Apart from the composition and lighting, what is the other thing that draws viewers into the frame and makes them think deeper? It’s the storytelling elements in your picture. Storytelling is one of the important aspects of photography. But do your pictures tell a story?

1. Storytelling Through Photography
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALBERTO BERNASCONI, MUSEI VATICANI- “Meet the man with keys to
the Vatican”
Source- National Geographic
Other than the composition and lighting, what is the other thing that draws viewers into the
frame and makes them think deeper? It’s the storytelling elements in your picture. Storytelling is
one of the important aspects of photography. In simple words, a storytelling photograph must
show what the story is about. This can be chronological as a series of photographs, where the
images are ordered in a specific way or a single photograph sometimes. A storytelling
photograph invokes emotions, inspires people, sends an important message, or shows an idea.
The purpose of photography is to say something and this is perfectly justified by the phrase, a
picture is worth a thousand words, however, this doesn’t mean all photographs narrate a story. In
photography, visual storytelling is often called a ‘photo essay’ or ‘photo story’.
Through storytelling photographs, the photographer creates enough room and inspiration for the
viewer to be involved himself. So how do you come up with good storytelling photographs?
Context is one of the important elements of storytelling. Context is how the photographer frames
his subject and that is why it's important to understand the subject and decide on what visual
elements will help tell the story. Photograph your subject from different angles like back, front,
near, far away. Include small details in the frame to tell a story - a person’s story is in the details.
Experiment with the background to bring out the correct mood and relationship between the
subject and the background. One of the key aspects in series of shots is variety, trying to shoot
your subject in different focal lengths settings- portraits, wide-angle shots, shots from up high,
down low, action shots, zoomed-in detail. Try to include more than one storytelling element in
your photographs, as that will help the viewer to understand your image better. Emotions are an
important part of the storytelling. Focus equally on composition and lighting. The theme of the
photos is very important as it helps to convey the right message. The theme can be objects,
colors, styles, etc. In the end, take lots of photos and review each photo while you are in the field
because that’s where you can be your creative best.

2. Brian Sokol’s image of a cyclone victim is full of stories. We share context with this man, we
share a known set of variables. We may not know the particulars, but we know what has
happened. That is the story.
Source- jotform.com
SOME EXTRA TIPS FOR STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY
Here are some more tips to get you started and will help you come with focused stories.
1. Find your story
Ask yourself what will be your idea? What will be the story? By doing so, you will get a
clear idea of what works for you and what doesn’t. Take your time to plan out the details
of the story. Think about the message you want to convey through your pictures. By
answering the above questions you have higher chances of capturing a strong picture.
2. Plan your story
Planning is everything. You must plan ahead to visualize the story and move in the right
direction. This includes researching the topic, planning your shots, etc. Think about the
ideas for specific shots, angles, people that you might include in the frame. What props,
gear, other accessories will you be needing to do your job? Think about the types of
images you want to include in your film? When and where are you going to shoot your
narrative? By doing so you add practical value to planning your shoot ahead.
3. Narrative structures

3. In narrative structures, one should consider the beginning, middle, and end. A series of
pictures can show storytelling by following a chronological narrative structure. Include a
few elements to support your narrative. The beginning of the photo story is considered an
establishment shot and should leave the viewer wanting more. It could be the introduction
to an important character in the story. Try to include a few details about the person in the
frame. The middle shot is the main narrative and your viewer learns more. Actions shots,
detailed images combined tell your story. The ending or conclusion of the story is as
important as the beginning. It is basically what impression you want your viewer to have
of the story.
4. Theme
A theme helps to bring visual consistency to the story. Consider visual themes like the
color scheme(warm vs cool colors, complementary colors), shape, objects, etc and
stylistic themes like black & white, etc
5. Take a stronger picture with powerful emotions
Emotions can be included in the story in ways such as expression, colors, props, and body
language. The storytelling pictures should have an emotional impact on the viewers. The
images can contain any human figure, landscape, or abstract visuals. The chronology of
the series of pictures should be decided on the intentional layers of meaning.
PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAM DANIELS- ‘‘It’s eerie’: Capturing the emptiness of Paris, a city
under lockdown
Source- National Geographic