Photography tutorial: telling a story

Introduction

How to tell a story through photography, turning a series of ordinary shots into an enjoyable and consistent collection of photographs? A few tips that, if put into practice, can lead to results far beyond expectations. Do you want to learn how to tell a story with a photo? Read this simple guide!

What's a Story?

Let's start from the assumption that most photographs are usually taken within a specific context. People typically take pictures on holiday, during an event, or to capture a special moment. This page is not meant to explain how to improve any single shot but to help you transform your holiday or event photos into something special.

Since our website is about holidays in Cortina, much of this page will focus on travel photography, but the same rules can be applied to wedding photography, local festivals, or trips with friends.

The Journey Is a Story

Have you ever looked at the photos you took and felt unsatisfied? They're not bad photos, but it's as if, when looking at those one hundred and fifty images, there's an important piece missing. When reading the pages of a magazine, you don't get this feeling; in fact, with just a few photos, they can trick you into feeling like you've lived the moment yourself.

The reason for this feeling is that professional photographers, tasked with creating a photo reportage, are able to tell a story through images and give a sense of continuity to a few well-planned shots. The rules for achieving more professional and interesting photos are simple. Let's list them first and then explore them in detail:

• Experience the event as a story to be told.
• A good photo is like theater: you need a stage, but also actors.
• Photograph people while they are engaged in some activity.
• Decide what result you want to achieve.
• Say goodbye to boring photos with smiling relatives and monuments in the background.

When you attend an event or plan a trip, you usually have a clear idea of the purpose of your holiday. Are you looking for relaxation? Do you want adventure? Are you on holiday to have fun with friends? Every photograph should capture the spirit with which you chose to live the experience so that it tells a story consistent with your initial idea.

Wanting to tell a story will help you focus on what you need to photograph, concentrating your efforts only on what matters. If you have a clear story in mind, your photos will each have a role to play, and you'll have a way to judge whether they tell it well. A storyline gives meaning to your photos and allows you to evaluate your work.

A Good Picture Is Like a Theater

A good photo is like theater. You need a stage, but also actors. A landscape can be very striking, but often the most beautiful photographs have a protagonist. Often, a breathtaking view will be enhanced by a person portrayed in the foreground, even if it's just a passer-by.

Including an observer in your photos increases the sense of involvement, creating that feeling of "I wish I were in that shot, in that moment." The subject doesn't necessarily have to be a person; many powerful images feature animals, statues, or elements framed in the foreground solely to give greater depth to the shot.

If you decide to photograph a person, remember that posed photos are rather ordinary and most of the time fail to capture strong emotions. A skilled photographer manages to become invisible and capture moments of naturalness, such as while ordering a coffee, reading a map, or asking a passer-by for information.

Remember that the most natural photos are the spontaneous ones, where the subject is unaware of being photographed. Striking a pose with the classic Instagram smile makes all images look the same and a bit boring.

Let's Define the Goal First

Are you about to leave for a vacation or attend your nephew's baptism? Have you been asked to take some photos or are you simply a guest? Be aware of the situation before the day begins. Decide in advance whether you want a spectacular shot worthy of appearing in National Geographic, or if you're simply trying to bring home a few souvenir photos for the family.

This way, you can decide in advance how much time to dedicate to photography, both to avoid boring your travel companions and to be more aware of the results you want to achieve. If you're heading for a romantic weekend at the beach, you'll hardly find the time needed to photograph the shy puffin. Deciding in advance what to focus on will spare you a lot of frustration.

In travel photography, it's generally a good idea to do some research before leaving, both on the points of interest you'd like to visit and on the best times to do so. Good planning is the best way not to miss anything in a destination, although you should always leave a bit of room for improvisation. In the photo below, during a visit to Barcelona, we would never have imagined stumbling upon the X-Games, a pleasant surprise.

Good planning is also essential for deciding what to bring with you. Hoping it may be useful, here is the complete list of all the equipment that might come in handy during a photography day.

• Camera, including a possible second body.
• Lenses, with caps and lens hoods.
• Plenty of memory cards.
• Flash, light meter, filters, and diffusers.
• A white reflective panel.
• Tripod or monopod.
• Remote shutter release.
• Lens cleaning cloth and air blower.
• Camera manual.
• Various battery chargers.
• Spare batteries (camera and flash).
• Backup device.
• Headlamp.
• Victorinox-style multi-tool knife.
• Band-aids, aspirin, medication.
• Food, water, sandwiches, and snacks.
• Nylon bags and rubber bands for waterproofing.
• Tissues.
• Portable umbrella or rain jacket.

Of course, you can't always carry everything with you. The weight of three wide-angle lenses is pointless if you're going to photograph an owl in the woods. If you want a nice photo of your child playing at the beach, bringing the beach umbrella will be more useful than the tripod, just as snacks won't be needed if you're going to shoot a wedding. Organize your backpack according to your plan.

No More Trivial Photos

Many times, out of haste or fear of making mistakes, we end up taking a trivial photograph, let's say in the harsh midday light, with our travel companion smiling in front of yet another monument. We're not saying you should always shoot only innovative compositions, but memorable photographs go beyond the usual monuments, landscapes, and stiff family portraits.

The classic framing is a bit dull and won't give you much satisfaction. We strongly encourage you to try thinking of something different, such as playing with reflections or placing your subjects in unusual contexts. If you don't want to take risks, you can always take some basic photos and then spend a few minutes on something more creative.

Also remember to select your shots. A well-planned photo will include within it all the useful elements needed to capture a particular moment; you don't need a hundred photos of the same subject. This will make viewing more enjoyable for any guests and will make any post-processing work easier.

In conclusion, the need to tell a story will allow you to focus on a theme and develop it with determination, increasing your satisfaction and resulting in more effective photographs. Seeking new challenges helps you grow and can be applied to any activity you happen to photograph.

If you'd like more tips on photographing events, we invite you to read the page we've written on the topic:

Photographing at Public Events A guide to taking better photos during public events, gatherings, and festivals. Reading time: 6 min.

Conclusion

We hope you liked this page about telling a story with your photos. Before saying goodbye, we would suggest you read our home page, with all the articles we wrote about Cortina d'Ampezzo.

If you want to thank us, you can read the page Support Us. If you only want to suggest a change, propose something, or just say hello, in the section Contacts and Info, you'll find all the ways to reach us.