people do when they visit a holy place, or how they pray on their own. Illustrate what makes their faith real and what’s special about it.
18. Historic sites
Historic sites are often iconic, and plenty of photographers take a snapshot or two.
But with a photo essay, you can illustrate the site’s history in greater depth.
Look for details of the location that many visitors miss. And use these to build an interesting story.
19. Show the construction of a building
Ever been away from a familiar place for a while only to return and find that things have changed? It happens all the time, especially in areas undergoing constant development. So why not grab your camera and document this transformation?
Here’s the idea: Find a building that’s currently under construction in your area. It could be a towering skyscraper, a modern office complex, or even a small-scale residential project. Whatever catches your eye! Then let the magic of photography unfold.
Make it a habit to take a photo every day or two. Watch as the building gradually takes shape and evolves. Capture the construction workers in action, the cranes reaching for the sky, and the scaffolding supporting the structure.
Once the building is complete, you’ll have a treasure trove of images that chronicle its construction from start to finish!
20. Document the changing skyline of the city
This photo essay example is like the previous one, except it works on a much larger scale. Instead of photographing a single building as it’s built, find a nice vantage point outside your nearest city, then photograph the changing skyline.
To create a remarkable photo essay showcasing the changing skyline, you’ll need to scout out the perfect vantage point. Seek high ground that offers a commanding view of the city, allowing you to frame the skyline against the horizon. Look for spots that give you an unobstructed perspective, whether a rooftop terrace, a hillside park, or even a nearby bridge.
As you set out on your photography expedition, be patient and observant. Cities don’t transform overnight; they change gradually over time. Embrace the passage of days, weeks, and months as you witness the slow evolution unfold.
Pro tip: To capture the essence of this transformation, experiment with various photographic techniques. Play with different angles, framing, and compositions to convey the grandeur and dynamism of the changing skyline. Plus, try shooting during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset , when the soft light bathes the city in a warm glow and accentuates the architectural details.
21. Photograph your pet
If you’re a pet owner, you already have the perfect subject for a photo essay!
All pets , with the possible exception of pet rocks, will provide you with a collection of interesting moments to photograph.
So collect these moments with your camera – then display them as a photo essay showing the nature and character of your pet.
22. Tell the story of a local nature preserve
Ah, the wonders of a local nature preserve! While it may not boast the grandeur of Yosemite National Park, these hidden gems hold their own beauty, just waiting to be discovered and captured through the lens of your camera.
To embark on this type of photo essay adventure, start by exploring all the nooks and crannies of your chosen nature preserve. Wander along its winding trails, keeping an eye out for unique and captivating subjects that convey the essence of the preserve.
As you go along, try to photograph the intricate details of delicate wildflowers, the interplay of light filtering through a dense forest canopy, and the lively activities of birds and other wildlife.
23. Show the same subject from multiple perspectives
It’s possible to create an entire photo essay in a single afternoon – or even in a handful of minutes. If you don’t love the idea of dedicating yourself to days of photographing for a single essay, this is a great option.
Simply find a subject you like, then endeavor to capture 10 unique images that include it. I’d recommend photographing from different angles: up above, down low, from the right and left. You can also try getting experimental with creative techniques, such as intentional camera movement and freelensing. If all goes well, you’ll have a very cool set of images featuring one of your favorite subjects!
By showcasing the same subject from multiple perspectives, you invite viewers on a visual journey. They get to see different facets, textures, and details that they might have overlooked in a single photograph. It adds depth and richness to your photo essay, making it both immersive and dynamic.
Photo essay ideas: final words
Remember: Photo essays are all about communicating a concept or a story through images rather than words. So embrace the process and use images to express yourself!
Whether you choose to follow a sports team through a thrilling season, document the growth of your little ones, or explore the hidden treasures of your local town, each photo essay has its own magic waiting to be unlocked. It’s a chance to explore your creativity and create images in your own style.
So look at the world around you. Grab your gear and venture out into the wild. Embrace the beauty of nature, the energy of a bustling city, or the quiet moments that make life special. Consider what you see every day. What aspects interest you the most? Photograph those things.
You’re bound to end up with some amazing photo essays!
Now over to you:
Do you have any photo essay examples you’re proud of? Do you have any more photo essay ideas? Share your thoughts and images in the comments below!
Read more from our Tips & Tutorials category
Kevin Landwer-Johan is a photographer, photography teacher, and author with over 30 years of experience that he loves to share with others.
Check out his website and his Buy Me a Coffee page .
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Looking for advice on how to start a photo essay...
Hey folks I have a photo essay project for one of my classes this semester and I feel like I'm a bit over my head. I've never done a photo essay and I'm wondering if you guys could give me any advice or tips on how to make a good photo essay.
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Facing War | Emergence of full scale war in Ukraine and those facing the unknown. "A DAY IN THE LIFE: LOCAL BUSINESS".đ¸ Photo Story Call đ¸ Total prize $300. In every local business, a story unfolds - a narrative written by the community it serves. Total 8 winners. (07/10/2024) {WW.
Here is my December's photo essay. I live on an island and take photos every day. Here is my November's photo essay. r/PhotoEssays: Essays in the form of photographs, pictures, images, memes, artwork. Sky is the limit, express yourself. Enjoy. Write a lot, or aâŚ.
In my book a photo essay has three components: An essay stating a point of view. A series of pictures illustrating that pov A caption fir each picture explaining how the image illustrates it. Each part by itself should be sufficient. In print the essay is about half the space, pix about 40 percent, captions about 10 percent. Photo essays are hard.
3. Take your time. A great photo essay is not done in a few hours. You need to put in the time to research it, conceptualizing it, editing, etc. That's why I previously recommended following your passion because it takes a lot of dedication, and if you're not passionate about it - it's difficult to push through. 4.
Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 ⢠5 min read. Photo essays tell a story in pictures, and there are many different ways to style your own photo essay. With a wide range of topics to explore, a photo essay can be thought-provoking, emotional, funny, unsettling, or all of the above, but mostly, they should be unforgettable.
The idea of a photo essay is to create a whole, not a bunch of random parts. Think gestalt. The images must interact with each other. Repetition helps achieve this end. Recurring themes, moods ...
1. Find a topic you care about. Every good photo essay should start with an idea. Otherwise, you'll be shooting without a purpose - and while such an approach may eventually lead to an interesting series of photos, it's far, far easier to begin with a topic and only then take out your camera. As I emphasized above, a photo essay can be ...
5. Place Over Time. View the "At Home in the Ozarks" photo essay by Kylee Cole. If you want to document changes and show how the streets, buildings, and parks in your city change over time, select your favorite locations and start to visit them regularly to capture the way they look during different seasons. 6.
4) Ask for help with image selection. I struggle with this one-I let my personal feelings get involved. Throughout our Notes Girls Write project I was constantly picking images based on my personal feelings-the subjects that I had connected with more, and the girls that I knew were most interested in the project.
Taking a look at how other photographers have approached the same - or similar - subjects can help you figure out the angle you wish to take. This photo essay by Maximilian M. Meduna takes an alternative approach to a popular photo topic - the United States 3 Make a structured plan . Once your research is complete, it's time to make a detailed and structured plan about how you're going to ...
The key to a good photo essay is to edit. Edit the photos to make sure they are cropped and edited well. If you leave them as they are in their original form, then it could look like some of the photos have been cut off or there will be too many unnecessary details in the picture.
This is the mantra that travel and documentary photographer Mark Edward Harris, author of The Travel Photo Essay Describing a Journey Through Images and whose work has appeared in CondĂŠ Nast Traveler and National Geographic, follows. Its meaning: Dig deeper into a place for a story rather simply skimming the surface.
2. A Day in the Life Photo Essay. Highlight a typical day in the life of a person, family, or community. This photographic essay gives you an opportunity to capture the reality of daily life and routines. Focus on the small moments that give insight into the subject's personality and relationships. 3.
7. Include a clincher. This image may not be apparent to you in the beginning, but most photographers say they know it when they see it. It's an image that wraps up the essay for the viewer. This image should say "the end," give a call to action, or show the end result of a day in the life or how to sequence.
Choose an idea, hone your unique perspective on it, then start applying the 9 simple steps from above. The life of a plant or animal (your favorite species, a species living in your yard, etc) The many shapes of a single species (a tree species, a bird species, etc) How a place changes over time.
From Taylor Dorrell's photo essay White Fences: "White Fences is an ongoing photo series that explores the theme of suburban youth in the United States, specifically in the midwest suburb New Albany, Ohio.". Put your emotions aside. Self-doubt can easily come into play when working with your own photography. The adage that we are our own worst critics is often true.
Stuff that's in use versus not, ok, yes, that makes sense. So add to those a Catholic graveyard, with well-maintained new gravestones with flowers, versus broken neglected weed-infested ones. Arrange used/unused in contrasting pairs. Or â sorry but this means people â in use versus neglected. 1.
Top 17 Photo Essay Examples. Here are some fantastic ideas to get you inspired to create your own photo essays! 17. Photograph a Protest. Protests tend to be lively events. You will find people standing, moving, and holding banners and signs. This is a great way to practice on a moving crowd.
An immersive photo essay uses rich media and story design to capture and keep the reader's attention. Immersive content is typically free of the most distracting elements of the web, such as pop-ups, skyscrapers, and other intrusions on the reading experience. As a basic rule of thumb, immersive content respects the reader's attention.
photo essay this is a long shot but i am a student and we have to do a 20 photo essay for my journalism class, about something going on in the school, with it being the end of the year everything is kinda wrapped up and over with, just looking for some ideas/inspiration if anyone has any đ cause i sure don'tâŚ
Here are some handy essay ideas and examples for inspiration! 1. A day in the life. Your first photo essay idea is simple: Track a life over the course of one day. You might make an essay about someone else's life. Or the life of a location, such as the sidewalk outside your house.
Hey folks I have a photo essay project for one of my classes this semester and I feel like I'm a bit over my head. I've never done a photo essay andâŚ
Abstract. This invited essay reflects upon the use of the photo essay within documentary photography. In particular, it compares Righteous Dopefiend, the much-lauded anthropological text by Philippe Bourgois with photographs by Jeff Schonberg, to work by photographers exploring similar subject matter. It aims to tease out some of the essential ...