We’ve all heard how we should try to tell stories with our photos. A photo that has a story is more powerful, more thought provoking & more interesting. However what is a story and how on earth do we go about telling it?

This article is going to be the first of a two part blog where we will cover everything you need to know. Specifically in this first part, I will share with you a very simple practical approach that will get you going.

What Is Story?
There are many different interpretations of what story actually means. My own opinion is as follows. A photo that tells a story is also a photo that makes you ask questions. If we look at this photo of the girl in the subway, we can wander whether she’s hiding from someone or not.

A photo with a story is also one that makes you feel something when you look at it. A feeling can be one of happiness, sadness, warmth, or any other emotion. For example this first photo straight away feels cold and moody where’s the second photo feels warm and happy.

Finally a photo has a story if it can take you back in time and relive a certain moment. That could be, something you used to do, a specific event or even just general nostalgia. For example take this photo of a ride in a theme park.

Of course all the examples I just shared are just my opinions and you might have different ones regarding these specific images. However it’s the concept that matters.

A practical Approach
At this point you might be saying, this is all well and good but how do I actually do this? Well the reality is that to get one photo with a story is pretty difficult because for the most part, its luck. Even if you’re an expert, you still need to be at the right place at the right time and dedicate hours and hours to photography in order to get lucky. The reality is that for most of us, this is simply not an option. Therefore instead of putting all my eggs in one basket, I instead aim to tell my story through a collection of different photos. On their own these photos might be ok, however as an album, collectively, they tell a story. This puts the control back in your hands and if anything can allow you to shape what story to tell with your images. Typically my photo story would consist if between 3 and 9 images.

Image 1
The first image I would go for is an establishing shot. This photo sets the scene and tells the viewer where you are and what to expect. This could be a cityscape, a landscape, a busy street or any scene which makes it obvious where you are. Typically I would shoot this with a wider lens at 35mm and below.

Image 2
The second image is the subject shot. This photo tells the viewer what interesting subjects or scenes are in this location. The subject could be a person, a building, an animal, transport or anything that is of interest and relevance. Typically I would shoot this a bit tighter perhaps around 35 to 50mm.

Image 3
The third type of image is the detail shot. This photo focuses on something unique or insignificant within the scene. Something that you might just walk past and not see. Typically I would shoot this tighter at 50mm and above.

Examples
Example 1 - Brighton

Example 2 - Lake Bled

Example 3 - Istanbul

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Storytelling With Photography In 3 Easy Steps