Storytelling

Storytelling is the activity of writing and telling stories, but how do we tell stories in photography, why is storytelling important and how can it help us improve our artistic talent and sales?

Storytelling in photography is an art that requires some degree of technical knowledge (though not always essential) and a keen understanding of the narrative you’re trying to communicate.

Storytelling is about capturing moments, that when pieced together, reveal a larger story that is communicated to the viewer in an image.

There are several ways to communicate stories through photography, however, in this article, I’m going to keep it simple starting with basic storytelling utilising one image.

So, how do we tell a story in photography?

Let’s take this image below that illustrates a windmill during sunset. The image looks appealing with nice tones, colour, and depth but, that’s all the image conveys.

Online thousands of images look identical to this one, and while it’s a great capture, it’s not unique and lacks a story; for example, all we know is that there’s a sunset in this image with a windmill in the foreground.

Furthermore, with no story, viewers will get bored and pass by without giving the image a second glimpse of what the photographer and image are trying to convey.

On the other hand, however, the image below, taken during sunset captures not just a windmill, sunset, nice tones, etc, but two people looking into the distance from the windmill veranda.

The photographer has conveyed a message of peace, love, warmth and maybe romance that illustrates two people bonding during a special time in their lives. Maybe they just got married or were simply watching the sunset.

The fact is, the image provokes us to think about what may be happening and what the photographer was thinking too.

The image above is more likely to make people stop, look and reflect on the story being told creating a connection between the viewer and the subjects of the photograph and leaving a lasting impact.

Why is storytelling important?

In today’s fast-paced world, attention spans are growing shorter than ever. People are bombarded with images and data daily and it takes something truly special to grab their minds, hence why visual photographic storytelling is essential.

Storytelling makes people stop, look, and ponder over what the image is conveying.

Social media is saturated with images that lack a narrative and fail to tell a story through photography.

These record shots, documenting a moment, an object, a scene, or a person, often have no meaning beyond the person taking the image or the close-knit circle of people who know the photographer and the subjects.

However, when infused with visual storytelling, these images can transcend immediacy and resonate more deeply with a wider audience.

Creating a narrative in photography requires a much deeper connection to the photo story you want to convey. It goes beyond the rule of thirds, camera settings, or other compositional techniques and requires you to first think about the reason and intention behind the photograph.

Visual storytelling places the viewer in the moment, the environment, and the situation to make them feel the story you are conveying. Storytelling in photography is a vocabulary that is uniquely yours to speak.

Tell your photo story meaningfully, utilising the right settings and narrative techniques rather than mere references.

The two images below are another example of non-narrative and good storytelling photography.

I for one love the above image, however, as mentioned above, online there are thousands of images identical to this one hence why I would likely pass it by without giving it a second glimpse.

However, the image below illustrates a rather bleak narrative for this butterfly and it made me stop immediately when searching for butterfly photos.

The image conveys a story that butterflies are possibly in danger of going extinct, their habitat is under threat, and their numbers are declining.

In addition, the photographer has got me thinking; for example, what’s going on, where is this location, is this a protected species, and can I do anything to help?

The photographer through one image captured me and my emotions. Hence the importance of storytelling in photography.

How does storytelling in photography improve our artistic talent?

Adopting a storytelling or (narrative photography) technique helps us to build a powerful and rewarding skill that can deepen the meaning of our images setting us apart from the rest.

It doesn’t matter if you like to take portraits, do photojournalism, or even photograph landscapes – storytelling is what makes people engage with your pictures.

Storytelling isn’t about the rule of thirds, composition, etc, but more about capturing visuals there and then.

Photographic storytelling helps us to improve our camera technical skills, research abilities, photography proficiency, critical thinking, and creativity.

And sales?

Using photographic storytelling correctly allows your audience to connect emotionally with your brand, making them more likely to remember it.

This is extremely useful in sales, where you’re trying to create a lasting impression that will drive conversions and build good customer relationships.

I hope you’ve found this article useful. In my next blog, I will reveal more about photographic storytelling, the various methods and styles, and how you can get yourself seen by major organisations such as NatGeo through immersive narrative photography.