What photos do I need in my Photo Essay?
The Lead Photo
Similar to the first tow sentences of a newspaper article, your lead photo should effectively draw in your audience. This is usually the most difficult photo to choose and should follow the theme of your essay. It could be an emotional portrait or an action shot, but ultimately it should provoke the curiosity of the viewer.
Establishing Shot
Your second photo should set the stage and describe the scene of your story. An overarching photo taken with a wide angle is often effective. Photo Essays are trying to take a viewer on a journey. You need to give them a sense of where they are going, an image that allows them to understand the rest of the story in a geographic context.
Close Up
A detail shot to focus on specific elements of your story. They are tightly cropped, simple shots. These photos do a great deal to dramatize a story. It’s ALWAYS a good idea to shoot lots of close ups. The caption for these photos should have a lot of information that relates to the story you are trying to tell.
Portrait
Portraits introduce viewers to characters in your story. These shots can help spark emotions and empathy in the viewer. Shoot a variety of candid and posed portraits.
Interactions
These are great shots to experiment with shutter speeds. You can use fast or slow shutters to express specific emotions or feelings in your story. Example: use a slow shutter speed with blurred motion to express a rushed or hurried feeling in an image, or show that time is passing by quickly.
How-to sequence
This is a group of photos that offer a how-to about some specific element of the story or process. Triptychs are a great way to group images showing a sequence.
Signature photo
A photo that summarizes the situation and captures the key elements of your story in telling moment.
This might be a photo of a woman, maybe your main character, weaving at a loom in the bungalow. Ideally, you’d be able to frame the shot to provide some context, maybe other women, the village in the background, etc.
The Clincher
A photo that is used to close the story, one that says “the end”. Leave viewers with a feeling of finality. Example: someone riding off into the sunset after a day of adventuring.
Similar to the first tow sentences of a newspaper article, your lead photo should effectively draw in your audience. This is usually the most difficult photo to choose and should follow the theme of your essay. It could be an emotional portrait or an action shot, but ultimately it should provoke the curiosity of the viewer.
Establishing Shot
Your second photo should set the stage and describe the scene of your story. An overarching photo taken with a wide angle is often effective. Photo Essays are trying to take a viewer on a journey. You need to give them a sense of where they are going, an image that allows them to understand the rest of the story in a geographic context.
Close Up
A detail shot to focus on specific elements of your story. They are tightly cropped, simple shots. These photos do a great deal to dramatize a story. It’s ALWAYS a good idea to shoot lots of close ups. The caption for these photos should have a lot of information that relates to the story you are trying to tell.
Portrait
Portraits introduce viewers to characters in your story. These shots can help spark emotions and empathy in the viewer. Shoot a variety of candid and posed portraits.
Interactions
These are great shots to experiment with shutter speeds. You can use fast or slow shutters to express specific emotions or feelings in your story. Example: use a slow shutter speed with blurred motion to express a rushed or hurried feeling in an image, or show that time is passing by quickly.
How-to sequence
This is a group of photos that offer a how-to about some specific element of the story or process. Triptychs are a great way to group images showing a sequence.
Signature photo
A photo that summarizes the situation and captures the key elements of your story in telling moment.
This might be a photo of a woman, maybe your main character, weaving at a loom in the bungalow. Ideally, you’d be able to frame the shot to provide some context, maybe other women, the village in the background, etc.
The Clincher
A photo that is used to close the story, one that says “the end”. Leave viewers with a feeling of finality. Example: someone riding off into the sunset after a day of adventuring.
