A picture is worth a thousand words – or so the saying goes.
We are going to tell a story with photos, and show how words can be replaced by amazing (or EPIC) photos. We are doing a photo essay!
What is a Photo Essay?
It is a series of photographs that conveys a story, usually accompanied by a written text. Photo Essays tell stories with pictures in ways that words cannot. They show us the faces of joy, pain, pride and fear.
Here are some magazines which have used photo journalism heavily.
TIME and LIFE
Assignment 1 (Research Assignment)
This assignment will help you understand what a photo essay is, and will help you work towards creating your own. To help prepare you for this you should review some other photo essays and prepare a report for the class.
Select a photo essay from the Time.com
Complete a write up about the essay. Below are some questions you should address.
- Did the photographer use staged photos, candid photos or both?
- Color or B&W? Did it make a difference? What factors contributed to the selection of one over the other?
- Describe photographic techniques used by the photographer (Exposure, Lenses, Composition, Editing).
- How close does the subject feel in the photo?
- How much narration and text support the essay?
- Describe your reaction to the essay. Do all photo essays elicit a reaction in the viewer?
Assignment 2 (Photo Essay – FINAL PORTFOLIO)
A photo essay is very simply a collection of images that are placed in a specific order to tell the progression of events, emotions, and concepts. Used by world class photojournalists such as Lauren Greenfield and James Nachtwey, and Joachim Ladefoged to name a few, the photo essay takes the same story telling techniques as a normal essay, translated into visual images.
A photo essay isn’t simply for photojournalists however. Every human being is drawn to stories. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, the photo essay is a brilliant way to bring your images to life and touch your family and friends.
The following are the guidelines you should use in creating your photo essay:
- Your photo essay should include a MINIMUM of TEN photographs.
- Text and photographs should work together to tell the story.
- You should be drawing on ALL previous knowledge from the course. This means ALL previous modules.
- Exposure: Each photograph should be exposed using a balance of the photographic triangle.
- Composition: Elements of composition should be incorporated into each photo. NO SNAPSHOTS.
- Digital Processing: Each photo must be manipulated in photoshop using a variety of techniques.
- Lenses: A variety of lenses will be used.
- Organize your photos and captions into a google doc that you will embed into your website.