history of photography essay topics

125 Photography Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on photography, 👍 good photography research topics & essay examples, 🌶️ hot photography ideas to write about, 🎓 most interesting photography research titles, 💡 simple photography essay ideas, ❓ photography essay questions.

• Henri Cartier-Bresson: Seville Photograph
• Pornography vs. Artistic Nude Photographs
• Attitude to Photography. Art and Design
• Photography and Paintings: Depicting the Truth
• “Pepper No. 30” Photograph by Edward Weston
• Annie Lebovitz – Famous Photographer
• The Works of Photographer Steve McCurry: Consequences of the War
• Homai Vyarawalla’s Photography Career Homai Vyarawalla had a unique talent for penetrating the fabric of time with her camera. One looks at the photos, and the long-gone days magically return to life.
• “The Starving Boy in Uganda” Photograph by Mike Wells The current essay attempts to analyze the context of the picture, details of the image, and the message that the photograph “the Starving boy in Uganda” conveys.
• Photography Art: A Girl on a Bridge on Lake Garda Photographs give information on what real-life scenarios look like away from human influence. A photo of a girl on a bridge on Lake Garda is compared to that taken in real life.
• Aspects of the Mobile Photography The paper states that mobile photography has exceeded the realm of photography. The accessibility of a smartphone’s camera allows people to take pictures quickly.
• The Influence of Henri Cartier-Bresson on Street Photography Cartier-Bresson aimed for capturing a decisive moment as it was in real life, with no staging and no interference on the photographers part whatsoever.
• Reflection on Photography: An Art Piece or Mass Entertainment? It is important to define whether sphere of photography is only for professionals or, on the contrary, for the users of Instagram, travelers, and amateurs.
• Public Relations and Photography Public relations are usually related to broadcasting, publicizing, photography, and promoting. The experts require time and talent to advance relations with mass media.
• Steve McCurry’s Photography “Afghanistan Girl” The Photography “Afghanistan Girl” reveals Steve Mc Curry’s perception of the world through the special inimitable and unguarded moments, which he captured.
• Art: “Attitudes Towards Photography” by Gisele Freund The massive social and cultural changes of the previous century challenged many of the established traditions, including the perception of art.
• Black and White Photography’s Historical Roots The purpose of this paper is to discuss the history of black and white photography, beginning with the earliest forms of photography and moving up to the digital age.
• Photography as a Contemporary Art Form In this era, photography, in addition to establishing itself as an art form, and developing its own aesthetic value, has turned into a full-fledged material for other art forms.
• Henri Cartier-Bresson’s and Martine Franck’s Photography of Each Other Photography as an art has generated many masters who have revolutionized this sphere and contributed their passion and talent to its development.
• Africa’s Visual Representation in Photography The article, written by Landau, discusses photography as a source that provides the visual representation of Africa and explains its connection with the colonial administration.
• Hines and Riis’ Photographs Analysis The photographs by Riis and Hine present the poor working conditions, including child labor cases during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
• The Photographs “Untitled Film Stills” by Sherman and “Early Colors Interiors” by Simmons The photos “Untitled Film Stills” by Sherman and “Early Colors Interiors” by Simmons belong to the wave of feminist art of the 70-80s, representing the deconstructionist approach.
• Analysis of Lee Friedlander’s Photographs Friedlander is famous primarily for his street photography – raw, real, brazen. Lee Friedlander’s photos are like music, and that music is jazz.
• Paul Politis’ Black and White Photography This paper shall be discussing the works and the inspirations of renowned photographer Paul Politis who specializes in black and white photography.
• Photography: Hobby of Millions Unique for Everyone Millions of people take photos on a daily basis in all parts of the world. However, probably only thousands of them manage to capture something purely touching the soul.
• “Humans of New York” Photographs by Brandon Stanton In his work “Humans of New York”, Brandon Stanton presented the public with the collection of photographs depicting New Yorkers telling their elaborate stories.
• Photographic Essay: The Key Advantages A photographic essay is a powerful tool to deliver information in a succinct and comprehensive manner without any loss of depth of the context or narrative.
• Photography Impacts on Cultural Identity of Native Americans in America The photos of Native Americans often turn out to be disadvantageous to the appearance of the indigenous Americans, especially in this era of photography.
• Photography as a Cultural History The photographer considered, that the main aim of a photographer is to demonstrate how our eyes percept world.
• Elements of Photography and Cinematography The current paper states that photography and cinematography can be viewed as an example of the new forms of art linked to technology.
• The Photographic Industry: Historical Background The photographic industry has grown and changed at a breakneck pace. There is an interaction with high-resolution paintings, 3D animations, and videos.
• The Brook Ship Photograph Analysis In 1781, the English Brook was launched for the first time. The first diagram of the ship did not appear until a few years later and was written by William Elford.
• Writing and Photography Overview The two different fields, photography and writing, adopt similar elements vital for their interpretation by the audience.
• Henri Cartier-Bresson’s and Martine Franck’s Photography The expertise, originality, and professionalism of the author of the book serve as the basis for the reference’s credibility.
• Violence in Joseph Rodriguez’s Photographs Joseph Rodriguez’s photography is considered a meditation on the different types of violence in poor communities in East Los Angeles.
• Cultural Expressions: Photography, Religion, Films The selected cultural expressions reflect my values, which prioritize wellness and mental health, avoidance of excessive consumption, and focus on the joy of experience.
• The Photography Atelier 21 Exhibition The photographs presented at Atelier 21 are truly outstanding, and the mixed styles and types add to the uniqueness of the exhibition.
• Painting as a Translation of Photography in Two Ivans and Oksana The painting uses line, pattern, texture, depth, shortening, cropping, and light to relate more to photography than painting, thus making the picture a photograph translation.
• Who Should Be Given Credit for Inventing Photography? As a valuable method of visual communication and expression, photography has a broad spectrum of aesthetic capabilities.
• The Role of Photography and Views on War Photography changed the attitude to war by demonstrating its horrors, and it triggered public debates about the value of human life and the need to stop military conflicts.
• The Birth of Photography: Early Artists and Their Works The popularization of photography coincided with a revolution in art as such. An illustrative example can be found in the works of Alexander Rodchenko.
• The Power of Photography: Photography’s Reality Effect The photograph’s evidential worth is held through a transformative method that is being put into play by a dynamic engagement, a stride into the image, on the reader’s part.
• San Francisco Photograph by George R. Lawrence The discussed photograph is a daguerreotype of San Francisco taken right after the 1906 earthquake and fire. George R. Lawrence used kites to get photos of San Francisco.
• Procurement Management: Selecting Your Wedding Photographer This paper will provide a briefing of the factors that should be taken care of in the process of soliciting, selecting, negotiating with, and launching the wedding photographer.
• Photography’s Effects on Modern Art Photography has been hailed by the masses as one of the best means of bringing the rest of the world to the public, affording them views of far-away places and peoples.
• Art Appreciation: Alfred Stieglitz’s Photography Alfred Stieglitz tried to explain the relationship between photography and art by a movement known as Pictorialism.
• “Close” the Photography by Martin Stranka The present works of well-known photographers inspire other people to create pieces of art to show their perception of the original idea.
• Photography as Kind of Art Photography is an art and a science. Reflectively, the process is more than just capturing images. Proportionality, and introduction of effects determine the quality of an outcome.
• Antikythera Mechanism: Photography and Radiography This paper studies the Antikythera mechanism. It uses recent evidence obtained from photography and radiography assessment of the device.
• Photography Exhibition “Charles Harbutt, Departures and Arrivals” The exhibition “Charles Harbutt, Departures and Arrivals” reexamines photographic work and encourages the audience to appreciate photography and relate it to modern printing.
• Digital and Film Photography at a Glance in the 21st Century
• Are Photography and Printmaking Art?
• Crime Scene Photography: Importance and Strategies
• Alfred Stieglitz Revolutionizing the Art of Photography
• Communication, Photography and Social Media Class
• Fashion Photography and the Effects of New Image Technology
• Photography Boundaries and Uses
• Diane Arbus and the Revolutionary Arena of Artistic Photography
• Photography: Society’s Views Through the Ages
• Capturing Great Landscape Photography
• How Has Photography Changed Our View of the World?
• Barbara Rowe and the Art of Photography
• The Recent and Current Trends and Influences in Portrait Photography
• Photography Through the Modernist Movements
• Comparing Traditional Photography and Digital Imaging
• Photography Laws Surrounding Images of Children
• Color Photography and Its History
• ‘War Photography’ Carol Ann Duffy
• Darkroom vs. Digital Photography
• Aerial Photography: Capturing Spectacular Images up in the Air
• Photography and Its Omnipresent Nature in the World
• Calotype Negative and Early Photography
• Artistic and Creative Uses of Photography
• Civil War Life Captured in the Photography of Mathew Brady
• Brand New Images? Implications of Instagram Photography for Place Branding
• 20th Century Photography: Documentary Art
• Photography Books and the Photographers Who Created Them
• How Photography Helped Change People’s Opinions of the Civil War?
• Photography During Colonial Afric an Indispensable Tool
• Capturing the Personal Aspect of Portrait Photography
• Photography Limits Our Understanding of the World
• Black and White Photography in Australia
• Did Photography Destroy Painting Practice?
• World View and the Changes Brought About by Photography
• Photography and Graphic Design at Rinko Kawauchi
• Cultural Understanding and the Reflections of Photography
• Alfred Stieglitz and His Influence on Photography
• The Relationship Between Painting and Photography in the Work of David Hockney
• Beginners Digital Photography Equipment Tips
• How Photography Has Changed Our Lives?
• Ansel Adams: Discovering His Life and Photography
• Trevor Paglen’s Photography Work as a Bridge to Discovery About the Hidden World
• Wildlife Photography Catching the Animals by Surprise
• Photography Doesn’t Always Show the Reality of a Painter’s View
• Cecil Beaton’s Surprising Photography Experiences
• The Reasons for Preference of Photography Over Paintings in Occasions
• Photography: Impact Upon Western Civilization Over the Past Fifty Years
• Will Camera Phones Destroy Photography?
• Camera Technology and How It Changed Photography
• Understanding Water Through Photography: Edward Burtynsky
• Are Photography and Printmaking Really Art?
• Does Photography Have Significant Political Impact?
• Has Television Taken Over Photography?
• How Did Photography Shape Public Reactions to the American Civil War?
• How Did Photography Influenced the History and the Politics?
• How Does Sebastiao Salgardo’s Activist Photography Reflect Against Media Journalism?
• How Joseph Nicephore Contributed to the Early Development of Photography?
• How Photography Affects the Social and Political Arena?
• What Factors Determine the Popularity of Photography in KSA?
• What Are the Historical and Cultural Differences in Photography in the East and West?
• What Are the Seven Elements of Photography?
• How Moholy-Nagy Made Photography Manifestly Modern?
• How Photography and Photojournalism Has Been Transformed?
• Why Photography Matters as Art as Never Before?
• What Are the Paradoxes of Digital Photography?
• What Is the Evaluation of Image Appeal in Consumer Photography?
• What Are the Pitfalls of Nonstandardized Photography?
• What Is a Computational Approach for Obstruction-Free Photography?
• What Is the Performative Force of Photography?
• What Is the Use of Photography as a Qualitative Research Tool?
• Who Are Three Most Famous Inventors and What Are Their Contributions to Photography?
• What Are the Parallels Between Photography and New Media?
• What Is Paparazzi Photography and Why It’s So Exciting?
• What Is Mathew Brady’s Photography Role in Creating the American Empire?
• How Did Louis Daguerre Make First Practical Process of Photography?

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These essay examples and topics on Photography were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 8, 2024 .

A history of photography

Where would we be without our cameras?

c. 1827–now

Beginner's guide

"To collect photographs is to collect the world." —Susan Sontag, On Photography (1977)

• Making photographs: a video series
• Early photography: Niépce, Talbot and Muybridge
• Early Chinese photography
• Introduction to photography in the early 20th century

videos + essays

We're adding new content all the time!

John Choate, Boarding School Portraits of Tom Torlino

Indigenous students at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School were photographed "before and after" forced assimilation.

Dorothea Lange, Migrant Mother

Meet the two women behind this iconic 1936 photograph.

Shigemi Uyeda’s Reflections on the Oil Ditch Getty Conversations

Using photography, Shigemi Uyeda captured the environment of Los Angeles and the growing popularity of oil production in the early 20th century.

Malick Sidibé’s Vues de dos Getty Conversations

In Vues de dos , Malick Sidibé took his background in portrait photography to new compositions inspired by Mali and Western traditions in portraiture.

Esther Bubley, Waiting for the Bus at the Memphis Terminal

At the age of 22, American photographer Esther Bubley took a six-week unaccompanied Greyhound bus trip.

Alphonse Bertillon, Mugshot and Record of Francis Galton

Portrait photographs were used by police in France, Great Britain, Germany, and the United States to help police and victims try to identify repeat offenders—but also point to implicit biases in policing.

Santu Mofokeng, Train Churches

Santu Mofokeng's Train Churches shows people preaching, praying, healing, dancing, and making music while commuting on train cars in South Africa.

Malick Sidibé, Nuit de Noël (Happy Couple)

Fun and festive, Nuit de Noël (Happy Couple) is exemplary of Malick Sidibé’s best known body of work: photographs of young people at social gatherings and events during the 1960s and 1970s.

László Moholy-Nagy, Photogram

László Moholy-Nagy's Photogram forces the viewer to question what a photograph is.

Binh Danh, Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite CA, May 31, 2012

Can we ever really see and experience a site without comparing it to the photographs of that same scene?

Joel Sternfeld, On This Site—The Stonewall Inn

On This Site reminds us of the many tragedies that have marked American history and yet remain unmarked, on-site and in the present.

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, View from the Window at Le Gras

Niépce's heliograph is the earliest surviving camera-made photograph.

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Miriam Bader

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Dr. Kim Grant

Leila Anne Harris

Elliot Krasnopoler

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Michal Raz-Russo, Art Institute of Chicago

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Eve Schillo, LACMA

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The birth of the photo essay: The first issues of LIFE and LOOK

Unpublished Paper held at: Summer School “Raumgeflechte / Spatial Relations”, University of Zurich – June 10, 2014 Sektion II: “Photographs on Pages”

With the arrival of photographs on the pages of magazines and newspapers a new format of communication developed: The photo essay. Today, photo essays are ubiquitous. But what led to their invention? The birth of the photo essay can easily be dated with the publication of LIFE magazine in 1936, where the term photo essay has been coined. A comparison of the first issues of LIFE magazine and LOOK, which appeared a few weeks after LIFE has been successfully launched, sheds some light on what photo essays are – and why they have risen very quickly to take over the publishing world.

Related Papers

LIFE Magazine and the Power of Photography (Yale UP)

On the occasion of the 2020 exhibition "LIFE Magazine and the Power of Photography," this essay reevaluates longstanding myths about "the photo essay at life" while tracing how and by whom the magazine's varied photo features were actually produced over the course of LIFE's 36-year history.

FK Magazine

Alise Tifentale

Today, we are used to seeing documentary images by photographers such as Margaret Bourke-White, Henri Cartier-Bresson or Robert Doisneau as fine art prints in art museums and galleries. But most of these images were initially made for the magazine page where the photographer’s name often went unnoticed. The US-based illustrated weekly magazine Life was instrumental in the process of photographers gaining more recognition and global exposure. However, this process was neither smooth nor free of obstacles. This article aims to shed light on some of the obstacles that the photographers of the 1950s met in their way to reaching recognition as artists. On the magazine page, the photographer was not yet presented as a great artist. The first spread of Robert Doisneau’s series on Parisian lovers in the June 12, 1950 issue of Life is a typical example. Life was not directly concerned with changing the social status of photojournalists. But Life featured skillfully crafted and visually attractive photo essays, thus promoting the aesthetic appreciation of documentary image as such. By doing so, Life served as a catalyst for raising photographers’ self-awareness as creative individuals, artists even—something that was not yet taken for granted in the 1950s. But this was just the beginning of a long and laborious process.

Medien & Zeit

Kevin G Barnhurst

History of Photography

Uschi Klein

Michel Hardy-Vallée

Mogaji Precious

Resources for American Literary Study

Timothy Sweet

The Journal of Art Theory and Practice

Catharina Graf

Images have invaded nearly every section of our daily lives, from newspapers and magazines to advertisements we see all around. The form that these images take usually is the photograph, accompanied by written (or spoken) words of some sort – and thus actually forming an interaction of text and images. The culmination of this interaction is the so-called “photographic essay”, a series of photographs depicting a specified topic accompanied by text, usually published in a magazine, in a book or on the internet. To understand the potential of both image and word, a close reading of the seminal photo-essay Let Us Pray Famous Menby Walker Evans and James Agee shows that words can be devoid of the logos, the “logic”, argumentative potential of language, whereas images on the other hand can be arranged to make sense in a logical way. Let Us Now Praise Famous Menis read as criticism of the photographic essay as it is used in magazines, a criticism that nonetheless shows why and how the interaction of images with the written word transforms realexperiences into experiences of reality, how it makes information happen.

The Making of Visual News: A History of Photography in the Press

Thierry Gervais

Thierry Gervais (with a contribution by Gaëlle Morel), The Making of Visual News: A History of Photography in the Press (London: Bloomsbury, 2017).

Visual Anthropology Review

patrick sutherland

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Home — Essay Samples — Arts & Culture — Photography — The History of Photography: Capturing Moments in Time

The History of Photography: Capturing Moments in Time

• Categories: Art History Photography

About this sample

Words: 944 |

Published: Sep 12, 2023

Words: 944 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Early experiments and inventions, the daguerreotype and its impact, evolution of photographic processes, photography and the american civil war, the kodak era: photography for all, color photography and beyond, photography in the digital age, 1. camera obscura:, 2. joseph nicéphore niépce:, 3. louis daguerre:, 4. william henry fox talbot:, 1. collodion wet plate process:, 2. albumen prints:, 3. tintypes:.

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How to Create an Engaging Photo Essay (with Examples)

Photo essays tell a story in pictures. They're a great way to improve at photography and story-telling skills at once. Learn how to do create a great one.

Learn | Photography Guides | By Ana Mireles

Photography is a medium used to tell stories – sometimes they are told in one picture, sometimes you need a whole series. Those series can be photo essays.

If you’ve never done a photo essay before, or you’re simply struggling to find your next project, this article will be of help. I’ll be showing you what a photo essay is and how to go about doing one.

You’ll also find plenty of photo essay ideas and some famous photo essay examples from recent times that will serve you as inspiration.

If you’re ready to get started, let’s jump right in!

Table of Contents

What is a Photo Essay?

A photo essay is a series of images that share an overarching theme as well as a visual and technical coherence to tell a story. Some people refer to a photo essay as a photo series or a photo story – this often happens in photography competitions.

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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Ana Mireles is a Mexican researcher that specializes in photography and communications for the arts and culture sector.

Penelope G. To Ana Mireles Such a well written and helpful article for an writer who wants to inclue photo essay in her memoir. Thank you. I will get to work on this new skill. Penelope G.

Herman Krieger Photo essays in black and white

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Ten examples of immersive photo essays

By Marissa Sapega — Contributing Writer

Photo essays are one of the most powerful forms of storytelling in the last century. From the great depression photographer W. Eugene Smith to the photojournalism of National Geographic or Life Magazine , the best photo essays entertain, educate, and move readers more than words alone ever could. 

But photo essays have changed. Over the last decade, web publishing technologies — including web browsers and file formats — have improved by leaps and bounds. A good photo essays today is more than a collection of images. It’s a truly interactive, immersive, and multimedia experiences.

In this guide, we introduce 10 stunning examples of visually arresting interactive photo essays to fuel your creative juices.

Now, let's set the scene with a short introduction to immersive, interactive photo essays on the web.

What do the BBC, Tripadvisor, and Penguin have in common? They craft stunning, interactive web content with Shorthand. And so can you! Publish your first story for free — no code or web design skills required. Sign up now.

The rise of immersive, interactive photo essays

What is an immersive, interactive photo essay? Let's take these terms one at a time. 

An immersive photo essay uses rich media and story design to capture and keep the reader's attention. Immersive content is typically free of the most distracting elements of the web, such as pop-ups, skyscrapers, and other intrusions on the reading experience.

As a basic rule of thumb, immersive content respects the reader's attention. 

An interactive photo essay is one that allows the reader to control how the content appears. It may include interactive elements, like maps and embedded applications.

More commonly, modern interactive photo stories use a technique known as scrollytelling . Scrollytelling stories allow the reader to trigger animations and other visual effects as they scroll. Many of the examples in this guide use scrollytelling techniques. Read more scrollytelling examples .

Until relatively recently, immersive, interactive photo essays could only be created with the help of a designer or web developer. But with the rise of digital storytelling platforms , anyone can create compelling, dynamic stories without writing a single line of code.

If you're looking to learn more about how to create a photo essay — or are looking for more photo essay ideas  — check out our introduction to photo essays . 

Photo essay topics

If you’re looking for photo essay examples, chances are you’re looking to create a photo essay for yourself. If you’re just getting started, you might want some guidance on exactly what kinds of topics make for great photo essays.

More experienced photographers — feel free to skip this section. But for those who are just starting out, here’s a quick list of classic photo essay subject matter, for all types of photo essays.

• Local events. A great way to start out is photograph local events in your community, such as a high school fundraiser. A bonus is that you’ll have a ready
• Historic sites. Another classic photo essay topic is an exploration of a historic site. This could be a building, a monument, or even just a specific location that has significance.
• Profile of a person. A great way to get to know someone is to profile them in a photo essay. This could be a family member, friend, or even just someone you’ve met.
• Animals in captivity. Another popular subject matter for photo essays is animals in captivity, whether that’s at a zoo or elsewhere.
• A day in the life. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live someone else’s life for a day? Why not find out and document it in a photo essay?
• Street photography. Another great way to practice your photography skills is to head out into the streets and photograph the everyday lives of people around you. The world has plenty of photo essays of cities like New York and London. But what about street photography in your own backyard?
• Still life photography. Still life photography is all about capturing inanimate objects on film. This could be anything from flowers to furniture to food. It’s a great way to practice your photography skills and learn about composition
• Landscapes . Landscape photography is one of the most popular genres, and for good reason. There are endless possibilities when it comes to finding interesting subjects to shoot. So get out there and start exploring!
• Abandoned buildings. There’s something fascinating about abandoned buildings. They offer a glimpse into the past, and can be eerily beautiful. If you have any in your area, they make for great photo essay subjects.
• Lifestyles. Document someone who lives a lifestyle that’s different from your own. This could be a portrayal of an everyday person, or it could be someone with an unusual job or hobby.
• Social issues. Take photos depicting significant social issues in your community, remembering to respect your subjects.

Ten inspiring photo essay examples

Pink lagoon and peculiar galaxies — July’s best science images

In Pink lagoon and peculiar galaxies , Nature present a mesmerising series of images from the natural world. Highlights include:

• a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it photo of rare albino orcas performing feats of synchronized swimming;
• an arresting aerial view of the aftermath of the flash floods in Germany; and,
• a scarlet gawping Venus flytrap sea anemone. 

The best part? Nature publishes similarly powerful photo essays every month, showcasing some of the best and most creative photography of the natural world anywhere on the web.

Vanishing Lands

Vanishing lands — an ominously interesting photo essay from media company Stuff — opens with a bucolic visual featuring meandering sheep flanked by breathtaking mountains that blur into obscurity.

Soon, more awe-inspiring photos of breathtaking New Zealand farmland appear, accompanied by expressive prose whose tone matches the visuals’ stark beauty.

In this unflinchingly honest photographic essay, Stuff takes the viewer behind the scenes with a day in the life of a high country sheep farmer facing an uncertain future. One stunning photo fades into the next as you scroll through, broken only by the occasional noteworthy quote and accompanying narrative.

Olympic photos: Emotion runs high

This emotionally wrought sports story from NBC begins with a close-up of an anxious Simone Biles, her expression exemplifying the tension and frustration echoed on so many of her fellow athletes’ faces.

The subtitle puts it perfectly: “The agony—and thrill—of competition at the Olympics is written all over their faces.”

Devastation, disappointment, and defeat take centre stage in this piece — but not all the subjects of the photos in this compelling photography essay depict misery. Some of the images, like that taken of the gold medal-winning Russian artistic gymnasts, manage to project the athletes’ joy almost beyond the edges of the screen.

The NBC editors who created this visual story chose to display the series of photos using the entire screen width and limit the copy to simple captions, letting the visuals speak for themselves. The result is a riveting montage of photographs that manage to capture the overarching sentiment of the 2020 Olympic Games.

James Epp: A Twist of the Hand

In A Twist of the Hand , the Museum of Classical Archaeology at the University of Cambridge have produced a gorgeous photo essay. This online art show showcases artist James Epp’s installation, combining photographs of the exhibit with images of museum prints and authentic artefacts.

As you scroll down, close-up shots of the installation make you feel like you’re physically wandering among the ancient sculptures, able to examine hairline spider cracks and tiny divots marking the surface of every antiquated figure. In between the photos—and often flanked by museum prints—are James Epp's musings about what inspired him to create the pieces. It’s an absorbing virtual gallery that will no doubt inspire real life visits to the exhibition.

The Café Racer Revolution

Though it’s a cleverly built piece of interactive content marketing , Honda’s “ Café Racer Revolution ” is also a great photo essay. Alongside information about the latest and greatest motorcycles Honda has to offer, it details the history of the bikers who sought to employ motorcycles (specifically “café racers”) as a way to forge an identity for themselves and project a “statement of individuality.”

Scroll down, and nostalgic black-and-white photos give way to contemporary action shots featuring fully decked-out motorcyclists on various Honda models.

Dynamic photos of bikes rotate them 360 degrees when you mouse over them, and text superimposed over flashy shots rolls smoothly down the screen as you scroll. This photo essay will stir a longing to hit the open road for anyone who has ever dreamed of owning one of Honda’s zippy bikes.

Built to keep Black from white

In Built to keep Black from white , NBC News and BridgeDetroit have built a stunning narrative photo essay that encapsulates the history of Detroit’s Birwood Wall — a literal dividing line intended to separate neighborhoods inhabited by people of different races. 

The piece begins with a brief history of the concrete barrier. Between paragraphs of text, it weaves in quotes from residents who grew up as the wall was erected and a short video. Animated maps highlighting the affected neighborhoods unspool across the screen as you scroll down, accompanied by brief explanations of what the maps represent.

In the series of photographs that follow, contemporary images transition into decades-old shots of the wall when it was newly constructed. This is followed by images of original real estate documents, resident portraits, and additional animated maps — each considering the issue from different angles.

The piece ends with an interactive display of how Detroit’s racial makeup has changed over the past several decades, from majority white to black, and how the wall has impacted the lives of its residents who lived (and died) within its borders.

The story of Black Lives Matter in sport

The BBC pairs illustrations and bold imagery in this photo essay on how athletes participated in the Black Lives Matter movement . At the start, a narrow column of text leads into an iconic image of American football players kneeling during the pre-game national anthem in a solemn protest against police brutality. 

The first excerpt, a summary of Trayvon Martin’s death in 2012, draws you in with piercing prose capped off with photographs that bleed into one another. Every account in the photo essay follows this layout.

WaterAid Climate Stories

Climate change affects everyone on the planet, but some people are feeling the effects more than others. WaterAid’s scrollytelling photo essay illuminates the plight of individuals living in areas where extreme weather conditions — caused by climate change — have drastically impacted the water supply and environment, endangering their livelihoods and ability to survive.

This climate change story starts with an engrossing video that provides an up-close and personal look at the devastation that climate change-induced droughts have wreaked on people and the environment. As you scroll down, images of massively depleted bodies of water with superimposed text and quotes unfold before your eyes. It’s an efficient way to drive home the critical message WaterAid wants to convey: climate change is real, and it’s harming real people.

Each extreme weather story focuses on an individual to help viewers empathise and understand that climate change has real, drastic consequences for millions of people worldwide. The piece ends with a call to action to learn more about and financially support WaterAid’s fight to assist people living in the desperate situations depicted in the essay.

28 Days in Afghanistan

In this piece, Australian photo-journalist Andrew Quilty tells the story of the four weeks he spent in Afghanistan . He captures daily events ranging from the mundane—like a casual visit to his barber—to jarring. More than one photo documents blood-spattered victims of violence.

Viewers must scroll through the piece to follow Andrew’s daily musings and the striking photos that accompany them. His photo essay is a powerful example of how scrollytelling is transforming the art of long-form journalism .

La carrera lunática de Musk y Bezos (Musk and Bezos' lunatic careers)

Billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are angling to conquer the final frontier: space.

El Periódico captures their story via a whimsically illustrated photo essay, filled with neon line drawings and bold photos of the massive spaceships, the hangars that house them, and footprints on the moon. La carrera lunática de Musk y Bezos describes the battle between the two titans’ space companies (Blue Origin and SpaceX) for the honor of partially funding NASA’s next mission to the moon.

As you scroll down, white and fluorescent yellow words on a black background roll smoothly over images. The team at El Periódico slips in stylistic animations to break up the text—such as rocket ships with shimmering “vapour trails”—then ups the ante with a series of moon images that transition into portraits of the 12 U.S. astronauts who visited the celestial body.

The photo essay ends with the question: “Who will be the next to leave their footprints on the dusty lunar soil?” At the time of publishing, NASA had not yet decided between the two companies. (Spoiler alert: SpaceX won .)

Marissa Sapega is a seasoned writer, editor, and digital marketer with a background in web and graphic design.

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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.)

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!

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Kevin Landwer-Johan is a photographer, photography teacher, and author with over 30 years of experience that he loves to share with others.

Check out his website and his Buy Me a Coffee page .

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History of Photography

Checked : Hengpanhaleap L. , Jessica S.

Latest Update 26 Jan, 2024

Table of content

The concept of photography

Camera obscura, the first photo, initial use of photography, first color photo, the first photo of people.

Photography   has unique aesthetic attributes as a medium of visual correspondence and speech. The features of the mechanism itself must first be known to appreciate them. Immediacy is one of the most significant functions. The captured picture is normally, though not always, created by a camera lens. As exposed to the picture light, the receptive material undergoes structural modifications, a latent image is produced (but reversed) typically known as negative and the image becomes noticeable as a consequence of its growth.

The basic concepts of lenses and the camera had been developed before photography was established. They could project the picture on the wall or on paper, but at that point there was little chance of printing: it proved even simpler to take light than to project it. Camera Obscura (which is Latin means the Dark Room), was the tool used in photo production, which was about many years before photography arrived.

Camera Obscura is thought to have been developed during the 13th-14th centuries, but there is a manuscript by an Arab scholar Hassan bin Hassan from the 10th century that explains the concepts of camera obscura and analogue photography on which it is centered today.

The dim closed area in the form of a box with a slit on a side of it is actually the video darkness. The hole must be tiny enough to allow the camera dark operate correctly in proportion to the box. Light going through a small hole transforms and produces a picture, like the wall of the box, on the surface it meets. However, the reflection is reversed and reversed, which is why contemporary analogue cameras used mirrors.

In the mid-16th century, Italian scholar Giovanni Battista della Porta published an article about how to render the drawing technique simpler with camera obscura. He projected the image of the citizens outside the dark camera on the inner canvas (The camera obscura was a very wide chamber at this period when the camera obscura was using seemed very odd and scary to the citizens. After he was detained and charged, Giovanni Battista had to give it up.

While only a few Renaissance artists confirmed that they use camera obscura as a drawing method, all of them are assumed to have used it. The excuse not to confess publicly was the concern that they would be connected with occultism or actually not having to acknowledge what many artists considered cheating.

Joseph Nicephore Niepce takes the first images. The sun in the photo had to last 8 hours such that from east to west the sun on all sides of the building appeared to be shining. Niepce came up with the concept of capturing the camera's screening using an oil derivative known as "Bitumen in Judea." Bitumen hardened with light penetration which could then be washed away the unhardened   material.

The sheet of metal used by Niepce was then brushed, which produced a negative impression to create an imprint. Most of the difficulties were that the metal plating was thick, high-priced, and time-consuming.

In 1839 the first glass was rendered negative by Sir John Herschel. He coined the phrase "photography" in the same year and originated from the Greek word "fos" which means "light" and "graph," for drawing. And if the method became simpler and the outcome improved, it was always a long time before photography was accepted officially.

At first photography was used either as an encouragement to an artist's work, or the same ideas were implemented by the painters. Portrays of one person or family portraits became the first widely known portraits. Lastly, with the basic yet reasonably accurate Eastman's Kodak's cameras, after decades of refinement and upgrades, widespread usage of cameras started. The camera of Kodak was introduced in 1888 with the motto "You push the shutter, we do the rest."

The Kodak Brownie was launched in 1900 and became the market's first consumer camera for mid-size customers. The camera was only filmed in white and black, but was nevertheless incredibly common because of its reliability and ease of use.

The first realistic painting was introduced on the market in 1907 and centered on a philtre panel, the panel allows the red, green and/or blue light philtre and then transforms into a negative one. The same screen later was utilized and a color picture was retained, but the technology was slightly changed. The printing method was then re-executed.

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The first color shot taken by the well-known Scottish scientist, James Clerk Maxwell, in 1861, a picture of a tartan belt. Maxwell is renowned for its work with electromagnetism, but it has an immense effect on the photography business, but its developments in the physical sector simply overshadowed this achievement.

The first photograph of a man in it was Louis Daguerre's Boulevard du Temple in 1838. It lasted only 10 minutes, so the picture could hardly catch a man in the busy lane, yet it caught a man who had polished his shoes for as long as he could appear in the frame.

The mechanism and characteristic are peculiar in photography; it separates it from other techniques of photography. Obviously automated picture-building recording through photography has given the procedure with a sense of validity enjoyed by no other technique of photography. Modern materials may be processed quickly or can be postponed for weeks or months.

In the early days of photography, mechanical art was often overlooked because it is technologically based, but photography is not always the automated process indicated by the usage of a camera, since the camera typically restricts the photographer to depicting. This perception of the presumed objective essence of photography dominates evaluation.

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Humanistic Perspectives on the Arts

26 Jan, 2024

Bayesian Games

New historicism

The Connection of History and Photography Essay

Introduction, can historians write history through images.

History offers essential data about the people’s past and experiences based on the remaining relics. Since time immemorial, people have used different information resources like objects, text, audio, image, statistical, and public sources as the primary data sources of historical events. Photography plays a substantial role in people’s life by allowing them to understand their past and remember stories, places, and feelings. They offer glimpses into past lives, historical events, and forgotten places and serve as an actual copy of reality compared to recorded texts and visual materials. Indeed, many textbooks and academic histories rely on images to illustrate the content of the past that they narrate. However, a very little number of people spend time exploring the photographs since they pay extra attention to the written content as the source of information. The images serve as a support of the written history other than a source of history themselves. Hence, it is crucial to understand whether historians can use photography to write history. Historians can rely on photographs to write history since images represent factual and unedited content, guide a person’s understanding of the surrounding conditions, and offer new data.

Historians can write history through images since it illustrates everyday life’s incidental, random, and fragmented elements without losing essential details. Specifically, photography offers facts and crucial historical insights, serving as other textual sources and materials (Masterson et al., 2018). Raw, historically produced images can give historians a new approach to witnessing historical components that would not have been documented in written texts. The nature of cinematography can enhance the writing of past and present history since it connects the past and hinders discontinuity. For instance, the Agencia Forografica Mexicana photojournalism had more than 500,000 negatives and prints of Mexican cultural, social, economic, and political history, which are currently digitized. Historian John Mraz utilized these photographs to write graphic history about the 20th-century primary and most radical revolutionary movement (Coleman et al., 2018). In sum, historians can use photography to write history since the artistic works give them new visibility about historical concepts which would have been left out in other historical artifacts.

Besides the reliance on the concepts of photography, historians can use artwork to write history by exploring the events surrounding that artwork. Cinematography, unlike other images, allows civic negotiations about the designated subject and its sense. According to Azoulay (2008), photography comprises more than what is printed, a concept that converts every event into an image. In most cases, the pictures contain the event’s seal, and the reconstruction of the photo needs more them just the identification of the shot itself. Artwork can form the basis on which historians explore ideas about the image composition, respective historical context, and theoretical issues surrounding its representation. Azoulay (2008) defines photography as an instrument of state power that can help people analyze the surrounding events. Hence, the detailed image analysis and the subsequent interpretation can use an enhanced understanding of the artistic style, surrounding circumstances, and political messages, which are crucial to writing and understanding history.

Scholars can use a wide range of photographic archives to write new histories of new concepts, including capitalism and labor. Historians can explore many artistic works besides the cardboard boxes of family pictures to understand and write about history. For example, Coleman et al. (2018) note that corporate collections that contain numerous photographs, factory stereographs, and daguerreotypes serve as significant sources of information for historians. These images have factual data about business leaders, manufacturing strategies, and people at work in different industries ranging from automobile firms to paper mills. Indeed, today researchers can find photos of the US business operations in South and Central America, Asia, Europe, and Africa dating back from the late 19th century to the present (Coleman et al., 2018). These snaps created by artists, government offices, scientific commissions, and advertisers can help historians explore different events at various times and publish clear and relevant information.

Photography enhances questioning, a strategic tool historians use to investigate a topic and develop an in-depth understanding of the past. Specifically, the images leave a ground for historians to explore the surrounding conditions that led to the snapshot printing. Visual messages, including photos, contain hidden meanings which are not meaningful at first sight, which brings the need for questioning. For example, Gomez-Popescu (2015) notes that a photograph known as “Natives and huts” found in the United Fruit Company archive made her reflect on a series of questions on the relationship between photography and history. While noting the nature of the image, Gomez-Popescu (2015) realized that the 19th century witnessed new impulses, new documentation forms, and the anchoring of the business to people, times, places, and artifacts. Hence, this picture became a document due to the firm’s archival practices of gathering, ordering, storing, and preserving it. A detailed investigation of the image’s origin and events would lead to discovering additional information, which is vital for writing history. Altogether, historians questioning the circumstances surrounding the production and documentation of a specific image can generate critical and significant historical data.

The photographic medium contains an aesthetic principle of realism: revelation, representation, and penetration of physical reality. An artist known as Kracauer defines photography as raw and uncooked daily living that can be incomplete, unconditional, and indeterminacy (Linneberg, 2022). The features of camerawork, like camera reality, match those of historical fact that is partial, uncertain, and ambiguous. Professional photographers who maintain raw images can significantly contribute to historical development and analysis. Ultimately, photograph serves as a data source that, other than confronting us with the truth, ideologies, and meaning, serve as intermediary materials to trigger critical thinking and conceptualization.

Overall, photography falls under the visual sources of chronological data that historians can use to understand and write about recorded events. Specifically, images offer raw and unedited data that allow historians to understand the events depicted in the printing and the surrounding circumstances. However, a direct relationship between photography and history occurs when the subjects understand the image as a historical reflection whose meaning emerges after interpretation. Indeed, many historians use images to explore the past by questioning the occasions surrounding taking the picture, the photographer’s motives, and intentions. Although many rely on written texts to understand and write history, cinematography highlights minor but significant details about historical moments. Over time, historians have proven to use this data to write about new historical events or improve on published data. With its ability to capture some features, which remain unnoticed in written history, scholars can rely on these printings to expand on the existing historical data and develop new understanding levels. Thus, photography significantly influences history writing, and artists should continue producing raw images that can help future historians write the current events.

Azoulay, A. (2008). The civil contract of photograph y. Princeton University Press.

Coleman, K., James, D., & Sharma, J. (2018). Photography and work . Radical History Review , 2018 (132), 1-22.

Gomez-Popescu, L. (2015). Epilogue: Archive matters. Estudios Interdisciplinarios de America Latina y el Caribe , 26 (2), 95-103.

Linneberg, A. (2022). Legal narratives as imaginary constructions: Siegfried Kracauer, historiography and law’s stories . Erzahlen und Recht/Narrative and Law , 12 , 181.

Masterson, V. A., Mahajan, S. L., & Tengo, M. (2018). Photovoice for mobilizing insights on human well-being in complex social-ecological systems. Ecology and Society , 23 (3).

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Connection of History and Photography." August 23, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-connection-of-history-and-photography/.

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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:

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

Happy studying!

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