How to add visual story telling. part1

[Jim Bryant]

At one point, you’ll want to share your pictures, in either an iphoto slide show, power point presentation or a print display to your friends.

While you can build these displays around a single theme or subject. More often than not, you’ll be trying to convey an overall feeling of the place you photographed, rather than just a single theme, in a visual story.

There is a logic structure to visual storytelling, and it is quite familiar/ you see it everyday on television and in the movies. They are both essentially visual storytelling mediums, and directors use the same techniques to pull you into their story.
As a still photographer, we can learn a lot from these techniques. The cameraman and director of photography use different types of shots, from overalls to close-ups, to establish a story line. The next time you watch a movie, turn off the sound and study the mixture of shots that are used. These same types of shots are useful to keep ion mind when you go cover a place with your

Establishing shot – Wide-angle overview that sets up the scene of soldiers firing at the ramparts, This is also often a high angle shot that will give the viewer a really good idea of the setting.

Medium shot - Usually a closer up view than the establishing shot. The higer than ground level battlefield scenes are shot with atelephoto lenses.

Close-up shot – A shot that shows storytelling details, such as faces, hands, signage architectural details, food, drink, and artwork.

Point of view shot – A shot taken from the angle of a participant in an event or action, a soldier’s view of the battlefield. The POV shots are more of a moving-picture technique than a still-photo, but you can make exciting POV shots by using unusual viewpoints like very high or low angles or silhouettes.

Every time you set out to photograph a situation, be it a street fair, a market or a walk about through the countryside, keep in mind this mix of shots. Each is important, if you take all establishing shots or all close-ups, you’ll loose the attention of your viewers. In everything you cover, get the establishing shots, the medium shots, detail and close-ups, and if possible the POV shot.

[Jim Bryant]

Portrait/personality (Close-up) this shot goes beyond merely recording a face to show some aspect of the subject’s personality or character. To consistently produce outstanding portraits/personalities the photographer must be part psychologist, and part interviewer, always establishing rapport with their subject in order to put them at ease.

Moving in for a close-up (or using a long lens) assures a strong center of interest as well as a simple composition.

Portrait/personality (environmental) is usually the opposite if the close-up because you add storytelling details in the environment of the portrait. A medium range or long shot that includes revealing visual information about the subject adds impact to the straight portrait. Such as adding the merchandise and wares sold by the two merchants tells the story that of the army of salesmen who followed the soldiers from battle field to battle field selling items such as candy, tobacco and food stuff not supplied by the government supply system.

Posing can be of great help, because you are enlisting the help of your subject to make the photograph work. Tools of the trade, elements in the background or being held, over even another person may all add to the environmental portrait.

The environmental detail should be obvious, so simplify the elements you add. The viewer should know immediately what the person does by the elements that may clutter the photograph.

[Jim Bryant]

Feature shots are a favorite of photojournalist because they are human interest in a “creative way to show viewers a “slice of Life.” Although they can be taken at planned events such as the Battle of Mobile Bay, most features are “found” situations during the lull and after the battles and when the soldiers and their families settled into camp life routines in the evening.

[Jim Bryant]

Pictorial pictures are often more enterprising than the feature approach. Often the feature and pictorial say the same thing, but the pictorial makes the subject a small part of the scene. Pictorial photographs combine composition with people and are often artistic rather the photojournalistic feature. The kids, silhouetted by the setting sun, the boy looking in the lamp and the lone soldier on guard after sunset adds an art approach adding a fitting ending to any visual story.

[oldwolf]

Another well written post dude. Darren should put these up on the main blog.

[Jim Bryant]

Thanks....I just hope everyone enjoys these posts and apply the tips to their further their shooting skills. As our wives have mentioned on more than one occasion....we are vessels of useless bits of information.

Originally Posted by oldwolf

Another well written post dude. Darren should put these up on the main blog.

[Jim Bryant]

Just wanted this one not to get buried in the back pages, some useful insight here.

[praline3001]

WOW Jim, thanks for this wonderful post and I really honestly mean it!

I am just starting out and want to improve a great deal. Its just sooo much to remember before making that ONE tiny little click of the camera LOL

Is there a post around here with links to all of your articles? I would LOVE TO READ THEM! Your writing style is easy to understand and doesn't focus so much on the technical side (I am a technical idiot) but on the how to get *THAT* perfect photo that grabs the attention!

Off to read and save more of your posts to remind myself (I easily forget as there is just so much to remember right at first!)

[captainkimo]

Good thing this was bumped up. This is a nice find. Great article. It's very informative and useful. Thanks for sharing, Jim!

Cheers!

Captain Kimo

[burridge]

Hello
Thank you Jim. It would be great if DPS placed all your articles in one location. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Take care~ DB