Story telling in Photography
If you can start seeing the shot before you take it and go from taking Snapshots to Storytelling then you will see an immediate improvement in your photography.
It is a difficult skill to master but if you can start seeing the scene and wait for a specific moment rather than just following your subject around the frame you will see a big difference in your photography.
Here are 5 steps to effectively pre-visualize your images in the field:
1️. Identify your subject – Know what the photo is about before you press the shutter.
What is your photographic goal for the day? what subject or situation do you want to photograph? Or put very simply what story do you want to tell?
If you are going out locally to photograph for example Swans. These are common subjects if you visit the right place, but what story do you want to tell? What moment do you want to capture. A swan gracefully flying towards you, or maybe the chaotic moment it runs along the water struggling to slow itself down. Or do you want to show the serene moments of the swan swimming in the early morning light. When you have the story in mind the rest of the steps become easier.
2️. Imagine the final image – Think about framing, light, and mood.
Using the story you want to tell, observe where the light is coming from, will this source of light benefit a closer crop or a wider view showing some of the environment. One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to tell a story is to crop in too close, what elements do you want to include or exclude. You can use exposure compensation and white balance combined to highlight particular colours and tones that are there in the image and depending on whether you under expose or overexpose you can create a completely different mood to the image.
Try to get as much of the image correct in camera as possible but post processing is part of the process so know how to shoot to then make the image processing easier, It may only be a slight increase in the highlights, or shadows, but try to imagine the final image.
3️. Study the light – Notice how it’s shaping your subject and background.
Light is the key element of photography, and it can make or break an image. Mastering Different Angles of Light is a key component to the journey that all photographers must go on. The best way to understand light is to go out and practice. Photograph the same subject from different angles to see the impact that light has on the subject.
The light on the background is also key element of photography. Water is the ideal place to see this in full effect and will really speed up your creative journey. Over the course of an hour as the sun gets higher in the sky or moves the light on the water will change in intensity and colour – it can create different colours from blue to black to brown or orange. Positioning yourself and the subject in the correct place to maximise the effect you want to create is key to seeing the whole scene and not just taking snap shots of your chosen subject.
4. Compose with intention – Choose your angle, background, and depth of field carefully.
Eye level to your subject is usually the angle that you want to achieve, which may mean laying on the floor, the difference in perspective when you achieve eye level is incredible and can immediately transform your image, then look at the background, look for colours and specific areas of interest that you can pick out and use to add interest to your image.
Use your aperture to control depth of field, do you want to blur out the background and create a lovely “bokeh” effect (set the widest aperture possible (lowest number)) or do you want to show detail in the background or any areas of interest (set a smaller aperture (higher number)).
5️. Set your camera accordingly – Shoot with the final edit in mind.
To truly be able to start seeing the shot before you take it, you must have a good understanding of your camera and camera settings. You don’t need to necessarily know what every single menu item is, but you need to find a simple and easy way to shoot that gives you control of how the image will look. Put simply you need to understand how a few simple settings can transform your image and change the way that the camera can interpret your vision. To see my recommended settings then click here
In summary
Slow down.
So many people will shoot thousands of images, all of the same thing. One of the biggest pieces of advice I always give to my clients is to try to shoot less and think more. The Digital age is easy as we can take so many shots and not worry about it. But by adopting a more careful and considered approach like in the days of film, then every frame will count more.
Plan your shot.
Spend time watching and observing your subject, behaviour is often repeated but do some research on specific behaviour that your subject may exhibit. All wildlife subjects will give you a sign that they are about to do something, whether that is fly, fight, groom etc, If you have some knowledge then it will help you plan the type of shot that you want to create.
Spend time looking at the scene, look at the background, look at the light and then position yourself accordingly and sit and wait. The best wildlife images unless you are incredibly lucky take time and patience.
Shoot with purpose.
Always think of the story that you want to tell. What is the purpose of you being there on that particular day at that particular time to photograph that subject.
That’s how you move from snapshots to storytelling.
If you have enjoyed reading this article, then please check out some of the other free articles and tutorials available.
One of the best ways to learn is to go on a workshop. I am based in Glasgow and run workshops for beginners which covers the basics of camera operation and light and I also run a more advanced workshop that covers mastering angles of light, visualising an image and storytelling.
All of my tours worldwide also feature storytelling at the heart of them, we don’t just photograph the specific species we try to tell its story through photography.