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10 Photo Essay Tips
Find a topic you are interested to make the pictures interesting and that you have fun. Think that every picture is like a sentence or a paragraph.
Do research of what you are going to photograph before time to get your ideas ahead of time because it is harder to on the spot. Having a plan allows you to expand on certain ideas.
You need to find the real story and see what angle of the story you’re going to use. A real story meaning photographing someone’d daily life or an event. Ex: is the new born son born into a rich family that is going to make a legacy? A unusual birthday party
Make sure to manipulate the emotions of the viewer. Make the viewer say aww or make the angry they want to do something to fix the issue. This is like appealing to the emotion of the viewer so you can get what you feel across.
Make sure to have a plan ahead of the photo-shoot so you don’t waste your models time and you are not struggling to take pictures. This should be fun and natural. Having somewhat of a plan allows you to expand on ideas and it doesn’t have to be straight from the plan.
Have a plan but if something come up like a better idea let it evolve into your project. When we make the plan we are just trying to get shots that we think are best at the moment. But ones it’s the day of the photoshoot you might think that a certain picture would be better than the one you had plan just go with it. It will be a great picture if not no harm is done.
If you think that there could be a photo essay idea in your hobbies or passions it is most likely there. If you have a feeling that a picture would come out better from a different angle or would give a different feeling it is most likely there go with your instinct.
Take many shots as possible and then choose your best pictures and then if you have to reshoot then do it to get better results. If you go over a 1000 pictures it is ok you will just have more to choose from and made sure you got the best of your model’s sides.
Ask someone to help you choose your best shots to get a better results on your photo essay. Having someone’s opinion would be best because there might be pictures that are deal breaking and it would help if you had the actual model help because it would be their story.
Make your ideas bold and make your opinions loud on how you photograph your photo essay. This is where you have a voice don’t let other people tell you what you can and can’t photograph take pride in your opinion and don’t let it water down because other people try to influence your thinking.
