![shotkitlogo shotkitlogo](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/shotkitlogo-1.png)
The leading authority in photography and camera gear.
Become a better photographer.
12.9 Million
Annual Readers
Newsletter Subscribers
Featured Photographers
Photography Guides & Gear Reviews
![what is photo essay The New York Times](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/nyt.png)
![](http://mangareview.fun/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
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
Shotkit may earn a commission on affiliate links. Learn more.
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
![what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Photo-essay-laura-james.jpeg)
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
How Much Do You REALLY Know About Photography?! đ€
Test your photography knowledge with this quick quiz!
See how much you really know about photography...
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/wedtools.jpg)
Your answer:
Correct answer:
SHARE YOUR RESULTS
Your Answers
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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Photo-Essays-quang-nguyen-vinh.jpeg)
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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Photo-Essay-michelle-leman.jpeg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Photo-Essays-Picture-This.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Photo-Essays-Cindy-Sherman.jpg)
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!
![what is photo essay wed](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/wedtools.jpg)
Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.
Includes limited-time discounts.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Portrait_150x150-ana-mireles.jpg)
Ana Mireles is a Mexican researcher that specializes in photography and communications for the arts and culture sector.
đ WELCOME TO SHOTKIT!
![A black and white advertisement with a couple of black and white objects. A black and white advertisement with a couple of black and white objects.](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/westcott_fj-80-se_banner_300x300_shotkit-1.jpg)
đ„ Popular NOW:
![ipa-cover ipa-cover](https://shotkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ipa-cover.jpg)
Unlock the EXACT blueprint to capture breathtaking iPhone photos!
- Follow PetaPixel on YouTube
- Follow PetaPixel on Facebook
- Follow PetaPixel on X
- Follow PetaPixel on Instagram
How to Create a Photo Essay
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/05/photo-story-header-800x420.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/05/country-doctor-life-magazine-800x369.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay Dorothea Lange photo](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/04/Lange-763x800.jpeg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/05/woman-photographing-800x450.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay A Gordon Parks photo](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/04/Parks-794x800.jpeg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/05/photo-of-Ottuk-Kyrgyzstan-by-Konrad-Lembcke-800x479.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay Werner Bischof photos](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/04/Bischof2-800x592.jpeg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2022/05/photos-in-a-photo-story-800x230.jpg)
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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2017/04/sulfurminefeat.jpg)
Student Sign In
![Conservation Visual Storytellers Academy Logo Small Compressed what is photo essay](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Conservation-Visual-Storytellers-Academy-Logo-Small-Compressed.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
How to Create a Photo Essay in 9 Steps (with Examples)
Photo Editing & Creativity , Tutorials
![great-blue-heron-in-misty-stream-jaymi-heimbuch_7959-featured Great blue heron standing in shallow water with a reflection and vegetation in the background.](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/great-blue-heron-in-misty-stream-jaymi-heimbuch_7959-featured.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we fully support or use ourselves. Our full disclaimer
What is a photo essay?
- Photo essays vs photo stories
- How photo essays help you
- 9 Steps to create photo essays
How to share your photo essays
Read Time: 11 minutes
Gather up a handful of images that seem to go together, and voila! Itâs a photo essay, right? Well… no. Though, this is a common misconception.
In reality, a photo essay is much more thoughtful and structured than that. When you take the time to craft one, youâre using skills from all facets of our craft – from composition to curation.
In this guide, youâll learn what makes a photo essay an amazing project that stretches your skills. You’ll also learn exactly how to make one step by step.
- Photo essay vs photo story
A photo essay is a collection of images based around a theme, a topic, a creative approach, or an exploration of an idea. Photo essays balance visual variety with a cohesive style and concept.
What’s the difference between a photo essay and a photo story?
The terms photo essay and photo story are often used interchangeably. Even the dictionary definition of “photo essay” includes using images to convey either a theme or a story.
But in my experience, a photo essay and a photo story are two different things. As you delve into the field of visual storytelling, distinguishing between the two helps you to take a purposeful approach to what youâre making .
The differences ultimately lie in the distinctions between theme, topic and story.
Themes are big-picture concepts. Example: Wildness
Topics are more specific than themes, but still overarching. Example : Wild bears of Yellowstone National Park
Stories are specific instances or experiences that happen within, or provide an example for, a topic or theme. Example: A certain wild bear became habituated to tourists and was relocated to maintain its wildness
Unlike a theme or topic, a story has particular elements that make it a story. They include leading characters, a setting, a narrative arc, conflict, and (usually) resolution.
With that in mind, we can distingush between a photo essay and a photo story.
Themes and Topics vs Stories
A photo essay revolves around a topic, theme, idea, or concept. It visually explores a big-picture something .
This allows a good deal of artistic leeway where a photographer can express their vision, philosophies, opinions, or artistic expression as they create their images.
A photo story  is a portfolio of images that illustrate – you guessed it – a story.
Because of this, there are distinct types of images that a photo story uses that add to the understanding, insight, clarity and meaning to the story for viewers. While they can certainly be artistically crafted and visually stunning, photo stories document something happening, and rely on visual variety for capturing the full experience.
A photo essay doesnât need to have the same level of structured variety that a photo story requires. It can have images that overlap or are similar, as they each explore various aspects of a theme.
![An urban coyote walks across a road near an apartment building An urban coyote walks across a road near an apartment building](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/urban-coyote-walking-on-street-jaymi-heimbuch-IMG_3112.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Photo essays can be about any topic. If you live in a city, consider using your nature photography to make an essay about the wildlife that lives in your neighborhood .Â
The role of text with photos
A photo story typically runs alongside text that narrates the story. We’re a visual species, and the images help us feel like we are there, experiencing what’s happening. So, the images add significant power to the text, but they’re often a partner to it.
This isnât always the case, of course. Sometimes photo stories donât need or use text. Itâs like reading a graphic novel that doesnât use text. Moving through the different images that build on each other ultimately unveils the narrative.
Photo essays donât need to rely on text to illuminate the images’ theme or topic. The photographer may use captions (or even a text essay), or they may let the images speak for themselves.
Definitions are helpful guidelines (not strict rules)
Some people categorize photo essays as either narrative or thematic. That’s essentially just calling photo stories ânarrative photo essaysâ and photo essays âthematic photo essays.â
But, a story is a defined thing, and any writer/editor will tell you themes and topics are not the same as stories. And we use the word âstoryâ in our daily lives as itâs defined. So, it makes far more sense to name the difference between a photo essay and a photo story, and bask in the same clarity writers enjoy .
Photo stories illustrate a particular experience, event, narrative, something that happened or is happening.
Photo essays explore an idea, concept, topic, theme, creative approach, big-picture something .
Both photo essays and photo stories are immensely powerful visual tools. And yes, the differences between them can certainly be blurred, as is always the case with art.
Simply use this distinction as a general guideline, providing extra clarity around what youâre making and why you’re making it.
To dig into specific types of images used to create powerful photo stories, check out this training: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story.Â
Meanwhile, letâs dig deeper into photo essays.
![what is photo essay Best cameras for wildlife photography (2024)](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/wildlife-camera-4cixj38pA7Y.jpg?lossy=1&resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Capturing amazing wildlife photos requires not only passion and skill but also the right equipment.
This guide breaks down the best options so you can find the perfect camera for your specific needs , whether you're a beginner or pro.
![A sea nettle jellyfish floats alone on a white surface A sea nettle jellyfish floats alone on a white surface](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/jellyfish-in-black-and-white-jaymi-heimbuchIMG_0264.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Photo essays are a chance to try new styles or techniques that stretch your skills and creativity. This image was part of an essay exploring simplicity and shape, and helped me learn new skills in black and white post-processing.
How photo essays improve your photography
Creating photo essays is an amazing antidote if youâve ever felt a lack of direction or purpose in your photography. Photo essays help build your photographic skills in at least 3 important ways.
1. You become more strategic in creating a body of work
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of photographing whatever pops up in front of you. And when you do, you end up with a collection of stand-alone shots.
These singles may work fine as a print, a quick Instagram post, or an addition to your gallery of shots on your website. But amassing a bunch of one-off shots limits your opportunities as a photographer for everything from exhibits to getting your work published.
Building photo essays pushes you to think strategically about what you photograph, why, and how. You’re working toward a particular deliverable â a cohesive visual essay â with the images you create.
This elevates your skills in crafting your photo essay, and in how you curate the rest of your work, from galleries on your website to selecting images to sell as prints .
2. You become more purposeful in your composition skills
Composition is so much more than just following the rule of thirds, golden spirals, or thinking about the angle of light in a shot.
Composition is also about thinking ahead in what youâre trying to accomplish with a photograph – from what youâre saying through it to its emotional impact on a viewer â and where it fits within a larger body of work.
Photo essays push you to think critically about each shot – from coming up with fresh compositions for familiar subjects, to devising surprising compositions to fit within a collection, to creating compositions that expand on whatâs already in a photo essay.
Youâre pushed beyond creating a single pleasing frame, which leads you to shoot more thoughtfully and proactively than ever.
(Hereâs a podcast episode on switching from reactive shooting to proactive shooting .)
3. You develop strong editing and curation skills
Selecting which images stay, and which get left behind is one of the hardest jobs on a photographerâs to-do list. Mostly, itâs because of emotional attachment.
You might think itâs an amazing shot because you know the effort that went into capturing it. Or perhaps when you look at it, you get a twinge of the joy or exhilaration you felt the moment you captured it. Thereâs also the second-guessing that goes into which of two similar images is the best – which will people like more? So youâre tempted to just show both.
Ultimately, great photographers appear all the more skilled because they only show their best work. That in and of itself is a skill theyâve developed through years of ruthlessly editing their own work.
Because the most powerful photo essays only show a handful of extraordinary images, youâre bound to develop the very same critical skill (and look all the more talented because of it).
Photo essays are also a great stepping stone to creating photo stories. If youâre interested in moving beyond stand-alone shots and building stories, shooting photo essays will get your creative brain limbered up and ready for the adventure of photo stories.
![An American dipper looks into the water of a stream on a cold morning An american dipper looks into the water of a stream on a cold morning](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/american-dipper-in-stream-jaymi-heimbuch_JHX5790.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
A photo essay exploring the natural history of a favorite species is an exciting opportunity for an in-depth study. For me, that was a photo essay on emotive images of the American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) as it hunts in streams.Â
9 Simple steps to create your photo essays
1. clarify your theme.
Choose a theme, topic, or concept you want to explore. Spend some time getting crystal clear on what you want to focus on. It helps to write out a few sentences, or even a few paragraphs noting:
- What you want the essay to be about
- What kinds of images you want to create as part of it
- How youâll photograph the images
- The style, techniques, or gear you might use to create your images
- What âsuccessâ looks like when youâre done with your photo essay
You donât have to stick to what you write down, of course. It can change during the image creation process. But fleshing your idea out on paper goes a long way in clarifying your photo essay theme and how youâll go about creating it.
2. Create your images
Grab your camera and head outside!
As youâre photographing your essay, allow yourself some freedom to experiment. Try unusual compositions or techniques that are new to you.
Stretch your style a little, or âtry onâ the style of other photographers you admire who have photographed similar subjects.
Photo essays are wonderful opportunities to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and grow as a photographer .
Remember that a photo essay is a visually cohesive collection of images that make sense together. So, while you might stretch yourself into new terrain as you shoot, try to keep that approach, style, or strategy consistent.
Donât be afraid to create lots of images. Itâs great to have lots to choose from in the editing process, which comes up next.
3. Pull together your wide edit
Once youâve created your images, pull together all the images that might make the cut. This could be as many as 40-60 images. Include anything you want to consider for the final essay in the wide edit.
From here, start weeding out images that:
- are weaker in composition or subject matter
- stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of the collection
- Are similar to other stronger images in the collection
It’s helpful to review the images at thumbnail size. You make more instinctive decisions and can more easily see the body of work as a whole. If an image is strong even at thumbnail size to stand out from similar frames while also partnering well with other images in the collection, that’s a good sign it’s strong enough for the essay.
4. Post-process your images for a cohesive look
Now itâs time to post-process the images. Use whatever editing software youâre comfortable with to polish your images.
Again, a photo essay has a cohesive visual look. If you use presets, filters, or other tools, use them across all the images.
5. Finalize your selection
Itâs time to make the tough decisions. Select only the strongest for your photo essay from your group of images.
Each image should be strong enough to stand on its own and make sense as part of the whole group.
Many photo essays range from 8-12 images. But of course, it varies based on the essay. The number of images you have in your final photo essay is up to you.
Remember, less is more. A photo essay is most powerful when each image deserves to be included.
6. Put your images in a purposeful order
Create a visual flow with your images. Decide which image is first, and build from there. Use compositions, colors, and subject matter to decide which image goes next, then next, then next in the order.
Think of it like music: notes are arranged in a way that builds energy, or slows it down, surprise listeners with a new refrain, or drop into a familiar chorus. How the notes are ordered creates emotional arcs for listeners.
How you order your images is similar.
Think of the experience a viewer will have as they look at one image, then the next, and the next. Order your images so they create the experience you want your audience to have.
7. Get feedback
The best photographers make space for feedback, even when itâs tough to hear. Your work benefits from not just hearing feedback, but listening to it and applying what you learn from it.
Show your photo essay to people who have different sensibilities or tastes. Friends, family members, fellow photographers – anyone you trust to give you honest feedback.
Watch their reactions and hear what they say about what theyâre seeing. Use their feedback to guide you in the next step.
8. Refine, revise, and finalize
Let your photo essay marinate for a little while. Take a day or two away from it. Then use your freshened eyes and the feedback you received from the previous step to refine your essay.
Swap out any selects you might want to change and reorder the images if needed.
9. Add captions
Even if you donât plan on displaying captions with your images, captioning your images is a great practice to get into. It gives context, story, and important information to each image. And, more than likely, you will want to use these captions at some point when you share your photo essay, which we dive into later in this article.
Add captions to the image files using Lightroom, Bridge, or other software programs.
Create a document, such as a Google or Word doc, with captions for each image.
In your captions, share a bit about the story behind the image, or the creation process. Add whatever makes sense to share that provides a greater understanding of the image and its purpose.
![Two rocks sit near each other on a wind-blown beach with long lines of texture in the sand Two rocks sit near each other on a wind-blown beach with long lines of texture in the sand](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rocks-on-textured-sand-jaymi-heimbuch-JHX3433.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Photo essays allow you to explore deliberate style choices, such as a focus on shapes, patterns, textures, and lines. Since each photo is part of a larger essay, it encourages you to be bold with choices you might not otherwise make.Â
5 Examples of amazing nature photo essays
1. “how the water shapes us” from the nature conservancy.
![screenshot-photo-essay-nature-conservancy-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay how the water shapes us from nature conservancy](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-nature-conservancy-web-e1661022684510-1024x561.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This gorgeous essay, crafted with the work of multiple photographers, explores the people and places within the Mississippi River basin. Through the images, we gain a sense of how the water influences life from the headwater all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Notice how each photographer is tasked with the same theme, yet approaches it with their own distinct style and vision. It is a wonderful example of the sheer level of visual variety you can have while maintaining a consistent style or theme.
View it here
2. “A Cyclist on the English Landscape” from New York Timesâ The World Through A Lens series
![screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-cyclist-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay a cyclist on the english landscape from new york times](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-cyclist-web.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This photo essay is a series of self-portraits by travel photographer Roff Smith while âstuckâ at home during the pandemic. As he peddled the roads making portraits, the project evolved into a âcelebration of traveling at homeâ. Itâs a great example of how visually consistent you can be inside a theme while making each image completely unique.
3. “Vermont, Dressed In Snow” from New York Timesâ The World Through A Lens series
![screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-winter-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay vermont, dressed in snow from new york times](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-winter-web.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This essay by aerial photographer Caleb Kenna uses a very common photo essay theme: snow. Because all images are aerial photographs, thereâs a consistency to them. Yet, the compositions are utterly unique from one another. Itâs a great example of keeping viewers surprised as they move from one image to the next while still maintaining a clear focus on the theme.
4. “Starling-Studded Skies” from bioGraphic Magazine
![screenshot-photo-essay-biographic-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay starling-studded-skies from biographic magazine](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-biographic-web-e1661022700219.png?lossy=1&resize=1080%2C591&ssl=1)
This beautiful essay is by Kathryn Cooper, a physicist trained in bioinformatics, and a talented photographer. She used a 19th century photographic technique, chronophotography, to create images that give us a look at the art and science of starling murmurations. She states: âIâm interested in the transient moments when chaos briefly changes to order, and thousands of individual bodies appear to move as one.â This essay is a great example of deep exploration of a concept using a specific photographic technique.
View it here  (Note: must be viewed on desktop)
5. “These Scrappy Photos Capture the Action-Packed World Beneath a Bird Feeder” from Audubon Magazine
![screenshot-photo-essay-audubon-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay by carla rhodes from audubon online](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-audubon-web-e1661022721716.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This photo essay from conservation photographer Carla Rhodes explores the wildlife that takes advantage of the bounty of food waiting under bird feeders . Using remote camera photography , Rhodes gives viewers a unique ground-level perspective and captures moments that make us feel like weâre in conversation with friends in the Hundred Acre Woods. This essay is a great example of how perspective, personality, and chance can all come into play as you explore both an idea and a technique.
25 Ideas for creative photo essays you can make
The possibilities for photo essays are truly endless – from the concepts you explore to the techniques you use and styles you apply.
Choose an idea, hone your unique perspective on it, then start applying the 9 simple steps from above.Â
- 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
- The various moods of a place
- A conservation issue you care about
- Math in nature
- Urban nature
- Seasonal changes
- Your yard as a space for nature
- Shifting climate and its impacts
- Human impacts on environments
- Elements: Water, wind, fire, earth
- Day in the life (of a person, a place, a stream, a treeâŠ)
- Outdoor recreation (birding, kayaking, hiking, naturalist journaling…)
- Wildlife rehabilitation
- Lunar cycles
- Sunlight and shadows
- Your local watershed
- Coexistence
![A Pacific wren sings from a branch in a sun dappled forest A pacific wren sings from a branch in a sun dappled forest](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/pacific-wren-singing-in-forest-jaymi-heimbuch-HX21390.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
As you zero in on a photo essay theme, consider two things: what most excites you about an idea, and what about it pushes you out of your comfort zone. The heady mix of joy and challenge will ensure you stick with it.Â
Your photo essay is ready for the world! Decide how youâd like to make an impact with your work. You might use one or several of the options below.
1. Share it on your website
Create a gallery or a scrollytelling page on your website. This is a great way to drive traffic to your website where people can peruse your photo essay and the rest of the photography you have.
Putting it on your website and optimizing your images for SEO helps you build organic traffic and potentially be discovered by a broader audience, including photo editors.
2. Create a scrollytelling web page
If you enjoy the experience of immersive visual experiences, consider making one using your essay. And no, you donât have to be a whiz at code to make it happen.
Shorthand helps you build web pages with scrollytelling techniques that make a big impression on viewers. Their free plan allows you to publish 3 essays or stories.
3. Create a Medium post
If you donât have a website and want to keep things simple, a post on Medium is a great option.
Though itâs known for being a platform for bloggers, itâs also possible to add images to a post for a simple scroll.
And, because readers can discover and share posts, itâs a good place for your photos to get the attention of people who might not otherwise come across it.
4. Share it on Instagram
Instagram has changed a lot over the last couple of years, but itâs still a place for photographers to share their work thoughtfully.
There are at least 3 great ways to share your photo essay on the platform.
– Create a single post for each image. Add a caption. Publish one post per day until the full essay is on your feed. Share each post via Instagram Stories to bring more attention and interaction to your photo essay.
– Create a carousel post. You can add up 10 photos to a carousel post, so you may need to create two of them for your full photo essay. Or you might create a series of carousel posts using 3-4 images in each.
– Create a Reel featuring your images as a video. The algorithm heavily favors reels, so turning your photo essay into a video experience can get it out to a larger audience.
I ran a âcreate a reelâ challenge in my membership community. One member created a reel with her still images around a serious conservation issue. It gathered a ton of attention and landed her opportunities to share her message through YouTube and podcast interviews and publishing opportunities. Watch it here.
5. Exhibit it locally
Reach out to local galleries, cafes, pubs, or even the public library to see if theyâre interested in hanging your photo essay for display. Many local businesses and organizations happily support the work of local artists.
6. Pitch your photo essay to publications
One of the best ways to reach an audience with your work is to get it published. Find publications that are a great fit for the theme and style of your photo essay, then pitch your essay for consideration. You gain a fantastic opportunity to share your work widely and can earn a paycheck at the same time.
Remember that if you want to get your photo essay published, you may want to hold back from sharing it publicly before you pitch it to publications.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/betterwithbirdspromo-1024x1024.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
5 Strategies to Find the Positive Angle In Every Conservation Photo Story
Photo Stories and Essays , Tutorials
Training your brain to see the silver linings and solutions is essential in several ways, from engaging your audience to gaining the interest of editors. If you've been watching the news pretty much at all over the past couple of months, you know there's...
![what is photo essay How to Make Time for Photography (Even When Life Gets Busy)](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/low-key-wildlife-photography-4919-1080x675.jpg?lossy=1&fit=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
How to Make Time for Photography (Even When Life Gets Busy)
Photography Business , Tutorials
It's easy to let your creative time slip to the back burner... or slip off the stove entirely. This surprisingly powerful tool will help you both make time for your photography AND make great forward progress on your projects. Contents Use timed focus...
![what is photo essay How to Create Personal Narrative Photo Stories That Viewers LOVE](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/shaping-surfboards-3860-1080x675.jpg?lossy=1&fit=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
How to Create Personal Narrative Photo Stories That Viewers LOVE
Your personal perspective and experiences can be a powerful storytelling strategy. But there are ways to do it right (and wrong). Here are my top 3 tips for what to keep in mind when photographing a story that's your own personal narrative so that your story is...
![what is photo essay 6 Books That Forever Changed My Wildlife Conservation Photography](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/minimalist-landscape-1449-1080x675.jpg?lossy=1&fit=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
6 Books That Forever Changed My Wildlife Conservation Photography
From how you approach being in the field and scouting locations, to how you approach the stories you photograph and communicate conservation issues, these 6 books are the (unconventional) must-read list for every conservation photographer. An...
PIN THIS FOR LATER
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PIN-create-a-Photo-essay.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Jaymi Heimbuch
Next up….
![what is photo essay 5 Strategies to Find the Positive Angle In Every Conservation Photo Story](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/wilsons-warbler-3705-400x250.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
How to train your brain to see solutions in photo stories so that you can engage your audience and gain the interest of editors.
![what is photo essay How to Make Time for Photography (Even When Life Gets Busy)](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/low-key-wildlife-photography-4919-400x250.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This surprisingly powerful tool will help you both make time for your photography AND make great forward progress on your projects.
![what is photo essay How to Create Personal Narrative Photo Stories That Viewers LOVE](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/shaping-surfboards-3860-400x250.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
If you do these 3 things, you’ll have a share-worthy story your viewers feel connected to and inspired by.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO READ TODAY?
POPULAR SEARCHES: Best Cameras  |  Location Guide  | Best Lenses  | Wildlife Â
Privacy Overview
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
![what is photo essay The complete guide to making a photo essay - conservationvisuals.com.](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PIN-create-a-Photo-essay-200x300.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
- Share your Views
- Submit a Contest
- Recommend Contest
- Terms of Service
- Testimonials
![what is photo essay Photo Contest Insider](https://www.photocontestinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/homefinal_logo.png)
Photo Contests – Photography competitions
- Filter Photo Contests
- All Photo Contests
- Get FREE Contests Updates
- Photo Contest Tips
- Photography Deals
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://www.photocontestinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/photo-essay.png)
What is a Photo Essay? 9 Photo Essay Examples You Can Recreate
A photo essay is a series of photographs that tell a story. Unlike a written essay, a photo essay focuses on visuals instead of words. With a photo essay, you can stretch your creative limits and explore new ways to connect with your audience. Whatever your photography skill level, you can recreate your own fun and creative photo essay.
9 Photo Essay Examples You Can Recreate
- Photowalk Photo Essay
- Transformation Photo Essay
- Day in the Life Photo Essay
- Event Photo Essay
- Building Photo Essay
- Historic Site or Landmark Photo Essay
- Behind the Scenes Photo Essay
- Family Photo Essay
- Education Photo Essay
Stories are important to all of us. While some people gravitate to written stories, others are much more attuned to visual imagery. With a photo essay, you can tell a story without writing a word. Your use of composition, contrast, color, and perspective in photography will convey ideas and evoke emotions.
To explore narrative photography, you can use basic photographic equipment. You can buy a camera or even use your smartphone to get started. While lighting, lenses, and post-processing software can enhance your photos, they aren’t necessary to achieve good results.
Whether you need to complete a photo essay assignment or want to pursue one for fun or professional purposes, you can use these photo essay ideas for your photography inspiration . Once you know the answer to “what is a photo essay?” and find out how fun it is to create one, you’ll likely be motivated to continue your forays into photographic storytelling.
1 . Photowalk Photo Essay
One popular photo essay example is a photowalk. Simply put, a photowalk is time you set aside to walk around a city, town, or a natural site and take photos. Some cities even have photowalk tours led by professional photographers. On these tours, you can learn the basics about how to operate your camera, practice photography composition techniques, and understand how to look for unique shots that help tell your story.
Set aside at least two to three hours for your photowalk. Even if you’re photographing a familiar placeâlike your own home townâtry to look at it through new eyes. Imagine yourself as a first-time visitor or pretend you’re trying to educate a tourist about the area.
Walk around slowly and look for different ways to capture the mood and energy of your location. If you’re in a city, capture wide shots of streets, close-ups of interesting features on buildings, street signs, and candid shots of people. Look for small details that give the city character and life. And try some new conceptsâlike reflection picture ideasâby looking for opportunities to photographs reflections in mirrored buildings, puddles, fountains, or bodies of water.
2 . Transformation Photo Essay
With a transformation photography essay, you can tell the story about change over time. One of the most popular photostory examples, a transformation essay can document a mom-to-be’s pregnancy or a child’s growth from infancy into the toddler years. But people don’t need to be the focus of a transformation essay. You can take photos of a house that is being built or an urban area undergoing revitalization.
You can also create a photo narrative to document a short-term change. Maybe you want to capture images of your growing garden or your move from one home to another. These examples of photo essays are powerful ways of telling the story of life’s changesâboth large and small.
3 . Day in the Life Photo Essay
Want a unique way to tell a person’s story? Or, perhaps you want to introduce people to a career or activity. You may want to consider a day in the life essay.
With this photostory example, your narrative focuses on a specific subject for an entire day. For example, if you are photographing a farmer, you’ll want to arrive early in the morning and shadow the farmer as he or she performs daily tasks. Capture a mix of candid shots of the farmer at work and add landscapes and still life of equipment for added context. And if you are at a farm, don’t forget to get a few shots of the animals for added character, charm, or even a dose of humor. These types of photography essay examples are great practice if you are considering pursuing photojournalism. They also help you learn and improve your candid portrait skills.
4 . Event Photo Essay
Events are happening in your local area all the time, and they can make great photo essays. With a little research, you can quickly find many events that you could photograph. There may be bake sales, fundraisers, concerts, art shows, farm markets, block parties, and other non profit event ideas . You could also focus on a personal event, such as a birthday or graduation.
At most events, your primary emphasis will be on capturing candid photos of people in action. You can also capture backgrounds or objects to set the scene. For example, at a birthday party, you’ll want to take photos of the cake and presents.
For a local or community event, you can share your photos with the event organizer. Or, you may be able to post them on social media and tag the event sponsor. This is a great way to gain recognition and build your reputation as a talented photographer.
5. Building Photo Essay
Many buildings can be a compelling subject for a photographic essay. Always make sure that you have permission to enter and photograph the building. Once you do, look for interesting shots and angles that convey the personality, purpose, and history of the building. You may also be able to photograph the comings and goings of people that visit or work in the building during the day.
Some photographers love to explore and photograph abandoned buildings. With these types of photos, you can provide a window into the past. Definitely make sure you gain permission before entering an abandoned building and take caution since some can have unsafe elements and structures.
6. Historic Site or Landmark Photo Essay
Taking a series of photos of a historic site or landmark can be a great experience. You can learn to capture the same site from different angles to help portray its character and tell its story. And you can also photograph how people visit and engage with the site or landmark. Take photos at different times of day and in varied lighting to capture all its nuances and moods.
You can also use your photographic essay to help your audience understand the history of your chosen location. For example, if you want to provide perspective on the Civil War, a visit to a battleground can be meaningful. You can also visit a site when reenactors are present to share insight on how life used to be in days gone by.
7 . Behind the Scenes Photo Essay
Another fun essay idea is taking photos “behind the scenes” at an event. Maybe you can chronicle all the work that goes into a holiday festival from the early morning set-up to the late-night teardown. Think of the lead event planner as the main character of your story and build the story about him or her.
Or, you can go backstage at a drama production. Capture photos of actors and actresses as they transform their looks with costuming and makeup. Show the lead nervously pacing in the wings before taking center stage. Focus the work of stagehands, lighting designers, and makeup artists who never see the spotlight but bring a vital role in bringing the play to life.
8. Family Photo Essay
If you enjoy photographing people, why not explore photo story ideas about families and relationships? You can focus on interactions between two family membersâsuch as a father and a daughterâor convey a message about a family as a whole.
Sometimes these type of photo essays can be all about the fun and joy of living in a close-knit family. But sometimes they can be powerful portraits of challenging social topics. Images of a family from another country can be a meaningful photo essay on immigration. You could also create a photo essay on depression by capturing families who are coping with one member’s illness.
For these projects on difficult topics, you may want to compose a photo essay with captions. These captions can feature quotes from family members or document your own observations. Although approaching hard topics isn’t easy, these types of photos can have lasting impact and value.
9. Education Photo Essay
Opportunities for education photo essays are everywhereâfrom small preschools to community colleges and universities. You can seek permission to take photos at public or private schools or even focus on alternative educational paths, like homeschooling.
Your education photo essay can take many forms. For example, you can design a photo essay of an experienced teacher at a high school. Take photos of him or her in action in the classroom, show quiet moments grading papers, and capture a shared laugh between colleagues in the teacher’s lounge.
Alternatively, you can focus on a specific subjectâsuch as science and technology. Or aim to portray a specific grade level, document activities club or sport, or portray the social environment. A photo essay on food choices in the cafeteria can be thought-provoking or even funny. There are many potential directions to pursue and many great essay examples.
While education is an excellent topic for a photo essay for students, education can be a great source of inspiration for any photographer.
Why Should You Create a Photo Essay?
Ultimately, photographers are storytellers. Think of what a photographer does during a typical photo shoot. He or she will take a series of photos that helps convey the essence of the subjectâwhether that is a person, location, or inanimate object. For example, a family portrait session tells the story of a familyâwho they are, their personalities, and the closeness of their relationship.
Learning how to make a photo essay can help you become a better storytellerâand a better photographer. You’ll cultivate key photography skills that you can carry with you no matter where your photography journey leads.
If you simply want to document life’s moments on social media, you may find that a single picture doesn’t always tell the full story. Reviewing photo essay examples and experimenting with your own essay ideas can help you choose meaningful collections of photos to share with friends and family online.
Learning how to create photo essays can also help you work towards professional photography ambitions. You’ll often find that bloggers tell photographic stories. For example, think of cooking blogs that show you each step in making a recipe. Photo essays are also a mainstay of journalism. You’ll often find photo essays examples in many media outletsâeverywhere from national magazines to local community newspapers. And the best travel photographers on Instagram tell great stories with their photos, too.
With a photo essay, you can explore many moods and emotions. Some of the best photo essays tell serious stories, but some are humorous, and others aim to evoke action.
You can raise awareness with a photo essay on racism or a photo essay on poverty. A photo essay on bullying can help change the social climate for students at a school. Or, you can document a fun day at the beach or an amusement park. You have control of the themes, photographic elements, and the story you want to tell.
5 Steps to Create a Photo Essay
Every photo essay will be different, but you can use a standard process. Following these five steps will guide you through every phase of your photo essay projectâfrom brainstorming creative essay topics to creating a photo essay to share with others.
Step 1: Choose Your Photo Essay Topics
Just about any topic you can imagine can form the foundation for a photo essay. You may choose to focus on a specific event, such as a wedding, performance, or festival. Or you may want to cover a topic over a set span of time, such as documenting a child’s first year. You could also focus on a city or natural area across the seasons to tell a story of changing activities or landscapes.
Since the best photo essays convey meaning and emotion, choose a topic of interest. Your passion for the subject matter will shine through each photograph and touch your viewer’s hearts and minds.
Step 2: Conduct Upfront Research
Much of the work in a good-quality photo essay begins before you take your first photo. It’s always a good idea to do some research on your planned topic.
Imagine you’re going to take photos of a downtown area throughout the year. You should spend some time learning the history of the area. Talk with local residents and business owners and find out about planned events. With these insights, you’ll be able to plan ahead and be prepared to take photos that reflect the area’s unique personality and lifestyles.
For any topic you choose, gather information first. This may involve internet searches, library research, interviews, or spending time observing your subject.
Step 3: Storyboard Your Ideas
After you have done some research and have a good sense of the story you want to tell, you can create a storyboard. With a storyboard, you can write or sketch out the ideal pictures you want to capture to convey your message.
You can turn your storyboard into a “shot list” that you can bring with you on site. A shot list can be especially helpful when you are at a one-time event and want to capture specific shots for your photo essay. If you’ve never created a photo essay before, start with ten shot ideas. Think of each shot as a sentence in your story. And aim to make each shot evoke specific ideas or emotions.
Step 4: Capture Images
Your storyboard and shot list will be important guides to help you make the most of each shoot. Be sure to set aside enough time to capture all the shots you needâespecially if you are photographing a one-time event. And allow yourself to explore your ideas using different photography composition, perspective, and color contrast techniques.
You may need to take a hundred images or more to get ten perfect ones for your photographic essay. Or, you may find that you want to add more photos to your story and expand your picture essay concept.
Also, remember to look for special unplanned, moments that help tell your story. Sometimes, spontaneous photos that aren’t on your shot list can be full of meaning. A mix of planning and flexibility almost always yields the best results.
Step 5: Edit and Organize Photos to Tell Your Story
After capturing your images, you can work on compiling your photo story. To create your photo essay, you will need to make decisions about which images portray your themes and messages. At times, this can mean setting aside beautiful images that aren’t a perfect fit. You can use your shot list and storyboard as a guide but be open to including photos that weren’t in your original plans.
You may want to use photo editing softwareâsuch as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshopâ to enhance and change photographs. With these tools, you can adjust lighting and white balance, perform color corrections, crop, or perform other edits. If you have a signature photo editing style, you may want to use Photoshop Actions or Lightroom Presets to give all your photos a consistent look and feel.
You order a photo book from one of the best photo printing websites to publish your photo story. You can add them to an album on a photo sharing site, such as Flickr or Google Photos. Also, you could focus on building a website dedicated to documenting your concepts through visual photo essays. If so, you may want to use SEO for photographers to improve your website’s ranking in search engine results. You could even publish your photo essay on social media. Another thing to consider is whether you want to include text captures or simply tell your story through photographs.
Choose the medium that feels like the best space to share your photo essay ideas and vision with your audiences. You should think of your photo essay as your own personal form of art and expression when deciding where and how to publish it.
Photo Essays Can Help You Become a Better Photographer
Whatever your photography ambitions may be, learning to take a photo essay can help you grow. Even simple essay topics can help you gain skills and stretch your photographic limits. With a photo essay, you start to think about how a series of photographs work together to tell a complete story. You’ll consider how different shots work together, explore options for perspective and composition, and change the way you look at the world.
Before you start taking photos, you should review photo essay examples. You can find interesting pictures to analyze and photo story examples online, in books, or in classic publications, like Life Magazine . Don’t forget to look at news websites for photojournalism examples to broaden your perspective. This review process will help you in brainstorming simple essay topics for your first photo story and give you ideas for the future as well.
Ideas and inspiration for photo essay topics are everywhere. You can visit a park or go out into your own backyard to pursue a photo essay on nature. Or, you can focus on the day in the life of someone you admire with a photo essay of a teacher, fireman, or community leader. Buildings, events, families, and landmarks are all great subjects for concept essay topics. If you are feeling stuck coming up with ideas for essays, just set aside a few hours to walk around your city or town and take photos. This type of photowalk can be a great source of material.
You’ll soon find that advanced planning is critical to your success. Brainstorming topics, conducting research, creating a storyboard, and outlining a shot list can help ensure you capture the photos you need to tell your story. After you’ve finished shooting, you’ll need to decide where to house your photo essay. You may need to come up with photo album title ideas, write captions, and choose the best medium and layout.
Without question, creating a photo essay can be a valuable experience for any photographer. That’s true whether you’re an amateur completing a high school assignment or a pro looking to hone new skills. You can start small with an essay on a subject you know well and then move into conquering difficult ideas. Maybe you’ll want to create a photo essay on mental illness or a photo essay on climate change. Or maybe there’s another cause that is close to your heart.
Whatever your passion, you can bring it to life with a photo essay.
JOIN OVER 80,505 and receive weekly updates!
Comments are closed.
![what is photo essay Nikon Competition](https://www.photocontestinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Nikon-2-150x501-150x50.png)
Photo Contest Insider
The worldâs largest collection of photo contests.
Photo contests are manually reviewed by our team to ensure only the very best make it on to our website. Itâs our policy to only list photo contests that are fair.
![what is photo essay Photo Contest Insider](https://www.photocontestinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/homefinal1.png)
Subscription
Register now to get updates on promotions and offers
DISCLAIMER:
- Photo Contest Filter
- Get FREE Contest Updates
Photo Contest Insider © 2009 - 2024
Advertise Submit Badges Help Terms Privacy Unsubscribe Do Not Sell My Information
Limited Time Offer! Save up to 50% Off annual plans.* View Plans
Save up to 50% Now .* View Plans
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.
![what is photo essay taylor_dorrell_cuba_photo_essay](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/taylor_dorrell_cuba_photo_essay.jpg)
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.”
![what is photo essay sharon_pannen_photo_essay](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/sharon_pannen_photo_essay.jpg)
From Paper & Stories , a photo series by Sharon Pannen for Schön! 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.”
![what is photo essay Photo_Essay_Taylor_Dorrell](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/Photo_Essay_Taylor_Dorrell.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay Taylor_Dorrell_Photo_Essay](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/Taylor_Dorrell_Photo_Essay.jpg)
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 .
![what is photo essay A4 1 4](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/A4-1-4.png)
A Guide to Improving Your Photography Skills
Elevate your photography with our free resource guide. Gain exclusive access to insider tips, tricks, and tools for perfecting your craft, building your online portfolio, and growing your business.
Get the best of Format Magazine delivered to your inbox.
![what is photo essay Nigerian Artist Abraham O. Oghobase on Exploring Identity and Representation](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/Abraham-O.-Oghobase_profile-photo.jpg)
Nigerian Artist Abraham O. Oghobase on Exploring Identity and Representation
![what is photo essay Enter the Booooooom Illustration Awards: Supported by Format](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-illustration-awards-1500-main.jpg)
Enter the Booooooom Illustration Awards: Supported by Format
![what is photo essay Mastering Pet Photography: 29 Tips for Perfectly Capturing Your Clientsâ Pets](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/portrait-of-two-brown-and-white-dogs-running-dirt-road-golden-hour-scaled-e1723150755708.jpg)
Mastering Pet Photography: 29 Tips for Perfectly Capturing Your Clientsâ Pets
![what is photo essay Capturing Stunning Images: A Comprehensive Studio Lighting Guide](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/bw-portrait-of-woman-with-hand-on-chin-scaled.jpg)
Capturing Stunning Images: A Comprehensive Studio Lighting Guide
![what is photo essay The Definitive Guide to Tilt-Shift Photography: Top 10 Techniques to Master](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/CN-Tower-view-of-Toronto-street-intersection-scaled-e1722456954798.jpg)
The Definitive Guide to Tilt-Shift Photography: Top 10 Techniques to Master
![what is photo essay The 15 Best Photography Workshops in The World](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/best_photography_workshops.jpg)
The 15 Best Photography Workshops in The World
![what is photo essay Unlock the True Potential of Your Visuals: 12 Must-Learn Color Grading Techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop](https://www.format.com/wp-content/uploads/backlit-person-at-computer-editing-a-photo-with-lightroom-scaled-e1721243460377.jpg)
Unlock the True Potential of Your Visuals: 12 Must-Learn Color Grading Techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop
*Offer must be redeemed by August 31st , 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PST. 50% discount off the subscription price of a new annual Pro Plus plan can be applied at checkout with code PROPLUSANNUAL, 38% discount off the price of a new annual Pro plan can be applied with code PROANNUAL, and 20% discount off the price of a new Basic annual plan can be applied with code BASICANNUAL. The discount applies to the first year only. Cannot be combined with any other promotion.
![English en_US](https://www.format.com/wp-content/plugins/translatepress-multilingual/assets/images/flags/en_US.png)
- PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
- EDIT Edit this Article
- EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
- Browse Articles
- Learn Something New
- Quizzes Hot
- Happiness Hub
- This Or That Game
- Train Your Brain
- Explore More
- Support wikiHow
- About wikiHow
- Log in / Sign up
- Education and Communications
- College University and Postgraduate
- Academic Writing
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 290,165 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
![what is photo essay Step 1 Review current events.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e7/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-1-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-1-Version-3.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 4 Select an interesting subject.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d5/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-4-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-4-Version-3.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 1 Get permission.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/70/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-7-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-7-Version-3.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 2 Research your subject.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0d/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-8-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-8-Version-3.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 3 Create an outline.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b8/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-9-Version-3.jpg)
Capturing Your Images
![what is photo essay Step 1 Check the light.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8e/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-14-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-14-Version-2.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 2 Consider composition.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/ba/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-15-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-15-Version-2.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 3 Take more photos than you need.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/7e/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-16-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-16-Version-2.jpg)
Organizing the Essay
![what is photo essay Step 1 Exclude photos you donât need.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/1b/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-18-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-18-Version-2.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 3 Categorize your remaining photos.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f2/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-20-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-20-Version-2.jpg)
- 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.
![what is photo essay Step 5 Ask for feedback.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/05/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-22-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-22-Version-2.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Step 6 Add text.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fb/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-23-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-23-Version-2.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Heather Gallagher](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/18/Heather_Gallagher.png/-crop-200-200-200px-Heather_Gallagher.png)
- 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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://www.wikihow.com/images/6/6e/Excl_v02_0420x0250%402x.jpg)
You Might Also Like
![what is photo essay Write an Essay](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/83/Write-an-Essay-Step-19-Version-3.jpg/-crop-342-184-245px-Write-an-Essay-Step-19-Version-3.jpg)
- 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
![what is photo essay Heather Gallagher](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/18/Heather_Gallagher.png/-crop-100-100-100px-Heather_Gallagher.png)
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
- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
![what is photo essay Anonymous](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0a/CommunityAvatar1.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar1.png)
Aug 3, 2016
Did this article help you?
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://www.wikihow.com/images/1/1f/Cont_v02_0728x0180.jpg)
Sep 24, 2023
![what is photo essay Christopher Ulloa Abarua](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0a/CommunityAvatar1.png/-crop-100-100-100px-CommunityAvatar1.png)
Christopher Ulloa Abarua
Mar 16, 2018
![what is photo essay Do I Have a Dirty Mind Quiz](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/72/Dirty_mind_test.png/-crop-127-140-127px-Dirty_mind_test.png)
Featured Articles
![what is photo essay Protect Yourself from Predators (for Kids)](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/6f/Categories_Header_Personal.jpg/-crop-127-140-127px-Categories_Header_Personal.jpg)
Trending Articles
![what is photo essay Best Excuses to Use to Explain Away a Hickey](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/Excuses-for-Hickeys-Step-13.jpg/-crop-127-140-127px-Excuses-for-Hickeys-Step-13.jpg)
Watch Articles
![what is photo essay Clean the Bottom of an Oven](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/07/Clean-the-Bottom-of-an-Oven-Step-12.jpg/-crop-127-140-127px-Clean-the-Bottom-of-an-Oven-Step-12.jpg)
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
Donât miss out! Sign up for
wikiHowâs newsletter
How to create a photo essay
By Marissa Sapega
![what is photo essay A close up of a camera that might be used to create a photo essay.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/pMO1HGH0At/lens-2560x1440.jpeg)
According to LDV Capital, there will be 45 billion cameras in the world by 2022 . The proliferation of smartphones with hi-res cameras â coupled with our obsession with documenting the mundane on social media â has led to a glut of images shared on the web .
We're talking 3.2 billion images shared online every single day.
A decade ago, observers were predicting that this would spell the end of professional photography. But as we all know from our Instagram feeds, the need for professional photography â properly produced, contextualised, and published â has never been greater.
With the emergence of next generation digital publishing platforms, we're seeing a new era for photographic essays. Many of the most powerful examples are from journalism, where immersive photos are transforming long-form journalism into a more dynamic and interactive experience.
But powerful photos â coupled with immersive, interactive digital storytelling techniques â are being increasingly incorporated in marketing and communications across multiple industries, from brands to nonprofits.
In this guide, we'll cover:
- The main types of photo essays
- The new era of photo essays
- Tips for making thoughtful and powerful photo essays
- How to make a compelling photo essay
- We'll also provide a range of photo essay examples as we go
If you're looking for more examples, check out our roundup of photo essay examples .
Let's dive in!
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.
Types of photo essays
There are two primary types of photo essays: thematic and narrative.
Thematic photo essays
Thematic essays focus on a topical story (like a natural disaster). One example of a great thematic essay comes from NBC News Olympics photos: Emotion runs high .
This piece encapsulates the overall gloom of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics â through a series of powerful behind-the-scenes photographs of athletes in varying levels of distress â but does not focus on a particular subject.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from NBC's photo essay on the Olympics, spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/0hRsHGUF9z/nbc1-l-2560x773.jpeg)
Another example of a great photo story comes from the BBC. In â From Trayvon Martin to Colin Kaepernick , they tell the story of how Black Lives Matter became entwined with sports.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from the BBC's photo essay on Black Lives Matter in sport , spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/O4OwmxbfAF/bbc-l1-2106x995.jpeg)
Narrative photo essays
Narrative photo essays take the story a step further and tell a specific story through images.
One striking example is SBS's 28 Days in Afghanistan . This narrative essay documents photojournalist Andrew Quilty's time in the war-ravaged nation through stark photographs and supplementary text.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from SBS's photo essay on Afghanistan, spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/SBudsTtMth/sbs-l1-2239x878.jpeg)
What is a photo essay in 2023?
A traditional photo essay aims to replace the written word with photographs. Done poorly, it is nothing more than series of images lumped together. Done well, though, the photojournalist or artist takes the reader on an engaging journey.
The main difference between photo essays of yore and photo essays in 2023 is the sophistication of digital publishing. With the rise of digital storytelling platforms, we're seeing a rise in truly interactive and immersive digital photo essays.
Today, many digital photo essays include quotes and text to supplement the visuals and are formatted using interactive scrollytelling techniques. Scrollytelling is a form of visual storytelling that leverages user engagement (scrolling) to reveal images and text in an interesting and dynamic way. The interactivity compels the viewer to continue consuming the content, and creators have a wide latitude when designing the overall effect.
Given the benefits of a more dynamic and interactive form of photo essays, itâs easy to see why they have become so popular in recent years. But as with any photo essay, creating an exceptional digital photo essays requires planning, structure, and know-how.
Let's take a closer look with ten tips for great photo essays.
Looking to learn more about interactive visual storytelling? Check out our guide, 8 tips for powerful visual storytelling .
10 tips for great photo essays
![what is photo essay A close up of a camera that might be used to create a photo essay.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/YJRwyjG57D/lens-2560x1440.jpeg)
1. Create visual structure
An authentic photo essay requires visual markers to help transform a collection of images into a narrative. For example, photo chapter headings in Growing up young introduce each new girl in the story.
Similarly, in SBSâs photojournalism story â 28 days in Afghanistan , mentioned above â each dated header delineates a part of the story, providing an easy-to-follow chronological structure and pace.
Daniel Boud intersperses his own thoughts in between a haunting series of photographs of the iconic Sydney Opera House as it underwent a restoration during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in The Sydney Opera House at Rest .
Text can add depth to the photo essayâbut take care where you add it. It should support and enhance the final product, not overshadow it.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from the Sydney Opera House's photo essay on life during lockdown, spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/K6d7zQWQmj/opera-landscape2-2560x1440.jpeg)
2. Make it interactive
In 2023, the best photo essays are interactive.
One great example of an interactive photo essay is WaterAidâs essay, Water and Climate . This photo essay highlights the people climate change has impacted most brutally, including a video, stark close-up photography, and graphics to get its point across.
The photo essay uses minimal text, preferring to allow the images to speak for themselves. As a user scrolls, it exposes them to more content. Each visual and supplemental text further immerses the viewer into the story until the end, where they encounter a call to action to join WaterAid in helping those in need.
Nonprofits like WaterAid often use interactive photo essays to compel people to act , because they work. Half the battle of convincing someone to part with their money is creating an emotional connection with themâsomething a photo essay does particularly well.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from the WaterAid's photo essay, spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/dtlk9TYhlE/water-l-2560x1071.jpeg)
3. Produce more content than you need
Have you ever seen how much film footage ends up on the cutting room floor for the average movie (known as the shooting ratio)? Itâs a lot.
Why is this? First, filmmakers know that many of the shots they take will be either poor-quality or simply not up to their exacting standards. Second, if a director included all the footage they took throughout the entire production in the final product, her movie would be a bloated mess.
The editorâs job is to strip away the dead weight to reveal a clean, refined, final product that keeps viewers raptly engaged. However, an editor may struggle to do his job if the director has not provided enough usable footage.
The same principles apply to creating an exceptional photo essay. Always assemble more visuals and content than you think youâll need so you can use the cream of the crop for the final product. Shedding content may be difficult, but itâs necessary, so be prepared to edit your piece without mercy.
Publishing photos on the web, but confused about the range of file formats? Check out our guide to file formats .
4. Use only the best photos
A photo essay is not an excuse to throw together all the imagery you have. Just like any good story, it needs a focused and compelling narrative that keeps things connected. Each image needs to bring something to the table.
Remember that photo quality plays a significant role in the overall caliber of a photo essay. If your iPhone isnât doing your subject justice, donât be afraid to pull in a professional to make your work come alive.
A great example of this comes from Sky Sports. In their photo essay, Pictured: Diego Maradona , they had to be ruthless when deciding upon the imagery to include.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from the Sky New's photo essay, spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/j1wINhKCT8/diego-1034x1000.jpeg)
They no doubt had hundreds â perhaps thousands â of photos to choose from from the many photo shoots in Maradona's life. Yet they knew that each one had to be poignant and compelling in its own way.
5. Donât be afraid to edit your photos
Not everyone can be Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz. Happily, with the readily available photo-editing software like Photoshop and high-quality cameras on every smartphone, you donât need to be. Do your best to acquire top-quality photos, but donât be timid about improving them!
Thanks to heavy exposure to advertising, viewers today now expect doctored images. Whether youâre refining a photo for a flawless finish or adding a touch of grittiness, use this expectation to your advantage. Dial up the contrast, crop out unnecessary elements, and use filters if they suit your needs.
6. Visit the archives
With so many gleaming, airbrushed-to-perfection photographs online today, exposure to imagery thatâs not polished within an inch of its life can be a refreshing change.
For example, take a look at Mancityâs My Debut Trevor Francis (v Stoke 1981) , which exclusively uses archival images. Not only was this a necessity (the focus was on a decades-old football match), but it lent the entire piece a tattered legitimacy. You wouldnât expect âInsta-worthyâ images because thatâs not the experience the author is trying to convey.
![what is photo essay Screenshots from the Man City's photo essay, spread across several devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/V8uw7PwOOd/mancity-900x633.jpeg)
7. Storyboard before building
You wouldnât build a house without drafting a blueprint, would you? (Well, not unless you werenât too invested in the end-product.) Much like a blueprint, a storyboard helps you convert the vision inside your head into a concrete plan for construction. It can also contribute to your shot list for your photography project.
Storyboarding forces you to take a step back and evaluate how each element fits into the larger narrative. You may find that half your content is no longer necessary, and thatâs okay. It may seem like a barrier to âgetting to the fun partâ of adding fancy flourishes and creative details, but itâs a critical step for building a good photo essay that genuinely influences viewers.
8. Experiment!
While there are certainly best practices to follow when creating a photo essay, no âone true pathâ will culminate in perfection every time. Photo essays are a way to express a story; such art is not limited to a template or cookie-cutter outputs.
So, mix it up! Test out different photos, filter effects, text, quotes, and visuals. Pretend youâre playing with a Rubikâs cube when youâre storyboarding and shuffle the content around with abandon. There is no right way to draft a photo essay, and youâll never settle on one that you believe best conveys your story without a bit of experimentation. (Of course, your first iteration may end up being your best, but at least this way you wonât have any doubts.)
9. Combine data and maps
Adding hard metrics and maps to a photo essay can help support a narrative in ways that photographs canât. In this essay on segregation in Detroit , NBC included interactive maps of the city that underscored the severity of Detroitâs redlining policy.
These maps drive home this multimedia photo essayâs primary takeaway: Detroitâs enforced segregation has resulted in almost a century of lower quality of life for its black residents.
10. Get inspired
No matter how compelling the vision in your head is, you can still benefit from a little inspiration. If you're looking for photo essay ideas, consider:
- Focusing on a single subject for a day (known as a day in the life photo essay).
- Document local events, such as art shows, protests, or community gatherings â this is an endless source of photo essay topics.
- Capture social issues from your local area.
- Start a photo series, in which you document the same specific subject over a period of time.
- Research the great photo essayists from history, such as W. Eugene Smith, and James Nachtwey.
- Dive into the archives of the great photo essay magazines, such as National Geographic and Life Magazine.
- Do some research on your potential subject. This will help you formulate different angles from which to approach your photo essay.
- Sign up to Shorthand's newsletter , which rounds up the best visual stories on the web every other week.
Now, let's dive into how to make a stunning photo essay using Shorthand.
How to make a stunning digital photo essay
Traditionally, photo essays on the web were little more than a series of images pasted into a blog post. Because most blogs are structured primarily for words, these photos essays didn't do justice to their source media.
However, as web browsers became more powerful and bandwidth increased, a range of content platforms â including no-code digital storytelling platforms like Shorthand â have evolved to make it easier to create stunning visual stories. We've linked to many of these in this guide.
In this section, we're going to run through how to make a photo essay using Shorthand. If you're not a Shorthand customer, you can sign up here and follow along.
1. Create a new story
In your Shorthand dashboard, click 'New Story.' If you'd like, you can choose from any of our templates to help you get started. For now, though, we're going to start with a blank canvas.
![what is photo essay A screenshot of the template gallery in the Shorthand app.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/2uNxQAtURv/templates-900x552.jpeg)
The template chooser
2. Add your title image
Every photo essay needs a stunning title image to hook the reader. Depending on what kind of photo essay you're creating, this could be a photo of the subject or theme of the piece. You can also choose to add a title, subtitle, and author.
![what is photo essay A screenshot of the title image in the Shorthand app](https://shorthand.com/./assets/Wq1dpEzqcA/title-900x563.jpeg)
3. Add a text section
Every photo essay needs a written introduction, to help contextualise the images that follow. Simply click 'New Section' and 'Text', before pasting in your introductory copy.
![what is photo essay A screenshot of how to select a Text section in the Shorthand app](https://shorthand.com/./assets/FHlSWiXr9S/add-section-900x563.jpeg)
Adding a Text section.
4. Add your first photo
Now it's time to add the first photo in your essay. Simply click 'New Section' and 'Media.' In photo essays, hierarchy is critical, so make sure you've thought about which photo is most appropriate at the top of your essay. In Shorthand, your photo will appear in all its full-screen glory.
![what is photo essay A screenshot of how to add a photo to your photo essay in the Shorthand app](https://shorthand.com/./assets/SGNJ7rMM3r/media-section-900x563.jpeg)
Image in a 'Media' section.
5. Add a Reveal section
You also have the option of adding a 'Reveal' section, which allows you to add text that floats over your images. This text can act as a commentary or de facto caption for each photo in your essay.
Simply click 'New Section' and 'Reveal.' You'll be able to also upload a version of the image for mobile, and set focus areas to make sure the most important parts of your image are shown.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://shorthand.com/./assets/h3tlIBJpLx/tor-900x563.jpeg)
A 'Reveal' section with accompanying text box.
6. Add transition effects
Depending on the nature of your photo essay, you may wish to add transition effects between some images. A âRevealâ section is the best way to achieve this. You'll have the option of choosing from several types of transitions that occur as your reader scrolls from one full-screen image to the next, and each image can have its own text box, too.
Testing a Reveal section in the Shorthand editor
7. Add Scrollmation effects
If you want to use images in concert with large amounts of text, then consider using Shorthand's Scrollmation feature. This allows you to transition through a range of images as the reader scrolls down a column of text.
To do this â you guessed it â simply click 'New Section' and 'Scrollmation' or 'Background Scrollmation.'
The difference between the two is simple: In a Scrollmation section, the text appears in a column beside your images, while in a Background Scrollmation section, images fill the screen and the text column appears over the images. A sequence of related images can give the effect of animation triggered by the readerâs scrolling.
A Scrollmation section within the editor
Background Scrollmation in the editor
8. Add a Media Gallery
If you have many different images, and want to create a mosaic effect in your essay, then you can use a media gallery. To do this, simply click 'New Section' and 'Media Gallery.'
You can then upload your images, and experiment with their size and arrangement to achieve your intended effect.
![what is photo essay A screenshot of a Media Gallery in the Shorthand app](https://shorthand.com/./assets/FRVy8IaRBi/gallery-900x563.jpeg)
Creating a Media Gallery section in the editor
9. Preview your story
Photo essays â more than many other genres of content on the web â can run into problems with different screen sizes. Before you publish, make sure you test your story using Shorthand's preview option.
You'll be able to see what your story looks like on desktop, mobile, and tablet viewports, and make adjustments as needed. You can also share your preview link with collaborators, and get pre-publication feedback and quality-assurance.
![what is photo essay Examples of previews of a Shorthand story in two different devices.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/lO4DrYvjI6/previews-900x618.jpeg)
Story previews in the editor, simulating a phone and iPad.
10. Publish đ
The final step is to publish your essay to the world! You now have an immersive, potentially interactive photo essay â without writing a line of code.
Contemporary photo essays are creative endeavours rife with opportunities for interactivity. Organisations and artists alike use them as modern, impactful vehicles to convey powerful stories. Try creating one for yourself using Shorthand for free today!
Publish your first story free with Shorthand
Craft sumptuous content at speed. No code required.
- Learn Photography âŸ
- Picfair Resources âŸ
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d176bb36d7c4c25d157fe_Peru-2.jpg)
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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d52444fb935bf014f3174_picfair-013588196-street-improv-performance-fu-PREVIEW-ONLY%20(1).jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d50d0ab30492594b48157_picfair-011952723-north-korea-fu-PREVIEW-ONLY.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d233964ffaf89221ce472_North%20Korea.jpg)
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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d51b898e14f5bca5b42ea_picfair-013278231-post-office-mural-in-chernobyl-fu-PREVIEW-ONLY.jpg)
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
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d52c52191053a1e91dd88_picfair-08632028-american-gothic-fu-PREVIEW-ONLY.jpg)
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.
![](http://mangareview.fun/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
"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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d4c58ad26b5d6b73fdc11_picfair-07987432-mountain-children-fu-PREVIEW-ONLY.jpg)
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.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d546d22bc48937290a557_Share%20url.jpg)
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 .
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f58a077d654db1a689fd95b/610d3fd30ab15344ad01adff_Store%20description.jpg)
Expertly crafted guides and tutorials brought to you directly from the Team Picfair.
Start your own photography store with a beautiful and customisable showcase for your photos, complete with all the tools you need to sell your images as prints & digital downloads. Save 50% on Picfair Plus with code UPGRADE-50
![what is photo essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f5104e23978d80e8e442737/662fbf2d459c7fe882a5cb60_focus-new-themes.png)
- View by:Â Authors
- Guide:Â Selling your Photography
Infrared Conversions, IR Modifications & Photography Tutorials | Life Pixel IR
The world leader in infrared conversions, modifications & DIY IR conversion tutorials. Scratched sensor replacement, UV & Full spectrum conversions.
The world leader in infrared camera conversions
What Is A Photo Essay And How To Put One Together?
Say the phrase “photo essay” and most photographers would nod that they fully understand what it is. But the last few months have shown me otherwise… I recently co-founded a brand new travel magazine called JRNY. We put out a pitch call for photo essays hopeful that we would be inundated with tons of great work (we did get some really great stuff). But one thing that became very clear is that the vast majority of photographers may not actually know what a photo essay actually is and how to put one together. So here are a few simple tips to help you ensure that your photo essays are what an editor would be looking for.
![what is photo essay Photo_essay_tips](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Photo_essay_tips-5.jpg)
What is the story?
The biggest mistake that I spotted in the photo essays that people submitted was the lack of a story. Photo essays are very different to a portfolio of work. For example, if you were asked to put a portfolio together for a specific location you would include a wide range of subjects and include your best shots. These might include landscapes, portraits, food and even wildlife. But a photo essay needs to be much more focused on a specific narrative. In other words, what is the story you are trying to tell in that particular location? For example, it might be specifically about its crafts or its wildlife. Or it might be about an event that takes place there. The key is that you can explain exactly the main point of the story clearly and succinctly in a short paragraph.
![what is photo essay Photo_essay_tips](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Photo_essay_tips-3.jpg)
Take the viewer on a journey
The best photo essays take the viewer through your travels or experiences in an order that makes sense. For example, if your photo essay is about a specific product that is sold, start at the beginning of the process and go through the different stages until the final result. This does sometimes mean you have to forego your best shots for ones that contribute to the narrative of the story. One of the best ways to do this is to write down your story in words first and then go through your copy and pick images to showcase the different stages/parts of the story. Think of a photo essay in the same way as a picture editor would if they were matching photos to an article.
![what is photo essay Photo_essay_tips](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Photo_essay_tips-8.jpg)
Variety is important
Photo essays are not easy to put together. The images have to work as a set but at the same time, they need to be sufficiently different to ensure they are not repetitive. It does make things easier if you actually go out with the intention of photographing a photo essay rather than trying to put one together from your collection. But having said that, it is possible to use your existing collection of photos. You just need to ensure that you are not repeating the same subjects over and over again.
For example, let’s say you are putting together a photo essay on polar bears. Whilst naturally you should have a few photos of the bears, an entire photo essay of just different photos of bears will be pretty boring for the viewer. To add some variety you can include some landscape shots that show their habitat. You can take photos of a paw print in the snow. Or even other animals that share the environment. By adding variety you will be far more likely to engage the viewer.
![what is photo essay Photo_essay_tips](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Photo_essay_tips-6.jpg)
Caption well
It might seem tedious and an afterthought, but good captions are an essential part of a photo essay and something that you should take your time putting together. As I mentioned above, if you write your story first before putting the photo essay together you’ll be able to use part of your written story as your captions. Either way, provide your photos with context and relevant information that the reader will find useful. For example, if you have a photo of someone riding a horse, writing a caption such as “a man riding a horse in the forest” is a little pointless. The viewer can see that from the photo and so the captions add nothing of value. But instead, if the caption was “Mr X, commences his 3-hour journey to reach the market in X Town to sell his homemade coffee”, that is providing useful and interesting information to the viewer.
![what is photo essay Photo_essay_tips](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Photo_essay_tips-1.jpg)
Editing the photos with the same treatment
Whilst the subjects of the photos should change and be different enough to keep the viewer engaged, the look and feel of the photos should look similar. In other words, the way you edit your photos or the treatment you give them should make them feel like they are a part of a family. If they are all muted in colour or have a bleached look and one isn’t, that one is going to stand out like a sore thumb. This is of course another reason why putting good photo essays together takes time and practice. Because some photos just won’t look as good in that treatment.
![what is photo essay Photo_essay_tips](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Photo_essay_tips-4.jpg)
Notice how these photos don’t look like a set because of the different treatments used.
Photo essays are not easy to put together and it takes practice in the first place to be able to do them well. But like anything, the more you practice and work on photo essays the better you will become at being able to capture the right photos in the first place and subsequently putting photo essays together.
Photo credits: Kav Dadfar â All rights reserved. No usage without permission. Dreamstime.
- Latest Articles
Latest articles by Kav Dadfar ( see all articles )
- How To Photograph Street Performers - April 26, 2022
- Profiled Photographers â Ben McKechnie - August 24, 2021
- Profiled Photographers â Jim Maher - August 24, 2021
is the founding editor of JRNY Travel Magazine as well as a professional travel photographer and writer based in the UK. His images have been used by clients such as Condé Nast, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and many others. Kav is also the co-founder of That Wild Idea , a company specializing in photography workshops and tours both in the UK and around the world.
Related Posts
![what is photo essay Profiled Photographers â Jordan Banks](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/small-image.jpg)
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Receive updates, tips, cool tutorials, free stuff and special discounts.
Learn the Basics
- Filter Choices
- Focus Calibration
- Lens Considerations
- Camera Considerations
- Place Your Conversion Order
- Lens Hot Spot Database
- IR Tutorials
- Infrared Filter Choices
- Infrared Photography Guide
- Infrared DIY Tutorials
- Why Choose Us
- Get In Contact
- Job Openings
- Write For Us
- Affiliate Program
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Why Choose LifePixel?
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://www.lifepixel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/credit-cards.png)
Website is Under Maintenance
We are making some updates, go take some photos and come back đ
5 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay with a Purpose
A Post By: Lynsey Mattingly
As a photographer, you are a storyteller. The nouns are your subject matter; the verbs are the color and contrast that keep the story moving. A cast of characters all working together to get your point across. Instead of proper grammar, you ensure proper exposure. Instead of spelling errors, you watch for tack-sharp focus. For those times when the story is especially important and meaningful, or for when one image doesn’t say it all, there is the photographic essay. With blogging and social media, photo essays are more popular than ever: humorous or emotionally relevant, sparking debate or encouraging compassion, each with a story to tell.
![what is photo essay melanie1](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/melanie11.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1)
I’ve mentioned before that taking on a photo project is one of my favorite ways to reignite my love for photography, but beyond that, it’s a great way to get your message across and have your work seen by a larger group. A photo essay is intriguing; it’s something to talk about after people hear that you’re a photographer and want to know about the glitz and glamour of it all. It’s the perfect thing to tell them after you’re done going on and on about all of the red carpets, the celebrities, the fame, and the fortune. It also can be extremely satisfying and kick-start your creative wonderment.
By definition, a photographic essay is a set or series of photographs intended to tell a story or evoke emotions. It can be only images, images with captions, or images with full text. In short, it can be almost anything you want it to be. Which is where I struggle most–when the options are limitless. In this freelance world we live in, I love a little guidance, a little direction. Ideally, someone to tell me exactly what they want and promise to be thrilled with whatever I produce, for my fragile artist ego can’t take any less. While I continue my quest for that, I offer you these 5 tips for creating your own, completely without bounds, photographic essay:
1) Let it evolve on its own
Each time I’ve had a very specific concept in mind before I started shooting, it’s never been the end result. An example: for a hot minute, I offered a “day in the life” session to my clients. I was photographing so many of the same clients year after year that I wanted to be able to offer them a different spin on the portrait sessions I was doing for them. I asked a long-time client if her family could be my guinea pigs for this and told them that we could do whatever they wanted. We went out for ice cream, had a mini dance party in their living room, and I photographed a tooth that had been lost that very morning. Then, very last, I photographed the two young daughters with notes they had written, which to be honest, I’m not even sure how they had come about. I rushed home after the session and edited those last note pictures first just because they were so different from what I usually shoot, and posted them on my personal Facebook page the heading Notes Girls Write .
![what is photo essay sarah](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sarah.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1)
Within minutes a dear friend, and fellow photographer, commented that this was big. Bigger than just the two pictures. She and I would spend the next year working on a photo essay that became a blog, that in turn became a book entitled Notes Girls Write . We photographed hundreds of women of all ages with their notes, each one later expressing having their portrait taken with their own words was an extremely powerful moment for them. Beyond my beautiful children, the fact that I can make a bed with hospital corners like no one’s business, and the award I won in the 4th grade for “Most Patient”, Notes Girls Write is one of my proudest accomplishments. It evolved on its own, starting from a few similar photographs that struck a cord in viewers and becoming a large and powerful project, one of the biggest markers in my career so far.
![what is photo essay lindsay1](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/lindsay1.jpg?resize=600%2C480&ssl=1)
TIP: Don’t be so set in your idea that your project can’t outgrow your original concept. Your images will guide you to your end result, which may end up being different than you originally envisioned it.
2) If you think there’s something there, there’s likely something there
For the last year I have been a “foster mom” with a dog rescue group. Volunteers transport dogs that would otherwise be put down from overpopulated shelters, or seized from terrible situations, to my area, where dog adoption rates are much higher. These dogs live in foster homes while they receive medical care and basic training so that they can be adopted out to loving homes. It’s incredibly rewarding. Especially when I had hardwood floors.
I knew from the first time I met the transport van I wanted to document what it looked like: a van full of dogs that just narrowly escaped death arriving to temporary homes where they will experience a level of love and care which they’ve likely never known. I tear-up every time I see it. I am also put to work every time I am there, so taking photos while holding onto a 100 pound German Shepard is tough. It’s going to take me several trips to have enough images to do anything with, but that’s fine. I have no idea what I will be doing with these photos. I know they will find a home somewhere: maybe with the rescue group to raise awareness, or to help bring in volunteers, or maybe they will do nothing more than document my own story with volunteering, or perhaps something more. I’m not sure yet, but the point is that I have the images, ready for their time, whenever that is.
![what is photo essay dog1](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dog1.jpg?resize=400%2C600&ssl=1)
TIP: If you think there is something to it, there likely is. Even if it’s just a personal passion project. Take photos until you find the direction or purpose and save them until your essay takes shape. You may not end up using all, or any of the images, but in continuing to take photographs, your project will be defined.
3) Shoot every single thing
I’m the “World’s Worst Over-Shooter”. Need one image? Let me take a hundred so we know we have it. Luckily for my bad habit, the photographic essay needs over shooting. Whether you know what your plan is, or have no idea want your end result will look like, the more coverage you have, the better. This is one of the few times I push my luck and ask my subjects to work for me until they never want to see me again (I only photograph people though, so if you are photographing mountains or something, you have the added advantage of not pushing people until they cry or yell). Don’t be shy. Shoot everything you know you don’t need, just in case you need it. Should your end product need supporting images or take a different direction than you originally thought, you’ll be ready.
Take advantage of digital (if that’s how you shoot) and fill a memory card. You may end up trashing everything, or you may not. I had no idea that my Notes Girls Write project would span for as long as it did, but because I didn’t turn down anyone who was interested in the very beginning I ended up with some shots that told complete stories and expanded on the original concept.
![what is photo essay sarah2](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/sarah2.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1)
TIP: Think big. If you are shooting an essay where mountains are your subject matter, see the mountain in pieces and photograph the surrounding trees, rocks, and whatever else. This will save you having to return to the beginning of the project for supporting shots, or having to reshoot if your essay takes a different turn than you planned.
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. This is where it is so helpful to have someone else help. Someone who has no personal feelings towards the images and will help you pick based only on the strength of the image and not your own feelings. Even if people were not involved as subjects, you tend to have personal feelings toward images that the general public may not see the power behind.
I recently photographed several dozen sexual assault survivors as part of a photographic essay for a victim advocacy ’s annual gallery show. This event is meant to put faces on the survivors and raise awareness, and has been a large local event for years. I was thrilled to be selected to be the exclusive photographer, though this was one of the hardest projects I’ve ever taken on. The photo sessions themselves, whether five minutes or 30, were extremely emotional for the survivors and in the time I spent with them, I often learned a lot about their journey and experience. This made it difficult for me to pick which final images would be used for the show, based only on the power of the image and not my personal feelings. In the end several select friends helped me narrow each survivor’s images down, and the subjects themselves selected which would be the final image used, as ultimately this is their story.
![what is photo essay SAVA1](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SAVA1.jpg?resize=400%2C600&ssl=1)
TIP: All creative work is personal, and looking at photographs we take ourselves is incredibly hard to do with clear eyes. We see the mistakes, the personal feelings, the shot that could have been better. It’s impossible to always set these aside so when working on a project that is incredibly important to you, or large in scale. Have others help you decide what images to use for your final pieces. Bring in people who are interested in photography and people that aren’t. People that know about your subject matter and people that don’t understand it at all. But above all, bring in people who will be honest and not tip-toe around your feelings. Lastly, also bring a thick skin.
5) Tell your story, in fact shout it from the rooftops if you can
Maybe your original idea for your photographic essay was to post it on your blog. Awesome, nothing wrong with that, but are you sure it can’t be more? Shop it around, who can it help? Does this benefit a group, an organization, or a person? Could it inspire people? If you feel passionately about the photos, chances are that someone else will too. Your photographic eye doesn’t stop when your shooting is done. If you felt compelled to take the time to create a photographic essay, there are likely “readers” for your story.
![what is photo essay img_6359b](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/img_6359b1.jpg?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1)
TIP: This isn’t the time to be humble. Taking on a photo essay is a large endeavour. While there’s nothing wrong with having it be something you only did for your own personal growth, showing it around can be helpful both in experience and longterm benefit. Post it on social media, find appropriate places your essay could be displayed, and think about how it helped you. Every single photo essay I have done has led to an outstanding connection, or more work, and there is nothing wrong with getting those things along with the personal gain of accomplishing something you’re proud of.
The ideas are truly for a photographic essay are limitless. Truly.
Want a few more ideas for projects, try these?
- Using a Photography Project to Spark your Creativity
- Photography projects that make you feel alive
- Jumpstart Your Photography – Start a 365 Project
- 8 Photo Projects in Your Own Backyard
Have you ever done a photographic essay? What is your experience? Share with in the comments if you have, or have considered it. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?
![what is photo essay 5 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay with a Purpose](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/gracie.jpg?w=600&h=1260&ssl=1)
Read more from our Tips & Tutorials category
photographs families, kids, couples, and other groups of people who, for whatever reason, kind of like each other. Her portrait work has been featured in People Magazine, Us Weekly, BBC Magazine, and on national TV including CNN, Oprah, and Ellen, but most importantly, in the personal galleries of clients across the country. Her photography can be viewed at www.lynseymattingly.com or on Facebook .
![what is photo essay Digital Photography School](https://digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/themes/sassy-dps/build/logo-short.png)
- Guaranteed for 2 full months
- Pay by PayPal or Credit Card
- Instant Digital Download
![what is photo essay camera.jpg](https://digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/themes/sassy-dps/build/camera.jpg)
- All our best articles for the week
- Fun photographic challenges
- Special offers and discounts
![what is photo essay camera.jgg](https://digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/themes/sassy-dps/build/camera.jpg)
![what is photo essay Examples](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/examples-com-logo-3.webp)
Photo Essay
Photo essay generator.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Photo-Essay.png)
We all know that photographs tell a story. These still images may be seen from various perspectives and are interpreted in different ways. Oftentimes, photographers like to give dramatic meaning to various scenarios. For instance, a blooming flower signifies a new life. Photographs always hold a deeper meaning than what they actually are.
In essay writing , photographs along with its supporting texts, play a significant role in conveying a message. Here are some examples of these kinds of photo-text combinations.
What is Photo Essay? A photo essay is a visual storytelling method that utilizes a sequence of carefully curated photographs to convey a narrative, explore a theme, or evoke specific emotions. It goes beyond individual images, aiming to tell a cohesive and impactful story through the arrangement and combination of pictures.
Photo Essay Format
A photo essay is a series of photographs that are intended to tell a story or evoke a series of emotions in the viewer. It is a powerful way to convey messages without the need for many words. Here is a format to guide you in creating an effective photo essay:
1. Choose a Compelling Topic
Select a subject that you are passionate about or that you find intriguing. Ensure the topic has a clear narrative that can be expressed visually.
2. Plan Your Shots
Outline the story you wish to tell. This could involve a beginning, middle, and end or a thematic approach. Decide on the types of shots you need (e.g., wide shots, close-ups, portraits, action shots) to best tell the story.
3. Take Your Photographs
Capture a variety of images to have a wide selection when editing your essay. Focus on images that convey emotion, tell a story, or highlight your theme.
4. Edit Your Photos
Select the strongest images that best convey your message or story. Edit for consistency in style, color, and lighting to ensure the essay flows smoothly.
5. Arrange Your Photos
Order your images in a way that makes sense narratively or thematically. Consider transitions between photos to ensure they lead the viewer naturally through the story.
6. Include Captions or Text (Optional)
Write captions to provide context, add depth, or explain the significance of each photo. Keep text concise and impactful, letting the images remain the focus.
7. Present Your Photo Essay
Choose a platform for presentation, whether online, in a gallery, or as a printed booklet. Consider the layout and design, ensuring that it complements and enhances the visual narrative.
8. Conclude with Impact
End with a strong image or a conclusion that encapsulates the essence of your essay. Leave the viewer with something to ponder , reflecting on the message or emotions you aimed to convey.
Best Photo Essay Example?
One notable example of a powerful photo essay is “The Photographic Essay: Paul Fusco’s ‘RFK Funeral Train'” by Paul Fusco. This photo essay captures the emotional journey of the train carrying the body of Robert F. Kennedy from New York to Washington, D.C., after his assassination in 1968. Fusco’s images beautifully and poignantly document the mourning and respect shown by people along the train route. The series is a moving portrayal of grief, unity, and the impact of a historical moment on the lives of ordinary individuals. The photographs are both artistically compelling and deeply human, making it a notable example of the potential for photo essays to convey complex emotions and historical narratives.
Photo Essay Examples and Ideas to Edit & Download
- A Day in the Life Photo Essay
- Behind the scenes Photo Essay
- Event Photo Essay
- Photo Essay on Meal
- Photo Essay on Photo walking
- Photo Essay on Protest
- Photo Essay on Abandoned building
- Education photo essay
- Photo Essay on Events
- Follow the change Photo Essay
- Photo Essay on Personal experiences
Photo Essay Examples & Templates
1. narrative photo essay format example.
![what is photo essay Narrative Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Narrative-Photo-Essay.jpg)
nytimes.com
2. Student Photo Essay Example
![what is photo essay Student Photo Example](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Student-Photo-Example.jpg)
3. Great Depression Essay Example
![what is photo essay Great Depression Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Great-Depression-Essay.jpg)
thshistory.files.wordpress.com
4. Example of Photo Essay
![what is photo essay Example of Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Example-of-Photo-Essay.jpg)
weresearchit.co.uk
5. Photo Essay Examples About Nature
![what is photo essay Photo Essay Examples About Nature](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Photo-Essay-Examples-About-Nature.jpg)
cge-media-library.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com
6. Travel Photo Example
![what is photo essay Travel Photo Example2](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Travel-Photo-Example2.jpg)
theguardian.com
7. Free Photo Essay Example
![what is photo essay Free Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Free-Photo-Essay.jpg)
vasantvalley.org
Most Interesting Photo Essays of 2019
Now that you are educated with the fundamentals of photo essays, why not lay eyes on some great photo essays for inspiration. To give you a glimpse of a few epitomes, we collected the best and fascinating photo essays for you. The handpicked samples are as follows:
8. Toys and Us
![what is photo essay Toys and Us](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Toys-and-Us.jpg)
journals.openedition.org
This photo essay presents its subject which is the latest genre of photography, toy photography. In this type of picture taking, the photographer aims to give life on the toys and treat them as his/her model. This photography follows the idea of a toy researcher, Katrina Heljakka, who states that also adults and not only children are interested in reimagining and preserving the characters of their toys with the means of roleplay and creating a story about these toys. This photo essay is based on the self-reflection of the author on a friend’s toys in their home environment.
9. The Faces of Nature Example
![what is photo essay The Faces of Nature](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Faces-of-Nature.jpg)
godandnature.asa3.org
This photo essay and collection caters the creativity of the author’s mind in seeing the world. In her composition, she justified that there are millions of faces that are naturally made that some of us have not noticed. She also presented tons of photos showing different natural objects that form patterns of faces. Though it was not mentioned in the essay itself, the author has unconsciously showcased the psychological phenomenon, pareidolia. This is the tendency to translate an obscure stimulus that let the observer see faces in inanimate objects or abstract patterns, or even hearing concealed messages in music.
10. The Country Doctor Example
![what is photo essay The Country Doctor](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Country-Doctor.jpg)
us1.campaign-archive.com
This photo essay depicts the medical hardships in a small rural town in Colorado called Kremling. For 23 days, Smith shadowed Dr. Ernest Ceriani, witnessing the dramatic life of the small town and capturing the woeful crisis of the region. The picture in this photographic essay was photographed by Smith himself for Life magazine in 1948 but remained as fascinating as it was posted weeks ago.
11. New York City Coffeehouses
![what is photo essay New York City Coffeehouses](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/New-York-City-Coffeehouses.jpg)
lens.blogs.nytimes.com
CafĂ© Latte, cappuccino, espresso, or flat whiteâof course, you know these if you have visited a coffee shop at least once. However, the photographer of this photo essay took it to a whole new level of experience. Within two to three days of visiting various coffee places, Mr. Gavrysh stayed most of his day observing at the finest details such as the source of the coffee, the procedure of delivering them, and the process of roasting and grounding them. He also watched how did the baristas perfect the drinks and the reaction of the customers as they received their ordered coffee with delights in their faces. Gavrysh did not mean to compose a coffeehouse guide, but to make a composition that describes modern, local places where coffee is sipped and treated with respect.
12. Hungry Planet: What The World Eats
![what is photo essay Hungry Planet What The World Eats](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hungry-Planet_-What-The-World-Eats.jpg)
13. Photo Essay Example
![what is photo essay Photo Essay Example](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Photo-Essay-Example-.jpg)
cah.utexas.edu
14. Photo Essay in PDF
![what is photo essay Photo Essay in PDF](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Photo-Essay-in-PDF.jpg)
condor.depaul.edu
15. Sample Photo Essay Example
![what is photo essay Sample Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Sample-Photo-Essay.jpg)
colorado.edu
16. Basic Photo Essay Example
![what is photo essay Basic Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Basic-Photo-Essay.jpg)
adaptation-undp.org
17. Printable Photo Essay Example
![what is photo essay Printable Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Printable-Photo-Essay.jpg)
One of the basic necessity of a person to live according to his/her will is food. In this photo essay, you will see how these necessities vary in several ways. In 2005, a pair of Peter Menzel and Faith D’ Aluisio released a book that showcased the meals of an average family in 24 countries. Ecuador, south-central Mali, China, Mexico, Kuwait, Norway, and Greenland are among the nations they visited. This photo essay is written to raise awareness about the influence of environment and culture to the cost and calories of the foods laid on the various dining tables across the globe.
Photo essays are not just about photographic aesthetics but also the stories that authors built behind those pictures. In this collection of captivating photo essays, reflect on how to write your own. If you are allured and still can’t get enough, there’s no need for you to be frantic about. Besides, there are thousands of samples and templates on our website to browse. Visit us to check them all out.
What are good topics for a photo essay?
- Urban Exploration: Document the unique architecture, street life, and cultural diversity of urban environments.
- Environmental Conservation: Capture the beauty of natural landscapes or document environmental issues, showcasing the impact of climate change or conservation efforts.
- Everyday Life in Your Community: Showcase the daily lives, traditions, and activities of people in your local community.
- Family Traditions: Document the customs, rituals, and special moments within your own family or another family.
- Youth Culture: Explore the lifestyle, challenges, and aspirations of young people in your community or around the world.
- Behind-the-Scenes at an Event: Provide a backstage look at the preparation and execution of an event, such as a concert, festival, or sports competition.
- A Day in the Life of a Profession: Follow a professional in their daily activities, offering insights into their work, challenges, and routines.
- Social Issues: Address important social issues like homelessness, poverty, immigration, or healthcare, raising awareness through visual storytelling.
- Cultural Celebrations: Document cultural festivals, ceremonies, or celebrations that showcase the diversity of traditions in your region or beyond.
- Education Around the World: Explore the various facets of education globally, from classrooms to the challenges students face in different cultures.
- Workplace Dynamics: Capture the atmosphere, interactions, and diversity within different workplaces or industries.
- Street Art and Graffiti: Document the vibrant and dynamic world of street art, capturing the expressions of local artists.
- Animal Rescues or Shelters: Focus on the efforts of organizations or individuals dedicated to rescuing and caring for animals.
- Migration Stories: Explore the experiences and challenges of individuals or communities affected by migration.
- Global Food Culture: Document the diversity of food cultures, from local markets to family meals, showcasing the role of food in different societies.
How to Write a Photo Essay
First of all, you would need to find a topic that you are interested in. With this, you can conduct thorough research on the topic that goes beyond what is common. This would mean that it would be necessary to look for facts that not a lot of people know about. Not only will this make your essay interesting, but this may also help you capture the necessary elements for your images.
Remember, the ability to manipulate the emotions of your audience will allow you to build a strong connection with them. Knowing this, you need to plan out your shots. With the different emotions and concepts in mind, your images should tell a story along with the essay outline .
1. Choose Your Topic
- Select a compelling subject that interests you and can be explored visually.
- Consider the story or message you want to convey. It should be something that can be expressed through images.
2. Plan Your Essay
- Outline your narrative. Decide if your photo essay will tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end, or if it will explore a theme or concept.
- Research your subject if necessary, especially if you’re covering a complex or unfamiliar topic.
3. Capture Your Images
- Take a variety of photos. Include wide shots to establish the setting, close-ups to show details, and medium shots to focus on subjects.
- Consider different angles and perspectives to add depth and interest to your essay.
- Shoot more than you need. Having a large selection of images to choose from will make the editing process easier.
4. Select Your Images
- Choose photos that best tell your story or convey your theme.
- Look for images that evoke emotion or provoke thought.
- Ensure there’s a mix of compositions to keep the viewer engaged.
- Sequence your images in a way that makes narrative or thematic sense.
- Consider the flow and how each image transitions to the next.
- Use juxtaposition to highlight contrasts or similarities.
6. Add Captions or Text (Optional)
- Write captions to provide context or additional information about each photo. Keep them brief and impactful.
- Consider including an introduction or conclusion to frame your essay. This can be helpful in setting the stage or offering a final reflection.
7. Edit and Refine
- Review the sequence of your photos. Make sure they flow smoothly and clearly convey your intended story or theme.
- Adjust the layout as needed, ensuring that the visual arrangement is aesthetically pleasing and supports the narrative.
8. Share Your Essay
- Choose the right platform for your photo essay, whether it’s a blog, online publication, exhibition, or print.
- Consider your audience and tailor the presentation of your essay to suit their preferences and expectations.
Types of Photo Essay
Photo essays are a compelling medium to tell a story, convey emotions, or present a perspective through a series of photographs. Understanding the different types of photo essays can help photographers and storytellers choose the best approach for their project. Here are the main types of photo essays:
1. Narrative Photo Essays
- Purpose: To tell a story or narrate an event in a chronological sequence.
- Characteristics: Follows a clear storyline with a beginning, middle, and end. It often includes characters, a setting, and a plot.
- Examples: A day in the life of a firefighter, the process of crafting traditional pottery.
2. Thematic Photo Essays
- Purpose: To explore a specific theme, concept, or issue without being bound to a chronological sequence.
- Characteristics: Centers around a unified theme, with each photo contributing to the overall concept.
- Examples: The impact of urbanization on the environment, the beauty of natural landscapes.
3. Conceptual Photo Essays
- Purpose: To convey an idea or evoke a series of emotions through abstract or metaphorical images.
- Characteristics: Focuses on delivering a conceptual message or emotional response, often using symbolism.
- Examples: Loneliness in the digital age, the concept of freedom.
4. Expository or Informative Photo Essays
- Purpose: To inform or educate the viewer about a subject with a neutral viewpoint.
- Characteristics: Presents factual information on a topic, often accompanied by captions or brief texts to provide context.
- Examples: The process of coffee production, a day at an animal rescue center.
5. Persuasive Photo Essays
- Purpose: To convince the viewer of a particular viewpoint or to highlight social issues.
- Characteristics: Designed to persuade or elicit action, these essays may focus on social, environmental, or political issues.
- Examples: The effects of plastic pollution, the importance of historical preservation.
6. Personal Photo Essays
- Purpose: To express the photographerâs personal experiences, emotions, or journeys.
- Characteristics: Highly subjective and personal, often reflecting the photographer’s intimate feelings or experiences.
- Examples: A personal journey through grief, documenting oneâs own home during quarantine.
7. Environmental Photo Essays
- Purpose: To showcase landscapes, wildlife, and environmental issues.
- Characteristics: Focuses on the natural world or environmental challenges, aiming to raise awareness or appreciation.
- Examples: The melting ice caps, wildlife in urban settings.
8. Travel Photo Essays
- Purpose: To explore and present the culture, landscapes, people, and experiences of different places.
- Characteristics: Captures the essence of a location, showcasing its uniqueness and the experiences of traveling.
- Examples: A road trip across the American Southwest, the vibrant streets of a bustling city.
How do you start a picture essay?
1. choose a compelling theme or topic:.
Select a theme or topic that resonates with you and has visual storytelling potential. It could be a personal project, an exploration of a social issue, or a visual journey through a specific place or event.
2. Research and Conceptualize:
Conduct research on your chosen theme to understand its nuances, context, and potential visual elements. Develop a conceptual framework for your photo essay, outlining the key aspects you want to capture.
3. Define Your Storytelling Approach:
Determine how you want to convey your narrative. Consider whether your photo essay will follow a chronological sequence, a thematic structure, or a more abstract and conceptual approach.
4. Create a Shot List:
Develop a list of specific shots you want to include in your essay. This can help guide your photography and ensure you capture a diverse range of images that contribute to your overall narrative.
5. Plan the Introduction:
Think about how you want to introduce your photo essay. The first image or series of images should grab the viewer’s attention and set the tone for the narrative.
6. Consider the Flow:
Plan the flow of your photo essay, ensuring a logical progression of images that tells a cohesive and engaging story. Consider the emotional impact and visual variety as you sequence your photographs.
7. Shoot with Purpose:
Start capturing images with your conceptual framework in mind. Focus on images that align with your theme and contribute to the overall narrative. Look for moments that convey emotion, tell a story, or reveal aspects of your chosen subject.
8. Experiment with Perspectives and Techniques:
Explore different perspectives, compositions, and photographic techniques to add visual interest and depth to your essay. Consider using a variety of shots, including wide-angle, close-ups, and detail shots.
9. Write Descriptive Captions:
As you capture images, think about the accompanying captions. Captions should provide context, additional information, or insights that enhance the viewer’s understanding of each photograph.
What are the key elements of a photo essay?
1. Theme or Topic:
Clearly defined subject matter or theme that unifies the photographs and tells a cohesive story.
2. Narrative Structure:
An intentional narrative structure that guides the viewer through the photo essay, whether chronological, thematic, or conceptual.
3. Introduction:
A strong introduction that captures the viewer’s attention and sets the tone for the photo essay.
4. Captivating Images:
A series of high-quality and visually compelling images that effectively convey the chosen theme or story.
5. Variety of Shots:
A variety of shots, including wide-angle, close-ups, detail shots, and different perspectives, to add visual interest and depth.
6. Sequencing:
Careful sequencing of images to create a logical flow and emotional impact, guiding the viewer through the narrative.
7. Captions and Text:
Thoughtful captions or accompanying text that provide context, additional information, or insights, enhancing the viewer’s understanding.
8. Conclusion:
A concluding section that brings the photo essay to a satisfying close, leaving a lasting impression on the viewer.
Purpose of a Photo Essay
With good writing skills , a person is able to tell a story through words. However, adding images for your essay will give it the dramatic effect it needs. The photographs and the text work hand in hand to create something compelling enough to attract an audience.
This connection goes beyond something visual, as photo essays are also able to connect with an audience emotionally. This is to create an essay that is effective enough to relay a given message.
5 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. Find the right angle and be dramatic with your description, just be creative.
- Pay attention to detail. Chances are, your audience will notice every single detail of your photograph.
- Shoot everything. Behind a single beautiful photo is a hundred more shots.
- Don’t think twice about editing. Editing is where the magic happens. It has the ability to add more drama to your images.
- Have fun. Don’t stress yourself out too much but instead, grow from your experience.
What is a photo essay for school?
A school photo essay is a visual storytelling project for educational purposes, typically assigned to students. It involves creating a narrative using a series of carefully curated photographs on a chosen theme.
How many pictures should be in a photo essay?
The number of pictures in a photo essay varies based on the chosen theme and narrative structure. It can range from a few impactful images to a more extensive series, typically around 10-20 photographs.
Is a photo essay a story?
Yes, a photo essay is a visual storytelling form. It uses a series of carefully curated photographs to convey a narrative, evoke emotions, or communicate a specific message or theme.
What makes a photo essay unforgettable?
An unforgettable photo essay is characterized by a powerful theme, emotionally resonant images, a well-crafted narrative structure, attention to detail, and a connection that leaves a lasting impact on viewers.
![what is photo essay Twitter](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/icon_5.png)
Text prompt
- Instructive
- Professional
Create a Photo Essay on the theme of urban exploration.
Discuss the story of a local community event through a Photo Essay.
![Image retouching service Image retouching service](https://fixthephoto.com/images/fixthephoto-logo-photo-retouching-d.png)
18 Immersive Photo Essay Examples & Tips
By Tata Rossi 13 days ago, Professional photography
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://img.fixthephoto.com/blog/images/gallery/news_image_1027.jpg)
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.
âą 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.
Want to Get a Professionally-Retouched Photo Essay?
The editing team at FixThePhoto specializes in delivering personalized and artistically enhanced photo essay, making sure to meet all your preferences. They can assist with different tasks, whether it's selecting the best shots or doing detailed retouching work.
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.
- Photo essay examples
- Photo essay tips
- Bonus tools
![what is photo essay Photography Inspiration](https://img.fixthephoto.com/blog/images/gallery/news_main__preview_801.jpg)
- Video Editing Services
- Virtual Staging Services
- Outsource Photo Editing
- Retouching Tips
- Photo Editing Freebies
- Free Raw Images for Retouching
- Free Photoshop Actions
- Free Lightroom Presets
- Affiliate Program
- Privacy Policy
- Cookie Policy
![what is photo essay SAVE UP TO 60% OFF](https://fixthephoto.com/images/bf-sales/adobe-software-art-dt.jpg)
![what is photo essay logo](https://gradecrest.com/ /img/logo.png)
How to create an outstanding Photo Essay
![what is photo essay how to create a photo essay](https://gradecrest.com/assets/pages/creating_photo_essay_guide.webp)
If you are working on your photo essay and would wish to know how to create a successful one, we have some tips, tricks, and techniques outlined in this article. With the sophistication of digital publishing, you need to be on your A-game when creating digital photos that tell a story.
As a custom essay writing service , our ultimate goal in this article is to guide you on creating a photo essay without straining. We like it when writing, and creativity is fun altogether. Therefore, we have outlined examples, classifications, and a framework that you can use when creating your photo essay.
This article also bears the definition of what a photo essay is. And although you could use this as a professional or a student, you can pay someone to do your essay on our website. When you do so, a polished essay writer will work with you in creating a good photo essay,
We have creatives with expertise, a knack for experimentation, critical thinking and creativity, and an insatiable urge to produce top content. If it sounds like you could use our help, let us know the best way we can assist you in creating a perfect photography essay.
If, however, all you need is insights to point you in the right direction, here is how to create a good photo essay without straining. Let’s explore!
What is a Photo Essay?
Visual storytelling appeals to everyone who has a sense of sight.
Unlike your typical essay in college, a photo essay is a project where you present a series of photographs or images to tell a story, share a narrative, or push a theme/agenda. Thus, a photo essay facilitates picture-led storytelling , which is a creative innovation in photojournalism.
It is also known as a photographic or picture essay. A great photo essay powerfully evokes emotions and appeals to the understanding of its intended audience without using words or with minimal words alongside the series of images.
A perfectly-created photo essay narrates a story using many photographs that take the viewer along your narrative journey. Indeed, it proves that a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, since there are many pictures/images, you could say a photo essay is rich in words, flavor, and content, yet it does not have words.
Talking of photo essays, Ansel Adams is one of the revered and famous photo essayists. Other photo essayists include James Nachtwey, Eugene Smith, and Nancy Borowick .
How to Create a Photo Essay in a step-by-step format
Here is a step-by-step approach to follow to successfully create a compelling and engaging photo essay:
Step 1 – Do your Research
If you are to create an attractive and relevant photo essay, begin by researching the best framework to adopt. Look at what people are doing out there and find out how creatively you can do it better. There are inexhaustible ideas and concepts that you can explore when writing a photo essay. If you’ve not chosen a topic, thorough research can help you decide on a topic and handle it well.
Step 2 - Choose a theme for your photo essay
With the research, you can already identify a specific theme or narrative for your picture essay. Therefore, highlight the theme or narrative, write some notes about the direction you will tackle and how you will reach and satisfy your audience.
Step 2 – Choose a topic that aligns with the theme
Following the findings from your research, choose a great topic. You are not that lucky photo essayist who opportunistically happens upon a story and turns it into a brilliant photo essay. Therefore, you should choose an attractive, reasonable, short, and memorable topic. You are free to select any topic that interests you and one that you find fun to work on. Your chosen theme or narrative can help define the topic for your photo essay.
Step 3 – Pick your subjects
With the theme/narrative and the topic, you can then choose your subjects. These are the people, things, sceneries, or places of central focus in your photography essay.
The subjects are the ones that give your photo essay a voice, strengthen your narrative, and engage the audience.
Step 4 – Select your top images
Define the appropriate number of images that you intend to use when telling the story. For example, if you intend to leave the audience under suspense, choose which images to use and their order of appearance. Your photo essay project does not have to use all your images but the best.
The best way to integrate your theme, narrative, and subjects is to create a storyboard that helps you decide how to tell the story. Then, when you lay your ideas out, a storyboard helps you focus on what is essential, especially when you have little control over a given subject.
Step 5 – ask for insights and input from others
After creating the storyboard, choosing the photos, and writing a narrative or theme statement, you can share it with someone knowledgeable for critique. You should also invite views and comments from another person. Ensure that you give the entire photo cache to the person so that they can choose, then compare with your best photos and tweak your choice accordingly.
Step 6 – Write the captions and text
With everything set, write the accompanying content for your photo essay. As well, make sure you caption each photo to enhance your visual narrative. Nothing is cast in stone here because you can also drop using image captions. You can experiment with lighting, tone, color, composition, angles, and location so that the narrative flows. Also, don’t forget to create introductory messages and closing messages. You need to have your signature introductory and closing images well-decided.
Step 7 – Edit your work
Now that you have created a photo essay, it is now time to edit everything. You can ask for help or rest and do it when you are energetic and objective. If you want a skilled essay writer to write you an excellent narrative to post alongside your photo essay, you can always trust our essay website. We can also edit the narrative to maintain a good flow.
Step 8 – Publish/submit your work
If everything else is okay, convert the photo essay to the correct format and submit or publish it. Remember, photo essays can be a portion of a webpage, a webpage, a document, fashion publication, photo editorial, collage of images, or mixed media.
Helpful Tips when compiling your Photographic Essay
If you are on track to become a photo essayist, you need to grasp the most critical photo essaying tips, techniques, and tricks. Here is some best advice you could use to find a subject for your photo essay.
1. Try to tell a diverse and confident story
When you get out there to tell a story, make sure you do it most awesomely. Understand your target audience, do anything that will resonate with their needs, appeal to their emotions, logic, and thoughts, and leave them musing over your narrative. It is, therefore, vital that you consider what your key message will be and be confident when handling it in your photo essay.
2.Storyboard before building
Architects, surgeons, artists, engineers, you name the profession, all begin with either a sketch, blueprint or a plan to visualize the entire concept or creation before its actualization. In the real of photo essays, you have to be invested right from the beginning. Therefore, you need to create a storyboard that helps you to convert your vision, abstract thoughts, and ideas to a concrete plan that you can execute to succeed in your project. A storyboard also doubles as a shortlist for your photography project.
When storyboarding, you will notice that you take an outsider view, which helps you evaluate how every element fits into the larger picture – your narrative/theme. When doing it, you can discard otherwise burdensome but irrelevant content, which saves you time and leaves you to focus more.
Storyboarding is a critical, creative step when building a perfect photo essay as it ensures the flow to your viewers.
3. Have a visual structure
A contemporary photo essay follows a simple or basic framework that gives your theme direction and scope. Therefore, having a visual structure, marker, or framework helps you transform the photo series into a narrative. For instance, this Growing up young photo essay published in the BBC chooses to have quotes from the subjects running alongside the photos. Likewise, the picture essay done by photojournalist Stefanie Glinski titled One Month in Kabul Under Taliban rule – a photo essay has narrative and captions to further illustrate the themes, content, and narratives.
4. Have a variety of images
To write an exceptional photo essay, ensure that you have as many photos or images as possible. Assemble as much as you think you will need for the project, then use your ruthless photo editing skills to pick the best photos.
Although shedding content hurts, it’s the only best way to achieve the best piece. It is also better to be in a dilemma of which photos to use than wish that you included a specific shot. Having multiple shots ensures that everything is captured. Then compiling your photo series becomes easier.
5. Edit your photos well
When editing, do it ruthlessly. While you cannot be Annie Leibovitz, Stefanie Glinski, or Ansel Adams, you certainly have to up your game to be at par with them. You can either use a professional editor. Alternatively, you can edit your photos using Photoshop, Illustrator, or other image-editing software. Whatever you choose your struggle to be, ensure that you end up with high-quality photos that make sense to your theme or narrative. If you have to refine an image to remove blemish or flaws, use it as long as it ends up fine. Make sure that the focus of each photo is visible and that unwanted areas are cropped out. If you are editing on your own, edit the photos a few days after the shoot to have an objective mind when doing it.
6. Choose the top 10 images
You are not just going to lazily throw images and words all over a structure and have it for the best photo essay out there. Instead, you need to select quality photos that will tell your narrative. Be keen enough to ensure that any photo that makes it to the top 10 list is compelling and poignant. If you notice that you don’t have good equipment to produce or capture quality photos, don’t be afraid to pull in a professional photographer.
7. Use outside input to perfect your choice
When working on a photo essay project, you are not necessarily an island. The photo essayists we’ve mentioned work with teams. You equally need to get a trusted, visually active, and sophisticated individual, professional, or friend to help you.
Have them look at the photos you took and ask them to choose the best. As well, provide them with a written description of your narrative and ask them to select their 10 best photos.
Compare their choice with yours and if they differ, make a point of asking the reason. Listen keenly and tweak your narrative and choice as they most likely reflect what an audience would perceive from the photo essay.
8. Select the best photos from the best
Based on the reasons from your external source (friend, editor, or photographer), select the 10 best photographs to use in telling your story. As well, change the narration if there is a need to tweak it.
9. Write reasonable captions
For your final choice of 10 images, write a befitting caption that will help to enhance your visual narrative. You need to be concise, brief, and clear. If the photos have a strong or exciting background story you wish to run, have the narrative written as content alongside the photos.
However, if you feel like the images can stand alone without captions, don’t beat yourself over it; leave them out. After all, using captions is not a must.
Look at this example of Black Lives Matter Photo Essay (Link to external site).
Apart from the caption, you can add text that contains data, complex metrics, or maps to support your narrative. Using maps can help drive the point home.
10. Focus on the details
Yes, the devil is always in the details. When you eventually display your photo essay to an audience, everybody analyzes it their way. However, when you capture the details, you will take care of each perspective, judgment, and reasoning from your audience. Ensure that you place everything in context and that everything is up to date.
11. Make it fun
Unlike college essays that come with challenges, creating a photo essay should be fun. Therefore, enjoy every bit of the project. Doing so helps you to step up your game, inspire creativity, and relaxes your mind. There is nothing creative and innovative you cannot do in a photo essay with a let loose sort of spirit.
12. Set the scene
When telling a story through photography, you are equally writing your story. Therefore, ensure that you set a scene to capture the moment that appeals to your audience.
For the events that you have no control over, try as much as possible to take photos that match your narrative or theme.
13. Experiment more when taking photos
There is no single bullet to creating an outstanding photo essay. To achieve perfection, let your photo essay express your story in the best way it can. Therefore, you need to test filter effects, use fonts, adjust the visuals, check the contrast, adjust color, hue, and feel, and crop your photos well. With experimentation comes creativity and innovativeness, which birth perfection.
Classification of Photo Essays
In terms of classification, there are two general classes of photo essays where all the genres of photo essays fall. These classes are narrative and thematic.
1. Narrative Photo Essays
A narrative photo essay, as the name suggests, tells a specific story. But, mainly, these types of photo essays tend to tell a peculiar and more direct story.
Unlike thematic photo essays, narrative photo essays give less freedom to the photo essayist. The use of text is to have some sense of completion to the story.
For instance, the 28 Days in Afghanistan by Andrew Quilty published in the SBS is a narrative photo essay that documents the photographer’s experience in the war-torn nation using both text and unadulterated photos.
The picture essay by photojournalist Stefanie Glinski titled One Month in Kabul Under Taliban rule – a photo essay also falls under this category as it highlights her one-month encounter in Kabul.
2. Thematic photo Essays
Thematic photo essays are topic-specific. For example, they can be on politics, pollution, police brutality, global pandemic, poverty, crime, etc.
You have the freedom of choosing the subjects, location, and you do not necessarily have to incorporate text.
An example of a thematic photo essay is the “ They call us bewitched ” picture essay published in the Guardian. We also bumped into the Olympics Photos: Emotion runs high by the NBC News, which we find as an excellent thematic photo essay. Next, look at this Hurricane Katrina photo essay. It is thematic in the sense that it focuses on a natural disaster. Finally, if you want more examples, this photo essay titled “ From Trayvon Martin to Colin Kaepernick ” details the theme of Black Lives Matter/ police brutality.
Typical Photo Essay Examples/Genres to inspire your creativity
- The daily life photo essay – A Day-in-the-life photo essay tells a story about the day-to-day life of a given subject. It could be a lawyer, president, celebrity, farmer, industrialist, pope, student, etc. most of these photographic essays evoke emotions and help the audience enter into the subject's world.
- Transitioning through life photo essay – These are essays that detail photos of how people transform through life. It can be a photo of a celebrity, president, farmer, or famous person since they were young to date.
- Special events photo essays – As the name suggests, these are photo essays on special events, festivities, and occurrences. The events can be weddings, burials, art exhibitions, car shows, auction events, or celebrations. They have very elaborate and relatable background objects that connect to the main idea.
- Family photo essays – These can be photo essays on family members. You can include photos that show how the family has grown or detailing the family tree. They can also be family business photos that detail the leaders assigned roles to family businesses.
- Protest photo essays – These are thematic photo essays that detail how protests occurred and paint a clear picture of the theme of such protests as the Black Lives Matter protests. When creating a protest photo essay, you should have information about the particular protest. Focus on incidents and protests that occurred in history.
- Sports photo essays – Sports essays can be on sports events such as Olympics, Wimbledon, football leagues, or about sportsmen and women. For instance, the Skysports’ picture essay on Diego Maradona titled Diego Maradona: Images of a football Icon .
- Medical Photo Essays – Organizations such as WHO , Universities , or CDC have various examples of medical photo essays. These visual illustrations focus on medical research, medical practice, diseases, and medical breakthroughs.
- Scientific Photo Essays – Like medical essays, these photo essays detail scientific encounters, breakthroughs, inventions, etc.
- Celebrity photo essays – You can create a photo essay on a celebrity.
- Political photo essays are photo essays that capture and narrate political events, history, and news in a series of photographs and narratives. It could be about leftist and rightist politics or geopolitics as well as policy-making.
- War photo essays – Captures the critical and significant elements of conflict, war, and peace. There are many samples online.
- Timelapse photo essays – These are transformational photo essays that capture the changes of a subject through time. They might take longer to develop and can be on buildings, estates, cities, trees, or landscapes.
- Relationship photo essays – This photo essay genre captures the interaction between people, families, and loved ones. It is the most common assignment in journalism class. It offers an excellent chance to capture emotions like love, family, and friendship.
- Poverty photo essays – This genre of photo essays captures poverty from the standpoint of the subject. They can contain infrastructure, housing, amenities, food, water, etc. They are very emotional and can use narratives. They are the same as drought photo essays that capture how the drought has ravaged a geographic region of interest.
- City photo essays – These are photographic essays that capture a city's feel, life, and pleasures. They are thematic in nature and allow you to focus on specific areas, moods, and feeling that such places evoke.
- Education photo essays – Details issues in education. For instance, it can be a photo essay showing the disparity in access, challenges in education, or infrastructure in education. An example is The Many Faces of Learning, published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Another one is Embracing Education , published by the Lutheran World Federation.
As long as you can think of any topic, there is always a picture or photo essay genre where it can fall under. Remember, you can be asked to create a photo essay on a Word Document or PDF for class, which is where you get the chance to display your prowess and creativity.
Common Photo Essay Examples
Here are the famous photo essays that you can draw inspiration from:
- Various American Natural Sites by Ansel Adams
- “Everyday” by Noah Kalina
- “Signed, X” by Kate Ryan
- “The Vietnam War” by Philip Jones Griffiths
- “The Great Depression” by Dorothea Lange
Structure/Anatomy of a Photo Essay
Here is a blueprint or skeleton of how a basic photo essay can look like
Introductory text/content
This is where you type the text that explains or introduces the photo essay to your audience.
Signature Image
This is the strongest image that has a visual impact on the story you are running. It should be an image that invites the viewers to your story to be interested in looking further. In simple terms, this is your window, attention grabber, or icon; make it count.
This is the picture of a key player or the main subject of your story. You must ensure that the foreground and background elements reinforce the theme or narrative.
Where the subject is caught in real moments, such as in environmental portraits, is reportedly more compelling. You can use a series of posed portraits as well.
Overall wider view
This is the photograph that gives the viewers a sense of the place or part of the place where the story happens. You use such images to create a scene. It can also be a series of detailed images bundled together to set the scene.
Here, you need to follow up with a photograph that explains the finer details. The photo can be abstract but eye-catching in the sense that it draws the attention of the audience. It should be an image that reveals to the audience some aspect that is otherwise missed in a wider shot. You are allowed to use series of small detail photos as a mosaic in one image .
When defining an action, look for a photograph that shows the main theme in your story. For instance, if it is a Black Lives Matter protest, focus on a photo that captures banners, police, and protesters. Specifically, focus on the most poignant or dramatic images that capture people interacting with one another. You can as well capture gestures or moments that amplify the visual narrative you want to communicate.
Closing Photo and text
This is the powerful closing photograph that lets your audience ponder more about your visual narrative. You can follow it with a text highlighting the thoughts you want the audience to reason with as they come to the end of your photo essay.
![what is photo essay gradecrest-logo](https://gradecrest.com/img/logo.png)
Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.
![what is photo essay paypal logo](https://gradecrest.com/img/paypal-logo.png)
- Share full article
Advertisement
Supported by
Creating Photo Essays About Community: A Guide to Our Where We Are Contest
Step-by-step directions for depicting whatâs memorable and meaningful about groups and the places where they gather.
![what is photo essay A group of young people lying on a weathered wooden stage, with their heads resting on one another's stomachs and their arms embracing one another. Some of the people are texting or holding their phones up to take selfies.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/08/27/multimedia/00WWA-THEATER-04-hcvt-LN/00WWA-THEATER-04-hcvt-articleLarge-v3.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)
By Katherine Schulten
Itâs hard not to be inspired by the immersive 2023 photo-essay series Where We Are .
As you scroll through and are introduced to young female wrestlers in India , rappers in Spain , band kids in Ohio and Black debutantes in Detroit , you canât help but think about the communities you have been a part of â or have noticed in your own neighborhood or school.
Thatâs why we hope youâll participate in our contest , which invites teenagers to use these photo essays as mentor texts to document the local, offline communities that most interest them.
How do you go about that? The steps are outlined below.
How to Create Your Photo Essay
Step 1: read the where we are series closely..
- Step 2: Decide what local community will be the subject of your photo essay.
- Step 3: Take photos that show both the big picture and the small details.
- Step 4: Interview members of the community about why it is special.
- Step 5: Give your photo essay context via a short written introduction.
- Step 6: Write captions for your photos that give new information or add depth or color.
- Step 7: Edit all the pieces together and submit.
Immerse yourself in several of these photo essays, using our related activity sheet to help you start to notice and name some of the things that make this series special. You can do the same with our winner and runners-up from last yearâs contest.
When youâre done, weâll help you use those same strategies to document the community you have chosen.
Here are free links to the entire series:
1. The Magic of Your First Car 2. At This Mexican Restaurant, Everyone is Family 3. Where the Band Kids Are 4. In This Nigerian Market, Young Women Find a Place of Their Own 5. At Camp Naru, Nobody Is âan Outlierâ 6. For Black Debutantes in Detroit, Cotillion Is More Than a Ball 7. At This Wrestling Academy, Indian Girls Are âSet Freeâ 8. In Seville, Spain, These Young Rappers Come Together to Turn âTears Into Rhymesâ 9. For a Queer Community in Los Angeles, This Public Park Is a Lifeline 10. In Guatemala, a Collective of Young Artists Finds Family Through Film 11. On a Caribbean Island, Young People Find Freedom in âBike Lifeâ 12. At This Texas Campus Ministry, âInclusive Loveâ Is the Mission 13. For Young Arab Americans in Michigan, the Hookah Lounge Feels like Home
We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into  your Times account, or subscribe  for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in .
Want all of The Times? Subscribe .
![Bridging Tech and Creative Photography Bridging Tech and Creative Photography](https://www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-new_logo.png)
The Phoblographer may receive affiliate compensation for products purchased using links in this article. For more information, please visit our Disclaimers page .
W. Eugene Smith: How Minamata Redefined Photojournalism with a Moral Purpose
![W. Eugene Smith: How Minamata Redefined Photojournalism with a Moral Purpose W. Eugene Smith](https://www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-08-at-10.28.04-AM.png)
The world was reeling from the aftermath of World War II when a photojournalist chose to ‘obsessively’ document its impacts: W. Eugene Smith. One of the great photojournalists of the 20th century, Smith was one of the few luminaries who shaped photo stories in the way we know them today. Country Doctor, a landmark photo essay, not only catapulted Smith to fame but also illustrated the power of the young art form. In his later years, Smith was committed to documenting the human condition in all its forms. As a result, W. Eugene Smith’s final essay, before his demise in 1978 from a heart stroke, continues to be the most influential series of all time: Minamata.
Lead image of W. Eugene Smith’s Minamata is courtesy of Bauman Rare Books .
What Happened in Minamata?
For several years, Chisso Corporation, a chemical factory in the quaint city of Minamata, Japan, discreetly released industrial wastewater into the city’s bay and Shiranui Sea. The waste contained methylmercury, a deadly chemical that is known to affect the nervous system, which was consumed by marine life. Since seafood is a staple in the country, the toxins gradually impacted thousands, which led to severe cases of mercury poisoning. Despite such a disaster continuing for three decades, neither the government nor the corporation lifted a single finger to prevent its spread.
In the meantime, symptoms such as numbness in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, peripheral vision loss, and deterioration of speech and hearing became prominent in individuals. In an extreme case, one would suffer insanity, paralysis, coma, and even death within weeks of the commencement of the signs. Those who were pregnant during this period gave birth to children affected by exten sive cerebral damage and signs identical to those impacted by cerebral palsy.
Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes â just sometimes â one photograph or a group of them can lure our senses into awareness. Much depends upon the viewer; in some, photographs can summon enough emotion to be a catalyst to thought. W. Eugene Smith
According to The New York Times , the company even suppressed the research that âpointed to (its) recklessness.” But when the cases piled up to the breaking point in 1968, the government officially issued a statement recognizing mercury poisoning as “Minamata disease.” Thus began the struggle for victims’ compensation and a fight for justice.
W. Eugene Smith’s Risky Quest to Give Voice to the Voiceless
The year was 1971, when a member of the Minamata movement, who was familiar with W. Eugene Smith’s work, contacted the photographer. Interested in the city, Smith and his then-wife, Aileen Mioko Smith, relocated to Minamata with their assistant, Takeshi Ishikawa. What was to be a three-month visit became an intense, challenging, and emotive documentation for three years. âOf course it was very sensitive, we didnât go barging in,â Aileen, who co-authored the project and the subsequent photo book, told Magnum Photos . âWe lived there, got to know the people, and photographed. The victims were receptive; the feeling was: âWe want the world to knowâ.âÂ
W. Eugene Smith and his wife chose to rent a residence close to one of the victim’s houses. Gradually, the Smiths became close to the families during their conversations and travel. Smithâs intimacy with the families was a powerful element of his photography. This relationship and understanding also led Aileen to withhold the publication of an image called Tomoko and Mother in the Bath . A searing photograph, it portrayed Tomoko, a child deformed due to mercury poisoning, being bathed by his mother Ryoko. Ryoko’s soft and loving expression contrasts starkly with Tomoko’s blankness. It’s a photograph that will certainly make you feel sorrowful and enraged at the greediness of capitalists.
The first word I would strike from the annals of journalism is the word objective. W. Eugene Smith
Although the photograph is now available online , Aileen’s decision then wa s out of respect for her subjects, whom both the Smiths had grown to love. If you glance through the book’s pages, you will see many photographs illustrating the emotional connection between the photographers and the individuals before their lens. With each quiet, vulnerable moment, one can see the emotional toll diseases tookânot only on the victims but also on those who document earnestly.
While W. Eugene Smith and Aileen went to speak to Chisso about the aftermath of their heinous crimes a year after their arrival, they were met with reluctance and violence. The latter clash was so severe for Eugene that it induced temporary blindness in one of the eyes and blackouts when he lifted his hand. During this time, Eugene’s other injuries and ailments from WWII began to affect him, too. Yet, W. Euegene Smith continued photographing Minamata to portray the victims’ strength and humanness. Perhaps his own ailments were forgotten during the heartbreaking encounters with the victims and their families.
A Legacy to Remember
The photo essay , published in 1972 in LIFE,  became a touring exhibit to prove the power of the victim’s resilience. Moreover, their gradual win of the lawsuit against Chisso also helped to spread awareness about the preventable tragedy. Three years later, in 1975, the Smiths published the book, Minamata, with Eugene’s words revealing what the project meant for him : “a severe warning⊠the beginning of a new industrial revolution⊠It is certainly going to condition minds and set precedents that will have repercussions throughout the world.”
And each time I pressed the shutter release it was a shouted condemnation hurled with the hope that the picture might survive through the years, with the hope that they might echo through the minds of men in the future â causing them caution and remembrance and realization. W. Eugene SMith
While it has been decades since the photo essay was published, the images continue to live in the memories of not just the victims but anyone who came or will come across them. Perhaps the best part about Minamata is that W. Eugene Smith’s hope to change the evils of the world through photography continues to echo in the determination of emerging photographers even today.
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/06/18/PGRB/74131708007-dca-0622-behind-the-door-kevin-o-donnell.jpg?crop=2065,1549,x0,y258?width=320&height=240)
'More than a pretty picture book' looks at Door Peninsula's overlooked people, places
The author and photographer wants to show parts of the peninsula that people might miss. a wine-and-cheese presentation will be held june 26..
FISH CREEK - Yes, Kevin O'Donnell's new book about the Peninsula contains lots of photographs of people and places in and around Door County. More than 140 photos, in fact.
But the subjects of the photos in "Behind the Door: Profiles of a Peninsula" aren't the typical subjects one expects to find in a Door County photo book.
Plus, they're not set just in Door County but across the entire Peninsula, meaning there's a little bit of representation for Kewaunee and far northern Brown counties.
And they're accompanied by 29 essays O'Donnell wrote that are matched with the photos.
Which is what O'Donnell aimed for when he started working on the book seven years ago.
"Behind the Door" was self-published by O'Donnell's Glenham Publishing on May 21, and people can check out the result of his large-format, 184-page effort at the official launch of the book Wednesday, June 26 at Write On, Door County, with signed copies for sale, wine and cheese, selected photos on display and readings by O'Donnell.
The Door County resident worked as an engineer in the pharmaceutical industry until retiring in 2018; a book he wrote for the industry won an international Book of the Year award and continues to be used by schools and as a guidebook to vaccine management. His photographs have been featured in publications including Wisconsinâs Great Waterways calendars and the Door County GO Guide, and he had a solo exhibit of 45 of his photos, mostly from Door County, in a Chicago gallery.
His 37 years in the pharma industry led to extensive international travel and kindled his interest in the traditions, cultures and history of the places he visited. That's what he said he's trying to capture for the Peninsula in the photos and essays of his new book.
To do so, O'Donnell said he strived to find people and places off the beaten path â "get off (State) 42 and 57 and travel the byways," he said â that reflected those cultures and histories. As he wrote in the preface to the book, "I mined the obscure rather than the obvious in order to suggest and share with visitors, and others, that there is more to the peninsula than bearded goats on a sod roof, weekend festivals, and fish boils."
He also pointed out that "the peninsula" geographically doesn't start when one gets north of Sturgeon Bay but instead includes portions of Kewaunee and Brown counties, so he wanted to have those areas represented in the book to giver readers a fuller picture of "the peninsula." For example, he feels Southern Door County is especially underrepresented when people talk about the region and its role in local culture and history.
"It's more substantial than just a picture book," O'Donnell said in an interview with the Advocate. "I wanted to create something that, one, was more than just a pretty picture book, and two, was about the entire Peninsula, not just Door County. My intention was to create a book about the Peninsula with regards to the things that maybe most visitors, and even some residents, don't see."
O'Donnell said he started the project with a list of subject ideas, but those sometimes changed organically as he learned more about his originally planned subjects or learned more about various people and places on the Peninsula.
"When I went into this project, I had the idea for it to to be more about people," O'Donnell said, "the five- and six-generation year-rounders with the family farms, the commercial fishermen."
Then, several places and things came into consideration as well. For example, O'Donnell said he happened to look up one day when in the Sturgeon Bay post office and saw a large, 4-by-14-foot mural on the wall above the entrance to the office. He stared at it for a while, and when the postal worker behind the counter asked if he needed anything, he asked her if she knew anything about the painting. Which she didn't.
Turns out the mural is titled âFruits of Sturgeon Bay," painted in 1940 by Milwaukee-based artist Santos Zingale for one of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs to hire modern artists to create art for public spaces. Zingale was a well-known social realism painter in the day, so the mural is a noteworthy work of art, and O'Donnell highlighted it in his book.
"There've been folks who've lived in Door County for years but have never seen that painting," O"Donnell said.
It's people, places and things like that, that O'Donnell said he's trying to spotlight. The people, places and things that make the Peninsula what it really is,
"This book, I hope, captures with great affection," he wrote in the preface, "a glimpse into the work we embrace, the winters we endure, the nights we marvel, the environment we steward, the traditions we value, the history we cherish, the stories we tell, and the lives we live behind the Door."
The wine-and-cheese reception and launch for Kevin OâDonnellâs "Behind the Door: Profiles of a Peninsula" takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. June 26 at Write On, Door County, 4210 Juddville Road, Fish Creek. OâDonnell will talk about the making of the book and read excerpts from his essays, and photos from the book will be on display. Autographed limited-edition presentation copies of the book and standard editions will be available for sale, with a portion of the proceeds supporting Write On programs.
O'Donnell also will sign copies of the book from 10 a.m. to noon July 6, at Novel Bay Booksellers, 44 N. Third Ave., Sturgeon Bay, one of a handful of Door County shops that are carrying the book.
The book can be ordered from O'Donnell's website, kevinodonnell.photography . It also is available at Novel Bay Booksellers in Sturgeon Bay; The Belgian Delight Restaurant & Gifts, Brussels; Door County Maritime Museum, Sturgeon Bay, and its Cana Island Lighthouse Museum in Baileys Harbor and Deathâs Door Museum in Gills Rock; Kick Ash Coffee, Ellison Bay; OâMearaâs Irish House, Fish Creek; The Ridges Sanctuary, Baileys Harbor; and Yardstick Books, Algoma.
C ontact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or [email protected].
MORE: A dispute between Egg Harbor and a popular restaurant has just been settled by the Wisconsin Supreme Court
MORE: Door County tourism translates to a record $620 million economic impact in 2023, report says
FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS:Â Check out our website
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_96,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2d13f56c-e9aa-4ffe-86e9-398bc619cf87_1080x1080.png)
The Ecstatic Wanderer
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_120,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12012672-5cdc-4c87-8ddc-64cb99444e85_4032x2268.jpeg)
Photo Essays: What State Has the Best Sunsets? and April's Book of Days
![what is photo essay what is photo essay](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_80,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e1d0ee7-3738-4c42-9ea7-256030864aca_998x1180.png)
What State Has the Best Sunsets?
Photography is the art of seeing. Itâs also a spiritual practice. The way the light falls on a flower, the expression on someoneâs face caught in a private moment. ThâŠ
This post is for paid subscribers
What happened in the Kolkata rape case that triggered doctorsâ protests?
Activists and doctors in India demand better safeguarding of women and medical professionals after a trainee medic was raped and murdered in Kolkata.
![what is photo essay Following a murder of a 31 year old post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor by rape and torture inside a government hospital, activists of different humanitarian and political organisations and medical professionals participate in a rally with posters and torches demanding adequate intervention of the ruling government and exemplary punishment of the culprits, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024.](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AP24226474215392-1723632656.jpg?resize=730%2C410&quality=80)
Activists and doctors across India continued to protest on Wednesday to demand justice for a female doctor, who was raped and murdered while on duty in a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata.
Feminist groups rallied on the streets in protests titled âReclaim the Nightâ in Kolkata overnight on Wednesday â on the eve of Indiaâs independence day â in solidarity with the victim, demanding the principal of RG Kar Medical College resign. Some feminist protesters also marched well beyond Kolkata, including in the capital Delhi.
Keep reading
Doctors across india protest rape and murder of medic in kolkata, india supreme court to monitor investigations into manipur sexual violence, goals not guns: how a girls football team in indiaâs manipur beats violence, four arrested after spanish blogger on india motorcycle tour gangraped.
While the protests were largely peaceful, a small mob of men stormed the medical college and vandalised property. This group was dispersed by the police.
This comes after two days of nationwide protests by doctors following the incident at RG Kar Medical College in West Bengalâs capital city. âSit-in demonstrations and agitation in the hospital campus will continue,â one of the protesting doctors, identified as Dr Mridul, told Al Jazeera.
Services in some medical centres were halted indefinitely, and marches and vigils shed light on issues of sexual violence, as well as doctorsâ safety in the worldâs most populous nation.
What happened to the doctor in Kolkata?
A 31-year-old trainee doctorâs dead body, bearing multiple injuries, was found on August 9 in a government teaching hospital in Kolkata.
The parents of the victim were initially told âby hospital authorities that their daughter had committed suicide,â lawyer and womenâs rights activist Vrinda Grover told Al Jazeera. But an autopsy confirmed that the victim was raped and killed.
Grover has appeared for victims in sexual violence cases in India in the past, including Bilkis Bano , a Muslim woman who was gang-raped during the 2002 Gujarat riots, and Soni Sori, a tribal activist based in Chhattisgarh state.
Thousands of doctors marched in Kolkata on Monday, demanding better security measures and justice for the victim.
On Tuesday, the Kolkata High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) called for a nationwide halting of elective services in hospitals starting on Monday. Elective services are medical treatments that can be deferred or are not deemed medically necessary.
![what is photo essay Doctors hold posters to protest the rape and murder of a young medic from Kolkata, at the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada on August 14](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AFP__20240814__36E79BT__v1__HighRes__IndiaDoctorsStrike-1723632527.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513)
On Tuesday, FORDA announced on its X account that it is calling off the strike after Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda accepted protest demands.
One of these demands was solidifying the Central Protection Act, intended to be a central law to protect medical professionals from violence, which was proposed in the parliamentâs lower house in 2022, but has not yet been enacted.
FORDA said that the ministry would begin working on the Act within 15 days of the news release, and that a written statement from the ministry was expected to be released soon.
Press release regarding call off of strike. In our fight for the sad incident at R G Kar, the demands raised by us have been met in full by the @OfficeofJPNadda , with concrete steps in place, and not just verbal assurances. Central Healthcare Protection Act ratification⊠pic.twitter.com/OXdSZgM1Jc â FORDA INDIA (@FordaIndia) August 13, 2024
Why are some Indian doctors continuing to protest?
However, other doctorsâ federations and hospitals have said they will not back down on the strike until a concrete solution is found, including a central law to curb attacks on doctors.
Those continuing to strike included the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), Delhi-based All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indira Gandhi Hospital, local media reported.
Ragunandan Dixit, the general secretary of the AIIMS Resident Doctorsâ Association, said that the indefinite strike will continue until their demands are met, including a written guarantee of the implementation of the Central Protection Act.
Medical professionals in India want a central law that makes violence against doctors a non-bailable, punishable offence, in hopes that it deters such violent crimes against doctors in the future.
Those continuing to protest also call for the dismissal of the principal of the college, who was transferred. âWeâre demanding his termination, not just transfer,â Dr Abdul Waqim Khan, a protesting doctor told ANI news agency. âWeâre also demanding a death penalty for the criminal,â he added.
âCalling off the strike now would mean that female resident doctors might never receive justice,â Dr Dhruv Chauhan, member of the National Council of the Indian Medical Associationâs Junior Doctorsâ Network told local news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).
Which states in India saw doctorsâ protests?
While the protests started in West Bengalâs Kolkata on Monday, they spread across the country on Tuesday.
The capital New Delhi, union territory Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow and city Prayagraj, Bihar capital Patna and southern state Goa also saw doctorsâ protests.
![what is photo essay Interactive_India_doctor_rape_protests_August14_2024](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Interactive_India_doctor_rape_protests-1723634858.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C963)
Who is the suspect in the Kolkata rape case?
Local media reported that the police arrested suspect Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer who would visit the hospital often. He has unrestricted access to the ward and the police found compelling evidence against him.
The parents of the victim told the court that they suspect that it was a case of gang rape, local media reported.
Why is sexual violence on the rise in India?
Sexual violence is rampant in India, where 90 rapes were reported on average every day in 2022.
Laws against sexual violence were made stricter following a rape case in 2012, when a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern was brutally gang-raped and murdered on a bus in Delhi. Four men were hanged for the gang rape, which had triggered a nationwide protests.
But despite new laws in place, âthe graph of sexual violence in India continues to spiral unabated,â said Grover.
She added that in her experience at most workplaces, scant attention is paid to diligent and rigorous enforcement of the laws.
âIt is regrettable that government and institutions respond only after the woman has already suffered sexual assault and often succumbed to death in the incident,â she added, saying preventive measures are not taken.
In many rape cases in India, perpetrators have not been held accountable. In 2002, Bano was raped by 11 men, who were sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2022, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorised the release of the men, who were greeted with applause and garlands upon their release.
However, their remission was overruled and the Supreme Court sent the rapists back to jail after public outcry.
Grover believes that the death penalty will not deter rapists until India addresses the deeply entrenched problem of sexual violence. âFor any change, India as a society will have to confront and challenge, patriarchy, discrimination and inequality that is embedded in our homes, families, cultural practices, social norms and religious traditionsâ.
What makes this case particularly prominent is that it happened in Kolkata, Sandip Roy, a freelance contributor to NPR, told Al Jazeera. âKolkata actually prided itself for a long time on being really low in the case of violence against women and being relatively safe for women.â
A National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report said that Kolkata had the lowest number of rape cases in 2021 among 19 metropolitan cities, with 11 cases in the whole year. In comparison, New Delhi was reported to have recorded 1, 226 cases that year.
Prime Minister Modiâs governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for dismissing the government in West Bengal, where Kolkata is located, led by Mamata Banerjee of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). Banerjeeâs party is part of the opposition alliance.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in parliament, also called for justice for the victim.
âThe attempt to save the accused instead of providing justice to the victim raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration,â he posted on X on Wednesday.
Roy spoke about the politicisation of the case since an opposition party governs West Bengal. âThe local governmentâs opposition will try to make this an issue of womenâs safety in the state,â he said.
Have doctors in India protested before?
Roy explained to Al Jazeera that this case is an overlap of two kinds of violence, the violence against a woman, as well as violence against âan overworked medical professionalâ.
Doctors in India do not have sufficient workplace security, and attacks on doctors have started protests in India before.
In 2019, two junior doctors were physically assaulted in Kolkataâs Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRSMCH) by a mob of people after a 75-year-old patient passed away in the hospital.
Those attacks set off doctorsâ protests in Kolkata, and senior doctors in West Bengal offered to resign from their positions to express solidarity with the junior doctors who were attacked.
More than 75 percent of Indian doctors have faced some form of violence, according to a survey by the Indian Medical Association in 2015.
What happens next?
The case will now be handled by the CBI, which sent a team to the hospital premises to inspect the crime scene on Wednesday morning, local media reported.
According to Indian law, the investigation into a case of rape or gang rape is to be completed within two months from the date of lodging of the First Information Report (police complaint), according to Grover, the lawyer.
The highest court in West Bengal, which transferred the case from the local police to the CBI on Tuesday, has directed the central investigating agency to file periodic status reports regarding the progress of the investigation.
The FIR was filed on August 9, which means the investigation is expected to be completed by October 9.
Bengal women will create history with a night long protest in various major locations in the state for at 11.55pm on 14th of Augustâ24,the night thatâll mark our 78th year as an independent country. The campaign, 'Women, Reclaim the Night: The Night is Ours', is aimed at seeking⊠pic.twitter.com/Si9fd6YGNb â purpleready (@epicnephrin_e) August 13, 2024
![](http://mangareview.fun/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
COMMENTS
A photo essay is a series of images that tell a story or convey a message. Learn how to plan, shoot, edit, and sequence your own photo essay with tips and examples from MasterClass.
A photo essay is a series of images that share an overarching theme and tell a story. Learn the types, elements, tips and examples of photo essays from this photography guide.
A photo essay is a visual story that uses a series of images to convey a theme, idea, or message. Learn the history, types, and steps of creating a photo essay with examples and tips.
A photo essay is a collection of images based around a theme, a topic, a creative approach, or an exploration of an idea. Learn the difference between a photo essay and a photo story, and how to make one step by step with this guide and examples.
A photo essay is a series of images that tell a story or convey a message. Learn what a photo essay is, why you should create one, and explore 23 photo essay ideas and examples for inspiration.
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 ...
4. Event Photo Essay. Events are happening in your local area all the time, and they can make great photo essays. With a little research, you can quickly find many events that you could photograph. There may be bake sales, fundraisers, concerts, art shows, farm markets, block parties, and other non profit event ideas.
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.
Photo essays are an increasingly popular medium for journalists, bloggers, and advertisers alike. Whether you're 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 photo essay is a form of visual storytelling that develops a narrative across a series of photographs. It originated during the late 1920s in German illustrated journals, initially presenting stories in the objective, distanced tone of news reporting. The photo essay gained wide popularity with the growth of photographically illustrated magazines such as VU (launched in Paris in 1928), LIFE ...
A photographic essay or photo-essay for short is a form of visual storytelling, a way to present a narrative through a series of images. A photo essay delivers a story using a series of photographs and brings the viewer along a narrative journey. Examples of photo essays include:
The template chooser. 2. Add your title image. Every photo essay needs a stunning title image to hook the reader. Depending on what kind of photo essay you're creating, this could be a photo of the subject or theme of the piece. You can also choose to add a title, subtitle, and author. 3.
A photo essay is a series of photographs focusing on one subject or theme. Learn how to create a photo essay and see examples of narrative and thematic photo essays.
A photo essay is a storytelling medium that uses images, composition, contrast, color, and perspective to convey a narrative without words. By using basic photographic equipment, a photographer can capture a series of images that tell a story or highlight a particular theme or topic. A photo essay can be used to present a documentary-style ...
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 doesn't 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.
Photo essays are very different to a portfolio of work. For example, if you were asked to put a portfolio together for a specific location you would include a wide range of subjects and include your best shots. These might include landscapes, portraits, food and even wildlife. But a photo essay needs to be much more focused on a specific narrative.
A photo essay is a series of images that tells a story. Some photo essay ideas can include instructions on how to do something, a timeline of some event, an explanation of a cause, or simply a fun story. Taking the idea of a photo essay as a form of instruction, I've made some behind the scenes series showing how to do different aspects of ...
A photo essay is intriguing; it's something to talk about after people hear that you're a photographer and want to know about the glitz and glamour of it all. It's the perfect thing to tell them after you're done going on and on about all of the red carpets, the celebrities, the fame, and the fortune. ...
32 Photo Essay Examples (Plus Tips) Photography is a medium that allows you to explore narratives and tell stories about the world around you. One form of storytelling is the photo essay. If you want to create your own photo essay, it can help to know the two main types of essays and some examples of potential subjects. In this article, we ...
A photo essay is a visual storytelling method that utilizes a sequence of carefully curated photographs to convey a narrative, explore a theme, or evoke specific emotions. It goes beyond individual images, aiming to tell a cohesive and impactful story through the arrangement and combination of pictures.
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 "Juveniles in Prison" 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 ...
Timelapse photo essays - These are transformational photo essays that capture the changes of a subject through time. They might take longer to develop and can be on buildings, estates, cities, trees, or landscapes. Relationship photo essays - This photo essay genre captures the interaction between people, families, and loved ones. It is the ...
How to Create Your Photo Essay. Step 1: Read the Where We Are series closely. Step 2: Decide what local community will be the subject of your photo essay. Step 3: Take photos that show both the ...
The photo essay, published in 1972 in LIFE, became a touring exhibit to prove the power of the victim's resilience. Moreover, their gradual win of the lawsuit against Chisso also helped to ...
FISH CREEK - Yes, Kevin O'Donnell's new book about the Peninsula contains lots of photographs of people and places in and around Door County. More than 140 photos, in fact.
Boise State University Athletics
Get New Music, News, Reviews, Videos And More Delivered Right To Your Inbox.
The Ecstatic Wanderer is a free Tuesday photo essay, showing you a window into my roadlife around the US. If you love it, please consider supporting it through a paid subscription. For $6/month, you will have access to my full archive of photo essays and newsletters, plus an upcoming monthly long-form story series with accompanying audio only ...
Early on Friday morning, a 31-year-old female trainee doctor retired to sleep in a seminar hall after a gruelling day at one of India's oldest hospitals. It was the last time she was seen alive ...
Activists and doctors across India continued to protest on Wednesday to demand justice for a female doctor, who was raped and murdered while on duty in a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata ...