photography essay adalah

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Foto Dinding

Elegi Sebuah Foto

Tebak Foto Lama, Games Lebaran Penghias Kumpul Keluarga

Dua Foto Kita

Mampir ke Stasiun GundihGeyer, Beli Oleh Oleh dan Foto Foto

Foto Dapat Bercerita Tentang Hidup Bertoleransi

Nama lengkap Indan Kurnia Efendi. Lahir di Sumedang pada 05 Juni 1993. Lulusan Ilmu Komunikasi. Bergelut di bidang fotografi, videografi dan jurnalistik, kini jadi abdi negara || instagram : indankurnia

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Mengenal Foto Story dan Foto Essay

Jika Anda baru saja terjun ke dunia fotografi, mungkin akan merasa bingung antara foto essay dan foto story. Bukankah keduanya sama-sama foto seri? Ya, betul. Pada hakikatnya foto story maupun foto essay keduanya merupakan bagian dari jenis fotografi. Namun keduanya memiliki beberapa kemiripan sehingga banyak kalangan yang menganggap bahwa foto story dan foto essay itu sama, tetapi pada kenyataannya berbeda. Di bawah ini terdapat beberapa kutipan daricamera.co.id :

Pada kenyataannya masih banyak para fotografer yang 'lupa' beberapa elemen yang sebenarnya sangat penting pada pembuatan foto essay. Hal pertama yaitu harus ada caption pada setiap foto. Caption tersebut berisikan (lazimnya) 5W+1H. Misal Anda memotret para migran yang bersemangat mempersiapkan diri untuk pergi ke luar negeri. Di dalam cerita, Anda ingin memaparkan bagaimana proses mereka mengurusi persyaratan, meminta izin keluarga, hingga mempersiapkan ilmu dalam hal ini mengikuti pelatihan. Pada satu foto terdapat momen si A sedang sungkem kepada orang tua sembari meminta izin untuk pergi jauh. Anda dapat membubuhkan caption, "Suwarni tengah mencium kaki ibunya, Marni di rumahnya di Indramayu, Senin (13/2/2015). Hal tersebut dilakukan sebelum Suwarni berangkat ke Malaysia untuk menjadi TKW".

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LAPORKAN KONTEN

Galeri Foto
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Foto Editing
Privat / Grup
Kupas Tuntas kamera digital
Kursus kilat dasar fotografi
Kupas Tuntas Flash
Mastering Art & Technique
Editing Adobe Lightroom
Portrait Model outdoor
Workshop close-up / Macro photography
Studio flash portrait
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Testimonial
Rekomendasi Kamera

Membuat foto yang bercerita (Photo story / essay)

Banyak orang bisa menulis, tapi sedikit yang bisa mengarang, banyak orang yang bisa motret, tapi jarang yang bisa membuat foto yang bercerita. Fotografi adalah salah satu media untuk bercerita yang sangat baik. Seringkali, fotografi yang baik dapat menggugah perasaan dibandingkan dengan tulisan semata. Mampu membuat foto yang bercerita merupakan suatu hal yang baik untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan di bidang fotografi terutama fotojurnalisme.

Dalam mengunakan fotografi untuk bercerita, biasanya fotografer mengunakan beberapa foto. Karena jarang satu foto dapat menceritakan satu kisah secara keseluruhan. Setelah foto terpilih, kita dapat menyusun sedemikian rupa sehingga pemirsa dapat melihat inti dan detail dari cerita secara lengkap.

Untuk membuat rangkaian foto bercerita (photo story) yang bagus, kita tidak hanya membutuhkan pengetahuan bagaimana membuat foto yg baik, tapi juga ketrampilan untuk bercerita. Kita membutuhkan ide/topik, membuat perencanaan. Selain itu kita membutuhkan kerjasama antara otak, mata dan hati. Dengan kerjasama antara ketiganya dengan baik, kita bisa mengetahui kapan saat dan dimana saat yang tepat untuk membuat foto.

Seringkali, rangkaian foto tersebut tidak hanya dibuat dalam satu hari saja, tapi berhari-hari di tempat yang berbeda-beda. Jika yang diceritakan melibatkan orang, maka hubungan antara fotografer dengan subjek foto juga harus baik. Sikap yang tidak baik atau kata-kata yang salah bisa menghambat kita untuk mendapatkan foto yang bagus.

Meskipun terdiri dari beberapa foto, tapi rangkaian photo story memiliki benang merah yang mengkaitkan antara satu foto dengan yang lainnya. Mengkaitkan foto bisa melalui subjek foto yang sama, gaya foto atau warna, komposisi, tempat dan topik yang sama.

Ada dua istilah yang sering membingungkan yaitu istilah photo essay dan photo story/picture story

Perbedaan singkatnya adalah:

Photo Essay – menceritakan sebuah kisah, dan biasanya bertujuan sesuatu misalnya mengingatkan pemirsa akan bahaya narkoba, menceritakan pentingnya pelestarian lingkungan dan lain-lain. Foto-foto bisa dibuat di tempat dan dengan subjek foto yang berbeda-beda tapi masih satu topik yang sama.
Photo story/picture story – Bercerita tentang seseorang, tempat atau situasi, ada bagian awal, tengah dan akhirnya. Misalnya cerita tentang kehidupan seorang petani, dokter, dll.

Meskipun foto yang dibuat sebenarnya bebas-bebas saja, tapi untuk pemula atau fotografer yang menyukai struktur, ada beberapa jenis foto yang biasanya ada dalam rangkaian photo story/essay:

Establishing shot : Biasanya menggambarkan tempat/setting tempat kejadian, biasanya mengunakan lensa wide angle untuk memberikan kesan tiga dimensi, tapi terkadang, lensa tele juga digunakan.
Detail shot : Foto detail benda atau bagian dari orang yang penting, misalnya cincin kawin atau close-up air mata / bibir seseorang, biasanya lensa makro atau telefoto digunakan.
Interaction shot : Berisi interaksi dari dua orang atau lebih
Climax : Sebuah foto yang menggambarkan puncak dari sebuah acara
Closer/Clincher : Foto yang menutup cerita. Biasanya meninggalkan kesan, pesan, inspirasi atau motivasi

Lima langkah membuat photo story/essay:

Tentukan topik misalnya cerita kegiatan seseorang selama sehari, atau esai tentang lingkungan hidup yang tercemar
Riset – Cari informasi tentang topik yang dipilih
Rencanakan foto-foto yang akan diambil (pemandangan, karakter/portrait, seni budaya, dll)
Membuat foto di lokasi dan waktu yang telah direncanakan. Biasanya langkah ini yang paling banyak memakan waktu
Editing dan pemilihan foto
Tata letak/layout foto yang dipilih. Semakin penting fotonya semakin besar ukurannya relatif dengan foto yang lain

Referensi dan contoh foto yang bercerita:

Koleksi photo essay berita terbaru dari Majalah Time
Koleksi photo essay dari Koran New York Times
Salah satu photo story pertama dari majalah LIFE “ Dokter Desa “
Penjelasan perbedaan photo essay dan photo story oleh Michael Davis
Contoh dan presentasi photo essay
Langkah dan tip membuat photo essay
Contoh-contoh photo essay dari Fotokita

artikelnya sangat bermanfaat om.

terima kasih

Om, dari pemaparan diatas kok foto essay dan story kayak gak ada bedanya yah…bahkan penulisannya juga dibuat story/essay.

Bisa dibantu pencerahan dasar yg membedakan antara keduanya om.

Om ijin bertanya, klo misalkan tentang keindahan gunung gunung di jawa barat, itu termasuk photo story bukan? Mohon masukannya om, terima kasih

Thanks. Ini infonya berguna banget. lengkap dengan referensi penunjang di akhir post, sehingga kasi pencerahan buat beginners. Appreciated 🙂

keren, bermanfaat banget informasinya, trimakasih, 🙂 (y)

bismillah semoga bisa buat foto storynya, amin 🙂

om Enche, untuk mengolah foto esai itu menggunakan ukuran kertas apa? thx (saya berencana membuat foto esai tapi bingung mengolahnya) dan satu lagi om, minta sarannya mengenai lensa makro nikkor 55 mm f3.5

klo artikel yg diatas sumbernya dari buku apa om?

@Nurul Mardiah coba cek link-link yang ada diatas.

@Nurul dijual di toko buku kok.

oke terima kasih om infonya.. buku2 itu dijual tidak di toko2 buku seperti gramedia atau toko buku lain?

ka mau tanya kalo contoh photo hortikultura nusantara seperti apa? lalu apakaha photo essay itu harus disertakan tulisan cerita atau hanya foto saja? apakah photo essay itu di satukan dalam satu photo (penggabungan) saat di edit atau tidak? boka lomba photo essay itu seperti apa ya ka contohnya?

referensi buku yang mengulas tentang photo story apa aja ya om? mohon bantuannya, untuk skripsi 🙂 terima kasih..

@Nurul kalau buku bahasa Indonesia saya gak tau. Tapi kalau bahasa Inggris: Photojournalism , Perfect Photography ,

Om Enche ijin share ya om ?

harga nya berapaan thu mas enche?

@Lingga Sekitar 3 juta

yang murah Canon 50mm f/2.5 Macro

mantap,, pst susah nie buat foto seperti ini…

mas,, boleh tny,,, kamera macro untuk canon yang murah tp bagus thu yg gimana?

weh djabarin lbh lengkap lagi nich,mantab om..tetap semangat bagi2 ilmunya,klo sy semangat bwt nyimak post2nya he.he.he

Referensi tambahan: artikel-artikel di Invisible Photographer Asia (IPA). Link: http://invisiblephotographer.asia/

Makasih ya om enche..asik bgt artikel yang satu ini, +1 referensi nya 🙂

Cara Membuat Esai Foto

Artikel ini disusun bersama Heather Gallagher . Heather Gallagher adalah Fotografer dan Jurnalis Foto yang tinggal di Austin, Texas. Dia mengelola studio fotonya "Heather Gallagher Photography" yang terpilih sebagai Austin's Best Family Photographer dan termasuk 3 terbaik dalam Birth Photographers selama 2017, 2018, dan 2019. Heather mengkhususkan diri menangani jurnalisme foto keluarga dan menghabiskan lebih dari 15 tahun mendokumentasikan individu, keluarga, dan bisnis di seluruh dunia. Klien-kliennya meliputi Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, dan karya-karyanya tampil di The Washington Post dan The Austin American Statesman. Dia merupakan anggota International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP). Ada 9 referensi yang dikutip dalam artikel ini dan dapat ditemukan di akhir halaman. Artikel ini telah dilihat 16.058 kali.

Esai foto kini menjadi media yang semakin populer bagi jurnalis, blogger, dan pengiklan. Baik ingin berusaha menunjukkan sisi emosional liputan berita terkini ataupun membagikan hobi dengan teman dan keluarga, gambar dapat menangkap topik Anda dengan cara yang personal, emosional, dan menarik. Membuat esai foto semudah memilih topik, mengambil gambar, dan menyusun esai itu sendiri.

Mencari Topik

Tawarkan esai foto tempat bisnis Anda sebagai alat pelatihan.
Gunakan esai foto tentang bisnis Anda sebagai alat penjualan atau media sosial dengan menerbitkannya di situs web atau halaman media sosial.
Buatlah esai foto panduan untuk membantu orang lain mempelajari hobi Anda, jadi mereka juga bisa menekuninya. [3] X Teliti sumber

Topik tematik adalah gagasan besar yang mencakup hal-hal seperti aturan kepemilikan senjata, anak muda bermasalah, atau penyambutan tentara.
Esai naratif bisa meliputi kehidupan harian, panduan cara, atau rangkaian perkembangan yang menunjukkan perubahan seiring waktu seperti melacak perkembangan sebuah proyek pembangunan.
Jika Anda sudah diberi penugasan atau publikasi khusus untuk pekerjaan Anda, mungkin Anda harus memilih topik yang sesuai dengan pendekatan tematik atau naratif yang diuraikan oleh penerbit. Pastikan Anda sudah tahu sebelumnya tentang panduan penerbitan tersebut. [6] X Teliti sumber

Mengatur Pemotretan

Pikirkan kesulitan untuk meminta izin memotret subjek Anda. Jika Anda sudah menjalin hubungan, akan lebih mudah. Jika tidak, luangkan waktu untuk mendapatkan izin.
Sekolah, tempat penitipan anak, dan tempat lain yang berisi anak-anak umumnya memiliki lebih banyak aturan tentang siapa yang boleh difoto dan untuk keperluan apa. Biasanya Anda harus mendapatkan persetujuan orang tua, selain izin dari pihak yang berwenang. [7] X Teliti sumber

Pertimbangkan untuk melakukan wawancara dengan orang-orang yang terlibat sebelum pemotretan. Tanyakan hal-hal seperti, “Apa hal paling menarik yang Anda lakukan selama acara ini?” atau “Sudah berapa lama Anda terlibat dengan organisasi ini?”
Wawancara ini juga merupakan peluang besar untuk meminta izin.
Jika Anda akan menghadiri lokasi kerja, acara amal, atau kegiatan lain yang melibatkan banyak orang, mintalah orang-orang yang berwenang untuk menjelaskan apa yang Anda lakukan kepada semua orang sebelum Anda tiba di lokasi. [8] X Teliti sumber

Memotret Gambar

Banyak fotografer pemula menghindari gambar ISO tinggi karena menghasilkan gambar yang “sibuk”. Namun, gambar ini biasanya lebih mudah diedit belakangan karena ada lebih banyak informasi yang bisa dikerjakan. [11] X Teliti sumber
Jika di lokasi Anda terlalu terang atau Anda telah memasang penerangan buatan, ISO rendah mungkin sudah mencukupi. Untuk area yang lebih gelap, Anda mungkin akan butuh ISO lebih tinggi.
Kebanyakan kamera memiliki ISO dasar sekitar 200. ISO meningkat sesuai perkalian, jadi ISO berikut adalah 400, lalu 800, dan seterusnya. Pada dasarnya ini menggandakan kepekaan lensa sehingga memungkinkan lebih banyak cahaya masuk dan menangkap gambar lebih cepat.
Jika Anda butuh satu detik untuk menangkap gambar dengan ISO dasar 100, Anda akan butuh seperdelapan detik untuk menangkap gambar dengan ISO 800. [12] X Teliti sumber

Bahkan jika Anda mengambil foto candid , yang mungkin harus diambil dengan cepat, luangkan beberapa saat untuk memikirkan tentang penempatan objek guna mendapatkan hasil terbaik.
Berpikirlah selalu tentang bagaimana lingkungan subjek utama berperan dalam keseluruhan gambar, dan cobalah untuk membuat tingkat dan pusat perhatian berbeda.
Kadang-kadang, Anda bisa mengubah komposisi sebagai bagian dari proses pengeditan, jadi jika Anda tidak bisa mengatur gambar dengan tepat, jangan biarkan hal ini menghalangi Anda mengambil gambar yang diinginkan. [13] X Teliti sumber

Menyusun Esai

Jika Anda mengerjakan esai foto kehidupan keseharian tentang orang frustrasi yang bekerja di kantor, gambar orang itu sedang berusaha keras membuka pintu depan melawan angin mungkin akan menjadi gambar fokus yang sesuai.
Jika esai Anda tentang proses pembangunan rumah, gambar fokus Anda mungkin sesuatu seperti kontraktor atau arsitek yang sedang melihat cetak biru dengan gambar rumah terbingkai di latar belakang.
Jika esai Anda tentang reuni keluarga, gambar fokus bisa berupa gambar lucu seluruh keluarga yang memberengut, berpura-pura sedang bertengkar, atau foto serius keluarga berpose bersama. Ambillah apa pun yang terlihat alami bagi keluarga tersebut. [17] X Teliti sumber

Apa pun jenis esainya, Anda butuh gambar fokus untuk menarik perhatian.
Gunakan gambar keseluruhan untuk memberi konteks pada esai Anda. Di mana, kapan terjadinya, siapa yang terlibat, apa yang terjadi, dan mengapa seseorang harus tertarik? Aturan 5W dalam jurnalistik merupakan cara yang tepat untuk menentukan apa yang harus ditangkap oleh gambar keseluruhan Anda.
Temukan gambar akhir Anda. Gambar ini harus provokatif yang meminta pemirsa memikirkan tentang topik.
Di antara gambar fokus, gambar keseluruhan, dan gambar penutup, sertakan serangkaian gambar yang menggerakkan pemirsa dari gambar-gambar pendahuluan ke gambar akhir. Gunakan gambar yang membangun intensitas atau menarik pemirsa lebih jauh ke dalam esai. [19] X Teliti sumber

Jika gambar-gambar tersebut tidak bercerita, mintalah teman Anda melihat foto-foto lain dan tanyakan, “Saya ingin gambar ini menyampaikan maksud ini. Kamu punya pemikiran berbeda. Apakah salah satu gambar ini menyampaikan maksud ini lebih jelas?”
Jikapun orang lain menyukai gambar-gambar yang Anda pilih, tetap minta mereka untuk melihat-lihat foto Anda yang lain dan mengatakan kepada Anda apakah mereka berpikir gambar-gambar yang tidak Anda sertakan seharusnya ditambahkan. Mereka mungkin melihat sesuatu yang luput dari Anda. [20] X Teliti sumber

Jika Anda ditugaskan menambahkan foto pada sebuah esai, pastikan foto tersebut mencerminkan tulisan, tetapi tambahkan juga emosi dan konteks yang tidak dapat ditangkap oleh tulisan. Misalnya, sebuah esai tentang kemiskinan mungkin menyertakan gambar orang tua dan anaknya tinggal di jalanan untuk menangkap lebih banyak konteks emosional.
Keterangan gambar hanya boleh menyertakan informasi yang tidak dapat diperoleh pemirsa dari foto itu sendiri. Misalnya, Anda boleh menyertakan tanggal, nama subjek, atau statistik yang relevan dengan subjek Anda dalam keterangan gambar.
Jika Anda memilih tidak menyertakan teks apa pun, atau cukup menyertakan judul dan kalimat pendahuluan dan/atau penutup, pastikan Anda menyampaikan semua informasi penting secara ringkas. [21] X Teliti sumber
Kreatiflah mencari topik. Sesuatu yang sederhana seperti "hal yang saya suka" akan memadai asalkan Anda tetap kreatif.
Pastikan Anda familier dengan kamera. Ini akan memudahkan Anda mengatur komposisi foto.
Tidak perlu ciut nyali. Mungkin butuh uji coba beberapa kali untuk mendapatkan hasil foto yang diinginkan.

wikiHow Terkait

↑ http://digital-photography-school.com/5-photo-essay-tips/
↑ http://improvephotography.com/30816/10-ideas-creative-photo-essays/
↑ http://www.collectivelens.com/blog/creating-photo-essay/
↑ http://www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-create-a-photo-essay/
↑ http://photo.journalism.cuny.edu/week-5/
↑ http://clickitupanotch.com/2010/12/creating-a-photo-essay/
↑ https://photographylife.com/what-is-iso-in-photography
↑ https://wiredimpact.com/blog/how-to-make-a-photo-essay-nonprofit/
↑ http://digital-photography-school.com/5-tips-for-creating-a-photo-essay-with-a-purpose/

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Essay photo vs photo story

Essay photo apakah itu apa bedanya dengan photo story.

by Herry tjiang

Untuk mengetahui perbedaanya tentunya kita haru tahu apa arti dan definisi dari masing masing istilah tersebut sehingga kita dapat menjelaskan perbedaannya.

Definisi Essay Photo adalah :

Foto essay adalah sebuah bentuk storytelling visual yang menggunakan kumpulan foto untuk menyampaikan pesan atau cerita. Foto essay biasanya terdiri dari serangkaian foto yang diambil oleh seorang fotografer dan disusun dalam urutan tertentu untuk membentuk narasi yang menyentuh hati. Setiap foto dalam essay biasanya memiliki nilai sendiri-sendiri dan saling terhubung satu sama lain. Foto essay seringkali digunakan oleh jurnalis, fotografer, dan seniman untuk menyampaikan kisah-kisah kompleks atau isu-isu sosial yang rumit dengan cara yang lebih kuat dan efektif.

Ciri ciri photo Essay

1 . Series photo yang terdiri dari lebih dari 1 photo yang menceritakan secara khusus tentang topik bahasan yang akan diangkat seperti kemiskinan, narkoba, pengungsi, banjir dll.

2. Essay photo lebih mementingkan photo, angle yang menarik, moment yang menarik dibanding ke ceritanya atau dengan foto yang ada kita sudah dapat mendapatkan cerita sehingga teks hanya untuk memperkuat foto tersebut.

3. Menggambarkan secara detail tentang kondisi seperti (kenyamanan atau satu topik saja)

4. Lebih kearah rasa seperti rasa nyaman, rasa sakit, rasa terkucilkan, rasa marah, rasa kemewahan

5. Foto dapat dari berbagai tempat contohnya cerita tentang kemiskinan di kota A, Kota B, Kota C

Photo Essay ini bisa dibagi menjadi dua Naratif dan deskriptif

Photo Essay Naratif :

Photo essay naratif adalah sebuah bentuk foto essay yang memiliki narasi yang kuat dan jelas. Dalam photo essay naratif, serangkaian foto disusun dalam urutan tertentu untuk menciptakan sebuah cerita yang menyentuh hati dan berdampak. Setiap foto dalam essay memiliki nilai yang berarti dan membantu memperkuat cerita secara keseluruhan.

Untuk membuat photo essay naratif yang sukses, seorang fotografer harus merencanakan secara matang dan memiliki pemahaman yang baik tentang cerita atau pesan yang ingin disampaikan. Setiap foto harus dipilih dengan hati-hati dan disusun dalam urutan yang tepat untuk menciptakan sebuah narasi yang terstruktur dan mudah dipahami.

Photo essay naratif seringkali digunakan oleh fotografer dan jurnalis untuk menyampaikan kisah-kisah pribadi atau isu-isu sosial dan politik yang kompleks. Dengan menggunakan foto-foto yang kuat dan narasi yang baik, photo essay naratif dapat membawa perhatian terhadap isu-isu penting dan mempengaruhi opini publik.

Foto naratif adalah foto yang dirancang untuk menceritakan sebuah cerita atau menyampaikan pesan tertentu melalui penggunaan komposisi, subjek, dan elemen visual lainnya. Foto naratif sering kali menampilkan adegan atau momen tertentu yang mengandung konflik, emosi, atau perubahan. Foto-foto ini dapat menggambarkan urutan peristiwa atau menggambarkan karakter dan hubungan di antara mereka. Tujuan dari foto naratif adalah untuk menangkap perhatian penonton, menghidupkan cerita, dan memicu imajinasi mereka untuk mengisi detail yang mungkin tidak terlihat secara langsung.

Photo Essay deskriptif :

Photo essay deskriptif adalah sebuah bentuk foto essay yang bertujuan untuk menggambarkan suatu objek, tempat, atau situasi dengan detail yang lengkap dan akurat,fokus pada estetika visual, detail, tekstur, warna, dan bentuk subjek yang ditampilkan. Foto-foto dalam essay ini biasanya disusun dalam urutan yang logis dan diberi keterangan yang memberikan informasi tambahan tentang objek atau situasi yang diabadikan dalam foto. Tujuannya adalah untuk menggambarkan secara akurat dan rinci objek atau subjek tersebut sehingga penonton dapat melihatnya dengan jelas dan mendapatkan pemahaman yang mendalam tentang karakteristik fisik atau visualnya.

Untuk membuat photo essay deskriptif yang efektif, seorang fotografer harus memiliki pemahaman yang baik tentang objek atau situasi yang ingin digambarkan. Hal ini bisa dilakukan dengan melakukan riset terlebih dahulu dan melakukan pengamatan langsung di lokasi yang akan difoto.

Dalam photo essay deskriptif, setiap foto harus menggambarkan bagian atau aspek yang spesifik dari objek atau situasi yang diabadikan. Foto-foto tersebut harus memberikan detail yang cukup dan diberi keterangan yang menjelaskan lebih lanjut tentang apa yang terlihat pada foto.

Photo essay deskriptif seringkali digunakan oleh pelancong, fotografer arsitektur, dan jurnalis untuk memperlihatkan keindahan dan karakteristik dari suatu tempat atau objek. Dengan menggunakan foto-foto yang detail dan keterangan yang baik, photo essay deskriptif dapat memberikan pengalaman visual yang menarik bagi para pembaca atau penonton.

Photo essay dapat dibagi menjadi beberapa kategori berdasarkan jenisnya:

Visual Narrative Essay: Jenis photo essay ini berfokus pada narasi visual, di mana sejumlah foto disusun secara kronologis atau berdasarkan tema tertentu untuk menceritakan sebuah cerita atau pesan.
Thematic Essay: Jenis photo essay ini lebih fokus pada tema atau topik tertentu, seperti lingkungan, keanekaragaman budaya, atau isu sosial. Thematic essay biasanya terdiri dari kumpulan foto yang terkait dengan tema atau topik tersebut, dan disusun dengan urutan yang berarti untuk menciptakan kesan yang kuat dan terorganisir.
Portrait Essay: Jenis photo essay ini menggambarkan seseorang atau sekelompok orang, biasanya dengan tujuan untuk mengungkapkan kepribadian, karakteristik, dan emosi subjek yang difoto.
Fine Art Essay: Jenis photo essay ini dihasilkan dari sudut pandang seni dan estetika, di mana fotografer mengeksplorasi teknik fotografi dan gaya kreatif mereka untuk menciptakan karya seni visual yang menarik.
Event Essay: Jenis photo essay ini menggambarkan acara tertentu atau peristiwa penting, seperti konser musik, pernikahan, atau pertunjukan seni.
Travel Essay: Jenis photo essay ini menggambarkan tempat dan budaya dari suatu tempat yang dikunjungi oleh fotografer, dengan tujuan untuk menginspirasi orang untuk berpetualang dan mengalami tempat-tempat baru.
Documentary Essay: Jenis photo essay ini bertujuan untuk merekam dan mengungkapkan kehidupan nyata dan peristiwa sosial-politik dalam masyarakat, seringkali digunakan oleh jurnalis untuk membawa perhatian terhadap isu-isu penting dan kontroversial.

Pembagian jenis-jenis photo essay ini membantu fotografer untuk memilih dan mengembangkan tema, gaya, dan teknik yang sesuai dengan tujuan dan pesan yang ingin disampaikan melalui karya mereka.

Definisi Photo Story adalah :

Foto story adalah rangkaian foto yang digunakan untuk menceritakan sebuah kisah atau cerita. Seperti halnya foto essay, foto story juga terdiri dari beberapa foto yang diorganisir dan diatur dengan urutan tertentu untuk membangun suatu narasi. Namun, perbedaan utama antara foto story dan foto essay adalah bahwa foto story lebih fokus pada cerita yang ditampilkan melalui gambar, sedangkan foto essay lebih fokus pada presentasi informasi melalui gambar.

Foto story biasanya digunakan dalam bidang jurnalistik atau dokumenter untuk membantu memvisualisasikan sebuah kisah atau berita. Foto story juga dapat digunakan sebagai alat storytelling dalam bidang seni, seperti fotografi atau sinematografi, untuk menghasilkan karya yang bermakna dan menginspirasi.

Ciri Ciri photo Story :

1. Series photo yang terdiri dari lebih dari 1 photo yang mencertiakan atau bercerita tentang suatu kejadian dimana ada awalan penjelasan, cerita dan penutup.

2. Photo story lebih mementingkan cerita dari suatu kejadian, foto hanya membantu memberikan keterangan

3. Menceritakan proses dari awal sampai akhir

4. Lebih kearah merekam secara documenter kejadian per kejadian

5. Foto lebih terarah pada satu lokasi atau daerah saja menceritakan dari awal sampai akhir tidak berpindah pindah tempat contoh kemiskinan di kota A sepeti apa tanpa digabungkan di kota B atau kota lainnya.

Photo story dapat dibagi menjadi beberapa kategori berdasarkan jenisnya:

Narrative Photo Story: Jenis photo story ini fokus pada cerita atau narasi yang ingin disampaikan melalui serangkaian foto yang diambil dalam urutan tertentu. Setiap foto dalam narrative photo story memiliki peran khusus dalam menceritakan cerita dan menyampaikan pesan yang ingin disampaikan.
Lifestyle Photo Story: Jenis photo story ini menggambarkan kehidupan sehari-hari seseorang atau sekelompok orang, seringkali terkait dengan kegiatan atau hobi tertentu. Lifestyle photo story bertujuan untuk memberikan gambaran tentang gaya hidup dan karakteristik subjek yang difoto.
Event Photo Story: Jenis photo story ini menggambarkan acara atau kegiatan tertentu, seperti konser musik, pertandingan olahraga, atau pernikahan. Event photo story biasanya mencakup foto-foto yang menunjukkan suasana, suasana hati, dan momen penting selama acara berlangsung.
Travel Photo Story: Jenis photo story ini menggambarkan petualangan atau perjalanan ke tempat baru. Travel photo story dapat mencakup foto-foto pemandangan alam, kebudayaan lokal, dan momen penting selama perjalanan.
Social Documentary Photo Story: Jenis photo story ini bertujuan untuk mengungkapkan kehidupan nyata dan isu-isu sosial-politik dalam masyarakat. Social documentary photo story seringkali digunakan oleh jurnalis atau fotografer yang ingin membawa perhatian terhadap isu-isu penting dan kontroversial.

Pembagian jenis-jenis photo story ini membantu fotografer untuk memilih dan mengembangkan tema, gaya, dan teknik yang sesuai dengan tujuan dan pesan yang ingin disampaikan melalui karya mereka.

Bisa juga Essay photo adalah bagian dari Photo story tentunya untuk membuat photo essay ataupun photo story diperlukan beberapa hal seperti :

1. Riset , mencari informasi yang lengkap dan dapat dipertanggung jawabkan karena ini merupakan kejadian nyata bukan dibuat buat atau direkayasa

2. Perencanaan foto baik moment yang akan terjadi maupun yang belum terjadi atau kejadian yang sering terjadi sehingga kita bisa mendapatkan angle yang berbeda jangan lupakan pendekatan dengan object yang akan diambil sehingga semua terlihat natural tanpa dibuat buat juga hal yang tidak kalah pentingnya adalah perizinan ataupun hal hal lainnya seperti lokasi yang sulit, waktu , cuaca dll.

3. Pemotretan jika foto bisa diambil siapkan selalu camera anda sebagai stok photo

4. Pemilihan atau mensortiran foto foto tentunya harus diperhatikan etika dalam memotret jangan sampai melanggar asusila , rasis ataupun melanggar hukum

5. Layout Setelah semua dikerjakan hal terakir adalah melayout gambar dan tulisan sehingga foto dapat bercerita dan bermakna.

Foto seperti apakah untuk mendapatkan photo story ataupun essay photo adalah :

1. Foto Pembuka yang sering juga disebut establishing shot atau scene setter

2. Foto Isi bisa menggambil hal hal seperti , Detail , potrait, action , interaction, relationship, atau hal hal yang menarik didalam moment tersebut

3. Foto Penutup bisa juga disebut signature image

Contoh Photo story gempa nepal (new york times) photo by Daniel Berehulak

Essay photo , cerita tentang dinasty kaya raya “Bling ” di china dan gaya hidupnya

Lima langkah untuk membuat foto stories atau essay .

Langkah ini akan membantu teman teman untuk membuat foto stories atau essay itu sendiri memulai mengambil foto foto seperti dibawah ini

Establishing shot : Biasanya menggambarkan tempat/setting tempat kejadian, biasanya mengunakan lensa wide angle untuk memberikan kesan tiga dimensi, tapi terkadang, lensa tele juga digunakan.
Detail shot : Foto detail benda atau bagian dari orang yang penting, misalnya cincin kawin atau close-up air mata / bibir seseorang, biasanya lensa makro atau telefoto digunakan.
Interaction shot : Berisi interaksi dari dua orang atau lebih
Climax : Sebuah foto yang menggambarkan puncak dari sebuah acara
Closer/Clincher : Foto yang menutup cerita. Biasanya meninggalkan kesan, pesan, inspirasi atau motivasi

Ditulis oleh

Herry Tjiang Pengajar dan praktisi foto di www.jsp.co.id

Photographic history is full of famous photo essays. Think about The Great Depression by Dorothea Lange, Like Brother Like Sister by Wolfgang Tillmans, Gandhi’s funeral by Henri Cartier Bresson, amongst others.

What are the types of photo essay?

Despite popular belief, the type of photo essay doesn’t depend on the type of photography that you do – in other words, journalism, documentary, fine art, or any other photographic genre is not a type of photo essay.

Instead, there are two main types of photo essays: narrative and thematic .

As you have probably already guessed, the thematic one presents images pulled together by a topic – for example, global warming. The images can be about animals and nature as well as natural disasters devastating cities. They can happen all over the world or in the same location, and they can be captured in different moments in time – there’s a lot of flexibility.

A narrative photo essa y, on the other hand, tells the story of a character (human or not), portraying a place or an event. For example, a narrative photo essay on coffee would document the process from the planting and harvesting – to the roasting and grinding until it reaches your morning cup.

What are some of the key elements of a photo essay?

Tell a unique story – A unique story doesn’t mean that you have to photograph something that nobody has done before – that would be almost impossible! It means that you should consider what you’re bringing to the table on a particular topic.
Put yourself into the work – One of the best ways to make a compelling photo essay is by adding your point of view, which can only be done with your life experiences and the way you see the world.
Add depth to the concept – The best photo essays are the ones that go past the obvious and dig deeper in the story, going behind the scenes, or examining a day in the life of the subject matter – that’s what pulls in the spectator.
Nail the technique – Even if the concept and the story are the most important part of a photo essay, it won’t have the same success if it’s poorly executed.
Build a structure – A photo essay is about telling a thought-provoking story – so, think about it in a narrative way. Which images are going to introduce the topic? Which ones represent a climax? How is it going to end – how do you want the viewer to feel after seeing your photo series?
Make strong choices – If you really want to convey an emotion and a unique point of view, you’re going to need to make some hard decisions. Which light are you using? Which lens? How many images will there be in the series? etc., and most importantly for a great photo essay is the why behind those choices.

9 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay

Credit: Laura James

1. Choose something you know

To make a good photo essay, you don’t need to travel to an exotic location or document a civil war – I mean, it’s great if you can, but you can start close to home.

Depending on the type of photography you do and the topic you’re looking for in your photographic essay, you can photograph a local event or visit an abandoned building outside your town.

It will be much easier for you to find a unique perspective and tell a better story if you’re already familiar with the subject. Also, consider that you might have to return a few times to the same location to get all the photos you need.

2. Follow your passion

Most photo essays take dedication and passion. If you choose a subject that might be easy, but you’re not really into it – the results won’t be as exciting. Taking photos will always be easier and more fun if you’re covering something you’re passionate about.

3. Take your time

A great photo essay is not done in a few hours. You need to put in the time to research it, conceptualizing it, editing, etc. That’s why I previously recommended following your passion because it takes a lot of dedication, and if you’re not passionate about it – it’s difficult to push through.

4. Write a summary or statement

Photo essays are always accompanied by some text. You can do this in the form of an introduction, write captions for each photo or write it as a conclusion. That’s up to you and how you want to present the work.

5. Learn from the masters

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Making a photographic essay takes a lot of practice and knowledge. A great way to become a better photographer and improve your storytelling skills is by studying the work of others. You can go to art shows, review books and magazines and look at the winners in photo contests – most of the time, there’s a category for photo series.

6. Get a wide variety of photos

Think about a story – a literary one. It usually tells you where the story is happening, who is the main character, and it gives you a few details to make you engage with it, right?

The same thing happens with a visual story in a photo essay – you can do some wide-angle shots to establish the scenes and some close-ups to show the details. Make a shot list to ensure you cover all the different angles.

Some of your pictures should guide the viewer in, while others are more climatic and regard the experience they are taking out of your photos.

7. Follow a consistent look

Both in style and aesthetics, all the images in your series need to be coherent. You can achieve this in different ways, from the choice of lighting, the mood, the post-processing, etc.

8. Be self-critical

Once you have all the photos, make sure you edit them with a good dose of self-criticism. Not all the pictures that you took belong in the photo essay. Choose only the best ones and make sure they tell the full story.

9. Ask for constructive feedback

Often, when we’re working on a photo essay project for a long time, everything makes perfect sense in our heads. However, someone outside the project might not be getting the idea. It’s important that you get honest and constructive criticism to improve your photography.

How to Create a Photo Essay in 5 Steps

Credit: Quang Nguyen Vinh

1. Choose your topic

This is the first step that you need to take to decide if your photo essay is going to be narrative or thematic. Then, choose what is it going to be about?

Ideally, it should be something that you’re interested in, that you have something to say about it, and it can connect with other people.

2. Research your topic

To tell a good story about something, you need to be familiar with that something. This is especially true when you want to go deeper and make a compelling photo essay. Day in the life photo essays are a popular choice, since often, these can be performed with friends and family, whom you already should know well.

3. Plan your photoshoot

Depending on what you’re photographing, this step can be very different from one project to the next. For a fine art project, you might need to find a location, props, models, a shot list, etc., while a documentary photo essay is about planning the best time to do the photos, what gear to bring with you, finding a local guide, etc.

Every photo essay will need different planning, so before taking pictures, put in the required time to get things right.

4. Experiment

It’s one thing to plan your photo shoot and having a shot list that you have to get, or else the photo essay won’t be complete. It’s another thing to miss out on some amazing photo opportunities that you couldn’t foresee.

So, be prepared but also stay open-minded and experiment with different settings, different perspectives, etc.

5. Make a final selection

Editing your work can be one of the hardest parts of doing a photo essay. Sometimes we can be overly critical, and others, we get attached to bad photos because we put a lot of effort into them or we had a great time doing them.

Try to be as objective as possible, don’t be afraid to ask for opinions and make various revisions before settling down on a final cut.

7 Photo Essay Topics, Ideas & Examples

Credit: Michelle Leman

Architectural photo essay

Using architecture as your main subject, there are tons of photo essay ideas that you can do. For some inspiration, you can check out the work of Francisco Marin – who was trained as an architect and then turned to photography to “explore a different way to perceive things”.

You can also lookup Luisa Lambri. Amongst her series, you’ll find many photo essay examples in which architecture is the subject she uses to explore the relationship between photography and space.

Process and transformation photo essay

This is one of the best photo essay topics for beginners because the story tells itself. Pick something that has a beginning and an end, for example, pregnancy, the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the life-cycle of a plant, etc.

Keep in mind that these topics are linear and give you an easy way into the narrative flow – however, it might be difficult to find an interesting perspective and a unique point of view.

A day in the life of ‘X’ photo essay

There are tons of interesting photo essay ideas in this category – you can follow around a celebrity, a worker, your child, etc. You don’t even have to do it about a human subject – think about doing a photo essay about a day in the life of a racing horse, for example – find something that’s interesting for you.

Time passing by photo essay

It can be a natural site or a landmark photo essay – whatever is close to you will work best as you’ll need to come back multiple times to capture time passing by. For example, how this place changes throughout the seasons or maybe even over the years.

A fun option if you live with family is to document a birthday party each year, seeing how the subject changes over time. This can be combined with a transformation essay or sorts, documenting the changes in interpersonal relationships over time.

Travel photo essay

Do you want to make the jump from tourist snapshots into a travel photo essay? Research the place you’re going to be travelling to. Then, choose a topic.

If you’re having trouble with how to do this, check out any travel magazine – National Geographic, for example. They won’t do a generic article about Texas – they do an article about the beach life on the Texas Gulf Coast and another one about the diverse flavors of Texas.

The more specific you get, the deeper you can go with the story.

Socio-political issues photo essay

This is one of the most popular photo essay examples – it falls under the category of photojournalism or documental photography. They are usually thematic, although it’s also possible to do a narrative one.

Depending on your topic of interest, you can choose topics that involve nature – for example, document the effects of global warming. Another idea is to photograph protests or make an education photo essay.

It doesn’t have to be a big global issue; you can choose something specific to your community – are there too many stray dogs? Make a photo essay about a local animal shelter. The topics are endless.

Behind the scenes photo essay

A behind-the-scenes always make for a good photo story – people are curious to know what happens and how everything comes together before a show.

Depending on your own interests, this can be a photo essay about a fashion show, a theatre play, a concert, and so on. You’ll probably need to get some permissions, though, not only to shoot but also to showcase or publish those images.

4 Best Photo Essays in Recent times

Now that you know all the techniques about it, it might be helpful to look at some photo essay examples to see how you can put the concept into practice. Here are some famous photo essays from recent times to give you some inspiration.

Habibi by Antonio Faccilongo

This photo essay wan the World Press Photo Story of the Year in 2021. Faccilongo explores a very big conflict from a very specific and intimate point of view – how the Israeli-Palestinian war affects the families.

He chose to use a square format because it allows him to give order to things and eliminate unnecessary elements in his pictures.

With this long-term photo essay, he wanted to highlight the sense of absence and melancholy women and families feel towards their husbands away at war.

The project then became a book edited by Sarah Leen and the graphics of Ramon Pez.

Picture This: New Orleans by Mary Ellen Mark

The last assignment before her passing, Mary Ellen Mark travelled to New Orleans to register the city after a decade after Hurricane Katrina.

The images of the project “bring to life the rebirth and resilience of the people at the heart of this tale”, – says CNNMoney, commissioner of the work.

Each survivor of the hurricane has a story, and Mary Ellen Mark was there to record it. Some of them have heartbreaking stories about everything they had to leave behind.

Others have a story of hope – like Sam and Ben, two eight-year-olds born from frozen embryos kept in a hospital that lost power supply during the hurricane, yet they managed to survive.

Selfie by Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman is an American photographer whose work is mainly done through self-portraits. With them, she explores the concept of identity, gender stereotypes, as well as visual and cultural codes.

One of her latest photo essays was a collaboration with W Magazine entitled Selfie. In it, the author explores the concept of planned candid photos (‘plandid’).

The work was made for Instagram, as the platform is well known for the conflict between the ‘real self’ and the one people present online. Sherman started using Facetune, Perfect365 and YouCam to alter her appearance on selfies – in Photoshop, you can modify everything, but these apps were designed specifically to “make things prettier”- she says, and that’s what she wants to explore in this photo essay.

Tokyo Compression by Michael Wolf

Michael Wolf has an interest in the broad-gauge topic Life in Cities. From there, many photo essays have been derived – amongst them – Tokyo Compression .

He was horrified by the way people in Tokyo are forced to move to the suburbs because of the high prices of the city. Therefore, they are required to make long commutes facing 1,5 hours of train to start their 8+ hour workday followed by another 1,5 hours to get back home.

To portray this way of life, he photographed the people inside the train pressed against the windows looking exhausted, angry or simply absent due to this way of life.

You can visit his website to see other photo essays that revolve around the topic of life in megacities.

Final Words

It’s not easy to make photo essays, so don’t expect to be great at it right from your first project.

Start off small by choosing a specific subject that’s interesting to you – that will come from an honest place, and it will be a great practice for some bigger projects along the line.

Whether you like to shoot still life or you’re a travel photographer, I hope these photo essay tips and photo essay examples can help you get started and grow in your photography.

Let us know which topics you are working on right now – we’ll love to hear from you!

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What is a Photo Essay in Photography (13 Examples You Can Try)

Do you know what a photo essay is?

If not, that’s okay. Many photographers aren’t even familiar with the term. I didn’t know until a few years back myself after doing many of them unknowingly.

A photo essay is an interesting form of visual storytelling that presents a narrative through a series of images.

Powerful photo essays communicate emotions and understanding without using words.

You’re guiding the viewer through your narrative journey.

In this article, I’ll be going over the important parts of a great photo essay idea, 13 interesting photo essay ideas you can try, and a few photo essay tips.

A Camera With A Stunning Collection Of Photo Essays You Should Try.

What is a Photo Essay?

A photo essay is a powerful form of visual storytelling in which a narrative is presented through a series of images.

Unlike a written essay, a photo essay relies on visuals to tell a story and evoke emotions within the viewer. When you create a photo essay, you can stretch your creative limits and explore new ways of connecting with your audience.

In a photo story or essay, the images are carefully selected.

They’re arranged in order to create a coherent and engaging narrative.

Each photograph should contribute to the overall theme of the story and maintain visual and technical consistency throughout.

A Torn Piece Of Paper With The Word Storytelling Written On It, Capturing The Essence Of A Photo Essay.

As the photographer, you play a big role in coming up with interesting photo essay ideas, the narrative, and providing context for the images.

To create a good photo essay, here are a few guidelines:

Choose a Strong Theme: Select a subject that resonates with your audience and communicates a clear message or emotion.

Curate the Images: Carefully select the photographs that best represent your theme and arrange them logically.

Maintain Consistency: Your images should have a consistent visual style, color palette, and framing. You want to create a cohesive narrative.

Provide Context: Include captions or short text descriptions to give the viewer a better understanding of the story being told.

Other Important Elements of a Photo Essay

These other components help provide a clear narrative and evoke emotions that keep the audience engaged in your story.

Storytelling : The primary purpose of a photo essay is to tell a story through your images. You must carefully choose your photos to convey a coherent and interesting narrative. The flow of your images should guide the viewer through your perspective or various viewpoints on the subject.

Emotion : A strong photo essay evokes emotions that resonate with the viewer. As you select your photos, consider how they touch the viewer emotionally. The emotions your images evoke can differ, ranging from happiness and love to fear and sadness.

Idea : Your photo essay idea should revolve around a central idea or theme. This foundation not only provides direction for your work but also ensures your images remain focused and relevant. Before starting your photo essay, you need a well-defined idea that’ll guide your photography and narrative.

Style : For your photo essay to be visually cohesive you need a consistent style. This can include using a particular color palette, choosing images with a distinct composition, or using a specific technique in each photo. As you curate your images, make sure they’re consistent in their visual qualities to create a harmonious presentation.

Composition : The composition of each photo plays a significant role in guiding the viewer’s eye within the image. Pay attention to elements like leading lines, patterns, and framing.

Technique : Using specific photography techniques can create a unique style for your photo essay. Experiment with different techniques like long exposures, shallow depth of field, and post-processing methods. Doing so will enhance the visual impact of your images.

Why Create a Photo Essay

Creating a photo essay allows you to merge your passion for photography with the art of storytelling.

By focusing on a specific narrative, you have a purpose and direction while capturing images. This can lead to a deeper connection with your subject and inspiration to create an interesting visual story.

And as a photographer, you can use photo stories to experiment with various styles, techniques, and compositions.

This not only challenges your creativity but also helps improve your skills as a photographer. The process encourages you to explore new perspectives and angles while conveying your message.

The images you choose can make people feel happy, sad, or even angry. By doing so, you harness the power of visuals to communicate a message beyond words.

Photo essays also serve as an opportunity for reflection.

By picking a topic or theme close to your heart, you can ponder, look back, analyze, and dive deeper into a subject matter. It can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-expression, allowing you to learn more about your own emotions and perceptions.

This is valuable if you intend to share your photography with a wider audience.

You can use a photo essay to show your skills in composition, storytelling, and emotional impact, making it a powerful way to gain recognition.

13 Photo Essay Examples

There are so many great photo essay examples, and I might try all of them myself!

But here are 13 not-too-hard photo essay ideas you can try.

1. Local Event Photo Essay

This is one of the most popular photo essay examples. You’re capturing the joy of local events by focusing on the participants’ emotions and interactions.

A Captivating Photo Essay Capturing A Group Of People Joyfully Throwing Colored Powder In The Air, Showcasing The Artistry And Exuberance Of This Mesmerizing Photography Technique.

Doing so shows the diversity of the people and the range of activities taking place. From stall setups to exciting performances. Document memorable moments and unique aspects of the event that make it stand out.

2. A Day in the Life Photo Essay

Highlight a typical day in the life of a person, family, or community.

A Captivating Photo Essay Showcasing The Beautiful Moments Between A Man And A Woman.

This photographic essay gives you an opportunity to capture the reality of daily life and routines. Focus on the small moments that give insight into the subject’s personality and relationships.

3. Transformation Photo Essay

Transformation photo essay topics are popular. This photo essay project showcases the power of change through photographs that depict the transformation of a person, place, or object. Include before and after pictures.

Explore The Captivating Stages Of A Butterfly'S Life Cycle Through A Mesmerizing Photo Essay.

You want shots with angles and perspectives that show change and development. One of the most common transformation photo essay examples is weight loss before and after.

4. Family Photo Essay

Tell the story of a family’s life together by capturing candid moments, daily routines, and special occasions.

A Photo Essay Depicting A Man And Two Children Engaging In Dishwashing Activities Within A Kitchen Environment.

Focus on the relationships between family members and the unique characteristics that make them a cohesive unit.

5. Education Photo Essay

An educational photo essay shows the educational process in action by documenting classes, workshops, or seminars.

A Group Of People Posing For A Photo In A Warehouse, Capturing The Essence Of A Photo Essay.

You can capture students’ learning and applying new skills. Observe interactions between teachers and students. Or show off diverse educational settings, from schools to informal learning environments.

6. Urban Renewal Photo Essay Examples

Explore the renewal of urban spaces with your photography.

A Captivating Photo Essay Capturing The Essence Of A Building Under Construction Against A Beautiful Blue Sky Adorned With Fluffy Clouds.

Take pictures as the city improves, new developments go up, and the impact it has on local communities. Include images of old and new architecture, as well as scenes that feature revitalization efforts.

7. The Changing Seasons of a Park Photo Essay

Make a transformation essay showing the changing seasons in a park. With this photo story, you want to capture the elements of the atmosphere that make each season of the year unique.

Captivating Four-Color Leaf Variations On A Tree Showcased In A Visually Expressive Photo Essay.

Highlight the features and activities that define each season, from the colors of the leaves to the snow-covered landscapes.

Bonus points if you can shoot the same shot for each photo!

8. City Artwork and Murals Photo Essay

A Captivating Photo Essay Showcasing Two Pictures Of A Building Adorned With A Vibrant And Awe-Inspiring Mural.

Another great photo essay example is celebrating the urban art scene by showcasing striking murals and street art found in cities and towns. Take photos that show the diverse styles, colors, and messages conveyed by the artists.

9. Historic Landmarks: Then and Now Photo Essay

A Captivating Photo Essay Of The Parthenon In Athens.keywords: Photo Essay, Parthenon In Athens.

Compare historic landmarks and sites in their current state with photographs from the past. This photo essay can show the changes and preservation efforts of these important cultural and historical places.

10. Coffee Shop Chronicles

Photograph coffee shops or the unique atmosphere of your favorite local coffee shop. Then document with your essay the diverse customers, staff members, and aesthetic elements that make it special.

A Captivating Photo Essay Capturing The Ambiance And Essence Of A Charming Coffee Shop.

Focus on the details that give it character and the emotions it evokes in visitors and customers.

11. Through The Lens of a Photographer

Be a photographer for another photographer and provide insight into their creative process. It can be a friend, another professional photographer, or even someone you want to learn from.

A Man Is Capturing A Picture With His Camera On The Beach For A Photo Essay.

You can showcase their work, techniques, and equipment with your photo story. Include behind-the-scenes shots of the photographer in action, as well as their perspective on their craft.

12. Recipes From Your Favorite Local Restaurant

Do a photo shoot and partner with a local restaurant to create a visually appealing photo essay featuring their signature dishes.

A Captivating Photo Essay Showcasing Beautifully Plated Shrimp And Vegetable Dishes.

You can include photographs of the cooking process, finished plates, and behind-the-scenes shots of the kitchen and staff.

13. Behind The Scenes Photo Essay

Offer a glimpse into the hidden aspects of various locations, professions, or events. Capture the unseen scenes and the people who make them happen by providing a unique and rarely seen perspective.

A Captivating Photo Essay Featuring A Skilled Woman Artist Passionately Working On Intricate Tattoos At A Vibrant Tattoo Shop.

Tips for Creating Your Own Photo Essay

Choose Something You Love: Do something that sparks emotion in you and others. Tell a story that’s personal and meaningful to you. Whether it’s a social issue, an event, or a day in the life of a specific person, make it a subject you love.

Develop Your Own Style: Your unique photography style plays a role in keeping your audience engaged. And having a signature style can help you carve out a niche for yourself. This will attract clients who appreciate and seek your unique perspective.

Plan Your Shots: Photo essays are like storytelling, so take time to compose and plan out each image carefully. Each photo communicates an essential part of your story. Without a story, there’s nothing to captivate your viewers.

Keep The Story Cohesive: Maintain a clear narrative throughout your photo essays. Each image contributes to the story’s flow. So, organize your photos logically for effective communication of your message.

The Power of Sequence: Plotting the Narrative Arc for Your Photo Essay

Just like a traditional narrative, your photo essay should have a beginning, middle, and end.

The opening image sets the stage and draws your audience in. It’s similar to the hook in written storytelling.

As you progress towards the middle of your essay, develop your theme or subject further. This may involve using contrasting images or presenting different aspects of your topic to maintain viewer interest. And finally, end with an impactful image that leaves a lasting impression or delivers a powerful message.

View these steps as the equivalent of crafting plot points in written narratives:

Beginning : Set up your story.

Middle : Develop the main characters or themes.

End : Resolve any conflicts or deliver the final message.

Linking Images Together: The Art of Transitions in Photo Stories

Transitions are super important.

They’re key elements that string individual photos together. Photo essay transitions are like the transitions between paragraphs in writing. They help maintain flow and continuity.

A transition might be thematic, such as moving from color-filled scenes. Or black-and-white images to represent shifting moods or timescales.

Three Silhouettes Of A Woman Posing In Front Of A Frame, Perfect For Photography Ideas.

It might even be visual: you can focus on common shapes, patterns, or subjects across several photographs.

To create effective photo transitions:

Identify common themes between photos.

Look for similarities in colors, textures, shapes, and lighting.

Experiment with gradually shifting the mood of your photos too.

How to Create a Photo Essay in 7 Steps

Step 1: choose a topic.

Select an engaging topic for your photo essay.

Reflect on your interests, the emotions you want to evoke, and the story you want your landmark photo essay to tell. Topics can range from personal stories to cultural explorations or even school events. You want an angle and style that will make your essay stand out and resonate with your audience.

Step 2: Research Beforehand

Before shooting, conduct research on your chosen topic. Gather information and familiarize yourself with the theme, people, and culture involved. This will help you capture consistent and authentic images. And provide depth to your photo essay project.

Step 3: Capture a Wide Variety of Images

Experiment with different shooting techniques, angles, and perspectives. Photograph various images that reflect your subject’s emotions, moods, and environment. Cover every aspect of your story. And remember, quality shots are more important than quantity.

Step 4: Create a Storyboard With Your Ideas and Images

After shooting, review your images and develop a storyboard. Arrange the photos in a manner that portrays your story effectively. Consider composition, techniques, and the flow of your narrative.

Step 5: Narrow Down, Edit, and Organize Your Photos to Tell a Story

Select the images that best illustrate your story, and edit them for style and consistency. Then organize your images in a sequence that connects with your audience emotionally. And make sure your photo essay is visually appealing and reflects the essence of your topic.

Step 6: Use Captions for Your Images as Needed

Captions can help tell your story without overwhelming your audience with text. So, if necessary, include captions to provide context and explain your images. But keep them short, concise, and informative.

Step 7: Ask for Feedback

Before publishing your photo essays, ask for feedback from friends, family, mentors, or even strangers. Then listen to their insights and suggestions, and make adjustments as needed. Getting a variety of perspectives can help ensure your photo essay is engaging, clear, and relatable to your audience.

The Importance of Photo Essays in Photography

Photo essays tell an intriguing story.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

But have you ever thought about how true this statement is?

When photographs are thoughtfully grouped together, they can weave a captivating narrative. A photo essay allows you to explore subjects deeply and from various angles, telling stories that may not be possible with just one image.

For instance, highlighting the daily life of a particular subject.

Or showcasing the transformation of an abandoned building into a vibrant community center. These narratives become more profound and interesting when illustrated not just through words but through the lens of a camera.

Photo Essays Can Connect With an Audience

They’re powerful tools for connecting on an emotional level with your audience.

They allow viewers to walk in someone else’s shoes, experiencing situations and emotions that might be entirely different from their own lives.

For example, a well-executed photo essay on local environmental pollution could stir up feelings of concern and urge viewers to take action.

A Good Photo Essay Can Market Your Products or Services

Photo essays offer businesses a unique way to promote products and services in a visual world.

But you aren’t simply showing off your offerings. Instead, you’re telling engaging stories around them. These stories make it easier for potential customers to relate and respond positively.

Take Airbnb as an example.

They’re pairing photos of hosts’ homes with local attractions or experiences to create mini-photo-essays. Potential customers feel like they’re getting a sneak peek at their vacation experience.

Can Convey a Wide Range of Emotions

One image may evoke joy. While another stirs up sadness.

By grouping these images together, a photo essay lets you create an emotional rollercoaster for your viewers. You’re not just showing them what’s happening—you’re making them feel it.

Consider a photo essay documenting the journey of a cancer survivor. From the initial shock and fear to the strength found in treatment, and finally, the joy of remission.

Such a powerful narrative can touch hearts and inspire action like no other medium can.

They Bring Life to an Otherwise Ordinary Collection of Photos

A random assortment of photographs might be visually appealing, but without context or purpose, they may lack depth or meaning.

That’s where photo stories come into play.

They provide structure to these collections, turning them into interesting narratives. Ones with clear themes and messages.

Imagine a series of seemingly unrelated photos—portraits of people from different walks of life.

When presented as part of a photo essay that explores societal diversity within cities, these portraits become more than just faces. They turn into symbols of unity and diversity.

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Kyra Chambers (KyraTheCreative) is the Co-Founder of Red October Firm. And a photographer, artist, and graphic designer. She has been in the photography industry since 2015 and loves making photography easy for everyone.

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23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)

A Post By: Kevin Landwer-Johan

Looking for inspiration? Our 23 photo essay ideas will take your photography skills to new heights!

A single, strong photograph can convey a lot of information about its subject – but sometimes we have topics that require more than one image to do the job. That’s when it’s time to make a photo essay: a collection of pictures that together tell the bigger story around a chosen theme.

In the following sections, we’ll explore various photo essay ideas and examples that cover a wide range of subjects and purposes. From capturing the growth of your children to documenting local festivals, each idea offers an exciting opportunity to tell a story through your lens, whether you’re a hobbyist or a veteran professional.

So grab your camera, unleash your creativity, and let’s delve into the wonderful world of photo essay examples!

What is a photo essay?

Simply put, a photo essay is a series of carefully selected images woven together to tell a story or convey a message. Think of it as a visual narrative that designed to capture attention and spark emotions.

Now, these images can revolve around a broad theme or focus on a specific storyline. For instance, you might create a photo essay celebrating the joy of companionship by capturing 10 heartwarming pictures of people sharing genuine laughter. On the other hand, you could have a photo essay delving into the everyday lives of fishermen in Wales by following a single fisherman’s journey for a day or even a week.

It’s important to note that photo essays don’t necessarily have to stick to absolute truth. While some documentary photographers prefer to keep it authentic, others may employ techniques like manipulation or staging to create a more artistic impact. So there is room for creativity and interpretation.

Why you should create a photo essay

Photo essays have a way of expressing ideas and stories that words sometimes struggle to capture. They offer a visual narrative that can be incredibly powerful and impactful.

Firstly, photo essays are perfect when you have an idea or a point you want to convey, but you find yourself at a loss for words. Sometimes, emotions and concepts are better conveyed through images rather than paragraphs. So if you’re struggling to articulate a message, you can let your photos do the talking for you.

Second, if you’re interested in subjects that are highly visual, like the mesmerizing forms of architecture within a single city, photo essays are the way to go. Trying to describe the intricate details of a building or the play of light and shadows with words alone can be challenging. But through a series of captivating images, you can immerse your audience in the architecture.

And finally, if you’re aiming to evoke emotions or make a powerful statement, photo essays are outstanding. Images have an incredible ability to shock, inspire, and move people in ways that words often struggle to achieve. So if you want to raise awareness about an environmental issue or ignite a sense of empathy, a compelling series of photographs can have a profound impact.

Photo essay examples and ideas

Looking to create a photo essay but don’t know where to start? Here are some handy essay ideas and examples for inspiration!

1. A day in the life

Your first photo essay idea is simple: Track a life over the course of one day. You might make an essay about someone else’s life. Or the life of a location, such as the sidewalk outside your house.

The subject matter you choose is up to you. But start in the morning and create a series of images showing your subject over the course of a typical day.

(Alternatively, you can document your subject on a special day, like a birthday, a wedding, or some other celebration.)

woman with a backpack getting on a train photo essay ideas

2. Capture hands

Portraits focus on a subject’s face – but why not mix it up and make a photo essay that focuses on your subject’s hands?

(You can also focus on a collection of different people’s hands.)

Hands can tell you a lot about a person. And showing them in context is a great way to narrate a story.

3. Follow a sports team for a full season

Sports are all about emotions – both from the passionate players and the dedicated fans. While capturing the intensity of a single game can be exhilarating, imagine the power of telling the complete story of a team throughout an entire season.

For the best results, you’ll need to invest substantial time in sports photography. Choose a team that resonates with you and ensure their games are within a drivable distance. By photographing their highs and lows, celebrations and challenges, you’ll create a compelling photo essay that traces their journey from the first game to the last.

4. A child and their parent

Photographs that catch the interaction between parents and children are special. A parent-child connection is strong and unique, so making powerful images isn’t challenging. You just need to be ready to capture the special moments as they happen.

You might concentrate on a parent teaching their child. Or the pair playing sports. Or working on a special project.

Use your imagination, and you’ll have a great time with this theme.

5. Tell a local artist’s story

I’ve always enjoyed photographing artists as they work; studios have a creative vibe, so the energy is already there. Bring your camera into this environment and try to tell the artist’s story!

An artist’s studio offers plenty of opportunities for wonderful photo essays. Think about the most fascinating aspects of the artist’s process. What do they do that makes their art special? Aim to show this in your photos.

Many people appreciate fine art, but they’re often not aware of what happens behind the scenes. So documenting an artist can produce fascinating visual stories.

6. Show a tradesperson’s process

Do you have a plumber coming over to fix your kitchen sink? Is a builder making you a new deck?

Take photos while they work! Tell them what you want to do before you start, and don’t forget to share your photos with them.

They’ll probably appreciate seeing what they do from another perspective. They may even want to use your photos on their company website.

7. Photograph your kids as they grow

There’s something incredibly special about documenting the growth of our little ones. Kids grow up so quickly – before you know it, they’re moving out. Why not capture the beautiful moments along the way by creating a heartwarming photo essay that showcases their growth?

There are various approaches you can take, but one idea is to capture regular photos of your kids standing in front of a distinct point of reference, such as the refrigerator. Over a year or several years, you can gather these images and place them side by side to witness your childrens’ incredible transformations.

8. Cover a local community event

A school fundraiser, a tree-planting day at a park, or a parade; these are are all community events that make for good photo essay ideas.

Think like a photojournalist . What type of images would your editor want? Make sure to capture some wide-angle compositions , some medium shots, and some close-ups.

(Getting in close to show the details can often tell as much of a story as the wider pictures.)

9. Show fresh market life

Markets are great for photography because there’s always plenty of activity and lots of characters. Think of how you can best illustrate the flow of life at the market. What are the vendors doing that’s most interesting? What are the habits of the shoppers?

Look to capture the essence of the place. Try to portray the people who work and shop there.

10. Shoot the same location over time

What location do you visit regularly? Is there a way you can make an interesting photo essay about it?

Consider what you find most attractive and ugly about the place. Look for aspects that change over time.

Any outdoor location will look different throughout the day. Also think about the changes that occur from season to season. Create an essay that tells the story of the place.

11. Document a local festival

Festivals infuse cities and towns with vibrant energy and unique cultural experiences. Even if your own town doesn’t have notable festivals, chances are a neighboring town does. Explore the magic of these celebrations by documenting a local festival through your lens.

Immerse yourself in the festivities, arriving early and staying late. Capture the colorful displays and the people who make the festival come alive. If the festival spans multiple days, consider focusing on different areas each time you visit to create a diverse and comprehensive photo essay that truly reflects the essence of the event.

12. Photograph a garden through the seasons

It might be your own garden . It could be the neighbor’s. It could even be the garden at your local park.

Think about how the plants change during the course of a year. Capture photos of the most significant visual differences, then present them as a photo essay.

13. Show your local town or city

After spending several years in a particular area, you likely possess an intimate knowledge of your local town or city. Why not utilize that familiarity to create a captivating photo essay that showcases the essence of your community?

Delve into what makes your town special, whether it’s the charming streets, unique landmarks, or the people who shape its character. Dedicate time to capturing the diverse aspects that define your locale. If you’re up for a more extensive project, consider photographing the town over the course of an entire year, capturing the changing seasons and the dynamic spirit of your community.

14. Pick a local cause to highlight

Photo essays can go beyond passive documentation; they can become a part of your activism, too!

So find a cause that matters to you. Tell the story of some aspect of community life that needs improvement. Is there an ongoing issue with litter in your area? How about traffic; is there a problematic intersection?

Document these issues, then make sure to show the photos to people responsible for taking action.

15. Making a meal

Photo essay ideas can be about simple, everyday things – like making a meal or a coffee.

How can you creatively illustrate something that seems so mundane? My guess is that, when you put your mind to it, you can come up with many unique perspectives, all of which will make great stories.

16. Capture the life of a flower

In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to overlook the beauty that surrounds us. Flowers, with their mesmerizing colors and rapid life cycles, offer a captivating subject for a photo essay. Try to slow down and appreciate the intricate details of a flower’s existence.

With a macro lens in hand, document a single flower or a patch of flowers from their initial shoots to their inevitable wilting and decomposition. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to bring viewers into the enchanting world of the flower. By freezing these fleeting moments, you’ll create a visual narrative that celebrates the cycle of life and the exquisite beauty found in nature’s delicate creations.

17. Religious traditions

Religion is often rich with visual expression in one form or another. So capture it!

Of course, you may need to narrow down your ideas and choose a specific aspect of worship to photograph. Aim to show what people do when they visit a holy place, or how they pray on their own. Illustrate what makes their faith real and what’s special about it.

18. Historic sites

Historic sites are often iconic, and plenty of photographers take a snapshot or two.

But with a photo essay, you can illustrate the site’s history in greater depth.

Look for details of the location that many visitors miss. And use these to build an interesting story.

19. Show the construction of a building

Ever been away from a familiar place for a while only to return and find that things have changed? It happens all the time, especially in areas undergoing constant development. So why not grab your camera and document this transformation?

Here’s the idea: Find a building that’s currently under construction in your area. It could be a towering skyscraper, a modern office complex, or even a small-scale residential project. Whatever catches your eye! Then let the magic of photography unfold.

Make it a habit to take a photo every day or two. Watch as the building gradually takes shape and evolves. Capture the construction workers in action, the cranes reaching for the sky, and the scaffolding supporting the structure.

Once the building is complete, you’ll have a treasure trove of images that chronicle its construction from start to finish!

20. Document the changing skyline of the city

This photo essay example is like the previous one, except it works on a much larger scale. Instead of photographing a single building as it’s built, find a nice vantage point outside your nearest city, then photograph the changing skyline.

To create a remarkable photo essay showcasing the changing skyline, you’ll need to scout out the perfect vantage point. Seek high ground that offers a commanding view of the city, allowing you to frame the skyline against the horizon. Look for spots that give you an unobstructed perspective, whether a rooftop terrace, a hillside park, or even a nearby bridge.

As you set out on your photography expedition, be patient and observant. Cities don’t transform overnight; they change gradually over time. Embrace the passage of days, weeks, and months as you witness the slow evolution unfold.

Pro tip: To capture the essence of this transformation, experiment with various photographic techniques. Play with different angles, framing, and compositions to convey the grandeur and dynamism of the changing skyline. Plus, try shooting during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset , when the soft light bathes the city in a warm glow and accentuates the architectural details.

21. Photograph your pet

If you’re a pet owner, you already have the perfect subject for a photo essay!

All pets , with the possible exception of pet rocks, will provide you with a collection of interesting moments to photograph.

So collect these moments with your camera – then display them as a photo essay showing the nature and character of your pet.

22. Tell the story of a local nature preserve

Ah, the wonders of a local nature preserve! While it may not boast the grandeur of Yosemite National Park, these hidden gems hold their own beauty, just waiting to be discovered and captured through the lens of your camera.

To embark on this type of photo essay adventure, start by exploring all the nooks and crannies of your chosen nature preserve. Wander along its winding trails, keeping an eye out for unique and captivating subjects that convey the essence of the preserve.

As you go along, try to photograph the intricate details of delicate wildflowers, the interplay of light filtering through a dense forest canopy, and the lively activities of birds and other wildlife.

23. Show the same subject from multiple perspectives

It’s possible to create an entire photo essay in a single afternoon – or even in a handful of minutes. If you don’t love the idea of dedicating yourself to days of photographing for a single essay, this is a great option.

Simply find a subject you like, then endeavor to capture 10 unique images that include it. I’d recommend photographing from different angles: up above, down low, from the right and left. You can also try getting experimental with creative techniques, such as intentional camera movement and freelensing. If all goes well, you’ll have a very cool set of images featuring one of your favorite subjects!

By showcasing the same subject from multiple perspectives, you invite viewers on a visual journey. They get to see different facets, textures, and details that they might have overlooked in a single photograph. It adds depth and richness to your photo essay, making it both immersive and dynamic.

Photo essay ideas: final words

Remember: Photo essays are all about communicating a concept or a story through images rather than words. So embrace the process and use images to express yourself!

Whether you choose to follow a sports team through a thrilling season, document the growth of your little ones, or explore the hidden treasures of your local town, each photo essay has its own magic waiting to be unlocked. It’s a chance to explore your creativity and create images in your own style.

So look at the world around you. Grab your gear and venture out into the wild. Embrace the beauty of nature, the energy of a bustling city, or the quiet moments that make life special. Consider what you see every day. What aspects interest you the most? Photograph those things.

You’re bound to end up with some amazing photo essays!

Now over to you:

Do you have any photo essay examples you’re proud of? Do you have any more photo essay ideas? Share your thoughts and images in the comments below!

23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)

KajianPustaka

Widget html #1, pengertian, karakteristik, jenis dan syarat foto jurnalistik.

Foto jurnalistik adalah komunikasi melalui foto (Communication Photography). Komunikasi yang dilakukan akan mengekspresikan pandangan jurnalis foto terhadap suatu objek, tetapi pesan yang disampaikan bukan merupakan ekspresi pribadi.
Medium foto jurnalistik adalah media cetak koran atau majalah, dan media kabel atau satelit juga internet seperti koran berita (wire service).
Kegiatan foto jurnalistik adalah kegiatan melaporkan diri.
Foto jurnalistik adalah perpaduan dari foto dan teks foto.
Foto jurnalistik mengacu pada manusia, manusia adalah subjek sekaligus pembaca foto jurnallistik.
Foto jurnalistik adalah komunikasi dengan orang banyak (massaudiencesi). Karena itu, pesan yang disampaikan harus singkat dan harus segera diterima orang yang beraneka ragam.
Foto jrunalistik merupakan hasil kerja editor foto.
Tujuan foto jurnalistik adalah memenuhi kebutuhan mutlak penyampaian informasi kepada sesama, sesuai amandemen kebebasan berbicara dan kebebasan pers (freendom of speech and freendom of pressi).

Jenis-jenis Foto Jurnalistik

Spot Photo . Adalah foto yang dibuat dari peristiwa yang tidak terjadwal atau tidak terduga yang diambil oleh si fotografer langsung di lokasi kejadian. Misalnya, foto peristiwa kecelakaan, kebakaran, perkelahian, dan perang. Karena dibuat dari peristiwa yang jarang terjadi dan menampilkan konflik serta ketegangan, maka foto spot harus segera disiarkan.
General News Photo . Adalah foto-foto yang bisa diabadikan dari peristiwa yang terjadwal, rutin, dan bisaa.Temanya bisa bermacam-macam, yaitu politik, ekonomi, dan humor.Contoh, foto presiden menganugerahkan bintang Mahaputra, menteri membuka pameran, badut dalam pertunjukan, dan lain-lain.
People in the News Photo . Adalah foto tentang orang atau masyarakat dalam suatu berita.Yang ditampilkan adalah pribadi atau sosok orang yang menjadi berita itu.Bisa kelucuannya, nasib, dan sebagainya. Contoh, foto Ali Abbas seorang anak yang menjadi korban bom perang Irak, atau foto Juned korban kecelakaan peristiwa tabrakan kereta api, dan sebagainya. Tokoh-tokoh pada foto people in the news bisa tokoh popular atau bisa tidak, tetapi kemudian menjadi popular setelah foto itu dipublikasikan.
Daily Life Photo . Adalah foto-foto tentang kehidupan sehari-hari manusia dipandang dari segi kemanusiannya (human interest). Misalnya, foto tentang pedagan asongan di stasiun kereta api.
Potrait . Adalah foto yang menampilkan wajah seseorang secara close up dan mejeng. Ditampilkan karena adanya kekhasan pada wajah yang dimiliki atau kekhasan lainnya.
Sport Photo . Adalah foto yang dibuat dari peristiwa olahraga.Karena olahraga berlangsung pada jarak tertentu antara atlet dengan penonton dan fotografer, dalam pembuatan foto olahraga dibutuhkan perlengkapan yang memadai, misalnya lensa yang panjang serta kamera yang menggunakan motor drive.
Science and Technology Photo . Adalah foto yang diambil dari peristiwa-peristiwa yang ada kaitannya dengan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi. Misalnya, foto penemuan micro chip computer baru, foto proses pengkloningan domba, dan sebagainya.
Art and Culture Photo . Adalah foto yang dibuat dari peristiwa seni dan budaya.Misalnya, foto penari jaipong, pertunjukan Iwan Fals di panggung, dan lain sebagainya.
Social and Environment . Adalah foto-foto tentang kehidupan sosial masyarakat serta lingkungan hidupnya.Contoh, foto penduduk sekitar kali manggarai yang sedang mencuci piring.

a. Nilai Kepentingan

Foto Hard News adalah foto jurnalistik yang sangat penting, memiliki nilai aktualitas tinggi. Foto seperti ini biasanya dimuat di halaman utama atau rubrik utama majalah berita.
Foto soft news adalah foto jurnalistik yang kurang begitu penting, namun baik juga untuk dimuat.
Filter news adalah foto jurnalistik yang berfungsi sebagai selingan atau pengisi halaman. Bila tidak memungkinkan, foto ini bisa juga di muat.

b. Penyajian

Spot news atau foto berita adalah sebuah foto yang merekam kejadian atau peristiwa sesaat dengan waktu yang sangat singkat dan tidak berulang. Biasanya berupa foto tunggal yang berdiri sendiri menyajikan suatu peristiwa.
Photo essay atau foto esai adalah serangkaian foto yang menggambarkan berbagai aspek dari suatu masalah yang dikupas secara mendalam.
Photo sequence adalah serangkaian foto yang menyajikan suatu kejadian secara mendetail, beruntun, dan kronologis. Kejadian atau peristiwa itu terjadi dalam selisih waktu yang amat singkat (dalam bilangan menit atau bahkan detik).
Feature photograph adalah sebuah foto jurnalistik yang menyangkut kehidupan sehari-hari namun mengundang segi kemanusiaan yang menarik.

Syarat-syarat Foto Jurnalistik

Informatif . Foto itu mampu menjelaskan dirinya secara ringkas, sehingga apa yang disampaikan segera dapat terbaca tanpa harus dibebani lagi dengan kata yang panjang lebar.
Hangat . Ini sesuai dengan prasyarat sebuah berita, yaitu yang ditampilkan dalam foto itu mengandung unsur kehangatan. Subyeknya bukan cerita basi karena tuntutan mutlak.
Factual . Subyek foto ini tidak diada-adakan, tetapi sesuai dengan kenyataan yang sesungguhnya. Tuntutan terhadap faktor ini sesuai dengan kenyataan yang sesungguhnya.
Relevan . Isi yang dikandung foto secara jitu mendukung semua tema pokok cerita atau penulisan. Artinya sebagai pendamping tulisan, maka gambaran yang tersaji dalam foto tidak melenceng dari tema tulisan.
Gema . Ini akan menentukan penempatan foto. Jika rekamannya hanya mengenai kejadian local (rumah kebakaran, misalnya) maka fotonya mungkin bukan di halaman muka. Tapi jika kejadiannya itu menelan ratusan korban manusia, seperti akibat bencana alam dahsyat, yang gemanya bukan sekedar lokal, tapi lebih luas, yaitu nasional, foto ini layak dapat porsi halaman muka.
Misi . Ini menyangkut tujuan atau target pemuatan suatu foto. Ihwal bencana alam misalnya, tentu dimaksud untuk menyentuh sentuhan kemanusiaan. Ada yang bertujuan membangkitkan apresiasi masyarakat terhadap hal-hal yang patut dihargai, atau sebaliknya menggugah kemauan mereka untuk mengubah apa yang secara kemasyarakatan dianggap berengsek.
Otentik . Lazim juga disebut tingkat kesulitan dalam proses pemotretan. Dalam hal ini ada dua pengertian otentik. Pertama subyeknya sendiri hanya si Mat Kodak bersangkutan yang dapat, dan kedua, mesti ada 10 Mat Kodak menjepret subyek yang sama, tapi hanya satu hasil yang menunjukan sudut pandang atau moment yang berbeda.
Atraktif . Ini menyangkut sosok grafis sebuah foto yang tersaji secara menggigit atau mencekam. Penampilannya tidak hambar dan dibagian ini ada peran editing atau sumbangsih polesan Editor Foto.

Daftar Pustaka

Alwi, Audi Mirza. 2004. Foto Jurnalistik . Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
Gani, Rita dan Kusumalestari, R.R. 2013. Jurnalistik Foto . Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya.
Wijaya, Taufan. 2011. Foto Jurnalistik dalam Dimensi Utuh . Jakarta: Sahabat.
Romli, Asep Syamsul M. 2008. Kamus Jurnalistik . Bandung: Simbiosa Rekatama Media.
Soelarko, R.M. 1985. Pengantar Fotografi Jurnalistik . Jakarta: Karya Nusantara.
Ed Zoelverdi. 1985. Mat Kodak: Melihat Untuk Sejuta Mata . Jakarta: Grafiti pers.

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How to Create a Photo Essay in 9 Steps (with Examples)

Photo Editing , Tutorials

Great blue heron standing in shallow water with a reflection and vegetation in the background.

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What is a photo essay?

Photo essays vs photo stories
How photo essays help you
9 Steps to create photo essays

How to share your photo essays

Read Time: 11 minutes

Gather up a handful of images that seem to go together, and voila! It’s a photo essay, right? Well… no. Though, this is a common misconception.

In reality, a photo essay is much more thoughtful and structured than that. When you take the time to craft one, you’re using skills from all facets of our craft – from composition to curation.

In this guide, you’ll learn what makes a photo essay an amazing project that stretches your skills. You'll also learn exactly how to make one step by step.

Photo essay vs photo story

A photo essay is a collection of images based around a theme, a topic, a creative approach, or an exploration of an idea. Photo essays balance visual variety with a cohesive style and concept.

What's the difference between a photo essay and a photo story?

The terms photo essay and photo story are often used interchangeably. Even the dictionary definition of “photo essay” includes using images to convey either a theme or a story.

But in my experience, a photo essay and a photo story are two different things. As you delve into the field of visual storytelling, distinguishing between the two helps you to take a purposeful approach to what you’re making .

The differences ultimately lie in the distinctions between theme, topic and story.

Themes are big-picture concepts. Example: Wildness

Topics are more specific than themes, but still overarching. Example : Wild bears of Yellowstone National Park

Stories are specific instances or experiences that happen within, or provide an example for, a topic or theme. Example: A certain wild bear became habituated to tourists and was relocated to maintain its wildness

Unlike a theme or topic, a story has particular elements that make it a story. They include leading characters, a setting, a narrative arc, conflict, and (usually) resolution.

With that in mind, we can distingush between a photo essay and a photo story.

Themes and Topics vs Stories

A photo essay revolves around a topic, theme, idea, or concept. It visually explores a big-picture something .

This allows a good deal of artistic leeway where a photographer can express their vision, philosophies, opinions, or artistic expression as they create their images.

A photo story is a portfolio of images that illustrate – you guessed it – a story.

Because of this, there are distinct types of images that a photo story uses that add to the understanding, insight, clarity and meaning to the story for viewers. While they can certainly be artistically crafted and visually stunning, photo stories document something happening, and rely on visual variety for capturing the full experience.

A photo essay doesn’t need to have the same level of structured variety that a photo story requires. It can have images that overlap or are similar, as they each explore various aspects of a theme.

An urban coyote walks across a road near an apartment building

Photo essays can be about any topic. If you live in a city, consider using your nature photography to make an essay about the wildlife that lives in your neighborhood .

The role of text with photos

A photo story typically runs alongside text that narrates the story. We're a visual species, and the images help us feel like we are there, experiencing what's happening. So, the images add significant power to the text, but they're often a partner to it.

This isn’t always the case, of course. Sometimes photo stories don’t need or use text. It’s like reading a graphic novel that doesn’t use text. Moving through the different images that build on each other ultimately unveils the narrative.

Photo essays don’t need to rely on text to illuminate the images' theme or topic. The photographer may use captions (or even a text essay), or they may let the images speak for themselves.

Definitions are helpful guidelines (not strict rules)

Some people categorize photo essays as either narrative or thematic. That's essentially just calling photo stories “narrative photo essays” and photo essays “thematic photo essays.”

But, a story is a defined thing, and any writer/editor will tell you themes and topics are not the same as stories. And we use the word “story” in our daily lives as it’s defined. So, it makes far more sense to name the difference between a photo essay and a photo story, and bask in the same clarity writers enjoy .

Photo stories illustrate a particular experience, event, narrative, something that happened or is happening.

Photo essays explore an idea, concept, topic, theme, creative approach, big-picture something .

Both photo essays and photo stories are immensely powerful visual tools. And yes, the differences between them can certainly be blurred, as is always the case with art.

Simply use this distinction as a general guideline, providing extra clarity around what you’re making and why you're making it.

To dig into specific types of images used to create powerful photo stories, check out this training: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story.

Meanwhile, let’s dig deeper into photo essays.

A sea nettle jellyfish floats alone on a white surface

Photo essays are a chance to try new styles or techniques that stretch your skills and creativity. This image was part of an essay exploring simplicity and shape, and helped me learn new skills in black and white post-processing.

How photo essays improve your photography

Creating photo essays is an amazing antidote if you’ve ever felt a lack of direction or purpose in your photography. Photo essays help build your photographic skills in at least 3 important ways.

1. You become more strategic in creating a body of work

It's easy to get stuck in a rut of photographing whatever pops up in front of you. And when you do, you end up with a collection of stand-alone shots.

These singles may work fine as a print, a quick Instagram post, or an addition to your gallery of shots on your website. But amassing a bunch of one-off shots limits your opportunities as a photographer for everything from exhibits to getting your work published.

Building photo essays pushes you to think strategically about what you photograph, why, and how. You're working toward a particular deliverable – a cohesive visual essay – with the images you create.

This elevates your skills in crafting your photo essay, and in how you curate the rest of your work, from galleries on your website to selecting images to sell as prints .

2. You become more purposeful in your composition skills

Composition is so much more than just following the rule of thirds, golden spirals, or thinking about the angle of light in a shot.

Composition is also about thinking ahead in what you’re trying to accomplish with a photograph – from what you’re saying through it to its emotional impact on a viewer – and where it fits within a larger body of work.

Photo essays push you to think critically about each shot – from coming up with fresh compositions for familiar subjects, to devising surprising compositions to fit within a collection, to creating compositions that expand on what’s already in a photo essay.

You’re pushed beyond creating a single pleasing frame, which leads you to shoot more thoughtfully and proactively than ever.

(Here’s a podcast episode on switching from reactive shooting to proactive shooting.)

3. You develop strong editing and curation skills

Selecting which images stay, and which get left behind is one of the hardest jobs on a photographer’s to-do list. Mostly, it’s because of emotional attachment.

You might think it’s an amazing shot because you know the effort that went into capturing it. Or perhaps when you look at it, you get a twinge of the joy or exhilaration you felt the moment you captured it. There’s also the second-guessing that goes into which of two similar images is the best – which will people like more? So you’re tempted to just show both.

Ultimately, great photographers appear all the more skilled because they only show their best work. That in and of itself is a skill they’ve developed through years of ruthlessly editing their own work.

Because the most powerful photo essays only show a handful of extraordinary images, you’re bound to develop the very same critical skill (and look all the more talented because of it).

Photo essays are also a great stepping stone to creating photo stories. If you’re interested in moving beyond stand-alone shots and building stories, shooting photo essays will get your creative brain limbered up and ready for the adventure of photo stories.

An american dipper looks into the water of a stream on a cold morning

A photo essay exploring the natural history of a favorite species is an exciting opportunity for an in-depth study. For me, that was a photo essay on emotive images of the American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) as it hunts in streams.

9 Simple steps to create your photo essays

1. clarify your theme.

Choose a theme, topic, or concept you want to explore. Spend some time getting crystal clear on what you want to focus on. It helps to write out a few sentences, or even a few paragraphs noting:

What you want the essay to be about
What kinds of images you want to create as part of it
How you’ll photograph the images
The style, techniques, or gear you might use to create your images
What “success” looks like when you’re done with your photo essay

You don’t have to stick to what you write down, of course. It can change during the image creation process. But fleshing your idea out on paper goes a long way in clarifying your photo essay theme and how you’ll go about creating it.

2. Create your images

Grab your camera and head outside!

As you’re photographing your essay, allow yourself some freedom to experiment. Try unusual compositions or techniques that are new to you.

Stretch your style a little, or “try on” the style of other photographers you admire who have photographed similar subjects.

Photo essays are wonderful opportunities to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and grow as a photographer.

Remember that a photo essay is a visually cohesive collection of images that make sense together. So, while you might stretch yourself into new terrain as you shoot, try to keep that approach, style, or strategy consistent.

Don’t be afraid to create lots of images. It’s great to have lots to choose from in the editing process, which comes up next.

3. Pull together your wide edit

Once you’ve created your images, pull together all the images that might make the cut. This could be as many as 40-60 images. Include anything you want to consider for the final essay in the wide edit.

From here, start weeding out images that:

are weaker in composition or subject matter
stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of the collection
Are similar to other stronger images in the collection

It's helpful to review the images at thumbnail size. You make more instinctive decisions and can more easily see the body of work as a whole. If an image is strong even at thumbnail size to stand out from similar frames while also partnering well with other images in the collection, that's a good sign it's strong enough for the essay.

4. Post-process your images for a cohesive look

Now it’s time to post-process the images. Use whatever editing software you’re comfortable with to polish your images.

Again, a photo essay has a cohesive visual look. If you use presets, filters, or other tools, use them across all the images.

5. Finalize your selection

It’s time to make the tough decisions. Select only the strongest for your photo essay from your group of images.

Each image should be strong enough to stand on its own and make sense as part of the whole group.

Many photo essays range from 8-12 images. But of course, it varies based on the essay. The number of images you have in your final photo essay is up to you.

Remember, less is more. A photo essay is most powerful when each image deserves to be included.

6. Put your images in a purposeful order

Create a visual flow with your images. Decide which image is first, and build from there. Use compositions, colors, and subject matter to decide which image goes next, then next, then next in the order.

Think of it like music: notes are arranged in a way that builds energy, or slows it down, surprise listeners with a new refrain, or drop into a familiar chorus. How the notes are ordered creates emotional arcs for listeners.

How you order your images is similar.

Think of the experience a viewer will have as they look at one image, then the next, and the next. Order your images so they create the experience you want your audience to have.

7. Get feedback

The best photographers make space for feedback, even when it’s tough to hear. Your work benefits from not just hearing feedback, but listening to it and applying what you learn from it.

Show your photo essay to people who have different sensibilities or tastes. Friends, family members, fellow photographers – anyone you trust to give you honest feedback.

Watch their reactions and hear what they say about what they’re seeing. Use their feedback to guide you in the next step.

8. Refine, revise, and finalize

Let your photo essay marinate for a little while. Take a day or two away from it. Then use your freshened eyes and the feedback you received from the previous step to refine your essay.

Swap out any selects you might want to change and reorder the images if needed.

9. Add captions

Even if you don’t plan on displaying captions with your images, captioning your images is a great practice to get into. It gives context, story, and important information to each image. And, more than likely, you will want to use these captions at some point when you share your photo essay, which we dive into later in this article.

Add captions to the image files using Lightroom, Bridge, or other software programs.

Create a document, such as a Google or Word doc, with captions for each image.

In your captions, share a bit about the story behind the image, or the creation process. Add whatever makes sense to share that provides a greater understanding of the image and its purpose.

Two rocks sit near each other on a wind-blown beach with long lines of texture in the sand

Photo essays allow you to explore deliberate style choices, such as a focus on shapes, patterns, textures, and lines. Since each photo is part of a larger essay, it encourages you to be bold with choices you might not otherwise make.

5 Examples of amazing nature photo essays

1. “how the water shapes us” from the nature conservancy.

Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay how the water shapes us from nature conservancy

This gorgeous essay, crafted with the work of multiple photographers, explores the people and places within the Mississippi River basin. Through the images, we gain a sense of how the water influences life from the headwater all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Notice how each photographer is tasked with the same theme, yet approaches it with their own distinct style and vision. It is a wonderful example of the sheer level of visual variety you can have while maintaining a consistent style or theme.

View it here

2. “A Cyclist on the English Landscape” from New York Times’ The World Through A Lens series

Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay a cyclist on the english landscape from new york times

This photo essay is a series of self-portraits by travel photographer Roff Smith while “stuck” at home during the pandemic. As he peddled the roads making portraits, the project evolved into a “celebration of traveling at home”. It’s a great example of how visually consistent you can be inside a theme while making each image completely unique.

3. “Vermont, Dressed In Snow” from New York Times’ The World Through A Lens series

Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay vermont, dressed in snow from new york times

This essay by aerial photographer Caleb Kenna uses a very common photo essay theme: snow. Because all images are aerial photographs, there’s a consistency to them. Yet, the compositions are utterly unique from one another. It’s a great example of keeping viewers surprised as they move from one image to the next while still maintaining a clear focus on the theme.

4. “Starling-Studded Skies” from bioGraphic Magazine

Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay starling-studded-skies from biographic magazine

This beautiful essay is by Kathryn Cooper, a physicist trained in bioinformatics, and a talented photographer. She used a 19th century photographic technique, chronophotography, to create images that give us a look at the art and science of starling murmurations. She states: “I’m interested in the transient moments when chaos briefly changes to order, and thousands of individual bodies appear to move as one.” This essay is a great example of deep exploration of a concept using a specific photographic technique.

View it here (Note: must be viewed on desktop)

5. “These Scrappy Photos Capture the Action-Packed World Beneath a Bird Feeder” from Audubon Magazine

Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay by carla rhodes from audubon online

This photo essay from conservation photographer Carla Rhodes explores the wildlife that takes advantage of the bounty of food waiting under bird feeders . Using remote camera photography , Rhodes gives viewers a unique ground-level perspective and captures moments that make us feel like we’re in conversation with friends in the Hundred Acre Woods. This essay is a great example of how perspective, personality, and chance can all come into play as you explore both an idea and a technique.

25 Ideas for creative photo essays you can make

The possibilities for photo essays are truly endless – from the concepts you explore to the techniques you use and styles you apply.

Choose an idea, hone your unique perspective on it, then start applying the 9 simple steps from above.

The life of a plant or animal (your favorite species, a species living in your yard, etc)
The many shapes of a single species (a tree species, a bird species, etc)
How a place changes over time
The various moods of a place
A conservation issue you care about
Math in nature
Urban nature
Seasonal changes
Your yard as a space for nature
Shifting climate and its impacts
Human impacts on environments
Elements: Water, wind, fire, earth
Day in the life (of a person, a place, a stream, a tree…)
Outdoor recreation (birding, kayaking, hiking, naturalist journaling…)
Wildlife rehabilitation
Lunar cycles
Sunlight and shadows
Your local watershed
Coexistence

A pacific wren sings from a branch in a sun dappled forest

As you zero in on a photo essay theme, consider two things: what most excites you about an idea, and what about it pushes you out of your comfort zone. The heady mix of joy and challenge will ensure you stick with it.

Your photo essay is ready for the world! Decide how you’d like to make an impact with your work. You might use one or several of the options below.

1. Share it on your website

Create a gallery or a scrollytelling page on your website. This is a great way to drive traffic to your website where people can peruse your photo essay and the rest of the photography you have.

Putting it on your website and optimizing your images for SEO helps you build organic traffic and potentially be discovered by a broader audience, including photo editors.

2. Create a scrollytelling web page

If you enjoy the experience of immersive visual experiences, consider making one using your essay. And no, you don’t have to be a whiz at code to make it happen.

Shorthand helps you build web pages with scrollytelling techniques that make a big impression on viewers. Their free plan allows you to publish 3 essays or stories.

3. Create a Medium post

If you don’t have a website and want to keep things simple, a post on Medium is a great option.

Though it’s known for being a platform for bloggers, it’s also possible to add images to a post for a simple scroll.

And, because readers can discover and share posts, it’s a good place for your photos to get the attention of people who might not otherwise come across it.

4. Share it on Instagram

Instagram has changed a lot over the last couple of years, but it’s still a place for photographers to share their work thoughtfully.

There are at least 3 great ways to share your photo essay on the platform.

– Create a single post for each image. Add a caption. Publish one post per day until the full essay is on your feed. Share each post via Instagram Stories to bring more attention and interaction to your photo essay.

– Create a carousel post. You can add up 10 photos to a carousel post, so you may need to create two of them for your full photo essay. Or you might create a series of carousel posts using 3-4 images in each.

– Create a Reel featuring your images as a video. The algorithm heavily favors reels, so turning your photo essay into a video experience can get it out to a larger audience.

I ran a “create a reel” challenge in my membership community. One member created a reel with her still images around a serious conservation issue. It gathered a ton of attention and landed her opportunities to share her message through YouTube and podcast interviews and publishing opportunities. Watch it here.

5. Exhibit it locally

Reach out to local galleries, cafes, pubs, or even the public library to see if they’re interested in hanging your photo essay for display. Many local businesses and organizations happily support the work of local artists.

6. Pitch your photo essay to publications

One of the best ways to reach an audience with your work is to get it published. Find publications that are a great fit for the theme and style of your photo essay, then pitch your essay for consideration. You gain a fantastic opportunity to share your work widely and can earn a paycheck at the same time.

Remember that if you want to get your photo essay published, you may want to hold back from sharing it publicly before you pitch it to publications.

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How To Create a Meaningful Photography Essay In 5 Steps

The storytelling nature of photography is no secret. It has been used for a century to narrate stories in a very peculiar and effective way. Narrative photographic projects have great power, and regardless of the level of experience and maturity of the photographer, they are very appealing. Find out how to create a meaningful photography essay in 5 steps.

Photography is an amazing art form that portrays interesting stories, events, adventures, life stories, experiences, history and has been around for a very long time having great influence in human life and emotions. Photography freezes the moment and records real life happenings that can be cherished for a lifetime and beyond. To make a good photograph, the photographer needs to look for perfect locations, light, subjects and add a little creativity to it.

Rather than a single image, a set or collections of images are always more powerful in telling a story, bringing in emotions within the viewer and taking/guiding the viewer through the path of the story. It is self consistent, self explanatory and doesn't another person to help with any form of narration. Besides these, photography essays can be a powerful source to bring out suppressed problems in the societies and other issues that are often overlooked.

Photographic essays invite us to research a topic or a theme in depth. Documentary photography is perhaps one of the closest things to “narrative” as we traditionally know it. Even though times have changed, and photography has been open to more independent photographers who don't have the same resource bonanza as the editorial or journalistic photographers of previous decades, this new democracy opens the door to the freedom of speech – a freedom that doesn't have to obey any media interests whatsoever.

Alright, But What Is A Photography Essay In The First Place?

A photo essay is a narrative that uses a group or series of photographs to tell a story, evoke emotions or emphasize a specific concept. The camera plays a utilitarian role, and is pretty far from what the final result can convey to those who read it (either completely or just partially). Photography essays can be either just photographs or photographs with comments, captions or text that accompany them to complete the story.

Some examples of photography essays include collage (simplest form of telling a story), an article, a book, an art show or exhibition, part of a website or a dedicated website and so on. Earlier photography essays were printed in the printing press, but in recent times they have moved to the web which is better in terms of easy access, but will not have a similar effect to looking and reading one physically.

What Elements Should A Photography Essay Include?

Being a narrative in a very holistic form, a photography essay should include the following elements in the most extreme cases:

Introduction
Contextualization
Development
Continuation

Not all essays will allow such a complex storyline, but we can take some of these elements to formulate an idea of what an essay should include. Therefore, a photo essay is a way to tell a story from beginning to end, with substance and a meaningful content.

Most photographic essays require preparation, organization and direction. Photographic essays began to be published in the 1930s after magazines saw that a story could best be told if text was accompanied by photographs. It is no coincidence that, by this time, cameras had evolved such that they could capture images quickly enough to freeze motion.

Also around this time, portability came into the picture, thanks to the practical nature of 35mm film . It was LIFE magazine that coined the term “Photographic Essay”. One of the most classic photography essays they published is “ Country Doctor ” by W. Eugene Smith . This essay documented Dr. Ceriani’s working life as a traveling doctor in rural areas of the United States.

An essay can be short, mid- or long-term according to various factors that can affect the image recording process. After achieving a certain number of images, the editing process can take place and the story can begin its narrative course. Some things that can affect the recording process are the limited resources we endure while working abroad, and limited access to the subject or the circumstances-recurrence ratio.

Here Are The 5 Steps Involved In Creating A Photography Essay:

1. pick a topic.

Obvious indeed, but choosing a good topic can be difficult without prior research. This is perhaps the hardest part of creating a photographic essay.

The wisest way to approach this is to select a topic that won't be so hard to access – not just because it might be easy. Since it will be accessible, the risk of frustration will be lower than it is when handling a difficult topic. Experience will eventually lead us into working with trickier subjects.

A photo essay doesn't need to always be dramatic and dense. They can be done just for the fun of it, or to discover new possibilities for the photographic narrative. Some topics that are generous when they are addressed are:

Everyday Work

2. Choosing The Subjects Correctly

When working on a photographic essay, it is important to choose subjects correctly to keep ourselves within a certain scope. Check to see if your subjects are suitable or the story you are planning to tell and if the stories made with them will be interesting for your target audience.

Even if you don't have a human subject to portray, making use of personification can always be a good guide to avoid losing course. For example, you can focus on silence by stating that the images attempted to capture the presence of silence.

Also, solitude can be addressed without any human elements, but still maintain the purpose of capturing “the human footprint”, for example.

3. Quantity Of Images

It is important to define the number of pictures we are willing to present on our final essay. Defining that number is important for a couple of reasons.

The first one is because it will set the bar of our project's scope (critical when we start to consider our resources).
The second one is our readers. The story should be told from start to finish with high impact, just like a short novel or a story. If we stuff our essay with “filler” images, it will ultimately lose its power.

4. Execution

Let the fun part begin! After defining the previous three elements, we can start shooting to create a great storytelling essay. Shooting story telling photographs for a photography essay need to be powerful just like how you would shoot individual images to tell a story. Look for perfect light, relevant locations relating to the story to be told, perfect subjects for the story and also compositional guidelines.

Always have introductory and closing images just like how you would have an introduction and conclusion to any essay. Shoot at different light, angles, perspectives, etc. and finalise during the editing part the images that will work together to complete the photography essay.

Editing must not be confused with post-processing, which is an important element of the production of the final photographs. Editing refers to the precise selection of the images that will be included in the essay. There is no perfect quantity or order. You (or your editor) will have to be very objective to select the perfect mix to tell the story the way you want it to be told.

Ak yourself questions like, do the photographs speak the story or will they require accompanying text, is the sequence or series logical, do they stand together and complete the story from start to finish, etc. Try and tell the story with minimal images by avoiding repetition as that can bore the viewers.

Who Can Create A Photography Essay?

Some photographers believe that only photojournalists or documentary photographers can create photography essays. That is not the case – photo essays can be created on any topics like nature, wedding, events, portraits, travel, etc.

Constant planning, execution and checking can and should be applied to all the stages discussed above. You will need to have a powerful title and written text that is strong and concise. Sometimes longer text may be required.

Photo essays are a great way to improve not just as photographers, but as storytellers, too. Viewing photo essays with a reader's mindset will give you a better feeling of photography’s storytelling power.

About Author

Federico has a decade of experience in documentary photography , and is a University Professor in photography and research methodology . He's a scientist studying the social uses of photography in contemporary culture who writes about photography and develops documentary projects. Other activities Federico is involved in photography are curation, critique, education, mentoring, outreach and reviews. Get to know him better here .

Dear Federico, this is a very informative, to the point article for everyone who wants to enter the world of creating photo essays. Currently, I am teaching photography at one of the well known institutes in India and I am playing a role of a honeybee. I am creating a blend of my experience along with such articles and letting the student know what are the pros and cons of various genres of photography and how to go about it. I am obviously giving you credit for this article. Thanks and you are welcome to India. You will love my country!

Frederico, thank you for this article about photo essays! I am both a digital photographer and a freelance writer, and this idea combines both of my passions. What are the most successful photo essays that you have done that you can share?

Hi, Thank you for the article, very interesting, something I would really love to try. I do have one question though, how do I know whether a photo essay would be a success, who would judge it?

I have emailed Frederico asking permission to reprint this article in my photo club’s digital newsletter (www.spsphoto.org). I would like your permission as well. We are having a photo essay competition this month. I will include links to the original article, as well as yours and Federico’s website. Thank you.

Fine by us, Linda. Thanks for asking first.

Thank you, and Federico, for permission to reprint. I am sure my photo club members will appreciate this timely article for our annual photo essay competition !

How to Shoot Panoramic Photographs

Dawn at Battersea power station shot on film in the early 2000s

What We Can Learn From Shooting Film Cameras

How to Shoot in Manual Mode

Essay on Photography

Students are often asked to write an essay on Photography in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Photography

What is photography.

Photography is the art of capturing pictures using a camera. A camera is like a box that keeps a moment from running away. When you take a photo, you save a memory that you can see later.

Types of Photography

There are many kinds of photography. Some people take photos of nature, like mountains and rivers. Others click pictures of cities or people. Some even capture stars at night. Each type tells a different story.

The Importance of Photography

Photos are important because they help us remember past times. They show us how things were and how they have changed. Photos can make us feel happy or sad by reminding us of different moments.

Learning Photography

Anyone can learn photography. You start by learning how to use a camera. Then you practice taking photos. Over time, you get better at making your pictures look nice. It’s fun to learn and can become a hobby or a job.

Also check:

Paragraph on Photography

250 Words Essay on Photography

Photography is the art of capturing light with a camera to create a picture. This can be done using a digital camera or even a phone today. In the past, people used film cameras that had to be developed in a dark room.

The Magic of Cameras

A camera is a tool that takes in light through a lens and saves the image. In old cameras, light hit a film to create a photo. Now, digital cameras use electronic sensors to record the image. The sensors work like our eyes, catching light and colors.

There are many kinds of photography. Some people take pictures of nature, like forests and animals. Others like to take photos of cities and buildings. There are also photographers who take pictures of people and capture their emotions and moments.

To be good at photography, you need to learn how to use a camera well. You also need to understand light and how it affects your photos. Practice is important. The more you take pictures, the better you get at it.

Sharing Photos

After taking pictures, people often share them with others. They might put them on the internet, in a photo album, or hang them on a wall. Sharing photos lets others see the world through your eyes.

Photography is a fun and creative way to show how you see the world. It can be a hobby or a job, and it helps us remember special times and places.

500 Words Essay on Photography

Photography is the art of capturing light with a camera to create an image. This can be done using a digital camera that stores pictures electronically or an old-fashioned film camera that records them on film. When you take a photo, you freeze a moment in time, which you can look back on later.

The History of Photography

The story of photography began hundreds of years ago with simple cameras called pinhole cameras. Over time, inventors created better cameras and ways to make pictures clearer and more colorful. In the past, taking a photo was not easy; it took a long time for the picture to be ready. But now, thanks to modern technology, we can take pictures instantly with digital cameras and even our phones.

There are many kinds of photography. Some people take pictures of nature, like mountains, flowers, or animals. This is called nature photography. Others enjoy taking pictures of buildings or cities, known as architectural photography. Then there are photographers who like to take pictures of people. This can be portraits of one person or family photos with lots of people. Another exciting type is sports photography, where photographers capture fast-moving action at sports events.

How Photography Works

A camera works a bit like our eyes. When we look at something, light enters our eyes and helps us see. Similarly, when you take a picture, light comes into the camera through a hole called the lens. Inside the camera, the light hits a part that is sensitive to light, either film or a digital sensor, and creates an image.

Photography is important for many reasons. It helps us remember special moments like birthdays or holidays. It also lets us see places we’ve never been to and learn about different people and animals. Newspapers and websites use photos to show us what is happening in the world. Photography can even be a way for people to express their feelings and tell stories without using words.

Anyone can learn to take good photos. It’s not just about having an expensive camera. It’s about looking carefully at what you want to photograph and thinking about where to place things in the picture. It’s also about practicing a lot. The more photos you take, the better you get at it. There are also many books and videos that can teach you how to be a better photographer.

The Fun of Photography

Photography can be a lot of fun. It lets you be creative and can even turn into a hobby or a job. You can take pictures of your friends, pets, or trips you go on. With photography, you can explore new places and meet new people. The best part is, you can start at any age and keep learning and enjoying it your whole life.

In conclusion, photography is a powerful form of art that lets us capture memories, explore the world, and share stories. It’s a skill that anyone can learn and enjoy. Whether you’re taking a picture of a beautiful sunset or snapping a photo of your best friend laughing, photography helps us save those special moments forever.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Phone Addiction
Essay on Phishing
Essay on Pet Fish

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Columbia University in the City of New York

Miriam and ira d. wallach art gallery.

Visitor Information
Exhibitions
Publications

Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography

April 30–june 21, 2003.

Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography , an exhibition of 20th-century photographs of Moscow, opens at Columbia University's Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 and remains on display through Saturday, June 21, 2003.

Moscow has been a powerful magnet for many Russian photographers of the 20th century. Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography presents the work of 31 photographers, whose images have defined the visual experience of Moscow from the 1920s to the present. Diverse in form and strategy, the 90 photographs chosen for the exhibition trace the history of Russian documentary photography and offer insight into individual practices. From Aleksandr Rodchenko's constructivist visions and Evgenii Khaldei's humanist landscapes to Igor Moukhin's scenes of urban spectacle and alienation in the works of Russia's key 20th-century photographers, Moscow ventures beyond the expected image as a site of famous landmarks, architectural treasures and dramatic lifestyles.

Early 20th-century photographers Boris Ignatovich and Arkadii Shaikhet saw themselves in the vanguard of an emerging mass-media culture, defining with their cameras the visual experience of Soviet modernity. For nearly 70 years, Soviet photography was assigned the duty of maintaining the ideological rigidity of the Soviet State. Yet, as examples of the work of Iakov Khalip, Anatolii Egorov, Mikhail Savin, and Mark Markov-Grinberg show, Soviet photographic practices were much more complex than has been previously acknowledged. The works of these photographers remain intensely compelling to a modernist eye.

Contemporary Russian photographers, such as Lev Melikhov, Valerii Stigneev and Sergei Leontiev, engage with the legacy of the Soviet documentary photography. But for them the documentary is a complex and multivalent genre, which incorporates subjectivity, ambiguity and reflexivity and comments on social and cultural issues without losing sight of the position from which that commentary is made. In the recent photographs by Vladimir Kupriyanov, Igor Moukhin, Anna Gorunova and Pakito Infante, the "real" space of Moscow is replaced by an imaginary and optical spaces of virtuality.

The works in the exhibition are on loan from Moscow's Cultural Center Dom, and many are being shown outside Russia for the first time. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Wallach Art Gallery is publishing an illustrated catalogue with a scholarly essay by the exhibition curator, Nadia Michoustina, a Ph.D. candidate in Columbia University's Department of Slavic Languages. The essay presents a nuanced history of Russian photography of the 20th century, and contributes to an interpretation of extraordinary images.

What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries

Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has spawned a lot of unusual gear.

Share full article

In a black-and-white photo from 1945, nine men, some in military uniforms, stand in the middle of a New York City street. They are holding a small piece of what looks like glass or a photographic negative above their heads to protect their eyes as they watch the eclipse. The original border of the print, as well as some numbers and crop marks drawn onto it, are visible.

By Sarah Eckinger

April 8, 2024 Updated 12:37 p.m. ET

For centuries, people have been clamoring to glimpse solar eclipses. From astronomers with custom-built photographic equipment to groups huddled together with special glasses, this spectacle has captivated the human imagination.

Creating a Permanent Record

In 1860, Warren de la Rue captured what many sources describe as the first photograph of a total solar eclipse . He took it in Rivabellosa, Spain, with an instrument known as the Kew Photoheliograph . This combination of a telescope and camera was specifically built to photograph the sun.

Forty years later, Nevil Maskelyne, a magician and an astronomy enthusiast, filmed a total solar eclipse in North Carolina. The footage was lost, however, and only released in 2019 after it was rediscovered in the Royal Astronomical Society’s archives.

Telescopic Vision

For scientists and astronomers, eclipses provide an opportunity not only to view the moon’s umbra and gaze at the sun’s corona, but also to make observations that further their studies. Many observatories, or friendly neighbors with a telescope, also make their instruments available to the public during eclipses.

Fredrik Hjalmar Johansen, Fridtjof Nansen and Sigurd Scott Hansen observing a solar eclipse while on a polar expedition in 1894 .

Women from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and their professor tested out equipment ahead of their eclipse trip (to “catch old Sol in the act,” as the original New York Times article phrased it) to New London, Conn., in 1922.

A group from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania traveled to Yerbaniz, Mexico, in 1923, with telescopes and a 65-foot camera to observe the sun’s corona .

Dr. J.J. Nassau, director of the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, prepared to head to Douglas Hill, Maine, to study an eclipse in 1932. An entire freight car was required to transport the institution’s equipment.

Visitors viewed a solar eclipse at an observatory in Berlin in the mid-1930s.

A family set up two telescopes in Bar Harbor, Maine, in 1963. The two children placed stones on the base to help steady them.

An astronomer examined equipment for an eclipse in a desert in Mauritania in June 1973. We credit the hot climate for his choice in outfit.

Indirect Light

If you see people on Monday sprinting to your local park clutching pieces of paper, or with a cardboard box of their head, they are probably planning to reflect or project images of the solar eclipse onto a surface.

Cynthia Goulakos demonstrated a safe way to view a solar eclipse , with two pieces of cardboard to create a reflection of the shadowed sun, in Lowell, Mass., in 1970.

Another popular option is to create a pinhole camera. This woman did so in Central Park in 1963 by using a paper cup with a small hole in the bottom and a twin-lens reflex camera.

Amateur astronomers viewed a partial eclipse, projected from a telescope onto a screen, from atop the Empire State Building in 1967 .

Back in Central Park, in 1970, Irving Schwartz and his wife reflected an eclipse onto a piece of paper by holding binoculars on the edge of a garbage basket.

Children in Denver in 1979 used cardboard viewing boxes and pieces of paper with small pinholes to view projections of a partial eclipse.

A crowd gathered around a basin of water dyed with dark ink, waiting for the reflection of a solar eclipse to appear, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1995.

Staring at the Sun (or, How Not to Burn Your Retinas)

Eclipse-gazers have used different methods to protect their eyes throughout the years, some safer than others .

In 1927, women gathered at a window in a building in London to watch a total eclipse through smoked glass. This was popularized in France in the 1700s , but fell out of favor when physicians began writing papers on children whose vision was damaged.

Another trend was to use a strip of exposed photographic film, as seen below in Sydney, Australia, in 1948 and in Turkana, Kenya, in 1963. This method, which was even suggested by The Times in 1979 , has since been declared unsafe.

Solar eclipse glasses are a popular and safe way to view the event ( if you use models compliant with international safety standards ). Over the years there have been various styles, including these large hand-held options found in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1979.

Parents and children watched a partial eclipse through their eclipse glasses in Tokyo in 1981.

Slimmer, more colorful options were used in Nabusimake, Colombia, in 1998.

In France in 1999.

And in Iran and England in 1999.

And the best way to see the eclipse? With family and friends at a watch party, like this one in Isalo National Park in Madagascar in 2001.

Our Coverage of the Total Solar Eclipse

Anticipation and Anxiety Build: Across parts of the United States, Mexico and Canada, would-be eclipse-gazers are on the move for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime event .

Awaiting a Moment of Awe: Millions of people making plans to be in the path of the solar eclipse know it will be awe-inspiring. What is that feeling ?

The Eclipse Chaser: A retired astrophysicist known as “Mr. Eclipse” joined “The Daily” to explain why these celestial phenomena are such a wonder to experience .

Historic Photos: From astronomers with custom-built photographic equipment to groups huddled together with special glasses, here’s what solar eclipse-gazing has looked like for the past two centuries .

Hearing the Eclipse: A device called LightSound is being distributed to help the blind and visually impaired experience what they can’t see .

Animal Reactions: Researchers will watch if animals at zoos, homes and farms act strangely when day quickly turns to night.

Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

Patriarch’s Pond
Old Arbat Street
Maroseyka Street
Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography.

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita.

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

Novoslobodskaya
Mayakovskaya
Elektrozavodskaya
Komsomolskaya
Ploschad Revolyutsii
Dostoyevskaya
Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem.

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions.

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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(A New Guide Posted Every Other Wednesday)

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Mengenal Foto Story dan Foto Essay
Setidaknya ada beberapa elemen yang biasanya ada pada foto essay maupun story. Hal tersebut adalah: 1. Establishing shoot, yaitu foto yang dipakai untuk membuka cerita. Foto ini biasanya memasukkan semua elemen dari subjek foto (overview) dan juga sebisa mungkin dipilih foto yang menarik pembaca. 2.
Membuat foto yang bercerita (Photo story / essay)
Perbedaan singkatnya adalah: Photo Essay - menceritakan sebuah kisah, dan biasanya bertujuan sesuatu misalnya mengingatkan pemirsa akan bahaya narkoba, menceritakan pentingnya pelestarian lingkungan dan lain-lain. Foto-foto bisa dibuat di tempat dan dengan subjek foto yang berbeda-beda tapi masih satu topik yang sama.
Cara Membuat Esai Foto (dengan Gambar)
Artikel ini disusun bersama Heather Gallagher.Heather Gallagher adalah Fotografer dan Jurnalis Foto yang tinggal di Austin, Texas. Dia mengelola studio fotonya "Heather Gallagher Photography" yang terpilih sebagai Austin's Best Family Photographer dan termasuk 3 terbaik dalam Birth Photographers selama 2017, 2018, dan 2019.
Essay photo vs photo apa bedanya dan seperti apa contohnya
Photo essay deskriptif adalah sebuah bentuk foto essay yang bertujuan untuk menggambarkan suatu objek, tempat, atau situasi dengan detail yang lengkap dan akurat,fokus pada estetika visual, detail, tekstur, warna, dan bentuk subjek yang ditampilkan. Foto-foto dalam essay ini biasanya disusun dalam urutan yang logis dan diberi keterangan yang ...
Photo essay
A photo essay is a form of visual storytelling that develops a narrative across a series of photographs. It originated during the late 1920s in German illustrated journals, initially presenting stories in the objective, distanced tone of news reporting. The photo essay gained wide popularity with the growth of photographically illustrated magazines such as VU (launched in Paris in 1928), LIFE ...
How to Create an Engaging Photo Essay (+ Examples)
3. Take your time. A great photo essay is not done in a few hours. You need to put in the time to research it, conceptualizing it, editing, etc. That's why I previously recommended following your passion because it takes a lot of dedication, and if you're not passionate about it - it's difficult to push through. 4.
Esai foto
Esai foto. Foto esei adalah salah satu jenis fotografi. Foto esei mempunyai cara pembuatan yang dapat dibagi menjadi tiga cara yaitu foto yang diambil secara candid, foto dipose atau campuran keduanya. Hal ini membuat sebagian dari foto esei dibuat dengan perencanaan yang matang dari jadual pertemuan, jadual pemotretan, alat yang digunakan ...
What is Photo Essay in Photography (13 Examples You Can Try)
2. A Day in the Life Photo Essay. Highlight a typical day in the life of a person, family, or community. This photographic essay gives you an opportunity to capture the reality of daily life and routines. Focus on the small moments that give insight into the subject's personality and relationships. 3.
23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)
Here are some handy essay ideas and examples for inspiration! 1. A day in the life. Your first photo essay idea is simple: Track a life over the course of one day. You might make an essay about someone else's life. Or the life of a location, such as the sidewalk outside your house.
How to Create a Photo Essay: Step-by-Step Guide With Examples
Once you have those answers, you can start working on a photo essay of your own. Here's how to do it: 1. Tell a diverse, confident story. Know what you're shooting and why. It's important to figure out what your message is and shoot with a purpose. 2. Make sure you have a wide variety of images.
Kumpulan Esai tentang Fotografi di Indonesia dari Zaman Kolonial hingga
Penulisnya adalah Brian Arnold, seorang fotografer, pendidik, dan musisi, yang kini bekerja di Universitas Cornell di Ithaca, New York. Buku A History of Photography in Indonesia: Essays on Photography from the Colonial Era to the Digital Age" karangan Brian Arnold.
Photo-essay
A photographic essay or photo-essay for short is a form of visual storytelling, a way to present a narrative through a series of images. A photo essay delivers a story using a series of photographs and brings the viewer along a narrative journey. Examples of photo essays include: A web page or portion of a web site.
ESEI FOTO
Photo Essay atau Esei Foto adalah proses penyampaian sebuah cerita, berita atau peristiwa melalui sekumpulan gambar atau visual.Kebiasaanya antara tiga hingg...
Pengertian, Karakteristik, Jenis dan Syarat Foto Jurnalistik
Photo essay atau foto esai adalah serangkaian foto yang menggambarkan berbagai aspek dari suatu masalah yang dikupas secara mendalam. Photo sequence adalah serangkaian foto yang menyajikan suatu kejadian secara mendetail, beruntun, dan kronologis. Kejadian atau peristiwa itu terjadi dalam selisih waktu yang amat singkat (dalam bilangan menit ...
How to Create a Photo Essay in 9 Steps (with Examples)
Choose an idea, hone your unique perspective on it, then start applying the 9 simple steps from above. The life of a plant or animal (your favorite species, a species living in your yard, etc) The many shapes of a single species (a tree species, a bird species, etc) How a place changes over time.
How To Create a Meaningful Photography Essay In 5 Steps
Shoot at different light, angles, perspectives, etc. and finalise during the editing part the images that will work together to complete the photography essay. Image by Joe Gardner. 5. Editing. Editing must not be confused with post-processing, which is an important element of the production of the final photographs.
Esai Foto Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Karakter Pada Fotografi Dasar
Media Photography essay merupakan salah satu . ... Manusia pada dasarnya adalah makhluk sosial yang tidak lepas dari orang yang ada di sekitarnya. Hal tersebut mempengaruhi gaya hidup seseorang ...
Penggunaan Media Photography Essay Di MAN 1 Kota Gorontalo
Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah merancang rancangan konten pembelajaran geografi pariwisata berbasis wisata pantai botutonuo berintegrasikan photography essay. Metode yang digunakan dalam ...
100 Words Essay on Photography
Photography can be a lot of fun. It lets you be creative and can even turn into a hobby or a job. You can take pictures of your friends, pets, or trips you go on. With photography, you can explore new places and meet new people. The best part is, you can start at any age and keep learning and enjoying it your whole life.
Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography
The history of photography, more than of the city, is traced through 34 monochrome works by photographers who lived and worked in Moscow from the 1920s to the present. ... An essay, interview, and biographies are included. ISBN: 1884919138 88 pages; 46 b&w illustrations Size: 8 x 10 inches In print | $25.00 Publisher: The Wallach Art Gallery ...
Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography
City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography. Nadia Michoustina Wallach Art Gallery, 2003 8 x 10", 88 pp., 46 b&w illus. ISBN 1-884919-13-8, Paper, $25. The history of photography, more than of the city, is traced through 34 monochrome works by photographers who lived and worked in Moscow from the 1920s to the present.
Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography
Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography, an exhibition of 20th-century photographs of Moscow, opens at Columbia University's Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 and remains on display through Saturday, June 21, 2003.. Moscow has been a powerful magnet for many Russian photographers of the 20th century. Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography ...
In Photos: What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like Through History
What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries. Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has ...
City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow
*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for.

Foto Dinding

Elegi Sebuah Foto

Tebak Foto Lama, Games Lebaran Penghias Kumpul Keluarga

Dua Foto Kita

Mampir ke Stasiun GundihGeyer, Beli Oleh Oleh dan Foto Foto

Foto Dapat Bercerita Tentang Hidup Bertoleransi

Mengenal Foto Story dan Foto Essay

Artikel Lainnya

LAPORKAN KONTEN

Membuat foto yang bercerita (Photo story / essay)

Lima langkah membuat photo story/essay:

Referensi dan contoh foto yang bercerita:

Cara Membuat Esai Foto

Mencari Topik

Mengatur Pemotretan

Memotret Gambar

Menyusun Esai

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Essay photo vs photo story

Definisi Essay Photo adalah :

Ciri ciri photo Essay

Photo Essay Naratif :

Photo Essay deskriptif :

Photo essay dapat dibagi menjadi beberapa kategori berdasarkan jenisnya:

Definisi Photo Story adalah :

Ciri Ciri photo Story :

Photo story dapat dibagi menjadi beberapa kategori berdasarkan jenisnya:

Bisa juga Essay photo adalah bagian dari Photo story tentunya untuk membuat photo essay ataupun photo story diperlukan beberapa hal seperti :

Foto seperti apakah untuk mendapatkan photo story ataupun essay photo adalah :

Essay photo , cerita tentang dinasty kaya raya “Bling ” di china dan gaya hidupnya

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Final Words

Unlock the EXACT blueprint to capture breathtaking iPhone photos!

What is a Photo Essay in Photography (13 Examples You Can Try)

What is a Photo Essay?

Other Important Elements of a Photo Essay

Why Create a Photo Essay

13 Photo Essay Examples

1. Local Event Photo Essay

2. A Day in the Life Photo Essay

3. Transformation Photo Essay

4. Family Photo Essay

5. Education Photo Essay

6. Urban Renewal Photo Essay Examples

7. The Changing Seasons of a Park Photo Essay

8. City Artwork and Murals Photo Essay

9. Historic Landmarks: Then and Now Photo Essay

10. Coffee Shop Chronicles

11. Through The Lens of a Photographer

12. Recipes From Your Favorite Local Restaurant

13. Behind The Scenes Photo Essay

Tips for Creating Your Own Photo Essay

The Power of Sequence: Plotting the Narrative Arc for Your Photo Essay

Linking Images Together: The Art of Transitions in Photo Stories

How to Create a Photo Essay in 7 Steps

Step 2: Research Beforehand

Step 3: Capture a Wide Variety of Images

Step 4: Create a Storyboard With Your Ideas and Images

Step 5: Narrow Down, Edit, and Organize Your Photos to Tell a Story

Step 6: Use Captions for Your Images as Needed

Step 7: Ask for Feedback

The Importance of Photo Essays in Photography

Photo Essays Can Connect With an Audience

A Good Photo Essay Can Market Your Products or Services

Can Convey a Wide Range of Emotions

They Bring Life to an Otherwise Ordinary Collection of Photos

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