Have you ever heard the famous phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”? Well in a Wedding or Sweet 16, this phrase becomes reality. The entire album will constitute all of the memories of the day, but just a handful of photos can be used to tell or drive the whole story with images that can be framed to capture the moment.
How Can Photography Tell a Story
A written story can be a short tale narrated or presented in a few hundred words.
Others take hundreds of pages, like the Harry Potter books. When it comes to photography, less is more. Sometimes, 3 or 4 images can comprise the entire story. Think of Pulitzer Prize winning images – they have the ability to do what an entire article can’t, and that is convey the emotion, the narrative, and the wonder of the moment simultaneously.
A story doesn’t miraculously come together. Most authors start by crafting an outline and then fill in the rest from there. A photography story is pretty much done the same way. Many photographers will start off by planning what they will take their photos of in order to tell the story.
Often, the introduction shot(s) set the stage of what’s to follow like at the beginning of a TV show or movie. They could be an exterior picture of the church, or the decorated altar before anyone arrives. It could also be introducing the parties and setting up the relationship. However, this first shots should never be the dominant photo in the series.
Introductory shots should direct viewers into the body of the tale through detailed images that focus on one or two aspects of the story. It could be the clasped hands of the new bride and groom with their rings displayed, shots of the preparations or images of the place where the story will be taking place. The composition should be detailed and should not include all possible scenes or too many focal points because this can overwhelm viewers. This way all of the visual noise is reduced and the story is better controlled.
Filling photos are not ones that are packed with calories but rather they are the pieces that finish telling the story – the plot of the story, if you will. They’re the candid photos of moments during the wedding, like cute moments where the flower girls sit on the floor and play, or Grandpa photobombing a picture of the bride with her maid of honor. There might be a theme around the plot, or they might be assembled in chronological order.
Closing images are the ones that finish telling the tale. It might be the bride and groom leaving for the limo, or the bride throwing her bouquet. Think of it as the bookend to the story. The series of photos should not just overtly tell the story, but they should also get the viewer’s creativity going, wondering about what else happened, and what else is in the images. This is where the album comes in, to fill in the details and flesh out the story.
Our photographers will be sure to tell the story of your event and will surprise you with their creativity, but, even if it’s with a professional company like ours, you should always meet with your photographer and make sure you like and agree with his/her style. When you make an appointment to meet with us, we guarantee that you’ll be moved and in aw with our work and book us on the spot. Not because we say it, but because we have booked every single customer that we have met with. Want to see what we can do with your event?
Written by MOsDJ
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