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18 Immersive Photo Essay Examples & Tips
By Tata Rossi 13 days ago, Professional photography
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A photo essay tells a story or evokes emotion through a series of photographs. The essays allow you to be creative and fully explore an idea. Such essays exist in a variety of forms – from photos only to images with brief comments or written essays accompanied by shots. Choose a photo essay example that you can easily do based on your professional level and the equipment you use.
1. Protests
- View the “Resistance” photo essay by David Moore .
A great idea for photo essays for students is to shoot the protest to show its power. You can capture people with signs and banners to demonstrate what they are standing for. Besides, you can learn how to capture moving subjects. Use the best example of photo essay and don’t forget about angles, composition, and framing.
To create a photo essay , go up to the front and photograph the leader of the protesters walking forward. After that, go back to the end of the group to take pictures of families joining the protest. As a result, you will gain experience shooting big groups of people in motion.
2. Transformation
- View the “A Self-Portrait Every Day” photo essay by Noah Kalina .
This idea is all about capturing the way a person changes. You may take photos of a pregnant woman and then capture the same model with a child. By documenting the development of the child for several years, you can tell a great story in the form of a photo essay.
However, you can also create a photo essay about the transformation of different objects. For instance, you can create a time-lapse series to capture the history of a renovated building. While you will have to take a lot of similar photos to bring this idea to life, it will allow you to achieve an impressive result.
3. Local Event
- View the “Monday Marathon” photo essay by Quinn G. Perini .
Whether you are a resident of a large city or a small town, you can find an opportunity to visit a local event, like a marathon or a festival. This is a nice chance to follow modern photography trends and bring photo essay ideas to life.
You can capture the before-and-after stages of the event. Arrive earlier and take pictures of the preparation activities, then shoot the actual event starting with the official beginning.
Keep photographing even when the event is over and capture the cleaning up and disassembling processes.
4. Photowalk
- View the “Empty Campus” photo essay by Elise Trissel .
Explore the location where you live and find interesting objects to capture in the vicinity. Using the most interesting photo essay examples, you can decide how to make the best decisions. Don’t hurry and try to discover which angles you can use to capture the unique atmosphere of each place.
If you live in the city, you may capture architectural details, wide shots of busy streets, or just take photos of passersby and street signs. Think about the details that make every location unique. For instance, you can try capturing reflections to see how they allow you to see the city from an unusual angle. You can find reflections everywhere, so be sure to pay attention to mirrored buildings, puddles, and fountains.
5. Place Over Time
- View the “At Home in the Ozarks” photo essay by Kylee Cole .
If you want to document changes and show how the streets, buildings, and parks in your city change over time, select your favorite locations and start to visit them regularly to capture the way they look during different seasons.
- View the “Last Moments” photo essay by Ross Taylor .
You don’t necessarily have to focus on profound photo essay topics to evoke emotions. Capturing pets enjoying their worry-free and untroubled life seems like an easy but interesting activity.
Choose any animal – from a domestic bird to a dog, cat, or horse. For more emotional images, use such pet photography ideas when your pet is still a baby and recreate these shots when it is older or is in its final days.
7. Street Style
- View the Tribal Street Photography photo essay by Hans Eijkelboom .
People often express themselves with the help of clothes. The way passers-by on the streets are dressed may reflect the clothing style of a whole society. That’s why you can travel around the world and capture people’s outfits in various areas. When taking portrait photos in the streets, you can also include some of the surroundings to put them in the context.
You can ask people in the streets to pose for you or try to capture them in movement. Select a suitable location for taking photos and create a photo essay to document what kinds of people one can meet in this location. When doing urban photography , you should ask people for permission before taking photos of them. You can ask their contacts and send them your photos later.
8. Abandoned Building
- View the “Lost Collective” photo essay by Bret Pattman .
Old buildings are excellent architecture photography essay topics for students since you can capture a large number of elements. They allow you to imagine what a particular street looked like in the past. You may use a photo essay example for students as references.
Get approval before going in, but mind that such places are far from being totally safe. Bring various lenses: the macro lenses – for details and the wide-angle one – when you want to include many elements in one shot.
9. Alternative Lifestyles
- View the “Last Nomad Hippies” photo essay by Roberto Palomo .
Some people decide to lead a lifestyle that differs from the one generally accepted by society. Explore different areas and look for people with an unusual way of living. You can capture candid photos of regular people or take pictures of a person with an unusual hobby.
Take pictures of those, who reside in extraordinary conditions, representatives of various subcultures, or the LBGTQ community. These photo essay topics show other people that it is okay to go out of their comfort zone and run against the wind.
10. Social Issues
- View the “Juveniles in Prison” photo essay by Isadora Kosofsky .
The best photo essay examples for students are related to social issues, like unemployment, domestic violence, gender discrimination, and more. Address the topic carefully and look for a proper perspective.
Your shots may draw the people’s attention to a truly burning and relevant matter and have a stronger effect than any text.
11. Behind the Scenes
- View the “Follow Me” photo essay by Marius Masalar .
If you are going to visit an event, get ready to take some behind-the-scenes photos. For instance, you can document the preparations for a festival. Capture the work of the lead event planner and other professionals to tell the story of the festival from an unusual angle.
Alternatively, you can capture the events happening backstage during a drama production. Take pictures of actors and actresses when they are getting ready for the performance. Try capturing the emotions of the main lead and show how stage workers make final preparations. You can also document the work of designers and makeup professionals.
12. Landmarks
- View the “Volte-Face” photo essay by Oliver Curtis .
The pictures of landmarks are typically taken from a certain spot. One of the best photo essay ideas is to try shooting sights from various angles. You will also have an opportunity to improve your composition and your framing skills.
If you take a look at any pictorial essay example, you will see that the variety of perspectives is endless: through the streets, in the morning, afternoon, and evening, with a drone or including reflections.
• View the “Family” photo essay by Olivia Moore .
You can capture the way family members interact with each other and demonstrate the strong connection they share. In some cases, it makes sense to focus on capturing candid photos when doing family photography .
However, you may also opt for a different approach and focus on more difficult social topics. For instance, if you want to examine the issue of immigration, you can take pictures of a family from another country. In addition, you may show how families cope with other social issues, including poverty or unequal access to healthcare.
14. A Day in the Life
- View the “A Day in the Life of Carlos Gaytan” photo essay by Sandy Noto .
One of the best photo essays concepts is related to a day in a person’s life. The main character can be any person – a relative, family member, teacher, writer, or policeman.
People are generally interested in finding out facts about the lives and daily routines of others. The life of every human is incredible, especially if you learn it in more detail. This idea is especially suitable for taking documentary photos. For instance, you can select any photo essay sample you like and then capture a portrait of a person with the tools they use for their work.
15. Education
- View the “School Day” photo essay by Nancy Borowick .
You can also take great photos in the classroom capturing the interactions of teachers and their students. Avoid distracting them, as it will be easier for you to take natural shots. Using a variety of settings, you can make your photo essay more engaging. For instance, you may visit chemistry labs, capture teachers during a break, and take photos in other locations.
- View the “Meals From the Motherland” photo essay by James Tran .
You can also focus on specific meals to create a professional photo essay about food. To make it more attention-grabbing, try using different food photography ideas .
For instance, you can take photos of popular meals, capture the meals made by a specific person, or document cooking traditions in different countries. When taking photos in a restaurant, pay attention to the surroundings as well to capture the unique atmosphere of a place.
17. Capture the Neighbors
- View the “Our Neighbors” photo essay by Jeanne Martin .
Regardless of the place where you live, you have to establish good relationships with your neighbors. People who live nearby can also be great models for professionals who specialize in portrait photography. To implement this idea, make sure to capture people at home or in front of their houses to include some of the surroundings in your photo essay.
You will discover many interesting facts about people who live nearby. Shooting a photo essay will allow you to learn them better and establish a strong connection with them. This way, you can create a sense of community and discover what holds its members together.
18. Climate Change
- View the “Effects of Climate Change” photo essay by Sanya Gupta .
It is possible to a variety of photo story ideas bring to life examining the impact of climate change. Travel to places most affected by climate change, for instance, glaciers or famous resorts.
Capture the way the continuous drought has influenced the environment, animals, and the inhabitants. As an alternative, take pictures of environmentalist protests or inexhaustible energy sources.
Photo Essay Tips for Students
Explore your topic . An in-depth exploration of the main topic of your photo essay will help you find the best ideas for conveying your message. You can also find some sources for inspiration and useful materials. This stage allows you to learn more about your subject and select the best way of organizing your photo essay.
Create a storyboard . Using a storyboard, you can better understand what shots you need to take and what order can help you to tell a story in the best way. It will also allow you to create the right mood.
Take as many pictures as you can . To create a compelling story, make sure to take a lot of photos. It will allow you to choose the best pictures for your photo essay. Besides, you will always have backup photos if some of your pictures get damaged.
Experiment with different techniques . By changing the angle and using a variety of editing techniques, you can transform the way your photos look. When taking photos, try using different angles to capture the subject in the best way. You can also try changing the distance from the model, using black-and-white film, or employing a range of developing methods.
Add text . While some photographers create photo essays without text, it can still help you bring your point across more clearly and make it easier for a viewer to understand what you imply. By providing extra information, such as some facts, you can change the perception of your image. If you don’t know how to write descriptions, you can hire a professional writer to perform this task.
Enhance your photos . To edit your pictures, make sure to use professional photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. Using the available tools, you can improve and change your photos. They allow you to fix issues with lighting, adjust WB, make colors richer, crop your pics to improve the composition, and perform other tasks. In case you need to edit your photos in a consistent style, you can use Photoshop Actions or Lightroom Presets.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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- 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.
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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.
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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.
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23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)
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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.
![best picture composition essays Karen woman portrait](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/z_KL52629.jpg?resize=1500%2C1000&ssl=1)
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.)
![best picture composition essays woman with a backpack getting on a train photo essay ideas](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/z_LJ12071.jpg?resize=1500%2C998&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays people on a train](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/z_8LJ3158-Edit.jpg?resize=1500%2C998&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays artist at work with copper](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3LJ9644.jpg?resize=1500%2C998&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays hot iron in crucible](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Hot-Silver.jpg?resize=1500%2C1001&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays woman at the fresh market](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Market-scene-in-Chiang-Mai-Moving-to-manual-mode.jpg?resize=1500%2C998&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays lotus flower](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lotus-Flower.jpg?resize=1001%2C1500&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays plate of Thai curry photo essay ideas](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/KL42522.jpg?resize=1423%2C1500&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays photo essay idea monks walking](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/KL57967.jpg?resize=1500%2C1001&ssl=1)
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.
![best picture composition essays Woman and elephant](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Thai-Model-and-Elephant-21a.jpg?resize=1500%2C1353&ssl=1)
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!
![best picture composition essays 23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)](https://i0.wp.com/digital-photography-school.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3LJ9644.jpg?w=600&h=1260&ssl=1)
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Ten examples of immersive photo essays
![best picture composition essays Camera sitting on a tripod, overlooking a mountain scene](https://shorthand.com/./assets/5wTVV58HJo/pexels-photomix-company-212372-3936x2624.jpeg)
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
![best picture composition essays](https://shorthand.com/./assets/r5jdSC3lCT/www-nature-com_immersive_d41586-021-02059-8_index-33-4096x2573.jpeg)
Pink lagoon and peculiar galaxies — July’s best science images
![best picture composition essays](https://shorthand.com/./assets/WGtwM2oYdC/www-nature-com_immersive_d41586-021-02059-8_index-html-4096x2573.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Pink lagoon and peculiar galaxies — July’s best science images](https://shorthand.com/./assets/oCSCnjVKQn/01-landscape-4096x1691.jpeg)
Vanishing Lands
![best picture composition essays A plain, with a lake and mountains in the distance, from Vanishing lands — an ominously interesting photo essay from media company Stuff](https://shorthand.com/./assets/mNpidACYcX/screen-shot-2021-11-03-at-22-07-45-2414x1376.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from Vanishing lands — an ominously interesting photo essay from media company Stuff](https://shorthand.com/./assets/WmtuN6dBvS/03-landscape-4096x2189.jpeg)
Olympic photos: Emotion runs high
![best picture composition essays An athlete is a karate uniform lying flat on the ground](https://shorthand.com/./assets/6SNu15pDnJ/oly-emotional-moments-judo-mc-inline-210728-20-2278x1484-1-2278x1484.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from an NBC story on the agony—and thrill—of competition at the Olympics](https://shorthand.com/./assets/prAnqzPQFL/05-landscape-4096x2182.jpeg)
James Epp: A Twist of the Hand
![best picture composition essays Photo of a various sculptures in a museum](https://shorthand.com/./assets/S6Ijmph2uO/ezgif-com-gif-maker-2000x1333.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from the University of Cambridge photo essay that showcases artist James Epson’s installation in the Museum of Classical Archaeology](https://shorthand.com/./assets/FTJr41lSnI/07-landscape-4096x2304.jpeg)
The Café Racer Revolution
![best picture composition essays A helmeted man standing beside a motorbike](https://shorthand.com/./assets/NaPV0zMOfx/cb1000rchad4-2560x1440-2560x1440.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from Honda's photo essay, a Café Racer Revolution](https://shorthand.com/./assets/0zA6NwkIGq/09-landscape-4096x1919.jpeg)
Built to keep Black from white
![best picture composition essays Four children standing against a white wall](https://shorthand.com/./assets/SqqLBj1Ea2/210713-birwood-wall-vachon-mn-1705-2000x1333-2000x1333.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from NBC's 'Built to keep Black from white,' a stunning narrative photo essay that encapsulates the history of Detroit’s Birwood Wall](https://shorthand.com/./assets/WvAvBsWyxS/11-landscape-3980x2060.jpeg)
The story of Black Lives Matter in sport
![best picture composition essays A footballer with 'Black Lives Matter' on his shirt.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/Sap21HHP3R/screen-shot-2021-11-03-at-20-42-05-2880x1440.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from a BBC story on the Black Lives Matter movement in sport.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/Z4C3vLqQWk/16-landscape-4096x2304.jpeg)
WaterAid Climate Stories
![best picture composition essays Dozens of boats sitting in a shallow harbour](https://shorthand.com/./assets/2jHu3PoaUH/screen-shot-2021-11-03-at-20-48-59-2880x1404.jpeg)
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.
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from WaterAid’s scrollytelling photo essay](https://shorthand.com/./assets/3vD0SpAncL/18-landscape-4096x2304.jpeg)
28 Days in Afghanistan
![best picture composition essays A bike, a bus, and car in the thick smoke of Kabul](https://shorthand.com/./assets/tEsBcMtjX0/full_width_day_28a-mr_4ikpsby-1400x979.jpeg)
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 .
![best picture composition essays Australian photo-journalist Andrew Quilty tells the story of the four weeks he spent in Afghanistan](https://shorthand.com/./assets/EiZXAfVNE9/20-landscape-3980x2060.jpeg)
La carrera lunática de Musk y Bezos (Musk and Bezos' lunatic careers)
![best picture composition essays An illustration of a SpaceX rocket careening away from Earth](https://shorthand.com/./assets/lGBIPeJ5XL/screen-shot-2021-11-03-at-20-59-41-2880x1440.jpeg)
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 .)
![best picture composition essays Screenshots from El Periódico's story on the lunatic attempts by tech billionaires to go to space.](https://shorthand.com/./assets/A8bqYN6OBs/22-landscape-4096x2182.jpeg)
Marissa Sapega is a seasoned writer, editor, and digital marketer with a background in web and graphic design.
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Exploring the Picture Essay: Tips, Best Practices, and Examples
April 18, 2023
Words by Jeff Cardello
A picture essay lets you harness the power of images to tell stories, evoke emotions, and convey a sense of place, time, and perspective.
Picture essays drop viewers right into the action, letting them see things through the camera’s lens, offering insights and understanding that isn’t possible through words alone. From static pages of photos, to carousels and animated articles, photo essays come in many forms. With no-code tools like Vev , it’s now easier than ever for journalists, designers, and publishers to create immersive, visually-led digital content to make their stories stand out from the crowd. Here’s everything you need to know about crafting stunning picture essays — from techniques and best practices through to world-class examples.
What is a Picture Essay?
Picture essays, also known as photo essays, are a form of visual storytelling . They are composed of a series of photos which together form a narrative or communicate information or ideas. They can have a clear beginning, middle, and end, but aren’t necessarily bound to linear narratives. Whether used for a chronological story or capturing a moment in time, all of the photos share a common theme that connects them.
Photo essays are often accompanied by text, providing context or conveying additional details. This can range from the most basic information such as titles, dates, or locations, or a caption helping to narrate the visual story. Some picture essays may rely solely on the imagery, while others may include more text to create a scrollytelling piece of content, with text even overlaid on the photos. The key to a picture essay is that the driver and focus is the visuals.
The Origins of the Picture Essay
Photography emerged as a documentary form at the beginning of the 20th century. Many cite Lewis Hine and the work he did between 1911 and 1916 in bringing attention to the harsh realities of child labor in the United States as one of the earliest examples of the picture essay. In 1948, the photographer W. Eugene Smith published a picture essay titled “Country Doctor” following a physician in rural Colorado and showing his work with the patients as well as what he did in his downtime. This is another notable example that elevated picture-taking into a journalistic art form.
Lewis Hine’s photos captured the hardships of children in the workplace and were instrumental in changing American labor laws.
Picture essays have remained an important part of journalism, having kept pace from its black-and-white beginnings to the high-resolution full-color images of today’s digital media.
Design Techniques for the Perfect Picture Essay
Scrollytelling images.
Scrollytelling images smoothly fade from one photo to the next as someone moves through a website, often with overlaid text to help describe what is happening in the images. This a subtle, yet effective way to break up content, and makes sure that each photo captures the attention of those scrolling.
Scroll Speed
Scroll speed is an effect that controls how reactive elements are to scrolling. Varying how reactive elements are to scrolling gives them a sense of distinction, rather than having them all lumped together in one long block. For example, a lower setting like 10% will make a photo move slower than one that’s set at 90%. This technique creates a scroll animation that keeps readers engaged in the picture essay.
Scroll Progress Bars
A website full of photos often presents a lengthy amount of content for visitors to navigate through, especially if it’s a single page. Scroll progress bars , often tucked into the top of the screen, show visitors where they’re at and urge them to keep scrolling to the end.
Image Comparison Slider
When you want to display photos that show the before and after of something, an image comparison slider makes it possible to communicate changes through a single interactive image.
Clickable Image Hotspots
Photo essays rely on images to tell much of their stories, but text also provides context and additional information, clickable hotspots, also known as labeled images , maximize screen space and give visitors control in revealing details.
Image Carousels
Image carousels let visitors click, scroll, or drag through a series of images and are generally navigated horizontally, but may take other forms.
Best Practices for Picture Essay Design
- Know the story you want to tell: Identify the main points you want to visually communicate. Photo essays can tell a linear story but also be used to convey a sense of atmosphere or feeling.
- Use different types of shots: Photographs can become monotonous when they’re all the same. Mix up things with different angles, close-up shots, different compositions, and other variations to keep your picture essays interesting.
- Choose only the best images: Photos shouldn’t only look good, but be relevant to the story you’re telling.
- Know your audience: Keep in mind the target demographic the photo essay is intended for and make sure the style and tone are in line with who they are.
- Keep things moving: Utilize scroll-triggered transitions, animations, and other points of interactivity to guide visitors through and keep their attention.
10 Aspirational Picture Essay Examples
From egmont to taranaki.
From Egmont to Taranaki is a picture essay built with Vev that’s both a personal story and a history lesson. It recounts the author John Campbell’s travels through the New Zealand countryside with a terminally ill friend while also delving into the painful past of how the indigenous Maori became dispossessed of these very spaces. Much like the twists and turns of the road, this photo essay bounces back between John’s memories and the history of this land.
Along with photos showing the beautiful green landscape and delightfully greasy food that John enjoyed with his friend during their travels, there are also animated effects. Fade-ins, text scrolling over fixed images, and parallax break the content up and keep up your momentum as you move through it.
Food for Thought
From sheep grazing on the rocky hillsides of Kyrgyzstan to fishermen casting their nets into the blue waters off of Indonesia, Food for Thought depicts where food comes from across the globe. The photos are big and brilliant, capturing the people tasked with the hard work of food production, the geography, as well as the animals and crops they are responsible for.
Each section uses a fixed image parallax scrolling effect that functions as a sliding window drawing the next image into place. There’s also a great use of hot spots, represented by circular icons that visitors can click on in learning more.
With its handsome metallic luster and Art Deco geometry, Bialetti’s pots help so many start their days with an easy way to brew cups of dark and delicious coffee.
They have a long and interesting history that can be traced back to 1933 when Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti introduced its stovetop coffee maker. Bialetti tells its story through images showing where Alfonso drew his inspiration, product photos, and advertisements over the years. Along with a comprehensive timeline of visuals, you’ll also find plenty of motion in the form of parallax scrolling, animations, and other dynamic visuals. The scroll progress bar at the top is also a nice touch, showing people where they are in this one-page design.
Witnesses to History Keepers of Memory
Witnesses to History Keepers of Memory is an interactive photo essay put together by the Montreal Holocaust Museum. Pictured are Holocaust survivors along with the items they still have that accompanied them through detainment.
The main gallery of photos has much in terms of interactivity with hover-triggered animations, and a previous and next button letting you flip through them. The cursor turns into an eye icon, and clicking through on any of the photos brings you to a new screen that tells the story of the person pictured.
Seeing these people today, along with these personal items is a strong reminder that this terrible period of history wasn’t that long ago, and shows the strength and resilience of those who went through it.
Hakai Autonomous Ocean
Gliders are submersible robots used by scientists to explore what’s beneath the ocean and to gather data. They’re a relatively new technology, free from propellers, which harness ocean currents to move them through the water. The Autonomous Ocean begins with video footage of the sea rushing by and text telling how one of these $150,000 robots was experiencing trouble. It’s a dramatic opening that makes you want to keep reading to find out what happened.
Built with Vev, this single-page website is full of photographs showing oceanic gliders in action and how scientists use them. Scrollytelling images provide smooth transitions fading from one photo to the next, with accompanying text moving over them. This design also features a clever image comparison slider, displaying both the internal and external features of this submersible.
Moma Strange Brew
Viewed at a distance, John Klines’ art installation entitled Skittles looks like a refrigerator of fancy juices that you might find at any upscale grocer. The labels affixed to these juices reveal that inside these bottles are ingredients like yoga mat, fake plant, and shopping bag. All that looks delicious and nutritious from afar is something far grosser, making this art piece a funny and satirical take on consumerism.
This photo essay shows the steps involved in creating this piece, moving you through each stage of how this humorous and thought-provoking art piece came to be.
Picture essays are a documentary form of visual storytelling , and non-profits use them to bring attention to the problems of the world, and what they're doing to help solve them.
The United Nations Children’s Fund, more commonly known as UNICEF, is committed to the rights and health of children. This picture essay , featuring work by photographer Jan Grarup, covers UNICEF’s Denmark warehouse, where medicines and other essential goods are stored, and the people in countries like Haiti, Lebanon, and Uganda that these items reach.
Photos show shelves full of supplies, the places they’re sent out to, and the hospitals where they’re so desperately needed. You see the hardships that people face, and how UNICEF’s work helps improve their lives. It’s a breathtaking piece of photojournalism showing why their humanitarian work is so important.
The Guardian
Slippery slope? Alpine tourism in the face of climate crisis covers climate change and how it impacts the Alps. This photo essay not only shows scenes of winter tourism, but what the Alps are like year-round. This gives an in-depth look at the interrelationships between the people, landscape, and ecosystem and the cascade of effects that global warming causes.
Because this photo essay focuses on two very different times of the year, you’ll find several image comparison sliders showing what the Alps look like in the winter, and what they look like after the snow melts. Image comparison sliders work perfectly comparing different times of the year, and maximizing screen space.
The Naija Story
Since Nigeria declared its independence from Britain in October of 1960, they have had both turmoil and triumphs. Naija Story communicates Nigeria’s history, bringing visitors to who they are as a country today.
This design is divided into sections covering topics like politics, technology, and entertainment. Photo essays are an effective medium for history, and Naija Story uses them to highlight the events that have shaped Nigeria in these individual sections.
Along with photos, there are scroll-triggered animations that shift the visuals and text into place, as well as lines that connect all of these events making them simple to follow. There’s so much to learn about Nigeria, and it’s all conveyed in an artistic, yet easy-to-understand way.
Ukrainian Ballerina Uprooted by War Flies High Again
Ending our exploration of picture essays is this piece from Reuters, which tells the story of ballet dancer Ganna Muromtseva who fled from war-torn Ukraine, and whose journey brought her to the Hungary State Opera where she got to be a part of their performance of Swan Lake. With a well-balanced mix of writing and photos that show her life both on the stage and off, visitors get a personal look into her life.
Along with candid photography, there’s also a nice sense of interactivity. As visitors scroll text moves over the photos, giving context. There are also fade-ins as one moves from one image to the next, which also adds dynamics to the visuals.
Create Stunning Picture Essays in Vev
If you have a story you’d like to tell through photos, Vev offers a multitude of creative possibilities to bring it to life. With image comparison sliders, carousels, scroll animations, and other pre-built elements, we make it possible to create visually captivating editorial content just as you imagined it — without needing to write a line of code. When your design is ready, publish it to any existing website through Vev or embed your Vev project into your existing CMS.
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If you’re looking for a photo essay example (or 17!), you’ve come to the right place. But what is the purpose of a photo essay? A photo essay is intended to tell a story or evoke emotion from the viewers through a series of photographs. They allow you to be creative and fully explore an idea. But how do you make one yourself? Here’s a list of photo essay examples. Choose one that you can easily do based on your photographic level and equipment.
Top 17 Photo Essay Examples
Here are some fantastic ideas to get you inspired to create your own photo essays!
17. Photograph a Protest
![best picture composition essays Street photography of a group of people protesting.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-protest-1.jpg)
16. Transformation Photo Essays
![best picture composition essays A photo essay example shot of a couple, the man kissing the pregnant womans stomach](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-transformation-1.jpg)
15. Photograph the Same Place
![best picture composition essays A photo essay example photography grid of 9 photographs.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-sameplace-1.jpg)
14. Create a Photowalk
![best picture composition essays Street photography photo essay shot of a photographer in the middle of the street](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-photowalk-1-1.jpg)
13. Follow the Change
![best picture composition essays Portrait photography of a man shaving in the mirror. Photo essay examples.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-change-1.jpg)
12. Photograph a Local Event
![best picture composition essays Documentary photography essay of a group of people at an event by a lake.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-event-1-1.jpg)
11. Photograph an Abandoned Building
![best picture composition essays Atmospheric and dark photo of the interior of an abandoned building as part of a photo-essay](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-abandoned-1-1.jpg)
10. Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot
![best picture composition essays Photograph of models and photographers behind the scenes at a photo shoot. Photo essay ideas.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-bts-1-1.jpg)
9. Capture Street Fashion
![best picture composition essays Street photography portrait of a girl outdoors at night.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-street-style-1.jpg)
8. Landmark Photo Essay
![best picture composition essays 9 photo grid of the Eiffel tour. Photo essays examples.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-landmark-1-1.jpg)
7. Fathers & Children
![best picture composition essays An essay photo of the silhouettes of a man and child standing in a dark doorway.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-dark-1.jpg)
6. A Day In the Life
![best picture composition essays Photo essay examples of a bright red and orange building under blue sky.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-day-in-the-life-of-1.jpg)
5. Education Photo Essay
![best picture composition essays Documentary photoessay example shot of a group of students in a classroom watching their teacher](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-education-1.jpg)
4. Fictitious Meals
![best picture composition essays Photo essay detail of someone placing a sugar cube into a cup of tea.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essays-meals-1-1.jpg)
3. Photograph Coffee Shops Using Cafenol
![best picture composition essays A photo of a coffee shop interior created with cafenol.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-cafe-1.jpg)
2. Photograph the Photographers
![best picture composition essays Street photography of a group of media photographers.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-photographers-1.jpg)
1. Capture the Neighbors
![best picture composition essays Street photography of 2 pink front doors of brick houses.](https://expertphotography.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/photo-essay-front-doors-1.jpg)
Photo essays tell stories. And there are plenty of amazingly interesting stories to tell! Photographing photo essays is a great way to practice your photography skills while having fun. You might even learn something! These photo essay examples are here to provide you with the inspiration to go out and tell your own stories through photos!
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What is a Photo Essay? 9 Photo Essay Examples You Can Recreate
A photo essay is a series of photographs that tell a story. Unlike a written essay, a photo essay focuses on visuals instead of words. With a photo essay, you can stretch your creative limits and explore new ways to connect with your audience. Whatever your photography skill level, you can recreate your own fun and creative photo essay.
9 Photo Essay Examples You Can Recreate
- Photowalk Photo Essay
- Transformation Photo Essay
- Day in the Life Photo Essay
- Event Photo Essay
- Building Photo Essay
- Historic Site or Landmark Photo Essay
- Behind the Scenes Photo Essay
- Family Photo Essay
- Education Photo Essay
Stories are important to all of us. While some people gravitate to written stories, others are much more attuned to visual imagery. With a photo essay, you can tell a story without writing a word. Your use of composition, contrast, color, and perspective in photography will convey ideas and evoke emotions.
To explore narrative photography, you can use basic photographic equipment. You can buy a camera or even use your smartphone to get started. While lighting, lenses, and post-processing software can enhance your photos, they aren’t necessary to achieve good results.
Whether you need to complete a photo essay assignment or want to pursue one for fun or professional purposes, you can use these photo essay ideas for your photography inspiration . Once you know the answer to “what is a photo essay?” and find out how fun it is to create one, you’ll likely be motivated to continue your forays into photographic storytelling.
1 . Photowalk Photo Essay
One popular photo essay example is a photowalk. Simply put, a photowalk is time you set aside to walk around a city, town, or a natural site and take photos. Some cities even have photowalk tours led by professional photographers. On these tours, you can learn the basics about how to operate your camera, practice photography composition techniques, and understand how to look for unique shots that help tell your story.
Set aside at least two to three hours for your photowalk. Even if you’re photographing a familiar place—like your own home town—try to look at it through new eyes. Imagine yourself as a first-time visitor or pretend you’re trying to educate a tourist about the area.
Walk around slowly and look for different ways to capture the mood and energy of your location. If you’re in a city, capture wide shots of streets, close-ups of interesting features on buildings, street signs, and candid shots of people. Look for small details that give the city character and life. And try some new concepts—like reflection picture ideas—by looking for opportunities to photographs reflections in mirrored buildings, puddles, fountains, or bodies of water.
2 . Transformation Photo Essay
With a transformation photography essay, you can tell the story about change over time. One of the most popular photostory examples, a transformation essay can document a mom-to-be’s pregnancy or a child’s growth from infancy into the toddler years. But people don’t need to be the focus of a transformation essay. You can take photos of a house that is being built or an urban area undergoing revitalization.
You can also create a photo narrative to document a short-term change. Maybe you want to capture images of your growing garden or your move from one home to another. These examples of photo essays are powerful ways of telling the story of life’s changes—both large and small.
3 . Day in the Life Photo Essay
Want a unique way to tell a person’s story? Or, perhaps you want to introduce people to a career or activity. You may want to consider a day in the life essay.
With this photostory example, your narrative focuses on a specific subject for an entire day. For example, if you are photographing a farmer, you’ll want to arrive early in the morning and shadow the farmer as he or she performs daily tasks. Capture a mix of candid shots of the farmer at work and add landscapes and still life of equipment for added context. And if you are at a farm, don’t forget to get a few shots of the animals for added character, charm, or even a dose of humor. These types of photography essay examples are great practice if you are considering pursuing photojournalism. They also help you learn and improve your candid portrait skills.
4 . Event Photo Essay
Events are happening in your local area all the time, and they can make great photo essays. With a little research, you can quickly find many events that you could photograph. There may be bake sales, fundraisers, concerts, art shows, farm markets, block parties, and other non profit event ideas . You could also focus on a personal event, such as a birthday or graduation.
At most events, your primary emphasis will be on capturing candid photos of people in action. You can also capture backgrounds or objects to set the scene. For example, at a birthday party, you’ll want to take photos of the cake and presents.
For a local or community event, you can share your photos with the event organizer. Or, you may be able to post them on social media and tag the event sponsor. This is a great way to gain recognition and build your reputation as a talented photographer.
5. Building Photo Essay
Many buildings can be a compelling subject for a photographic essay. Always make sure that you have permission to enter and photograph the building. Once you do, look for interesting shots and angles that convey the personality, purpose, and history of the building. You may also be able to photograph the comings and goings of people that visit or work in the building during the day.
Some photographers love to explore and photograph abandoned buildings. With these types of photos, you can provide a window into the past. Definitely make sure you gain permission before entering an abandoned building and take caution since some can have unsafe elements and structures.
6. Historic Site or Landmark Photo Essay
Taking a series of photos of a historic site or landmark can be a great experience. You can learn to capture the same site from different angles to help portray its character and tell its story. And you can also photograph how people visit and engage with the site or landmark. Take photos at different times of day and in varied lighting to capture all its nuances and moods.
You can also use your photographic essay to help your audience understand the history of your chosen location. For example, if you want to provide perspective on the Civil War, a visit to a battleground can be meaningful. You can also visit a site when reenactors are present to share insight on how life used to be in days gone by.
7 . Behind the Scenes Photo Essay
Another fun essay idea is taking photos “behind the scenes” at an event. Maybe you can chronicle all the work that goes into a holiday festival from the early morning set-up to the late-night teardown. Think of the lead event planner as the main character of your story and build the story about him or her.
Or, you can go backstage at a drama production. Capture photos of actors and actresses as they transform their looks with costuming and makeup. Show the lead nervously pacing in the wings before taking center stage. Focus the work of stagehands, lighting designers, and makeup artists who never see the spotlight but bring a vital role in bringing the play to life.
8. Family Photo Essay
If you enjoy photographing people, why not explore photo story ideas about families and relationships? You can focus on interactions between two family members—such as a father and a daughter—or convey a message about a family as a whole.
Sometimes these type of photo essays can be all about the fun and joy of living in a close-knit family. But sometimes they can be powerful portraits of challenging social topics. Images of a family from another country can be a meaningful photo essay on immigration. You could also create a photo essay on depression by capturing families who are coping with one member’s illness.
For these projects on difficult topics, you may want to compose a photo essay with captions. These captions can feature quotes from family members or document your own observations. Although approaching hard topics isn’t easy, these types of photos can have lasting impact and value.
9. Education Photo Essay
Opportunities for education photo essays are everywhere—from small preschools to community colleges and universities. You can seek permission to take photos at public or private schools or even focus on alternative educational paths, like homeschooling.
Your education photo essay can take many forms. For example, you can design a photo essay of an experienced teacher at a high school. Take photos of him or her in action in the classroom, show quiet moments grading papers, and capture a shared laugh between colleagues in the teacher’s lounge.
Alternatively, you can focus on a specific subject—such as science and technology. Or aim to portray a specific grade level, document activities club or sport, or portray the social environment. A photo essay on food choices in the cafeteria can be thought-provoking or even funny. There are many potential directions to pursue and many great essay examples.
While education is an excellent topic for a photo essay for students, education can be a great source of inspiration for any photographer.
Why Should You Create a Photo Essay?
Ultimately, photographers are storytellers. Think of what a photographer does during a typical photo shoot. He or she will take a series of photos that helps convey the essence of the subject—whether that is a person, location, or inanimate object. For example, a family portrait session tells the story of a family—who they are, their personalities, and the closeness of their relationship.
Learning how to make a photo essay can help you become a better storyteller—and a better photographer. You’ll cultivate key photography skills that you can carry with you no matter where your photography journey leads.
If you simply want to document life’s moments on social media, you may find that a single picture doesn’t always tell the full story. Reviewing photo essay examples and experimenting with your own essay ideas can help you choose meaningful collections of photos to share with friends and family online.
Learning how to create photo essays can also help you work towards professional photography ambitions. You’ll often find that bloggers tell photographic stories. For example, think of cooking blogs that show you each step in making a recipe. Photo essays are also a mainstay of journalism. You’ll often find photo essays examples in many media outlets—everywhere from national magazines to local community newspapers. And the best travel photographers on Instagram tell great stories with their photos, too.
With a photo essay, you can explore many moods and emotions. Some of the best photo essays tell serious stories, but some are humorous, and others aim to evoke action.
You can raise awareness with a photo essay on racism or a photo essay on poverty. A photo essay on bullying can help change the social climate for students at a school. Or, you can document a fun day at the beach or an amusement park. You have control of the themes, photographic elements, and the story you want to tell.
5 Steps to Create a Photo Essay
Every photo essay will be different, but you can use a standard process. Following these five steps will guide you through every phase of your photo essay project—from brainstorming creative essay topics to creating a photo essay to share with others.
Step 1: Choose Your Photo Essay Topics
Just about any topic you can imagine can form the foundation for a photo essay. You may choose to focus on a specific event, such as a wedding, performance, or festival. Or you may want to cover a topic over a set span of time, such as documenting a child’s first year. You could also focus on a city or natural area across the seasons to tell a story of changing activities or landscapes.
Since the best photo essays convey meaning and emotion, choose a topic of interest. Your passion for the subject matter will shine through each photograph and touch your viewer’s hearts and minds.
Step 2: Conduct Upfront Research
Much of the work in a good-quality photo essay begins before you take your first photo. It’s always a good idea to do some research on your planned topic.
Imagine you’re going to take photos of a downtown area throughout the year. You should spend some time learning the history of the area. Talk with local residents and business owners and find out about planned events. With these insights, you’ll be able to plan ahead and be prepared to take photos that reflect the area’s unique personality and lifestyles.
For any topic you choose, gather information first. This may involve internet searches, library research, interviews, or spending time observing your subject.
Step 3: Storyboard Your Ideas
After you have done some research and have a good sense of the story you want to tell, you can create a storyboard. With a storyboard, you can write or sketch out the ideal pictures you want to capture to convey your message.
You can turn your storyboard into a “shot list” that you can bring with you on site. A shot list can be especially helpful when you are at a one-time event and want to capture specific shots for your photo essay. If you’ve never created a photo essay before, start with ten shot ideas. Think of each shot as a sentence in your story. And aim to make each shot evoke specific ideas or emotions.
Step 4: Capture Images
Your storyboard and shot list will be important guides to help you make the most of each shoot. Be sure to set aside enough time to capture all the shots you need—especially if you are photographing a one-time event. And allow yourself to explore your ideas using different photography composition, perspective, and color contrast techniques.
You may need to take a hundred images or more to get ten perfect ones for your photographic essay. Or, you may find that you want to add more photos to your story and expand your picture essay concept.
Also, remember to look for special unplanned, moments that help tell your story. Sometimes, spontaneous photos that aren’t on your shot list can be full of meaning. A mix of planning and flexibility almost always yields the best results.
Step 5: Edit and Organize Photos to Tell Your Story
After capturing your images, you can work on compiling your photo story. To create your photo essay, you will need to make decisions about which images portray your themes and messages. At times, this can mean setting aside beautiful images that aren’t a perfect fit. You can use your shot list and storyboard as a guide but be open to including photos that weren’t in your original plans.
You may want to use photo editing software—such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop— to enhance and change photographs. With these tools, you can adjust lighting and white balance, perform color corrections, crop, or perform other edits. If you have a signature photo editing style, you may want to use Photoshop Actions or Lightroom Presets to give all your photos a consistent look and feel.
You order a photo book from one of the best photo printing websites to publish your photo story. You can add them to an album on a photo sharing site, such as Flickr or Google Photos. Also, you could focus on building a website dedicated to documenting your concepts through visual photo essays. If so, you may want to use SEO for photographers to improve your website’s ranking in search engine results. You could even publish your photo essay on social media. Another thing to consider is whether you want to include text captures or simply tell your story through photographs.
Choose the medium that feels like the best space to share your photo essay ideas and vision with your audiences. You should think of your photo essay as your own personal form of art and expression when deciding where and how to publish it.
Photo Essays Can Help You Become a Better Photographer
Whatever your photography ambitions may be, learning to take a photo essay can help you grow. Even simple essay topics can help you gain skills and stretch your photographic limits. With a photo essay, you start to think about how a series of photographs work together to tell a complete story. You’ll consider how different shots work together, explore options for perspective and composition, and change the way you look at the world.
Before you start taking photos, you should review photo essay examples. You can find interesting pictures to analyze and photo story examples online, in books, or in classic publications, like Life Magazine . Don’t forget to look at news websites for photojournalism examples to broaden your perspective. This review process will help you in brainstorming simple essay topics for your first photo story and give you ideas for the future as well.
Ideas and inspiration for photo essay topics are everywhere. You can visit a park or go out into your own backyard to pursue a photo essay on nature. Or, you can focus on the day in the life of someone you admire with a photo essay of a teacher, fireman, or community leader. Buildings, events, families, and landmarks are all great subjects for concept essay topics. If you are feeling stuck coming up with ideas for essays, just set aside a few hours to walk around your city or town and take photos. This type of photowalk can be a great source of material.
You’ll soon find that advanced planning is critical to your success. Brainstorming topics, conducting research, creating a storyboard, and outlining a shot list can help ensure you capture the photos you need to tell your story. After you’ve finished shooting, you’ll need to decide where to house your photo essay. You may need to come up with photo album title ideas, write captions, and choose the best medium and layout.
Without question, creating a photo essay can be a valuable experience for any photographer. That’s true whether you’re an amateur completing a high school assignment or a pro looking to hone new skills. You can start small with an essay on a subject you know well and then move into conquering difficult ideas. Maybe you’ll want to create a photo essay on mental illness or a photo essay on climate change. Or maybe there’s another cause that is close to your heart.
Whatever your passion, you can bring it to life with a photo essay.
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How to Create a Photo Essay in 9 Steps (with Examples)
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What is a photo essay?
- Photo essays vs photo stories
- How photo essays help you
- 9 Steps to create photo essays
How to share your photo essays
Read Time: 11 minutes
Gather up a handful of images that seem to go together, and voila! It’s a photo essay, right? Well… no. Though, this is a common misconception.
In reality, a photo essay is much more thoughtful and structured than that. When you take the time to craft one, you’re using skills from all facets of our craft – from composition to curation.
In this guide, you’ll learn what makes a photo essay an amazing project that stretches your skills. You’ll also learn exactly how to make one step by step.
- Photo essay vs photo story
A photo essay is a collection of images based around a theme, a topic, a creative approach, or an exploration of an idea. Photo essays balance visual variety with a cohesive style and concept.
What’s the difference between a photo essay and a photo story?
The terms photo essay and photo story are often used interchangeably. Even the dictionary definition of “photo essay” includes using images to convey either a theme or a story.
But in my experience, a photo essay and a photo story are two different things. As you delve into the field of visual storytelling, distinguishing between the two helps you to take a purposeful approach to what you’re making .
The differences ultimately lie in the distinctions between theme, topic and story.
Themes are big-picture concepts. Example: Wildness
Topics are more specific than themes, but still overarching. Example : Wild bears of Yellowstone National Park
Stories are specific instances or experiences that happen within, or provide an example for, a topic or theme. Example: A certain wild bear became habituated to tourists and was relocated to maintain its wildness
Unlike a theme or topic, a story has particular elements that make it a story. They include leading characters, a setting, a narrative arc, conflict, and (usually) resolution.
With that in mind, we can distingush between a photo essay and a photo story.
Themes and Topics vs Stories
A photo essay revolves around a topic, theme, idea, or concept. It visually explores a big-picture something .
This allows a good deal of artistic leeway where a photographer can express their vision, philosophies, opinions, or artistic expression as they create their images.
A photo story is a portfolio of images that illustrate – you guessed it – a story.
Because of this, there are distinct types of images that a photo story uses that add to the understanding, insight, clarity and meaning to the story for viewers. While they can certainly be artistically crafted and visually stunning, photo stories document something happening, and rely on visual variety for capturing the full experience.
A photo essay doesn’t need to have the same level of structured variety that a photo story requires. It can have images that overlap or are similar, as they each explore various aspects of a theme.
![An urban coyote walks across a road near an apartment building An urban coyote walks across a road near an apartment building](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/urban-coyote-walking-on-street-jaymi-heimbuch-IMG_3112.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Photo essays can be about any topic. If you live in a city, consider using your nature photography to make an essay about the wildlife that lives in your neighborhood .
The role of text with photos
A photo story typically runs alongside text that narrates the story. We’re a visual species, and the images help us feel like we are there, experiencing what’s happening. So, the images add significant power to the text, but they’re often a partner to it.
This isn’t always the case, of course. Sometimes photo stories don’t need or use text. It’s like reading a graphic novel that doesn’t use text. Moving through the different images that build on each other ultimately unveils the narrative.
Photo essays don’t need to rely on text to illuminate the images’ theme or topic. The photographer may use captions (or even a text essay), or they may let the images speak for themselves.
Definitions are helpful guidelines (not strict rules)
Some people categorize photo essays as either narrative or thematic. That’s essentially just calling photo stories “narrative photo essays” and photo essays “thematic photo essays.”
But, a story is a defined thing, and any writer/editor will tell you themes and topics are not the same as stories. And we use the word “story” in our daily lives as it’s defined. So, it makes far more sense to name the difference between a photo essay and a photo story, and bask in the same clarity writers enjoy .
Photo stories illustrate a particular experience, event, narrative, something that happened or is happening.
Photo essays explore an idea, concept, topic, theme, creative approach, big-picture something .
Both photo essays and photo stories are immensely powerful visual tools. And yes, the differences between them can certainly be blurred, as is always the case with art.
Simply use this distinction as a general guideline, providing extra clarity around what you’re making and why you’re making it.
To dig into specific types of images used to create powerful photo stories, check out this training: 6 Must-Have Shots for a Photo Story.
Meanwhile, let’s dig deeper into photo essays.
![best picture composition essays Best cameras for wildlife photography (2024)](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/wildlife-camera-4cixj38pA7Y.jpg?lossy=1&resize=500%2C500&ssl=1)
Capturing amazing wildlife photos requires not only passion and skill but also the right equipment.
This guide breaks down the best options so you can find the perfect camera for your specific needs , whether you're a beginner or pro.
![A sea nettle jellyfish floats alone on a white surface A sea nettle jellyfish floats alone on a white surface](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/jellyfish-in-black-and-white-jaymi-heimbuchIMG_0264.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Photo essays are a chance to try new styles or techniques that stretch your skills and creativity. This image was part of an essay exploring simplicity and shape, and helped me learn new skills in black and white post-processing.
How photo essays improve your photography
Creating photo essays is an amazing antidote if you’ve ever felt a lack of direction or purpose in your photography. Photo essays help build your photographic skills in at least 3 important ways.
1. You become more strategic in creating a body of work
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of photographing whatever pops up in front of you. And when you do, you end up with a collection of stand-alone shots.
These singles may work fine as a print, a quick Instagram post, or an addition to your gallery of shots on your website. But amassing a bunch of one-off shots limits your opportunities as a photographer for everything from exhibits to getting your work published.
Building photo essays pushes you to think strategically about what you photograph, why, and how. You’re working toward a particular deliverable – a cohesive visual essay – with the images you create.
This elevates your skills in crafting your photo essay, and in how you curate the rest of your work, from galleries on your website to selecting images to sell as prints .
2. You become more purposeful in your composition skills
Composition is so much more than just following the rule of thirds, golden spirals, or thinking about the angle of light in a shot.
Composition is also about thinking ahead in what you’re trying to accomplish with a photograph – from what you’re saying through it to its emotional impact on a viewer – and where it fits within a larger body of work.
Photo essays push you to think critically about each shot – from coming up with fresh compositions for familiar subjects, to devising surprising compositions to fit within a collection, to creating compositions that expand on what’s already in a photo essay.
You’re pushed beyond creating a single pleasing frame, which leads you to shoot more thoughtfully and proactively than ever.
(Here’s a podcast episode on switching from reactive shooting to proactive shooting .)
3. You develop strong editing and curation skills
Selecting which images stay, and which get left behind is one of the hardest jobs on a photographer’s to-do list. Mostly, it’s because of emotional attachment.
You might think it’s an amazing shot because you know the effort that went into capturing it. Or perhaps when you look at it, you get a twinge of the joy or exhilaration you felt the moment you captured it. There’s also the second-guessing that goes into which of two similar images is the best – which will people like more? So you’re tempted to just show both.
Ultimately, great photographers appear all the more skilled because they only show their best work. That in and of itself is a skill they’ve developed through years of ruthlessly editing their own work.
Because the most powerful photo essays only show a handful of extraordinary images, you’re bound to develop the very same critical skill (and look all the more talented because of it).
Photo essays are also a great stepping stone to creating photo stories. If you’re interested in moving beyond stand-alone shots and building stories, shooting photo essays will get your creative brain limbered up and ready for the adventure of photo stories.
![An American dipper looks into the water of a stream on a cold morning An american dipper looks into the water of a stream on a cold morning](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/american-dipper-in-stream-jaymi-heimbuch_JHX5790.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
A photo essay exploring the natural history of a favorite species is an exciting opportunity for an in-depth study. For me, that was a photo essay on emotive images of the American dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) as it hunts in streams.
9 Simple steps to create your photo essays
1. clarify your theme.
Choose a theme, topic, or concept you want to explore. Spend some time getting crystal clear on what you want to focus on. It helps to write out a few sentences, or even a few paragraphs noting:
- What you want the essay to be about
- What kinds of images you want to create as part of it
- How you’ll photograph the images
- The style, techniques, or gear you might use to create your images
- What “success” looks like when you’re done with your photo essay
You don’t have to stick to what you write down, of course. It can change during the image creation process. But fleshing your idea out on paper goes a long way in clarifying your photo essay theme and how you’ll go about creating it.
2. Create your images
Grab your camera and head outside!
As you’re photographing your essay, allow yourself some freedom to experiment. Try unusual compositions or techniques that are new to you.
Stretch your style a little, or “try on” the style of other photographers you admire who have photographed similar subjects.
Photo essays are wonderful opportunities to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and grow as a photographer .
Remember that a photo essay is a visually cohesive collection of images that make sense together. So, while you might stretch yourself into new terrain as you shoot, try to keep that approach, style, or strategy consistent.
Don’t be afraid to create lots of images. It’s great to have lots to choose from in the editing process, which comes up next.
3. Pull together your wide edit
Once you’ve created your images, pull together all the images that might make the cut. This could be as many as 40-60 images. Include anything you want to consider for the final essay in the wide edit.
From here, start weeding out images that:
- are weaker in composition or subject matter
- stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of the collection
- Are similar to other stronger images in the collection
It’s helpful to review the images at thumbnail size. You make more instinctive decisions and can more easily see the body of work as a whole. If an image is strong even at thumbnail size to stand out from similar frames while also partnering well with other images in the collection, that’s a good sign it’s strong enough for the essay.
4. Post-process your images for a cohesive look
Now it’s time to post-process the images. Use whatever editing software you’re comfortable with to polish your images.
Again, a photo essay has a cohesive visual look. If you use presets, filters, or other tools, use them across all the images.
5. Finalize your selection
It’s time to make the tough decisions. Select only the strongest for your photo essay from your group of images.
Each image should be strong enough to stand on its own and make sense as part of the whole group.
Many photo essays range from 8-12 images. But of course, it varies based on the essay. The number of images you have in your final photo essay is up to you.
Remember, less is more. A photo essay is most powerful when each image deserves to be included.
6. Put your images in a purposeful order
Create a visual flow with your images. Decide which image is first, and build from there. Use compositions, colors, and subject matter to decide which image goes next, then next, then next in the order.
Think of it like music: notes are arranged in a way that builds energy, or slows it down, surprise listeners with a new refrain, or drop into a familiar chorus. How the notes are ordered creates emotional arcs for listeners.
How you order your images is similar.
Think of the experience a viewer will have as they look at one image, then the next, and the next. Order your images so they create the experience you want your audience to have.
7. Get feedback
The best photographers make space for feedback, even when it’s tough to hear. Your work benefits from not just hearing feedback, but listening to it and applying what you learn from it.
Show your photo essay to people who have different sensibilities or tastes. Friends, family members, fellow photographers – anyone you trust to give you honest feedback.
Watch their reactions and hear what they say about what they’re seeing. Use their feedback to guide you in the next step.
8. Refine, revise, and finalize
Let your photo essay marinate for a little while. Take a day or two away from it. Then use your freshened eyes and the feedback you received from the previous step to refine your essay.
Swap out any selects you might want to change and reorder the images if needed.
9. Add captions
Even if you don’t plan on displaying captions with your images, captioning your images is a great practice to get into. It gives context, story, and important information to each image. And, more than likely, you will want to use these captions at some point when you share your photo essay, which we dive into later in this article.
Add captions to the image files using Lightroom, Bridge, or other software programs.
Create a document, such as a Google or Word doc, with captions for each image.
In your captions, share a bit about the story behind the image, or the creation process. Add whatever makes sense to share that provides a greater understanding of the image and its purpose.
![Two rocks sit near each other on a wind-blown beach with long lines of texture in the sand Two rocks sit near each other on a wind-blown beach with long lines of texture in the sand](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/rocks-on-textured-sand-jaymi-heimbuch-JHX3433.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
Photo essays allow you to explore deliberate style choices, such as a focus on shapes, patterns, textures, and lines. Since each photo is part of a larger essay, it encourages you to be bold with choices you might not otherwise make.
5 Examples of amazing nature photo essays
1. “how the water shapes us” from the nature conservancy.
![screenshot-photo-essay-nature-conservancy-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay how the water shapes us from nature conservancy](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-nature-conservancy-web-e1661022684510-1024x561.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This gorgeous essay, crafted with the work of multiple photographers, explores the people and places within the Mississippi River basin. Through the images, we gain a sense of how the water influences life from the headwater all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Notice how each photographer is tasked with the same theme, yet approaches it with their own distinct style and vision. It is a wonderful example of the sheer level of visual variety you can have while maintaining a consistent style or theme.
View it here
2. “A Cyclist on the English Landscape” from New York Times’ The World Through A Lens series
![screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-cyclist-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay a cyclist on the english landscape from new york times](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-cyclist-web.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This photo essay is a series of self-portraits by travel photographer Roff Smith while “stuck” at home during the pandemic. As he peddled the roads making portraits, the project evolved into a “celebration of traveling at home”. It’s a great example of how visually consistent you can be inside a theme while making each image completely unique.
3. “Vermont, Dressed In Snow” from New York Times’ The World Through A Lens series
![screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-winter-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay vermont, dressed in snow from new york times](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-new-york-times-winter-web.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This essay by aerial photographer Caleb Kenna uses a very common photo essay theme: snow. Because all images are aerial photographs, there’s a consistency to them. Yet, the compositions are utterly unique from one another. It’s a great example of keeping viewers surprised as they move from one image to the next while still maintaining a clear focus on the theme.
4. “Starling-Studded Skies” from bioGraphic Magazine
![screenshot-photo-essay-biographic-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay starling-studded-skies from biographic magazine](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-biographic-web-e1661022700219.png?lossy=1&resize=1080%2C591&ssl=1)
This beautiful essay is by Kathryn Cooper, a physicist trained in bioinformatics, and a talented photographer. She used a 19th century photographic technique, chronophotography, to create images that give us a look at the art and science of starling murmurations. She states: “I’m interested in the transient moments when chaos briefly changes to order, and thousands of individual bodies appear to move as one.” This essay is a great example of deep exploration of a concept using a specific photographic technique.
View it here (Note: must be viewed on desktop)
5. “These Scrappy Photos Capture the Action-Packed World Beneath a Bird Feeder” from Audubon Magazine
![screenshot-photo-essay-audubon-web Screenshot of the landing page of photo essay by carla rhodes from audubon online](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/screenshot-photo-essay-audubon-web-e1661022721716.png?lossy=1&ssl=1)
This photo essay from conservation photographer Carla Rhodes explores the wildlife that takes advantage of the bounty of food waiting under bird feeders . Using remote camera photography , Rhodes gives viewers a unique ground-level perspective and captures moments that make us feel like we’re in conversation with friends in the Hundred Acre Woods. This essay is a great example of how perspective, personality, and chance can all come into play as you explore both an idea and a technique.
25 Ideas for creative photo essays you can make
The possibilities for photo essays are truly endless – from the concepts you explore to the techniques you use and styles you apply.
Choose an idea, hone your unique perspective on it, then start applying the 9 simple steps from above.
- The life of a plant or animal (your favorite species, a species living in your yard, etc)
- The many shapes of a single species (a tree species, a bird species, etc)
- How a place changes over time
- The various moods of a place
- A conservation issue you care about
- Math in nature
- Urban nature
- Seasonal changes
- Your yard as a space for nature
- Shifting climate and its impacts
- Human impacts on environments
- Elements: Water, wind, fire, earth
- Day in the life (of a person, a place, a stream, a tree…)
- Outdoor recreation (birding, kayaking, hiking, naturalist journaling…)
- Wildlife rehabilitation
- Lunar cycles
- Sunlight and shadows
- Your local watershed
- Coexistence
![A Pacific wren sings from a branch in a sun dappled forest A pacific wren sings from a branch in a sun dappled forest](https://efirq7mmtwd.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/pacific-wren-singing-in-forest-jaymi-heimbuch-HX21390.jpg?lossy=1&ssl=1)
As you zero in on a photo essay theme, consider two things: what most excites you about an idea, and what about it pushes you out of your comfort zone. The heady mix of joy and challenge will ensure you stick with it.
Your photo essay is ready for the world! Decide how you’d like to make an impact with your work. You might use one or several of the options below.
1. Share it on your website
Create a gallery or a scrollytelling page on your website. This is a great way to drive traffic to your website where people can peruse your photo essay and the rest of the photography you have.
Putting it on your website and optimizing your images for SEO helps you build organic traffic and potentially be discovered by a broader audience, including photo editors.
2. Create a scrollytelling web page
If you enjoy the experience of immersive visual experiences, consider making one using your essay. And no, you don’t have to be a whiz at code to make it happen.
Shorthand helps you build web pages with scrollytelling techniques that make a big impression on viewers. Their free plan allows you to publish 3 essays or stories.
3. Create a Medium post
If you don’t have a website and want to keep things simple, a post on Medium is a great option.
Though it’s known for being a platform for bloggers, it’s also possible to add images to a post for a simple scroll.
And, because readers can discover and share posts, it’s a good place for your photos to get the attention of people who might not otherwise come across it.
4. Share it on Instagram
Instagram has changed a lot over the last couple of years, but it’s still a place for photographers to share their work thoughtfully.
There are at least 3 great ways to share your photo essay on the platform.
– Create a single post for each image. Add a caption. Publish one post per day until the full essay is on your feed. Share each post via Instagram Stories to bring more attention and interaction to your photo essay.
– Create a carousel post. You can add up 10 photos to a carousel post, so you may need to create two of them for your full photo essay. Or you might create a series of carousel posts using 3-4 images in each.
– Create a Reel featuring your images as a video. The algorithm heavily favors reels, so turning your photo essay into a video experience can get it out to a larger audience.
I ran a “create a reel” challenge in my membership community. One member created a reel with her still images around a serious conservation issue. It gathered a ton of attention and landed her opportunities to share her message through YouTube and podcast interviews and publishing opportunities. Watch it here.
5. Exhibit it locally
Reach out to local galleries, cafes, pubs, or even the public library to see if they’re interested in hanging your photo essay for display. Many local businesses and organizations happily support the work of local artists.
6. Pitch your photo essay to publications
One of the best ways to reach an audience with your work is to get it published. Find publications that are a great fit for the theme and style of your photo essay, then pitch your essay for consideration. You gain a fantastic opportunity to share your work widely and can earn a paycheck at the same time.
Remember that if you want to get your photo essay published, you may want to hold back from sharing it publicly before you pitch it to publications.
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5 Strategies to Find the Positive Angle In Every Conservation Photo Story
Photo Stories and Essays , Tutorials
Training your brain to see the silver linings and solutions is essential in several ways, from engaging your audience to gaining the interest of editors. If you've been watching the news pretty much at all over the past couple of months, you know there's...
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How to Make Time for Photography (Even When Life Gets Busy)
Photography Business , Tutorials
It's easy to let your creative time slip to the back burner... or slip off the stove entirely. This surprisingly powerful tool will help you both make time for your photography AND make great forward progress on your projects. Contents Use timed focus...
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How to Create Personal Narrative Photo Stories That Viewers LOVE
Your personal perspective and experiences can be a powerful storytelling strategy. But there are ways to do it right (and wrong). Here are my top 3 tips for what to keep in mind when photographing a story that's your own personal narrative so that your story is...
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From how you approach being in the field and scouting locations, to how you approach the stories you photograph and communicate conservation issues, these 6 books are the (unconventional) must-read list for every conservation photographer. An...
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How to train your brain to see solutions in photo stories so that you can engage your audience and gain the interest of editors.
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This surprisingly powerful tool will help you both make time for your photography AND make great forward progress on your projects.
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If you do these 3 things, you’ll have a share-worthy story your viewers feel connected to and inspired by.
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Pictures That Tell Stories: Photo Essay Examples
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Like any other type of artist, a photographer’s job is to tell a story through their pictures. While some of the most creative among us can invoke emotion or convey a thought with one single photo, the rest of us will rely on a photo essay.
In the following article, we’ll go into detail about what a photo essay is and how to craft one while providing some detailed photo essay examples.
What is a Photo Essay?
A photo essay is a series of photographs that, when assembled in a particular order, tell a unique and compelling story. While some photographers choose only to use pictures in their presentations, others will incorporate captions, comments, or even full paragraphs of text to provide more exposition for the scene they are unfolding.
A photo essay is a well-established part of photojournalism and have been used for decades to present a variety of information to the reader. Some of the most famous photo essayists include Ansel Adams , W. Eugene Smith, and James Nachtwey. Of course, there are thousands of photo essay examples out there from which you can draw inspiration.
Why Consider Creating a Photo Essay?
As the old saying goes, “a picture is worth 1000 words.” This adage is, for many photographers, reason enough to hold a photo essay in particularly high regard.
For others, a photo essay allow them to take pictures that are already interesting and construct intricate, emotionally-charged tales out of them. For all photographers, it is yet another skill they can master to become better at their craft.
As you might expect, the photo essay have had a long history of being associated with photojournalism. From the Great Depression to Civil Rights Marches and beyond, many compelling stories have been told through a combination of images and text, or photos alone. A photo essay often evokes an intense reaction, whether artistic in nature or designed to prove a socio-political point.
Below, we’ll list some famous photo essay samples to further illustrate the subject.
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Famous Photo Essays
“The Great Depression” by Dorothea Lange – Shot and arranged in the 1930s, this famous photo essay still serves as a stark reminder of The Great Depression and Dust Bowl America . Beautifully photographed, the black and white images offer a bleak insight to one of the country’s most difficult times.
“The Vietnam War” by Philip Jones Griffiths – Many artists consider the Griffiths’ photo essay works to be some of the most important records of the war in Vietnam. His photographs and great photo essays are particularly well-remembered for going against public opinion and showing the suffering of the “other side,” a novel concept when it came to war photography.
Various American Natural Sites by Ansel Adams – Adams bought the beauty of nature home to millions, photographing the American Southwest and places like Yosemite National Park in a way that made the photos seem huge, imposing, and beautiful.
“Everyday” by Noah Kalina – Is a series of photographs arranged into a video. This photo essay features daily photographs of the artist himself, who began taking capturing the images when he was 19 and continued to do so for six years.
“Signed, X” by Kate Ryan – This is a powerful photo essay put together to show the long-term effects of sexual violence and assault. This photo essay is special in that it remains ongoing, with more subjects being added every year.
Common Types of Photo Essays
While a photo essay do not have to conform to any specific format or design, there are two “umbrella terms” under which almost all genres of photo essays tend to fall. A photo essay is thematic and narrative. In the following section, we’ll give some details about the differences between the two types, and then cover some common genres used by many artists.
⬥ Thematic
A thematic photo essay speak on a specific subject. For instance, numerous photo essays were put together in the 1930s to capture the ruin of The Great Depression. Though some of these presentations followed specific people or families, they mostly told the “story” of the entire event. There is much more freedom with a thematic photo essay, and you can utilize numerous locations and subjects. Text is less common with these types of presentations.
⬥ Narrative
A narrative photo essay is much more specific than thematic essays, and they tend to tell a much more direct story. For instance, rather than show a number of scenes from a Great Depression Era town, the photographer might show the daily life of a person living in Dust Bowl America. There are few rules about how broad or narrow the scope needs to be, so photographers have endless creative freedom. These types of works frequently utilize text.
Common Photo Essay Genres
Walk a City – This photo essay is when you schedule a time to walk around a city, neighborhood, or natural site with the sole goal of taking photos. Usually thematic in nature, this type of photo essay allows you to capture a specific place, it’s energy, and its moods and then pass them along to others.
The Relationship Photo Essay – The interaction between families and loved ones if often a fascinating topic for a photo essay. This photo essay genre, in particular, gives photographers an excellent opportunity to capture complex emotions like love and abstract concepts like friendship. When paired with introspective text, the results can be quite stunning.
The Timelapse Transformation Photo Essay – The goal of a transformation photo essay is to capture the way a subject changes over time. Some people take years or even decades putting together a transformation photo essay, with subjects ranging from people to buildings to trees to particular areas of a city.
Going Behind The Scenes Photo Essay – Many people are fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes of big events. Providing the photographer can get access; to an education photo essay can tell a very unique and compelling story to their viewers with this photo essay.
Photo Essay of a Special Event – There are always events and occasions going on that would make an interesting subject for a photo essay. Ideas for this photo essay include concerts, block parties, graduations, marches, and protests. Images from some of the latter were integral to the popularity of great photo essays.
The Daily Life Photo Essay – This type of photo essay often focus on a single subject and attempt to show “a day in the life” of that person or object through the photographs. This type of photo essay can be quite powerful depending on the subject matter and invoke many feelings in the people who view them.
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Photo Essay Ideas and Examples
One of the best ways to gain a better understanding of photo essays is to view some photo essay samples. If you take the time to study these executions in detail, you’ll see just how photo essays can make you a better photographer and offer you a better “voice” with which to speak to your audience.
Some of these photo essay ideas we’ve already touched on briefly, while others will be completely new to you.
Cover a Protest or March
Some of the best photo essay examples come from marches, protests, and other events associated with movements or socio-political statements. Such events allow you to take pictures of angry, happy, or otherwise empowered individuals in high-energy settings. The photo essay narrative can also be further enhanced by arriving early or staying long after the protest has ended to catch contrasting images.
Photograph a Local Event
Whether you know it or not, countless unique and interesting events are happening in and around your town this year. Such events provide photographers new opportunities to put together a compelling photo essay. From ethnic festivals to historical events to food and beverage celebrations, there are many different ways to capture and celebrate local life.
Visit an Abandoned Site or Building
Old homes and historical sites are rich with detail and can sometimes appear dilapidated, overgrown by weeds, or broken down by time. These qualities make them a dynamic and exciting subject. Many great photo essay works of abandoned homes use a mix of far-away shots, close-ups, weird angles, and unique lighting. Such techniques help set a mood that the audience can feel through the photographic essay.
Chronicle a Pregnancy
Few photo essay topics could be more personal than telling the story of a pregnancy. Though this photo essay example can require some preparation and will take a lot of time, the results of a photographic essay like this are usually extremely emotionally-charged and touching. In some cases, photographers will continue the photo essay project as the child grows as well.
Photograph Unique Lifestyles
People all over the world are embracing society’s changes in different ways. People live in vans or in “tiny houses,” living in the woods miles away from everyone else, and others are growing food on self-sustaining farms. Some of the best photo essay works have been born out of these new, inspiring movements.
Photograph Animals or Pets
If you have a favorite animal (or one that you know very little about), you might want to arrange a way to see it up close and tell its story through images. You can take photos like this in a zoo or the animal’s natural habitat, depending on the type of animal you choose. Pets are another great topic for a photo essay and are among the most popular subjects for many photographers.
Show Body Positive Themes
So much of modern photography is about showing the best looking, prettiest, or sexiest people at all times. Choosing a photo essay theme like body positivity, however, allows you to film a wide range of interesting-looking people from all walks of life.
Such a photo essay theme doesn’t just apply to women, as beauty can be found everywhere. As a photo essay photographer, it’s your job to find it!
Bring Social Issues to Life
Some of the most impactful social photo essay examples are those where the photographer focuses on social issues. From discrimination to domestic violence to the injustices of the prison system, there are many ways that a creative photographer can highlight what’s wrong with the world. This type of photo essay can be incredibly powerful when paired with compelling subjects and some basic text.
Photograph Style and Fashion
If you live in or know of a particularly stylish locale or area, you can put together an excellent thematic photo essay by capturing impromptu shots of well-dressed people as they pass by. As with culture, style is easily identifiable and is as unifying as it is divisive. Great photo essay examples include people who’ve covered fashion sub-genres from all over the world, like urban hip hop or Japanese Visual Kei.
Photograph Native Cultures and Traditions
If you’ve ever opened up a copy of National Geographic, you’ve probably seen photo essay photos that fit this category. To many, the traditions, dress, religious ceremonies, and celebrations of native peoples and foreign cultures can be utterly captivating. For travel photographers, this photo essay is considered one of the best ways to tell a story with or without text.
Capture Seasonal Or Time Changes In A Landmark Photo Essay
Time-lapse photography is very compelling to most viewers. What they do in a few hours, however, others are doing over months, years, and even decades. If you know of an exciting landscape or scene, you can try to capture the same image in Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall, and put that all together into one landmark photo essay.
Alternatively, you can photograph something being lost or ravaged by time or weather. The subject of your landmark photo essay can be as simple as the wall of an old building or as complex as an old house in the woods being taken over by nature. As always, there are countless transformation-based landmark photo essay works from which you can draw inspiration.
Photograph Humanitarian Efforts or Charity
Humanitarian efforts by groups like Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders can invoke a powerful response through even the simplest of photos. While it can be hard to put yourself in a position to get the images, there are countless photo essay examples to serve as inspiration for your photo essay project.
How to Create a Photo Essay
There is no singular way to create a photo essay. As it is, ultimately, and artistic expression of the photographer, there is no right, wrong, good, or bad. However, like all stories, some tell them well and those who do not. Luckily, as with all things, practice does make perfect. Below, we’ve listed some basic steps outlining how to create a photo essay
Steps To Create A Photo Essay
Choose Your Topic – While some photo essayists will be able to “happen upon” a photo story and turn it into something compelling, most will want to choose their photo essay topics ahead of time. While the genres listed above should provide a great starting place, it’s essential to understand that photo essay topics can cover any event or occasion and any span of time
Do Some Research – The next step to creating a photo essay is to do some basic research. Examples could include learning the history of the area you’re shooting or the background of the person you photograph. If you’re photographing a new event, consider learning the story behind it. Doing so will give you ideas on what to look for when you’re shooting.
Make a Storyboard – Storyboards are incredibly useful tools when you’re still in the process of deciding what photo story you want to tell. By laying out your ideas shot by shot, or even doing rough illustrations of what you’re trying to capture, you can prepare your photo story before you head out to take your photos.
This process is especially important if you have little to no control over your chosen subject. People who are participating in a march or protest, for instance, aren’t going to wait for you to get in position before offering up the perfect shot. You need to know what you’re looking for and be prepared to get it.
Get the Right Images – If you have a shot list or storyboard, you’ll be well-prepared to take on your photo essay. Make sure you give yourself enough time (where applicable) and take plenty of photos, so you have a lot from which to choose. It would also be a good idea to explore the area, show up early, and stay late. You never know when an idea might strike you.
Assemble Your Story – Once you develop or organize your photos on your computer, you need to choose the pictures that tell the most compelling photo story or stories. You might also find some great images that don’t fit your photo story These can still find a place in your portfolio, however, or perhaps a completely different photo essay you create later.
Depending on the type of photographer you are, you might choose to crop or digitally edit some of your photos to enhance the emotions they invoke. Doing so is completely at your discretion, but worth considering if you feel you can improve upon the naked image.
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Best Photo Essays Tips And Tricks
Before you approach the art of photo essaying for the first time, you might want to consider with these photo essay examples some techniques, tips, and tricks that can make your session more fun and your final results more interesting. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best advice we could find on the subject of photo essays.
⬥ Experiment All You Want
You can, and should, plan your topic and your theme with as much attention to detail as possible. That said, some of the best photo essay examples come to us from photographers that got caught up in the moment and decided to experiment in different ways. Ideas for experimentation include the following:
Angles – Citizen Kane is still revered today for the unique, dramatic angles used in the film. Though that was a motion picture and not photography, the same basic principles still apply. Don’t be afraid to photograph some different angles to see how they bring your subject to life in different ways.
Color – Some images have more gravitas in black in white or sepia tone. You can say the same for images that use color in an engaging, dynamic way. You always have room to experiment with color, both before and after the shoot.
Contrast – Dark and light, happy and sad, rich and poor – contrast is an instantly recognizable form of tension that you can easily include in your photo essay. In some cases, you can plan for dramatic contrasts. In other cases, you simply need to keep your eyes open.
Exposure Settings – You can play with light in terms of exposure as well, setting a number of different moods in the resulting photos. Some photographers even do random double exposures to create a photo essay that’s original.
Filters – There are endless post-production options available to photographers, particularly if they use digital cameras. Using different programs and apps, you can completely alter the look and feel of your image, changing it from warm to cool or altering dozens of different settings.
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If you’re using traditional film instead of a digital camera, you’re going to want to stock up. Getting the right shots for a photo essay usually involves taking hundreds of images that will end up in the rubbish bin. Taking extra pictures you won’t use is just the nature of the photography process. Luckily, there’s nothing better than coming home to realize that you managed to capture that one, perfect photograph.
⬥ Set the Scene
You’re not just telling a story to your audience – you’re writing it as well. If the scene you want to capture doesn’t have the look you want, don’t be afraid to move things around until it does. While this doesn’t often apply to photographing events that you have no control over, you shouldn’t be afraid to take a second to make an OK shot a great shot.
⬥ Capture Now, Edit Later
Editing, cropping, and digital effects can add a lot of drama and artistic flair to your photos. That said, you shouldn’t waste time on a shoot, thinking about how you can edit it later. Instead, make sure you’re capturing everything that you want and not missing out on any unique pictures. If you need to make changes later, you’ll have plenty of time!
⬥ Make It Fun
As photographers, we know that taking pictures is part art, part skill, and part performance. If you want to take the best photo essays, you need to loosen up and have fun. Again, you’ll want to plan for your topic as best as you can, but don’t be afraid to lose yourself in the experience. Once you let yourself relax, both the ideas and the opportunities will manifest.
⬥ It’s All in The Details
When someone puts out a photographic essay for an audience, that work usually gets analyzed with great attention to detail. You need to apply this same level of scrutiny to the shots you choose to include in your photo essay. If something is out of place or (in the case of historical work) out of time, you can bet the audience will notice.
⬥ Consider Adding Text
While it isn’t necessary, a photographic essay can be more powerful by the addition of text. This is especially true of images with an interesting background story that can’t be conveyed through the image alone. If you don’t feel up to the task of writing content, consider partnering with another artist and allowing them tor bring your work to life.
Final Thoughts
The world is waiting to tell us story after story. Through the best photo essays, we can capture the elements of those stories and create a photo essay that can invoke a variety of emotions in our audience.
No matter the type of cameras we choose, the techniques we embrace, or the topics we select, what really matters is that the photos say something about the people, objects, and events that make our world wonderful.
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How to Make a Photo Essay
Last Updated: September 27, 2023 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Heather Gallagher . Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP). There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 290,762 times.
Photo essays are an increasingly popular medium for journalists, bloggers, and advertisers alike. Whether you’re trying to show the emotional impact of a current news story or share your hobby with friends and family, images can capture your topic in a personal, emotional, and interesting way. Creating a photo essay can be as easy as choosing a topic, getting your images, and organizing the essay.
Things You Should Know
- Reflect long and hard on your topic, considering your audience, current events, and whether to go for a thematic or narrative approach.
- Create an outline, including your focus image, establishing shot, clincher, and other image details.
- When you finally take your photos, remember to take more photos than you think you need and don't be afraid to let the project change as you create it.
Finding Your Topic
![best picture composition essays Step 1 Review current events.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e7/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-1-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-1-Version-3.jpg)
- Offer a photo essay of your place of business as a training tool.
- Use a photo essay about your business as a sales or social tool by publishing it on your website or social media page.
- Create a how to photo essay to help others learn about your hobby, so they can take it up as well. [4] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 4 Select an interesting subject.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d5/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-4-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-4-Version-3.jpg)
- Thematic subjects are big ideas including things like local gun laws, at-risk youth, or welcoming home soldiers.
- Narrative essays can include a day in the life, how to tutorials, or progression series that show changes over time such as tracking a building project.
- If you have been given a commission or specific publication to work with, you may need to choose a topic that will fit a thematic or narrative approach as outlined by the publication. Make sure you are aware of any publication guidelines in advance.
Organizing Your Shoot
![best picture composition essays Step 1 Get permission.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/70/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-7-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-7-Version-3.jpg)
- Consider how difficult it will be to get permission to photograph your subjects. If you already have relationships established, it will be easier. If not, allow for extra time to get permission and/or waivers.
- Schools, daycares, and other places with kids typically have more regulations on who can be photographed and for what purposes. You’ll usually need to get parental approval, in addition to permission from those in charge. [7] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 2 Research your subject.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0d/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-8-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-8-Version-3.jpg)
- Consider doing interviews with people involved prior to the shoot. Ask things like, “What’s the most interesting thing you do during this event?” or “How long have you been involved with this organization?”
- These interviews are also a great opportunity to ask for permission and get waivers.
- If you’re going to visit a job site, charitable event, or other large group activity, ask the person or persons in charge to explain what you’re doing to everyone before you arrive. [8] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 3 Create an outline.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b8/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-9-Version-3.jpg)
Capturing Your Images
![best picture composition essays Step 1 Check the light.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8e/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-14-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-14-Version-2.jpg)
- Many new photographers stay away from high ISO shots because they allow more light through producing a “busy” image. However, these images are often easier to edit later as there’s more information to work with. [11] X Research source
- If it’s very bright in your location or you’ve set up artificial lighting, a low ISO is likely adequate, For darker areas, you’ll likely need to use a higher ISO.
- If you need one second to capture an image with a base ISO of 100, you’ll need one eighth of a second to capture with an ISO of 800. [13] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 2 Consider composition.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/ba/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-15-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-15-Version-2.jpg)
- Even snapping candid shots, which you may need to capture quickly, take a few moments to think about how objects are placed to make the most impact.
- Always think about how the main subject’s surroundings play into the overall image, and try to create different levels and points of interest.
- You can change composition as part of the editing process in some cases, so if you can’t line up the shot just right, don’t let it deter you from capturing the image you want. [14] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 3 Take more photos than you need.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/7e/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-16-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-16-Version-2.jpg)
Organizing the Essay
![best picture composition essays Step 1 Exclude photos you don’t need.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/1b/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-18-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-18-Version-2.jpg)
- If you’re doing a day in the life photo essay about a frustrated person working in an office, an image of that person struggling to open the front door against the wind might be an apt focus shot.
- If your essay is about the process of building a home, your focus image may be something like a contractor and architect looking at blue prints with the framed up home in the background.
- If your essay is about a family reunion, the focus image may be a funny shot of the whole family making faces, pretending to be fighting, or a serious photo of the family posed together. Capture whatever seems natural for the family. [18] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 3 Categorize your remaining photos.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f2/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-20-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-20-Version-2.jpg)
- Regardless of essay type, you’ll need a focus image to grab attention.
- Use an overall shot to give context to your essay. Where is it, when is it happening, who’s involved, what’s going on, and why should someone be interested? The five “W’s” of journalism are a great way to determine what your overall shot should capture.
- Find your final image. This should be something provocative that asks your viewer to think about the topic.
- Between the focus and overall shot and ending image, include a series of images that move the viewer from the lead-in shots to its result. Use images that build in intensity or draw the viewers further into the essay.
![best picture composition essays Step 5 Ask for feedback.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/05/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-22-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-22-Version-2.jpg)
- If the images aren’t telling the story, ask your friends to look at your other photos and ask, “I wanted this image to make this point. You got a different idea. Would any of these images make this point to you more clearly?”
- If the others like the images you’ve chosen, you may still want to ask them to look at your other photos and tell you if they think any of the images you didn’t include should be added in. They may see something you missed. [20] X Research source
![best picture composition essays Step 6 Add text.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fb/Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-23-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Make-a-Photo-Essay-Step-23-Version-2.jpg)
- If you're commissioned to add photos to an essay, you should make sure images reflect the written word, but also add emotion and context the writing could not capture. For example, an essay on poverty may include an image of a child and parent living on the street could capture more emotional context.
- Captions should only include information the viewer could not derive from the photo itself. For instance, you can include a date, the subject’s name, or a statistic relevant to your subject in the caption.
- If you choose not to have any text or just a title and some introductory and/or closing words, make sure you convey all necessary information succinctly. [21] X Research source
Expert Q&A
![best picture composition essays Heather Gallagher](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/18/Heather_Gallagher.png/-crop-200-200-200px-Heather_Gallagher.png)
- Be creative with your topics. However, something as simple as "things I like" will suffice so long as you stay creative. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Make sure you're familiar with your camera. It will make the photo composition a lot easier. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Don't get discouraged. It may take several tries to get the desired results in your photos. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
![best picture composition essays best picture composition essays](https://www.wikihow.com/images/9/99/News_v01_0420x0250.jpg)
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- ↑ http://digital-photography-school.com/5-photo-essay-tips/
- ↑ Heather Gallagher. Professional Photojournalist & Photographer. Expert Interview. 8 April 2020.
- ↑ http://improvephotography.com/30816/10-ideas-creative-photo-essays/
- ↑ http://www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-create-a-photo-essay/
- ↑ https://petapixel.com/how-to-create-a-photo-essay/
- ↑ http://photo.journalism.cuny.edu/week-5/
- ↑ http://clickitupanotch.com/2010/12/creating-a-photo-essay/
- ↑ https://photographylife.com/what-is-iso-in-photography
- ↑ https://wiredimpact.com/blog/how-to-make-a-photo-essay-nonprofit/
- ↑ http://digital-photography-school.com/5-tips-for-creating-a-photo-essay-with-a-purpose/
- ↑ https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/how-to-make-photo-essay-examples
About This Article
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To make a photo essay, start by selecting a subject that is easy to capture and that inspires you, like a friend or a family pet. Then, decide if you want to present your photo essay as thematic, which shows specific examples of a big idea, or narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end. Next, create an outline of your essay to determine which photos you’ll need, like an establishing shot. Finally, take your photos, select which images you want to use in your essay, and organize them according to your theme before adding text to explain the essay. To learn how to capture the best images, keep scrolling! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Photo Essay
Photo essay generator.
![best picture composition essays best picture composition essays](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Photo-Essay.png)
We all know that photographs tell a story. These still images may be seen from various perspectives and are interpreted in different ways. Oftentimes, photographers like to give dramatic meaning to various scenarios. For instance, a blooming flower signifies a new life. Photographs always hold a deeper meaning than what they actually are.
In essay writing , photographs along with its supporting texts, play a significant role in conveying a message. Here are some examples of these kinds of photo-text combinations.
What is Photo Essay? A photo essay is a visual storytelling method that utilizes a sequence of carefully curated photographs to convey a narrative, explore a theme, or evoke specific emotions. It goes beyond individual images, aiming to tell a cohesive and impactful story through the arrangement and combination of pictures.
Photo Essay Format
A photo essay is a series of photographs that are intended to tell a story or evoke a series of emotions in the viewer. It is a powerful way to convey messages without the need for many words. Here is a format to guide you in creating an effective photo essay:
1. Choose a Compelling Topic
Select a subject that you are passionate about or that you find intriguing. Ensure the topic has a clear narrative that can be expressed visually.
2. Plan Your Shots
Outline the story you wish to tell. This could involve a beginning, middle, and end or a thematic approach. Decide on the types of shots you need (e.g., wide shots, close-ups, portraits, action shots) to best tell the story.
3. Take Your Photographs
Capture a variety of images to have a wide selection when editing your essay. Focus on images that convey emotion, tell a story, or highlight your theme.
4. Edit Your Photos
Select the strongest images that best convey your message or story. Edit for consistency in style, color, and lighting to ensure the essay flows smoothly.
5. Arrange Your Photos
Order your images in a way that makes sense narratively or thematically. Consider transitions between photos to ensure they lead the viewer naturally through the story.
6. Include Captions or Text (Optional)
Write captions to provide context, add depth, or explain the significance of each photo. Keep text concise and impactful, letting the images remain the focus.
7. Present Your Photo Essay
Choose a platform for presentation, whether online, in a gallery, or as a printed booklet. Consider the layout and design, ensuring that it complements and enhances the visual narrative.
8. Conclude with Impact
End with a strong image or a conclusion that encapsulates the essence of your essay. Leave the viewer with something to ponder , reflecting on the message or emotions you aimed to convey.
Best Photo Essay Example?
One notable example of a powerful photo essay is “The Photographic Essay: Paul Fusco’s ‘RFK Funeral Train'” by Paul Fusco. This photo essay captures the emotional journey of the train carrying the body of Robert F. Kennedy from New York to Washington, D.C., after his assassination in 1968. Fusco’s images beautifully and poignantly document the mourning and respect shown by people along the train route. The series is a moving portrayal of grief, unity, and the impact of a historical moment on the lives of ordinary individuals. The photographs are both artistically compelling and deeply human, making it a notable example of the potential for photo essays to convey complex emotions and historical narratives.
Photo Essay Examples and Ideas to Edit & Download
- A Day in the Life Photo Essay
- Behind the scenes Photo Essay
- Event Photo Essay
- Photo Essay on Meal
- Photo Essay on Photo walking
- Photo Essay on Protest
- Photo Essay on Abandoned building
- Education photo essay
- Photo Essay on Events
- Follow the change Photo Essay
- Photo Essay on Personal experiences
Photo Essay Examples & Templates
1. narrative photo essay format example.
![best picture composition essays Narrative Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Narrative-Photo-Essay.jpg)
nytimes.com
2. Student Photo Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Student Photo Example](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Student-Photo-Example.jpg)
![](http://nandemo.space/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
3. Great Depression Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Great Depression Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Great-Depression-Essay.jpg)
thshistory.files.wordpress.com
4. Example of Photo Essay
![best picture composition essays Example of Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Example-of-Photo-Essay.jpg)
weresearchit.co.uk
5. Photo Essay Examples About Nature
![best picture composition essays Photo Essay Examples About Nature](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Photo-Essay-Examples-About-Nature.jpg)
cge-media-library.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com
6. Travel Photo Example
![best picture composition essays Travel Photo Example2](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Travel-Photo-Example2.jpg)
theguardian.com
7. Free Photo Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Free Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Free-Photo-Essay.jpg)
vasantvalley.org
Most Interesting Photo Essays of 2019
Now that you are educated with the fundamentals of photo essays, why not lay eyes on some great photo essays for inspiration. To give you a glimpse of a few epitomes, we collected the best and fascinating photo essays for you. The handpicked samples are as follows:
8. Toys and Us
![best picture composition essays Toys and Us](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Toys-and-Us.jpg)
journals.openedition.org
This photo essay presents its subject which is the latest genre of photography, toy photography. In this type of picture taking, the photographer aims to give life on the toys and treat them as his/her model. This photography follows the idea of a toy researcher, Katrina Heljakka, who states that also adults and not only children are interested in reimagining and preserving the characters of their toys with the means of roleplay and creating a story about these toys. This photo essay is based on the self-reflection of the author on a friend’s toys in their home environment.
9. The Faces of Nature Example
![best picture composition essays The Faces of Nature](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Faces-of-Nature.jpg)
godandnature.asa3.org
This photo essay and collection caters the creativity of the author’s mind in seeing the world. In her composition, she justified that there are millions of faces that are naturally made that some of us have not noticed. She also presented tons of photos showing different natural objects that form patterns of faces. Though it was not mentioned in the essay itself, the author has unconsciously showcased the psychological phenomenon, pareidolia. This is the tendency to translate an obscure stimulus that let the observer see faces in inanimate objects or abstract patterns, or even hearing concealed messages in music.
10. The Country Doctor Example
![best picture composition essays The Country Doctor](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Country-Doctor.jpg)
us1.campaign-archive.com
This photo essay depicts the medical hardships in a small rural town in Colorado called Kremling. For 23 days, Smith shadowed Dr. Ernest Ceriani, witnessing the dramatic life of the small town and capturing the woeful crisis of the region. The picture in this photographic essay was photographed by Smith himself for Life magazine in 1948 but remained as fascinating as it was posted weeks ago.
11. New York City Coffeehouses
![best picture composition essays New York City Coffeehouses](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/New-York-City-Coffeehouses.jpg)
lens.blogs.nytimes.com
Café Latte, cappuccino, espresso, or flat white—of course, you know these if you have visited a coffee shop at least once. However, the photographer of this photo essay took it to a whole new level of experience. Within two to three days of visiting various coffee places, Mr. Gavrysh stayed most of his day observing at the finest details such as the source of the coffee, the procedure of delivering them, and the process of roasting and grounding them. He also watched how did the baristas perfect the drinks and the reaction of the customers as they received their ordered coffee with delights in their faces. Gavrysh did not mean to compose a coffeehouse guide, but to make a composition that describes modern, local places where coffee is sipped and treated with respect.
12. Hungry Planet: What The World Eats
![best picture composition essays Hungry Planet What The World Eats](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hungry-Planet_-What-The-World-Eats.jpg)
13. Photo Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Photo Essay Example](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Photo-Essay-Example-.jpg)
cah.utexas.edu
14. Photo Essay in PDF
![best picture composition essays Photo Essay in PDF](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Photo-Essay-in-PDF.jpg)
condor.depaul.edu
15. Sample Photo Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Sample Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Sample-Photo-Essay.jpg)
colorado.edu
16. Basic Photo Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Basic Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Basic-Photo-Essay.jpg)
adaptation-undp.org
17. Printable Photo Essay Example
![best picture composition essays Printable Photo Essay](https://images.examples.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Printable-Photo-Essay.jpg)
One of the basic necessity of a person to live according to his/her will is food. In this photo essay, you will see how these necessities vary in several ways. In 2005, a pair of Peter Menzel and Faith D’ Aluisio released a book that showcased the meals of an average family in 24 countries. Ecuador, south-central Mali, China, Mexico, Kuwait, Norway, and Greenland are among the nations they visited. This photo essay is written to raise awareness about the influence of environment and culture to the cost and calories of the foods laid on the various dining tables across the globe.
Photo essays are not just about photographic aesthetics but also the stories that authors built behind those pictures. In this collection of captivating photo essays, reflect on how to write your own. If you are allured and still can’t get enough, there’s no need for you to be frantic about. Besides, there are thousands of samples and templates on our website to browse. Visit us to check them all out.
What are good topics for a photo essay?
- Urban Exploration: Document the unique architecture, street life, and cultural diversity of urban environments.
- Environmental Conservation: Capture the beauty of natural landscapes or document environmental issues, showcasing the impact of climate change or conservation efforts.
- Everyday Life in Your Community: Showcase the daily lives, traditions, and activities of people in your local community.
- Family Traditions: Document the customs, rituals, and special moments within your own family or another family.
- Youth Culture: Explore the lifestyle, challenges, and aspirations of young people in your community or around the world.
- Behind-the-Scenes at an Event: Provide a backstage look at the preparation and execution of an event, such as a concert, festival, or sports competition.
- A Day in the Life of a Profession: Follow a professional in their daily activities, offering insights into their work, challenges, and routines.
- Social Issues: Address important social issues like homelessness, poverty, immigration, or healthcare, raising awareness through visual storytelling.
- Cultural Celebrations: Document cultural festivals, ceremonies, or celebrations that showcase the diversity of traditions in your region or beyond.
- Education Around the World: Explore the various facets of education globally, from classrooms to the challenges students face in different cultures.
- Workplace Dynamics: Capture the atmosphere, interactions, and diversity within different workplaces or industries.
- Street Art and Graffiti: Document the vibrant and dynamic world of street art, capturing the expressions of local artists.
- Animal Rescues or Shelters: Focus on the efforts of organizations or individuals dedicated to rescuing and caring for animals.
- Migration Stories: Explore the experiences and challenges of individuals or communities affected by migration.
- Global Food Culture: Document the diversity of food cultures, from local markets to family meals, showcasing the role of food in different societies.
How to Write a Photo Essay
First of all, you would need to find a topic that you are interested in. With this, you can conduct thorough research on the topic that goes beyond what is common. This would mean that it would be necessary to look for facts that not a lot of people know about. Not only will this make your essay interesting, but this may also help you capture the necessary elements for your images.
Remember, the ability to manipulate the emotions of your audience will allow you to build a strong connection with them. Knowing this, you need to plan out your shots. With the different emotions and concepts in mind, your images should tell a story along with the essay outline .
1. Choose Your Topic
- Select a compelling subject that interests you and can be explored visually.
- Consider the story or message you want to convey. It should be something that can be expressed through images.
2. Plan Your Essay
- Outline your narrative. Decide if your photo essay will tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end, or if it will explore a theme or concept.
- Research your subject if necessary, especially if you’re covering a complex or unfamiliar topic.
3. Capture Your Images
- Take a variety of photos. Include wide shots to establish the setting, close-ups to show details, and medium shots to focus on subjects.
- Consider different angles and perspectives to add depth and interest to your essay.
- Shoot more than you need. Having a large selection of images to choose from will make the editing process easier.
4. Select Your Images
- Choose photos that best tell your story or convey your theme.
- Look for images that evoke emotion or provoke thought.
- Ensure there’s a mix of compositions to keep the viewer engaged.
- Sequence your images in a way that makes narrative or thematic sense.
- Consider the flow and how each image transitions to the next.
- Use juxtaposition to highlight contrasts or similarities.
6. Add Captions or Text (Optional)
- Write captions to provide context or additional information about each photo. Keep them brief and impactful.
- Consider including an introduction or conclusion to frame your essay. This can be helpful in setting the stage or offering a final reflection.
7. Edit and Refine
- Review the sequence of your photos. Make sure they flow smoothly and clearly convey your intended story or theme.
- Adjust the layout as needed, ensuring that the visual arrangement is aesthetically pleasing and supports the narrative.
8. Share Your Essay
- Choose the right platform for your photo essay, whether it’s a blog, online publication, exhibition, or print.
- Consider your audience and tailor the presentation of your essay to suit their preferences and expectations.
Types of Photo Essay
Photo essays are a compelling medium to tell a story, convey emotions, or present a perspective through a series of photographs. Understanding the different types of photo essays can help photographers and storytellers choose the best approach for their project. Here are the main types of photo essays:
1. Narrative Photo Essays
- Purpose: To tell a story or narrate an event in a chronological sequence.
- Characteristics: Follows a clear storyline with a beginning, middle, and end. It often includes characters, a setting, and a plot.
- Examples: A day in the life of a firefighter, the process of crafting traditional pottery.
2. Thematic Photo Essays
- Purpose: To explore a specific theme, concept, or issue without being bound to a chronological sequence.
- Characteristics: Centers around a unified theme, with each photo contributing to the overall concept.
- Examples: The impact of urbanization on the environment, the beauty of natural landscapes.
3. Conceptual Photo Essays
- Purpose: To convey an idea or evoke a series of emotions through abstract or metaphorical images.
- Characteristics: Focuses on delivering a conceptual message or emotional response, often using symbolism.
- Examples: Loneliness in the digital age, the concept of freedom.
4. Expository or Informative Photo Essays
- Purpose: To inform or educate the viewer about a subject with a neutral viewpoint.
- Characteristics: Presents factual information on a topic, often accompanied by captions or brief texts to provide context.
- Examples: The process of coffee production, a day at an animal rescue center.
5. Persuasive Photo Essays
- Purpose: To convince the viewer of a particular viewpoint or to highlight social issues.
- Characteristics: Designed to persuade or elicit action, these essays may focus on social, environmental, or political issues.
- Examples: The effects of plastic pollution, the importance of historical preservation.
6. Personal Photo Essays
- Purpose: To express the photographer’s personal experiences, emotions, or journeys.
- Characteristics: Highly subjective and personal, often reflecting the photographer’s intimate feelings or experiences.
- Examples: A personal journey through grief, documenting one’s own home during quarantine.
7. Environmental Photo Essays
- Purpose: To showcase landscapes, wildlife, and environmental issues.
- Characteristics: Focuses on the natural world or environmental challenges, aiming to raise awareness or appreciation.
- Examples: The melting ice caps, wildlife in urban settings.
8. Travel Photo Essays
- Purpose: To explore and present the culture, landscapes, people, and experiences of different places.
- Characteristics: Captures the essence of a location, showcasing its uniqueness and the experiences of traveling.
- Examples: A road trip across the American Southwest, the vibrant streets of a bustling city.
How do you start a picture essay?
1. choose a compelling theme or topic:.
Select a theme or topic that resonates with you and has visual storytelling potential. It could be a personal project, an exploration of a social issue, or a visual journey through a specific place or event.
2. Research and Conceptualize:
Conduct research on your chosen theme to understand its nuances, context, and potential visual elements. Develop a conceptual framework for your photo essay, outlining the key aspects you want to capture.
3. Define Your Storytelling Approach:
Determine how you want to convey your narrative. Consider whether your photo essay will follow a chronological sequence, a thematic structure, or a more abstract and conceptual approach.
4. Create a Shot List:
Develop a list of specific shots you want to include in your essay. This can help guide your photography and ensure you capture a diverse range of images that contribute to your overall narrative.
5. Plan the Introduction:
Think about how you want to introduce your photo essay. The first image or series of images should grab the viewer’s attention and set the tone for the narrative.
6. Consider the Flow:
Plan the flow of your photo essay, ensuring a logical progression of images that tells a cohesive and engaging story. Consider the emotional impact and visual variety as you sequence your photographs.
7. Shoot with Purpose:
Start capturing images with your conceptual framework in mind. Focus on images that align with your theme and contribute to the overall narrative. Look for moments that convey emotion, tell a story, or reveal aspects of your chosen subject.
8. Experiment with Perspectives and Techniques:
Explore different perspectives, compositions, and photographic techniques to add visual interest and depth to your essay. Consider using a variety of shots, including wide-angle, close-ups, and detail shots.
9. Write Descriptive Captions:
As you capture images, think about the accompanying captions. Captions should provide context, additional information, or insights that enhance the viewer’s understanding of each photograph.
What are the key elements of a photo essay?
1. Theme or Topic:
Clearly defined subject matter or theme that unifies the photographs and tells a cohesive story.
2. Narrative Structure:
An intentional narrative structure that guides the viewer through the photo essay, whether chronological, thematic, or conceptual.
3. Introduction:
A strong introduction that captures the viewer’s attention and sets the tone for the photo essay.
4. Captivating Images:
A series of high-quality and visually compelling images that effectively convey the chosen theme or story.
5. Variety of Shots:
A variety of shots, including wide-angle, close-ups, detail shots, and different perspectives, to add visual interest and depth.
6. Sequencing:
Careful sequencing of images to create a logical flow and emotional impact, guiding the viewer through the narrative.
7. Captions and Text:
Thoughtful captions or accompanying text that provide context, additional information, or insights, enhancing the viewer’s understanding.
8. Conclusion:
A concluding section that brings the photo essay to a satisfying close, leaving a lasting impression on the viewer.
Purpose of a Photo Essay
With good writing skills , a person is able to tell a story through words. However, adding images for your essay will give it the dramatic effect it needs. The photographs and the text work hand in hand to create something compelling enough to attract an audience.
This connection goes beyond something visual, as photo essays are also able to connect with an audience emotionally. This is to create an essay that is effective enough to relay a given message.
5 Tips for Creating a Photo Essay
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. Find the right angle and be dramatic with your description, just be creative.
- Pay attention to detail. Chances are, your audience will notice every single detail of your photograph.
- Shoot everything. Behind a single beautiful photo is a hundred more shots.
- Don’t think twice about editing. Editing is where the magic happens. It has the ability to add more drama to your images.
- Have fun. Don’t stress yourself out too much but instead, grow from your experience.
What is a photo essay for school?
A school photo essay is a visual storytelling project for educational purposes, typically assigned to students. It involves creating a narrative using a series of carefully curated photographs on a chosen theme.
How many pictures should be in a photo essay?
The number of pictures in a photo essay varies based on the chosen theme and narrative structure. It can range from a few impactful images to a more extensive series, typically around 10-20 photographs.
Is a photo essay a story?
Yes, a photo essay is a visual storytelling form. It uses a series of carefully curated photographs to convey a narrative, evoke emotions, or communicate a specific message or theme.
What makes a photo essay unforgettable?
An unforgettable photo essay is characterized by a powerful theme, emotionally resonant images, a well-crafted narrative structure, attention to detail, and a connection that leaves a lasting impact on viewers.
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5 Steps to Write a Picture Composition
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Writing a picture composition involves crafting a narrative or description around an image. Whether you’re describing a photograph, a painting, or an imagined scene, effective picture composition requires careful planning and attention to detail.
Write a Compelling Picture Composition in Five Steps
Step 1: select a theme or subject.
The first step in writing a picture composition is to select a theme or subject for your piece. This could be a specific image you’re describing or a broader concept you want to convey. Consider the mood you want to create and the message you want to communicate to your audience .
For example, if you’re describing a photograph of a serene mountain landscape, your theme might be the beauty of nature or the tranquility of the outdoors. If you’re writing about a painting of a bustling city street, your theme could be urban life or the contrast between order and chaos.
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Step 2: Plan Your Composition
Once you’ve chosen a theme or subject, it’s time to plan your composition. Think about the elements you want to include in your description and how you want to organize them. Consider the overall structure of your piece and the flow of ideas from one point to the next.
One possible way to begin writing a composition is to list the primary topics you wish to discuss. This could involve setting the scene, introducing any individuals or objects, and highlighting any notable qualities or factors. To write an appealing and captivating story, structure your ideas logically.
Step 3: Choose Your Perspective
Perspective plays a crucial role in picture composition . Think about the point of view from which you want to describe the image. Are you describing it as an observer, a participant, or a narrator? Consider how your choice of perspective will influence the tone and atmosphere of your composition.
For example, if you’re describing a photograph of a family picnic, you might adopt the perspective of one of the family members, allowing you to convey their thoughts and emotions. Alternatively, you could describe the scene from a neutral observer’s point of view, focusing on the details of the setting and the interactions between the characters.
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Step 4: Consider Lighting and Color
Lighting and color are essential elements of any visual composition, and they can also play a significant role in your written description. Think about how light and color contribute to the mood and atmosphere of the image you’re describing.
Consider how visual components what kind of light is it? Is it direct and harsh, producing sharp contrasts, or is it soft and diffused, generating delicate shadows? Think about the way the colors blend together; are they bold and rich or subtle and muted? enhance the image's overall effect and include them in your written description.
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Step 5: Add Details and Final Touches
Once you’ve established the basic framework of your composition, it’s time to add details and final touches to bring your description to life. Describe the scene's sounds, smells, and textures to engage your reader’s imagination and create a more immersive experience.
Think about how you may improve your description and convey deeper levels of meaning by using figurative language such as similes and metaphors. Experiment with different literally techniques, such as foreshadowing, symbolism, and irony, to add complexity and depth to your composition. And don’t forget to revise and polish your writing to ensure clarity, coherence, and impact.
A picture composition requires careful planning, attention to detail, and creative imagination. You can create an engaging and compelling description that perfectly captures the essence of your chosen image by following these five simple steps
- Choosing a theme or subject
- Organizing your composition
- Selecting your perspective
- Thinking about lighting and color
- Adding details and finishing touches.
You can find the strategy and technique that works best for you by experimenting, and don't hesitate to express your originality. With dedication and practice, you may master the art of picture creation and produce spectacular and unique descriptions that engage and motivate your audience.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1: How can I make my composition more engaging and memorable?
Ans: Focus on capturing the reader’s imagination through rich sensory details, compelling imagery, and expressive language. Create a sense of immediacy and intimacy by immersing the reader in the sights, sounds, and emotions of the scene.
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45 Photo Essay Topics
Most academic writing assignments involve just that – writing. But in the case of a photo essay, the assignment becomes one of both writing and photography. A photo essay is simply an essay that uses images instead of (or in addition to) words to tell a story or make a point.
A good photo essay will capture your audience’s attention and tell a story that resonates with them on an emotional level. To create a successful photo essay, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
This detailed guide will walk you through the essential steps of creating a photo essay and provide you with 45 photo essay topics to get you started.
What Is a Photo Essay?
A photo essay is a written piece that uses images to tell a story or make a point. In other words, it’s an essay that depends primarily on visuals rather than text to communicate its message.
Photo essays are usually themed around a particular subject or topic and can be created for a variety of purposes. They can be used to:
- Tell a news story
- Raise awareness about an important issue
- Share a personal experience
- Document a place or event
- Highlight the work of a specific artist or photographer
No matter what the purpose of your photo essay is, there are a few key elements that should be included in order to impact the audience to the best degree.
What Makes a Good Photo Essay?
A good photo essay will have a clear focus, with each image adding something new to the story. It should also be structured to make sense so that the viewer can easily follow along and understand the point you’re trying to make.
When choosing images for your photo essay, be sure to select ones that are high quality and have a consistent theme or style. This will help create a cohesive story that is visually pleasing and easy to follow.
It’s also important to ensure that your images are appropriately captioned and credited, especially if you’re using someone else’s work. This ensures that your photo essay is both accurate and legal.
Steps for Creating a Photo Essay
Creating a photo essay is a process that requires time, patience, and careful planning. Follow these steps to create a successful photo essay:
1. Choose a topic or theme
The first step in creating a photo essay is to choose the topic or theme you want to focus on. This can be anything from a place, an event, or even a person. Once you’ve decided on your subject, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas for your essay.
2. Do your research
If you’re documenting a place or an event, it’s important to do your research beforehand. This will help you understand your subject’s background and give you a better idea of what to include in your essay.
3. Gather your material
Now it’s time to start gathering the material for your essay. This includes both images and text. Remember, if you’re using someone else’s photos, be sure to get their permission first.
4. Choose a format
There are a few different ways you can format your photo essay. The most common is to create a series of images that progress in a linear fashion, such as from left to right or top to bottom.
Another option is to arrange your images more abstractly, such as in a grid or collage. This can help to add visual interest and variety to your essay.
5. Edit your material
Once you have all of your material gathered, it’s time to start editing. This includes both choosing which images to use and writing the accompanying text.
For the images, you’ll want to select those that are the most visually appealing and that best support the story you’re trying to tell. As you edit, also be sure to crop and resize your images as needed.
For the text, you’ll want to write a brief introduction and conclusion, as well as captions for each of your images. The goal is to provide just enough context and information to help viewers understand what they’re seeing.
6. Design your essay
Now it’s time to start putting your photo essay together. If you’re using a linear format, begin by arranging your images in the order you want them to appear. Then, add the accompanying text.
If you’re using a more creative format, start by playing around with different ways to arrange your images. Then, add the text once you’ve settled on a design you like.
7. Finalize and Hand it in
Once you’ve designed your photo essay, it’s time to finalize it and hand it in. Be sure to proofread the text for any errors and check the images to ensure they’re properly captioned. It is highly recommended to use a professional printing service to print your photo essay to ensure the best possible quality.
Understanding how to create a photo essay is only half the battle. The other half is finding a topic that you’re passionate about that will also interest your audience. To help get you started, here are 45 ideas for photo essay topics:
Photo Essay Topics About Places
- Your hometown
- A nearby city or town
- A favorite vacation spot
- An interesting landmark
- A place from your childhood
- A hidden gem in your town
- The most beautiful place you’ve ever been
- The most interesting place you’ve ever been
- The strangest place you’ve ever been
- A place that is significant to you for personal reasons
- A place that is significant to your family
- A place with a lot of history
- A place that is in danger of disappearing
Photo Essay Topics About Events
- A sporting event
- A music festival
- A parade or procession
- A protest or demonstration
- An annual celebration in your town
- A once-in-a-lifetime event that you witnessed
- An event that had a significant impact on you
- An event that had a significant impact on your community
- An event that is widely considered to be positive
- An event that is widely considered to be negative
- A controversial event
- A natural disaster
- A man-made disaster
Photo Essay Topics About People
- The people in your neighborhood
- The people at your job
- Your family
- Your friends
- The elderly
- A group of people with a common interest or hobby
- A group of people from a different culture than your own
- A group of people who are disadvantaged or marginalized in some way
- A group of people who are often misunderstood
- Celebrities
- Politicians
- Everyday people
Photo Essay Topics About Concepts
A photo essay is an interesting assignment that can help you express your creativity while also teaching you how to pay attention to detail, tell a story, and edit images. If you follow the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful photo essay.
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Early photographers quickly realized that an image could be worth 1,000 words - and in some cases many more. Words evoke a largely intellectual response from those who read them, but images can produce intense emotional reactions. A good photojournalist harnesses this potential to confront viewers with the reality of pain, injustice or whatever his or her story incorporates. Indeed a successful and factual photo essay has the potential to bring about social change, provoke lawmakers in to changing laws, and even end wars.
An effective and successful essay produces an emotional reaction in the majority of viewers. It may cause them to laugh, feel sad, angry or even walk away in tears. Such reactions are evidence of an author's success. Viewers who walk away unmoved feed back a much less positive message about the success of the work. The best photo essays, like good books and music, tend to stand the test of time. They are still around after countless years, often because the message they convey continues to be relevant even though the events portrayed have long since passed in to history.
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150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity (Free Google Slides)
Use a picture to write a thousand words!
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Creative writing is a challenge for many students, often because they can’t come up with anything to write about. That’s why we love picture writing prompts. Each one sparks the imagination and helps young writers jump right into crafting a story to match. We rounded up a whole collection of intriguing images to help kids in grades K-12 along. Plus we designed a set of free Google Slides featuring all of the prompts so you can easily share them with students.
Tip: Start by showing students the picture (or let them choose from among several) without making any comment about what they’re seeing. For kids who still struggle to get started, suggest a potential title or opening sentence, like the examples included here.
Don’t miss our free downloadable. Grab your full set of ready-to-go Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all of the prompts below.
Elementary Picture Writing Prompts
Middle school picture writing prompts, high school picture writing prompts, art picture writing prompts.
When kids first see these picture writing prompts, they may or may not immediately feel inspired. Try asking general questions like these to get them started:
- What are the names of the people or animals in the picture?
- How do you think the people or animals in the picture are feeling?
- How would you describe the setting, including the weather, sounds, smells, etc.?
- What do you think the people or animals are saying or are about to say?
- What happened right before this picture was taken? What will happen next?
Included below are more questions for each image to boost creativity, along with potential titles and opening lines.
![Writing Prompts: Puppy Love Dog holding a rose in its mouth, with a heart-shaped cloud in the sky](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/puppy-love-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When Larry fell in love, he fell hard.
Jump-Start Questions: Where did the dog get the rose? Who or what is the dog bringing the rose to? Can the dog talk like a human?
Ask for a Sign
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Opening Line Idea: When the new sign appeared on Main Street, everyone in town wondered exactly what it meant. ADVERTISEMENT
Jump-Start Questions: Does the sign read “ask,” or do the letters A-S-K stand for something else instead? Who put up the sign, and why? Why is the sign lit up during the day when no other lights are on?
Snowy Footprints
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Opening Line Idea: After that crazy day, all that was left to show for it was footprints in the snow.
Jump-Start Questions: How many different people made these prints? Is this snow, or could it be some other white substance? Were the people who made these prints walking or running?
Dinosaur Bones
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Opening Line Idea: “Come with me if you want to live!” Ash said, reaching out a hand.
Jump-Start Questions: What creature is this the skull of? Why is the person inside the skull in the first place? Is the person in the picture asking for help or inviting someone to join them inside the skull?
Undersea Treasure
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Opening Line Idea: For years, no one saw the locked treasure chest but the local fish, who wondered what it could contain.
Jump-Start Questions: Who left this treasure chest here, and when? What are three different things that could be inside? Do the bubbles mean there’s something alive inside the chest?
A Game of Fetch
![Picture Prompts: Snowman and Dog A claymation dog bringing a stick to a snowman in a snowy scene](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/snowman-dog.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: To Scout, it was a game, but to Mr. Freezy, it was much more.
Jump-Start Questions: Are the dog and snowperson friends? Who built the snowperson, and where did they get the hat? Who does the dog belong to?
Ladybug Gossip
![Picture Prompts: Ladybug Pair Of pair of spotted red ladybugs perched on a leaf](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/ladybug-pair.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The ladybug’s picnic was an excellent chance to meet up with old friends and hear all the latest gossip.
Jump-Start Questions: Are these ladybugs friends or enemies? Are the leaves very small, or are the ladybugs very big? Was this picture taken in a garden, a wild meadow, or some other place?
![Picture Prompts: Peek-a-Boo Two children peering in through a barred window](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/peek-a-boo.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: We met them when they peeked into our window, watching us as we watched cartoons.
Jump-Start Questions: Are these children looking into their own house or someone else’s? Do they want to come inside or would they rather stay outside? Who is looking at the children from the other side of the window?
King of the Jungle
![Picture Prompt: Lion King Majestic lion perched on a log wearing a crown](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/lion-king.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It wasn’t the crown that made Amari the king of all he surveyed.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this lion in the wild or in captivity like a zoo? Is the crown real, or is the lion imagining it? How does the person taking the photo feel about the lion?
The Final Pitch
![Picture Prompt: Little League Small child waiting at home base for a baseball pitch that's about to arrive](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/little-league-player.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It all came down to this—the final pitch in a game that was tied 2-2.
Jump-Start Questions: Does the player hit the ball, and if so, do they make it to a base? What is the score of the game so far? How did the player get dirt on their knees?
Doggie Massage
![Picture Writing Prompts: Doggie Massage Two dogs sitting in a way that looks like one is giving the other a back massage](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/doggie-massage-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Every dog in the neighborhood knew that Rocky gave the best massages and was always willing to lend an ear too.
Jump-Start Questions: Do these two dogs know each other, or did they just meet? Is the dog on the right feeling happy, annoyed, or something else? Give three different reasons why the dogs are sitting like this.
Skateboard Life
![Picture Prompts: Skateboard Girl Girl in a striped shirt and red headband posing with a skateboard in front of some graffiti](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/skateboard-girl.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When Charli got her first skateboard, she made herself a promise.
Jump-Start Questions: What does the graffiti on the wall mean, and how did it get there? Where did this girl get her skateboard from? Who taught her how to skateboard?
Garden of the Past
![Picture Prompts: Vintage Garden Painting of a woman in old-fashioned clothing walking in a cottage garden](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/vintage-garden.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The woman walked in the garden every day, never saying a word.
Jump-Start Questions: Where and when does this garden grow? Who planted this garden and why? What will the woman do with the flowers she is picking?
Sunset Friends
![Picture Prompt: Sunset Playground Two children on a jungle gym silhouetted against a setting sun](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/sunset-playground.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: They met on the jungle gym every day at sunset, sharing everything about their days.
Jump-Start Questions: Was this photo taken in the morning or the evening? What time of year is it? Are the children playing on the jungle gym or just hanging out and talking?
Pink Umbrellas
![Picture Prompts: Pink Umbrellas A sunny alleyway with pink umbrellas strung across it](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/pink-umbrellas-prompt-800x534.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When the pink umbrellas first appeared, Toni thought they might be magic.
Jump-Start Questions: Where and when was this picture taken? Who hung the pink umbrellas? Who lives in the buildings along this alley?
Firefly Forest
![Picture Prompts: Firefly Forest Illustration of a forest at night filled with fireflies](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/firefly-forest.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Olivia was surprised to discover that the fireflies didn’t just glow, they also sang.
Jump-Start Questions: Are all the lights in this picture fireflies, or is something else glowing? What does this forest sound and smell like? Would you want to be in this forest alone in the middle of the night?
Robot Spider
![Picture Prompts: Robot Spider A large mechanical spider standing on a stormy beach](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/robot-spider-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When it first crawled ashore, the mechanical spider moved slowly.
Jump-Start Questions: Was this robot spider built by humans, or does it come from another planet? Does the spider run on its own, or is there a person or creature inside it? Where is the spider now, and where is it going?
Fallen House
![Picture Prompt: Hurricane House House tipped on its side following a hurricane](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/hurricane-house.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Staring at their house, which was now on its side, the whole family was in shock.
Jump-Start Questions: Who used to live in this house? Was anyone inside the house when it fell, and are they OK? What caused the house to fall but not be completely destroyed?
Red Riding Hood
![Picture Prompt: Red Riding Hood A young girl wearing a red hooded cape riding a brown horse in the forest](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/girl-horse-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: If only she’d been riding her faithful steed the day she’d met the Big Bad Wolf, things might have been very different.
Jump-Start Questions: Why is the girl barefoot? Why is the horse wearing a necklace? Who gave the girl her red hood and cape?
Kangaroo Fall
![Picture Prompt: Kangaroo Fall A kangaroo sprawled on its back in the grass](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/kangaroo-fall-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Well, this is embarrassing,” thought Bouncer, as laughter filled the air around him.
Jump-Start Questions: Did this kangaroo fall over, or is it just lying down? Where does the kangaroo live? Is there anything in the picture to explain what the kangaroo is doing?
![Picture Prompt: Lost Cat A child's hand-drawn sign for a lost cat attached to a tree](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/lost-cat-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Daci’s big brother said her signs wouldn’t help them find their runaway cat, but he was wrong.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this sign about a real lost cat? Who drew the picture? Does anyone ever find the lost cat?
Penguin Bookshop
![Picture Prompt: Penguin Bookshop An illustration of a penguin wearing a top hat, standing in a booksshop](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/penguin-bookshop.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: A visit to Sir Pickerel’s Penguin Bookshop is always an adventure.
Jump-Start Questions: Does the penguin own the bookstore, or is he only shopping there? Where did the penguin get his hat? What kind of books does the penguin like best?
![Writing Prompt: Egg Faces A carton of colorful eggs with faces drawn on them](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/egg-faces-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Of all the eggs in the carton, Ella was the one who could always crack you up.
Jump-Start Questions: Who colored these eggs? Are these real bird eggs or are they made of something else? Where are these eggs, and why are they there?
![Picture Prompts: Sky Swings Children writing a fairground swing ride](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/fairground-swings-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: That was the year Min was finally tall enough to ride the Sky Swings, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Jump-Start Questions: How high are these swings? Would you want to ride the swings? How would you feel if you were soaring through the air?
Rubber Duck Parade
![Writing Prompts: Rubber Ducks A row of rubber ducks in various costumes floating down a water-filled gutter](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/rubber-ducks-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It was truly an honor to be asked to lead the Spring Duck Parade.
Jump-Start Questions: Who put these ducks in the gutter? Are the ducks having fun, or are they being forced to be there? What would you do if you were walking along and saw these ducks?
Teddy Story Time
![Writing Prompts: Teddy Storytime Three teddy bears posed to look as if they're reading a book](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/teddy-bear-book-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Every afternoon, the three friends gathered for story time in their favorite spot in the woods.
Jump-Start Questions: What book are the bears reading? Where did the bears get the book? Are the bears all the same age?
Underwater School
![Writing Prompts: Underwater Child A child sitting at a desk, looking out the window at fish swimming by](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/underwater-child-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Nia thought going to school underwater would be exciting, but some days she really missed going outside for recess.
Jump-Start Questions: How does the child in the picture feel as she looks out the window? Where is the child? Why does the room look so dark?
![Picture Prompt: Happy Ball A red ball with a smiley face floating on the water](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/happy-ball-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The day Amos started his journey down the river, the sun was shining brightly.
Jump-Start Questions: What body of water is the ball floating in? How did it get there? Who does the ball belong to?
Turtle Trouble
![Picture Prompts: Sea Turtle A grumpy looking sea turtle floating in clear water](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/sea-turtle-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “None shall pass,” growled the old sea turtle, blocking the way.
Jump-Start Questions: What body of water is the turtle swimming in? How old is the turtle? How did the person who took the picture get so close to the turtle?
Dinosaur Race
![Writing Prompts: Dinosaur Race An illustration of a young girl racing alongside a dinosaur](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/dinosaur-race-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Pia was supposed to keep Balthazar on a leash, but once they reached the forest, she set him free and they both began to run.
Jump-Start Questions: What kind of dinosaur is this? Where are the girl and the dinosaur running to (or running from)? Is the dinosaur wild or the girl’s pet?
Finally Seeing Eye to Eye
![picture writing prompts cat and mouse Cartoon illustration of a large bear with a tiny mouse standing on its nose, looking into its eyes (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-cat-and-mouse.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “So, we meet at last, face-to-face,” Lord Squeakerton said to his enemy, the Count of Catnip.
Jump-Start Questions: How did the mouse get onto the cat’s nose? How does the cat feel about the mouse being there? Are the cat and mouse friends or enemies?
![Picture Writing Prompts Monkey face with mouth and eyes open in surprise](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-monkey.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It takes a lot to surprise a monkey, but you don’t see something like this every day.
Jump-Start Questions: What is the monkey looking at? How was the monkey feeling at that moment? If there was a speech bubble coming out of the monkey’s mouth, what would it say?
Not Coming Out
![Picture Writing Prompts: Hiding Child Child hiding behind a heap of pillows on a beige couch (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-hiding-kid.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The day started out normally enough, but by the end, Chris knew he was in over his head.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the child hiding, playing, or doing something else? Is the child at home or at someone else’s house? Are the child’s feet cold without socks?
Life on Other Planets
![Picture Writing Prompts: Space Scene A space scene showing a robot and robot dog standing on the surface of an alien planet, with a domed habitat behind them](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-space-dog.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Hurry up,” Grnklor told his robopup. “We have to get back inside before nightfall.”
Jump-Start Questions: What planet is this? Are the creatures robots, aliens, or something else? Could you breathe the air if you were standing on this planet?
Reindeer Games
![Picture Writing Prompts: Boy and Reindeer Boy leading a reindeer along a snowy path into the setting sun (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-reindeer.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The wind had died down, but the setting sun seemed to take all the warmth of the day with it.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the sun rising or setting? Who does the tricycle on the right belong to? Where are the child and the reindeer going, and why is the deer wearing a harness?
Something To Celebrate
![Picture Writing Prompts A young boy raises his arms in triumph as a young girl points at a computer screen, smiling (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-kids-computer.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Their classmates could hear their shouts of joy from all the way down the hall.
Jump-Start Questions: What is showing on the computer screen? How do these kids know each other? Where are these kids?
Home Sweet Mushroom
![Picture Writing Prompts: Mushroom House Illustration of a mushroom turned into a house, with a fence and lighted windows, under a full moon](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-mushroom-house.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When the fairies that lived in the garden invited her to stay with them for awhile, Maria wasn’t sure what to expect.
Jump-Start Questions: Who lives in the mushroom? Is this mushroom very big, or are the creatures who live in it very small? Did the mushroom grow this way, or did someone turn it into a house?
Loch Ness Mystery
![Picture Writing Prompts: Loch Ness Monster Model of the Loch Ness Monster rising from a lake](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-loch-ness.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “There it is! I told you Nessie is real!” Angus whispered to Lee.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the creature in the picture real or a statue of some kind? If it’s a statue, who put it there and why? How was the person who took this picture feeling at this moment?
Lonely Bear
![Picture Writing Prompts: Teddy Bear Worn teddy bear sitting on a stone bridge](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-bear.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It was hard to say who was lonelier that night, Amil or his lost stuffed bear, Jasper.
Jump-Start Questions: Who does the bear belong to? Is its owner nearby, or is the bear lost? How old is the bear?
Sometimes You Lose
![Picture Writing Prompts: Boy Boy sitting on the ground with his face in his hands](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-boy.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When his team lost the championship, Miguel was crushed, but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him.
Jump-Start Questions: Why is the boy upset? What would the boy’s friends say to him? What would his parents say to him?
Middle school writing prompts can be a little more complex, with pictures that have a lot of potential interpretations. You can use the same questions to kick-start creative thinking as you would with elementary students (see above), plus deeper questions like these:
- How does the picture make you feel?
- Who took the picture and why?
- What incidents led up to the moment of the image?
- What are three different things that could happen next?
- Does this picture take place in the past, present, or future?
![Picture Prompts: New Shoes A pair of light blue Converse sneakers](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/new-shoes-prompt-800x533.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Morgan was incredibly proud of those shoes, paid for entirely with money from after-school jobs.
Jump-Start Questions: Who is wearing the shoes? Would you like to have shoes like this? Imagine the shoes a year from now, dirty and worn; how did they get that way?
Never Lose Hope
![Writing Prompt: Never Lose Hope Splotch of green paint with the words](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/never-lose-hope-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: With his last bit of energy, Kai scrawled his message in the wet paint.
Jump-Start Questions: Who wrote this message and why? Where is this message written? Who might see and be inspired by the message?
![Picture Prompt: Rescue Button Computer keyboard with a red button reading Get Me Out of Here](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/rescue-button-prompt-800x444.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The keyboard button could only be used once, and no one knew exactly what happened when you pressed it.
Jump-Start Questions: Who created this keyboard? Would you press the button? How would you keep from pressing this button accidentally?
Piano Lessons
![Picture Prompts: Piano Keyboard A young child's hands on a piano keyboard](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/piano-keyboard-prompt-800x533.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Before she could even speak, Arya was drawn to the black and white keys.
Jump-Start Questions: Where is this piano, and who does it belong to? Will the child touch the keys gently or bang on them loudly? What song would you play on this piano?
![Picture Prompts: Fern Baby Rolled fern front photoshopped to look as if a baby is sleeping inside](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/fern-baby-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: There was no doubt about it, this was was indeed a very special kind of garden.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this a very tiny baby or a very large fern? Who does the baby belong to? Would you like to sleep rolled up in a plant?
![Writing Prompt: Sad Bunny A person wearing a dingy bunny costume standing on the end of a dock](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/sad-bunny-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: No matter how you looked at it, it had been a very rough day to be the Easter Bunny.
Jump-Start Questions: How did the bunny get so dirty? Is this a large bunny, or a person wearing a bunny suit? Where has the bunny been, and where is it going?
Empty Chairs
![Writing Prompts: Beach Chairs Four empty beach chairs on the shore, with seagulls flying overhead.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/beach-chairs-prompt-800x500.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: By sunset, all four chairs were empty, and the only signs of life were the gulls swooping down from above.
Jump-Start Questions: Why is one chair a different color from the others? Are these chairs abandoned or just empty temporarily? Why are the seagulls so interested in the chairs?
Floating Treasure
![Writing Prompt: Floating Chest Two black birds sitting on a chest floating in the water](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/floating-chest-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: To the birds, it was simply a convenient place to land, but Ali and I knew it was much more than that.
Jump-Start Questions: Would you open this chest if you found it, without knowing what’s inside? What are the spiky shapes on the left side of the picture? Is the bird on the right really there, or is it just a shadow?
Shadow Question
![Writing Prompt: Shadows A pair of sneakers and a person's shadow in a puddle](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/no-shadow-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: That was the day they discovered that just because you were invisible didn’t mean your shadow was.
Jump-Start Questions: How was this image created, and why? Who do the shoes belong to? How do optical illusions make you feel?
Letter and Key
![Writing Prompt: Letter and Key An old key lying on an old handwritten letter](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/letter-key-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The day she turned 12, Vivi’s aunt handed her an envelope containing a key … and the family secret.
Jump-Start Questions: What would you hope to find in an old letter like this? How old is the key? Where has this letter been before now?
Space Target
![Writing Prompts: Space Target An illustration of a woman aiming an arrow at a target against an outer space landscape](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/space-target-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Onyx paused, knowing that once their arrow hit the target, there was no knowing what would happen.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this planet in our galaxy? Is the person pictured a human, a robot, or an alien? What will happen if the person hits the target or misses it?
Mermaid Mystery
![Writing Prompt: Mermaid A mysterious figure that could be a mermaid, seen from below](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/mermaid-prompt-800x450.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It was a mermaid—or was it?
Jump-Start Questions: Is this creature floating in water or in the air? What would you do if you woke up like this one day? How is the creature feeling at this moment?
World on a String
![Writing Prompt: Planet Balloons A girl standing on a path, holding a suitcase and a bunch of balloons that look like planets](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/planet-balloons-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Her dad had promised to give her the world, but she wasn’t expecting three more planets as well.
Jump-Start Questions: Why is the girl holding a suitcase? Who gave the girl the balloons? What does it mean to “have the world on a string”?
Bee Standoff
![Writing Prompt: Bee Standoff Two bees face ot face on a purple flower](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/bee-standoff-prompt-800x533.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “This flower ain’t big enough for the both of us!” said Bianca.
Jump-Start Questions: Are the bees from the same colony or rival colonies? Why is this flower so special to the bees? Do you think the bees are cute or scary?
Solitary Seat
![Picture Prompts: Fireside Chair A leather chair next to an old woodstove with a valise and old books](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/fireside-chair.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: For as long as anyone could remember, Angus McGee spent his evenings in the same chair next to the woodstove.
Jump-Start Questions: How long has it been since anyone sat in this chair? What are the books on the floor? What do you think is in the bag on the left?
Best Friends
![Picture Prompts: Girl and Teddy A little girl holding a very large teddy bear, dragging it down a dirt road](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/girl-teddy-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When you decide to run away from home forever, you can’t possibly leave your best friend behind.
Jump-Start Questions: How is the girl feeling? How far do you think she has already walked? If you were running away from home, what would you take with you?
Dinosaur Demise
![Writing Prompts: Dinosaur Meteor Illustration of dinosaurs panicking as a meteor is about to hit the earth](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/dinosaur-meteor-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: In retrospect, setting the time machine to randomly choose any day and time in the past might not have been such a good idea.
Jump-Start Questions: If you were standing here watching this scene, what would you do? Do these dinosaurs survive whatever happens next? Would you stop the asteroid from killing off the dinosaurs if you could?
Magic Lamps
![Picture Prompts: Magic Lamps A collection of green](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/magic-lamps.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Choose wisely,” said the old shopkeeper, “for only one of these lamps is truly magic.”
Jump-Start Questions: Are these lamps brand-new or very old and well cared for? Do you think a magic genie living in a lamp would be good or evil? What wishes would you make, and what would happen if they came true?
Message in a Bottle
![Picture Prompts: Message in a Bottle Glass bottle on a seashore with a rolled up paper inside](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/message-bottle-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The message floated at sea for more than 50 years before the day we found it on the beach.
Jump-Start Questions: If you found a bottle like this, would you open it on your own or invite others to join you? What would you do with the letter inside? How far do you think this bottle has traveled?
Barrel Boat
![Writing Prompt: Barrel Race Man wearing a life jacket and paddling half a barrel in a lake](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/tub-race-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Of all the ways to impress someone, Jonah thought to himself, this had to be one of the most ridiculous.
Jump-Start Questions: Why is this person in a barrel instead of a boat? Do you think this looks like fun, or would it be scary? Why is the person wearing a life jacket?
Dragon Guardian
![Writing Prompts: Dragon Guardian A child sitting in the grass, with a dragon curled up around her](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/dragon-child-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When your parents give you your own dragon guardian, your childhood is bound to be enchanted.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this dragon real or the child’s imaginary friend? Is the dragon young or old? How does the child feel about the dragon?
Octopus’s Garden
![Picture Writing Prompts: Under the Sea Diver encountering a large octopus with fish in the background (Middle School Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-octopus.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Wouldn’t you like to be under the sea, in an octopus’s garden in the shade?
Jump-Start Questions: Where was this picture taken? Is the octopus attacking the person or just swimming nearby? How much oxygen does the person have left in their tank?
Around the Corner
![Picture Writing Prompts: Around the Corner Girl peering around a corner at a boy walking a dog](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-girl-and-boy.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: After finally pressing “send,” she couldn’t resist peeking around the corner to watch him read the text.
Jump-Start Questions: Do these kids know each other? Does the person in front know the other person is watching them? Who does the car in the distance belong to?
Beam Me Up!
![Picture Writing Prompts: UFO Small child sitting in a field watching a flying saucer beam up its tricycle (Middle School Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-ufo.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Milo’s earliest memory was of watching his beloved tricycle float into the sky above him, caught in a beam of light.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the tricycle going up or coming down? Where is the light coming from? How does the child in the picture feel right now?
Poison Apple
![Picture Prompt: Apple Skeleton A red apple held in a skeleton's hand](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/apple-skeleton-800x533.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: To join the club, all Aaron had to do was creep up and snatch the apple from the skeleton’s hand without being seen.
Jump-Start Questions: Whose skeleton is this? Is the apple safe to eat? Would you eat this apple?
Giraffe Council
![Picture Writing Prompts: Giraffes Three giraffes shown from the neck up against a cloudy blue sku](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-giraffes.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “It is now 3 p.m., and I call this meeting of the Mighty Council of Giraffes to order,” announced Imari.
Jump-Start Questions: Why are these giraffes gathered together? What do giraffes like to talk about? Would you like to be a giraffe?
Mystery Creature
![Picture Prompts: Mystery Monster Computer illustrated creature with blue scales, pink spikes, and large eyes](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/pastel-monster.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: At first glance, it was hard to tell whether the little creature was friend or foe.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this creature big or small? Is it alone, or are there others like it? Would you keep this creature as a pet?
![Picture Writing Prompts: Jump Woman leaping across a chasm silhouetted by an orange sky](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-jump.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: As the sky turned orange, Keisha ran faster than ever and used the last of her energy to push off and soar over the water below.
Jump-Start Questions: Why is this person running? Do they make the jump or fall into the water? Is this person jumping or floating?
The End of Days
![Picture Writing Prompts: War A boy stands with his bicycle watching as bombs rain down on a city skyline (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-war.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Despite their best efforts, they arrived too late—the battle had already begun.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the person going to the city or away from it? Who is attacking and why? What would you do if you saw this scene taking place?
Out of the Book
![Picture Prompts: Out of the Book Woman dressed in a blue ball gown peering out of a book lit from inside, with a mouse nearby](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/cinderella-book-800x533.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Happily ever after” was about to take on a whole new meaning.
Jump-Start Questions: Where is the light coming from in the book? Does the woman know she’s a book character? What will the mouse do when it sees the woman?
Stopped Clock
![Picture Prompts: Broken Clock Old broken alarm clock stopped at 11:17](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/broken-clock.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: I was sure that the time on the broken clock was the clue to solving the mystery.
Jump-Start Questions: How long has this clock been stopped at 11:17? Does the clock still work? Who does the clock belong to?
Dueling Webs
![Picture Prompts; Spiderwebs Two dew-covered spiderwebs in the early morning sun](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/spiderwebs.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It’s never a good idea to build your web too close to another spider’s, but this time she had no choice.
Jump-Start Questions: How do spiderwebs and spiders make you feel? Were these webs made by one spider or two? Would you knock down these webs or leave them alone?
Do Shoes Grow on Trees?
![Picture Writing Prompts: Shoe Tree A bare tree covered with hanging pairs of shoes against a clear blue sky](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-shoe-tree.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The day I threw my own shoes into the tree was the day I really started to grow up.
Jump-Start Questions: Who threw the first pair of shoes into the tree and why? If you saw a nice pair of shoes, would you try to get them down? Would you throw your own shoes into the tree?
Abstract Art
![Picture Prompts: Abstract Art Closeup of splotches of colorful paint](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/abstract-art.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “So,” asked their art teacher, “what do you think this painting means?”
Jump-Start Questions: Is the paint wet or dry? Is this the whole painting or a small part of a larger one? Who chose these colors and why?
Wandering Robots
![Picture Writing Prompts: Cardboard Robot Small cardboard robot in a field of daisies (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-robot.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Everything about NB-317 was made of cardboard except his heart—that was made of flesh and blood and very capable of being broken.
Jump-Start Questions: Who built this robot? Can the robot smell the flowers? Does the robot belong to someone, or is it an independent being?
Dream Come True
![Picture Writing Prompts: Balloon House Blue house floating in the sky above mountains, held up by blue balloons](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-house.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It all started when Quinn watched her favorite movie the night before they assigned partners for the eighth grade science fair project.
Jump-Start Questions: What is in the balloons to allow them to lift and carry a house? Is the house coming up or going down? Would you want to be inside the house right now?
Mysterious Cave
![Picture Prompt: Fractal Cave Rocky cave with strange geometric patterns in the rock](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/fractal-cave.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The cave was unlike anything we’d ever seen before, and what was more, it almost seemed like the rock was alive.
Jump-Start Questions: What made these shapes? What do the shapes look like to you? If this were a rock formation, would you want to explore it?
Storm at Sea
![picture writing prompts ship A pirate ship on stormy seas, with a purple sky and dramatic streaks of lightning](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-ship.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: As the rain lashed his face and lightning tore apart the sky, Kiran had to admit he’d always thought it would be a lot more fun being a pirate.
Jump-Start Questions: Is anyone on the ship, or is it abandoned? If you were the captain, what would you be thinking right now? What would happen if the ship capsized or was struck by lightning?
Grasshopper Close-Up
![Picture Prompts: Grasshopper Closeup A closeup view of a grasshopper looking directly at the camera](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/grasshopper-closeup.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: That’s when Javed realized it wasn’t that the grasshopper was too big—it was that he was suddenly very, very small.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this grasshopper cute or scary? What is the grasshopper looking at? Would you pick up this grasshopper or shoo it away?
UFO Parking
![Picture Prompt: UFO Parking Sign saying UFO Parking with picture of a flying saucer](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/ufo-parking-800x600.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Well, that’s convenient,” Javdok remarked to Qabow when they saw the sign.
Jump-Start Questions: Where is this sign located, and who hung it? Would spaceships need parking lots on land, or could you just leave them in the sky and beam down? Do you think this parking lot is free, and if not, how much does it cost to park a spaceship?
High school writers are ready to dig deep, exploring character development and detailed plots. These pictures offer a jumping-off point to set their imaginations free. Try questions like these:
- What mood does the picture evoke?
- If your friend texted you this picture with no explanation, what would you think?
- What would you say to the person in the picture?
- Write five words for each of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) related to the picture.
- Is this picture the beginning, the middle, or the end of the story?
Cyborg Girl
![Picture Writing Prompts: Cyborg Girl An altered image showing a young girl in a black dress with a white collar, with a neck made of mechanical gears](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/cyborg-girl.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: When she was 14, Tasha’s parents finally told her the truth about what she really was.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the cyborg crying or malfunctioning? Who chose the cyborg’s clothes? Has the girl always known she is a cyborg?
BBQ Cookout
![Picture Prompts: BBQ Grill Barbeque grill with many different kinds of meat](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/bbq-grill-800x476.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “So, I’m guessing no one told you I’m a vegetarian?” asked Sadie with a smile.
Jump-Start Questions: What would you do if you were invited to a meal where there was nothing you could eat? Does this meal look delicious or disgusting? Would you rather be the one grilling or the one cleaning up afterward?
![Picture Prompts: Faces Hands holding up a phone with a picture of a baby's face in front an old man's face](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/faces-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The latest app was like a time machine, allowing people to look back in time, but it also had a dark side.
Jump-Start Questions: What is the man thinking about? Why is the baby picture the only part of the image that’s in color? Would you like to be able to see a picture of what you’ll look like when you’re 80 years old?
![Picture Prompts: Hopeless Woman sitting on a sidewalk with her head on her knees as others walk by](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/hopeless-prompt-800x600.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: She was surrounded by people but never felt more alone.
Jump-Start Questions: What does the woman’s sign say? Is this person homeless, or is she sitting on the street for another reason? Where will this person sleep tonight?
Hippo Troubles
![Picture Prompts: Hippo Mom and Baby A hippo mother and baby with its mouth open](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/hippo-mom-baby-800x571.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Like all parents, hippos sometimes really need a break from their kids.
Jump-Start Questions: Where do these hippos live? Does the mother hippo feel love for her baby? What would happen if a bee flew into the baby hippo’s mouth?
iPad Farmer
![Picture Prompts: iPad Farmer Old man in overalls using an iPad while snapping green beans](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/ipad-farmer-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Grandpa Jack never failed to surprise us.
Jump-Start Questions: What will the man do with the vegetables on his lap? Is this man a farmer or just someone who likes to garden on the weekend? Does it surprise you to see this man using technology in this setting?
Marching Band Blues
![Picture Prompt: Sousaphone Player Black man in a red shirt sitting on a bench, wearing a sousaphone](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/sousaphone-player.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Kaleel sat sadly on the bench, watching the rest of the band march away in jaunty time to the music.
Jump-Start Questions: Where is the rest of the marching band, and why isn’t this man with them? How long has the man owned the instrument, and who taught him to play? What kinds of music does this man like to listen to?
Never-Ending Tunnel
![Picture Prompt: Tunnel A white-tiled tunnel stretching far into the distance](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/tunnel-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The tunnel seemed to stretch to infinity, but Jayma knew what was at the end, and it terrified her.
Jump-Start Questions: Does this tunnel scare you or intrigue you? Would you rather walk, run, Rollerblade, or ride a skateboard from one end to the other? If the lights suddenly went out, what would you do?
Carving Out Love
![Picture Prompt: Initials in a Tree A birch tree with](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/tree-initials-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: For years, we wondered who “WP” was, and who it was who loved them so much they carved it into a tree for all to see.
Jump-Start Questions: Would you ever carve someone’s initials in a tree? Is carving initials in a tree the same as spray-painting graffiti? Would you feel bad if you had to cut this tree down and burn it for firewood?
Glowing Globe
![Writing Prompts: Glowing Globe Man holding a glowing globe in a misty library](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/glowing-globe-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Just then, the globe began to glow, and Jaxson knew he was about to leap through space and time once again—destination unknown.
Jump-Start Questions: What causes the globe to glow? Is the globe of Earth or another celestial body? What is the man pointing to?
See No Evil
![Picture Prompts: Posed Skeletons Three skeletons posed in the classic](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/posed-skeletons-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It seemed like a funny joke to pose the skeletons in front of old Mrs. Petoski’s house, but then she turned up dead, and the police said it was murder.
Jump-Start Questions: Who put these skeletons here and why? Which is worse: seeing evil, hearing evil, or speaking evil? How would you feel if you knew these were actual human skeletons, not props?
Upside Down
![Writing Prompt: Upside Down Woman hanging upside down from the ceiling in a kitchen](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/upside-down-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It’s an odd feeling to wake up one morning and find yourself able to walk on the ceiling.
Jump-Start Questions: What would the advantages and disadvantages of defying gravity be? Can this person go outside without floating away? Why is the microwave on top of the tall refrigerator?
Face at the Fence
![Picture Prompt: Face in a Fence Child with their face pressed up against a wire fence](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/boy-fence-prompt-800x537.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: So much depended on which side of the fence you were on.
Jump-Start Questions: Is this child on the outside looking in or the inside looking out? What might the fence be separating the child from? What would happen if the child tried to climb the fence?
Bicycle Race
![Picture Prompts: Bicycle Race Three people competing in a bicycle race](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/bicycle-race-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Finley had trained too hard for this race to come in third—it just wasn’t good enough.
Jump-Start Questions: Are these bikers competing, working as a team, or just biking for fun? What does the front biker’s arm tattoo symbolize? Is coming in second or third the same as losing?
Family Travels
![Writing Prompt: Family Travels Vintage photo of a Black family strapping luggage to a car, with a young girl posing in front](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/family-travels-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: In the picture, my grandmother’s expression is hard to interpret, but she’s told me the story many times.
Jump-Start Questions: What’s in the bags? If you saw this family pulled over on the side of the road, would you stop and ask if they needed help? Who gave the girl the ring she’s wearing on her finger?
Laundromat Antics
![Picture Prompt: Dryer Legs A pair of legs waving out of a dryer in a laundromat](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/dryer-legs-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Dani never expected to meet her first love feet first.
Jump-Start Questions: Is it safe for this person to be inside the washing machine? What would happen if someone closed the door and walked away? Would you ever crawl inside a washing machine or dryer?
![Picture Prompts: Ring and Note Black and white photo of a wedding ring lying on a sheet of notepaper saying "I'm sorry!"](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/ring-and-note-800x533.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Molly’s mom probably didn’t mean for her to be the one to find the note, but that’s how things turned out.
Jump-Start Questions: What would you do if you found this note and ring? What is the writer sorry for? Would you ever leave a note like this?
Through the Storm
![Writing Prompts: Truck in a STorm Pickup truck driving through flooded streets in a storm](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/truck-storm-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Javier knew it would have been smarter to stay put, but he had to make sure his mom was safe before the worst of the storm arrived.
Jump-Start Questions: Do you think it would be fun to be driving this truck or too dangerous? What would make you drive around in a storm like this? What will the scene look like after the storm has passed?
Lifetime Friends
![Writing Prompts: Baby Friends Two babies holding hands while being held by adults](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/baby-friends-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: They’d been friends for as long as they could remember—even longer, in fact.
Jump-Start Questions: Who is holding the babies, and how do they know each other? What are the expressions on the babies’ faces right now? Is the baby on the right reaching for the other baby’s pacifier?
Stray Kitten
![Writing Prompts: Stray Kitten A small kitten facing a person's legs, in black and white](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/stray-kitten-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “I am NOT taking you home with me,” Kai told the tiny mewling kitten firmly.
Jump-Start Questions: Would you pick this kitten up and take it home? Is the kitten’s mother nearby? Why is the kitten meowing at the person?
Abandoned Greenhouse
![Writing Prompts: Abandoned Greenhouse Woman inside an abandoned ramshackle greenhouse in the woods](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/abandoned-greenhouse-prompt-800x532.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Willow was free to leave at any time, but she couldn’t make herself go.
Jump-Start Questions: Who built this structure and when? How did the woman get inside? Would you rather knock this structure down or renovate it?
![Writing Prompts: Razor Wire A fence topped by rolls of razor wire against a blue sky](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/razor-wire-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Amani’s earliest memory was razor wire—miles and miles of it.
Jump-Start Questions: Does this fence make you feel safe or anxious? What does this fence separate? If you had to get past this fence, what would you do?
Church Graveyard
![Picture Prompts: Church Graveyard An old graveyard outside a stone church](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/church-graveyard-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Everyone feels differently in a graveyard, but for me, they’re very peaceful places.
Jump-Start Questions: Who wrote the epitaphs on the front two graves? Do you find this cemetery peaceful or creepy, and would you feel differently at night? Does anyone ever bring flowers to these graves?
Orb of Death
![Writing Prompts: Crystal Ball A hooded figure folding out a crystal ball with a spooky image in it](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/crystal-ball-prompt-800x450.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Do you really want to know?” Death asked. “Because once you know, you won’t be able to forget.”
Jump-Start Questions: Is the globe showing a reflection or a vision? If Death offered to reveal your future, would you accept? Who did the skull on the left belong to in life?
Missed Shot
![Writing Prompts: Wheelchair basketball Men in wheelchairs playing basketball, as one laments a missed shot](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/wheelchair-basketball-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Steve was sure his shot would make it, but it bounced off the rim just as the buzzer rang to end the game.
Jump-Start Questions: Is the player in front happy, sad, or something else? Would you rather be playing in the game or watching the game? What is the referee thinking about?
First Contact
![Picture Writing Prompts: Alien Alien figure with a human in a spacesuit visible in the window behind them (High School Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-alien.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: This was it—the moment that would change what it meant to be human forever.
Jump-Start Questions: What is reflected in the astronaut’s mask? Will the alien and the human be able to communicate with each other? How would you feel if you were the first human to meet an alien?
One Life To Live
![Picture Writing Prompts: Man An old man wearing a cowboy hat sits in front of a house (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-man.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: His face said his life had been a hard one, but his eyes told a different tale.
Jump-Start Questions: Where and when did this man get his hat? If you could ask this man one question, what would it be? Why did this man decide to grow a mustache?
Winter Walk
![Picture Writing Prompts: Winter Scene Snow-covered field with a winding trail of footprints](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-snow.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Snow fell, creating a blank canvas to record the story of that fateful walk.
Jump-Start Questions: How would you feel if you were walking in the snow in this scene? How would you find out what made the tracks? How far from civilization was this picture taken?
Train to Nowhere
![Picture Prompts: Abandoned Train Car Sepia-toned image of an old sleeper train car in disrepair](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/abandoned-train-car.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It certainly wasn’t the most luxurious way to travel, but then again, no one really wanted to make this trip in the first place.
Jump-Start Questions: What would it feel like to sleep here? Why has this place been abandoned? If you looked through the windows, what would you see outside?
Modern Mary Poppins
![Picture Writing Prompts: Mary Poppins Woman standing in the middle of a wheat field on a gray day, holding an umbrella and bag](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-mary-poppins.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: She dropped into our lives on a gray day in midwinter, a hint of the spring that was to come.
Jump-Start Questions: What is in the person’s bag? What are they waiting for? Who made the tracks in this field?
All That Remains
![Picture Writing Prompts: Empty Hallway A chair sits in the hallway of an abandoned building under a shaft of light from above (High School Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-school.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Dust motes filled the air of the abandoned hallway, replacing the voices once heard there.
Jump-Start Questions: Where is the light coming from? What is written on the walls? What would you hear if you were standing here?
![Picture Prompts: Pocket Pal A very small bunny being carried in a shirt pocket](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/bunny-pocket.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: From the day he found the little creature, Luis refused to go anywhere without him.
Jump-Start Questions: How would you feel if you were talking to this person and the animal suddenly poked its head out? What will happen when the creature is too big to fit in the pocket? Would you like a pocket-size pet?
The Question
![Picture Writing Prompts: Question Figure holding flowers behind its back, with a woman turning to look in the background](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-happy-ever-after.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Their happily ever after began quietly, with a bouquet of wildflowers.
Jump-Start Questions: What is the person in front about to say to the other person? Did they pick the flowers themselves, and do they have any special meaning? Where do the railroad tracks come from and go to?
Night Lights
![Picture Writing Prompts: Night Lights A person holding an umbrella walks down an alley toward a street filled with neon lights](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-night.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Misty rain both blurred and emphasized the lights that lit Suri’s way home that evening.
Jump-Start Questions: What is this person thinking about as they walk along? If this were you, would feel safe walking alone at night? What do you think the various signs say?
Forest of Fear
![Picture Writing Prompts: Fear Forest Black and white photo of tree trunks with arms and hands reach out from behind them (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-tree.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: At first, Mateo thought it was a joke, but the screams that followed told him there was nothing remotely funny about it.
Jump-Start Questions: Are there people behind the trees, or are the arms coming out of the trees themselves? Would you investigate or run away? What would you say to these people?
![Picture Prompts: Eye Camera Closeup of a human eye, with the pupil represented as a camera lens](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/eye-camera.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: At the elite level, being a spy meant serious commitments.
Jump-Start Questions: Would you like a cybernetic eye? What would you do if you woke up and found yourself with one against your will? Is this a human with an artificial eye or a very human-like cyborg?
The Yellow Door
![Picture Writing Prompts: Doors A row of white doors with one yellow door (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-doors.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: On their 14th birthday, every resident of Fresnia was required to stand before the Wall of Doors and make a choice.
Jump-Start Questions: Would you have painted this door yellow or chosen a different color? Do all the doors lead to the same place? Would you open the yellow door first, last, or not at all?
Graffiti Palace
![Picture Prompt: Graffiti Palace Abandoned warehouse with graffiti on the walls](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/graffiti-place.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: To strangers, it seemed random, but every mark on those walls had deep meaning for us.
Jump-Start Questions: Do you see this graffiti as vandalism or art? If you found a can of spray paint here, would you add your own contribution? What did this building used to be?
Fossil Fish
![Picture Prompt: Fossil Fish Fish fossil in light-colored stone](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/fossil-fish.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Millions of years ago, the fish gave one final flop before lying still in the deep mud.
Jump-Start Questions: How did this fish die? How was it different from modern fish? What other fossils do you think might be found nearby?
On the Rails
![Picture Writing Prompts: Rail Girl Woman standing on railroad tracks holding a guitar and looking off into the distant sunset (Picture Writing Prompts)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-writing-prompts-rail-girl.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Aliyah stood on the tracks, uncertain of where to go next.
Jump-Start Questions: Is it safe for this person to be walking along these railroad tracks? What kind of music does the person like to play on their guitar? Is the person alone by choice?
These picture prompts are all works of art, some more well known than others. Try providing them to students without sharing the titles first, then offer up the titles if they need some help getting started. We’ve also provided some opening line ideas.
The Dance Class (Edgar Degas)
![The Dance Class by Edgar Degas The Dance Class by Edgar Degas](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/the-dance-class-degas.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The studio was dusty, noisy, and crowded, but it was also home.
Greek Funerary Plaque (520-510 BCE)
![Greek Funerary Plaque Greek Funerary Plaque](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/funerary-plaque-greek.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: With one final tap and last dab of paint, the tablet was complete at last.
Washington Crossing the Delaware (Emanuel Leutze)
![Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/washington-delaware-leutze.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Was it bravery or sheer foolish bravado?
Kyōsai’s Pictures of One Hundred Demons
![Kyosai Pictorial Record of One Hundred Goblins (Kyosai hyakki ga Kyōsai’s Pictures of One Hundred Demons](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/kyosai-one-hundred-demons.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “So this is where the wild things are,” she thought.
First Steps, After Millet (Vincent van Gogh)
![First Steps by Vincent Van Gogh First Steps by Vincent Van Gogh](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/first-steps-van-gogh.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: After so many years of hope and disappointment, this child made it all worthwhile.
Lady Lilith (Dante Gabriel Rossetti)
![Lady Lilith by Dante Gabriel Rosetti Lady Lilith by Dante Gabriel Rosetti](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/lady-lilith-rosetti-800x934.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Every night, without fail, 100 slow and steady strokes, just like her mother taught her.
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (Georges Seurat)
![A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/sunday-grande-jatte-seurat.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: At what point does afternoon become evening?
After the Hurricane, Bahamas (Winslow Homer)
![After the Hurricane, Bahamas by Winslow Homer After the Hurricane, Bahamas by Winslow Homer](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/after-the-hurricane-homer.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The skies were clearing, but the seas raged on.
Drawing Lots for Prizes (Kitagawa Utamaro)
![Drawing Lots for Prizes by Kitagawa Utamaro Drawing Lots for Prizes by Kitagawa Utamaro](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/drawing-lots-kitagawa.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It was fun at first, but I soon grew tired of the never-ending parties, dancing, music, and false laughter.
Portions of Field Armor (Jacob Halder)
![Portions of a Field Armor by Jacob Halder Portions of a Field Armor by Jacob Halder](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/field-armor-prompt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The armor shone in the morning sun; by evening it would be scratched, worn, and covered in blood.
Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner (Lewis Wickes Hine)
![Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner by Lewis Wickes Hine Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner by Lewis Wickes Hine](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/sadie-pfeifer-spinner.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: She’d never realized the factory would be so incredibly loud, the noise unrelenting and cruel.
Still Life With Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers (Jean Baptiste Oudry)
![Still Life With Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers by Jean Baptiste Oudry Still Life With Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers by Jean Baptiste Oudry](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/still-life-monkey-oudrey.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “This is why we can’t have nice things,” she complained.
Man Leading a Giraffe, 5th Century Byzantine
![Man Leading a Giraffe, 5th Century Byzantine Man Leading a Giraffe, 5th Century Byzantine](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/man-leading-giraffe-byzantine.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: At this point, he couldn’t help but wonder: Was he leading the giraffe or was the giraffe leading him?
The Three Skulls (Paul Cézanne)
![The Three Skulls by Paul Cézanne The Three Skulls by Paul Cézanne](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/three-skulls-cezanne.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Nothing bothered her more than the empty, vacant eyes.
The Madame B Album (Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier)
![The Madame B Album by Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier The Madame B Album by Marie-Blanche Hennelle Fournier](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/madame-b-album.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Definitely a new species,” confirmed the curator.
Coiled Trumpet in the Form of a Snarling Feline Face (c. 100 BCE to 500 CE)
![Coiled Trumpet in the Form of a Snarling Feline Face (c. 100 BCE to 500 CE) Coiled Trumpet in the Form of a Snarling Feline Face (c. 100 BCE to 500 CE)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/coiled-trumpet.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The trumpet called them all to attention, and the audience fell silent in an instant.
Crazy Quilt With Animals (Florence Elizabeth Marvin)
![Crazy Quilt with Animals by Florence Elizabeth Marvin Crazy Quilt with Animals by Florence Elizabeth Marvin](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/crazy-quilt.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Every stitch and scrap spun a story.
Storytime (Eugenio Zampighi)
![Storytime by Eugenio Zampighi Storytime by Eugenio Zampighi](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/storytime-zampighi.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: They could spend hours there, and they often did.
Cubist Village (Georges Gaudion)
![Cubist Village by Georges Gaudion Cubist Village by Georges Gaudion](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/cubist-village-gaudion.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The Land of Oz looked very different from how Dorothy had described it.
Zig-Zag Passenger and Freight Train (Unknown)
![Zig-zag Passenger and Freight Train (Unknown) Zig-zag Passenger and Freight Train (Unknown)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/zig-zag-train.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Frankly, I didn’t care where the train was going, or how long it would take to get there.
The Power of Music (William Sidney Mount)
![The Power of Music The Power of Music by William Sidney Mount](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/the-power-of-music.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Sammy wanted to join in and lift his voice, but he knew they’d never welcome him in.
The Large Tree (Paul Gauguin)
![Picture Prompts: The Large Tree The Large Tree (Paul Gaugin)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/the-large-tree.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Outsiders saw it as paradise, and they weren’t far off.
After the Bath (Mary Cassatt)
![Picture Prompts: After the Bath After the Bath (Mary Cassatt)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/after-the-bath.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Motherhood was exhausting, but she found the rewards very sweet indeed.
Wedding Gown (Korea, Late 1800s)
![Picture Prompts: Korean Wedding Gown Wedding Gown (Korea, Late 1800s)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/wedding-gown-korean.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: It was the most important gown she’d ever wear, and she begrudged every single stitch it took to make it.
The Contemplator (Eugène Carrière)
![Picture Prompts: The Contemplator (Eugène Carrière) The Contemplator (Eugène Carrière)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/the-contemplator.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: Looking back, she seemed to see everything through a strange, dusty haze.
The Girl I Left Behind Me (Eastman Johnson)
![Picture Prompts: The Girl I Left Behind Me (Eastman Johnson) The Girl I Left Behind Me (Eastman Johnson)](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/the-girl-i-left-behind-me.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: She was an old woman now, but when I thought of her, it was always as a brave, stoic child, standing tall atop the hillside as we trudged into the distance.
24c Curtiss Jenny Invert Single
![Picture Prompts: 24c Curtiss Jenny invert single 24c Curtiss Jenny invert single](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/inverted-jenny.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Do you think anyone will notice?” asked Mr. Semple nervously.
Creeping Baby Doll Patent Model
![Picture Prompt: Creeping Baby Doll Creeping Baby Doll Patent Model](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/creeping-baby-doll.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Well, that’s mighty unsettling,” Pa said.
Wrecked Zeppelin (British Library)
![Picture Prompt: Wrecked Zeppelin Wrecked Zeppelin photograph from The British Library](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/wrecked-zeppelin.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: The wreckage drew crowds for weeks, but the great balloon’s demise made little difference in the end.
Skeleton (Tales of Terror Frontispiece)
![Picture Prompts: Tales of Terror Skeletons Frontispiece from Tales of Terror](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/tales-of-terror.jpg)
Opening Line Idea: “Here we go again,” Cedric moaned, as the skeletons pulled him from the grave once more.
Get Your Free Picture Writing Prompt Google Slides
Just click the button below to fill out the form and get instant access to free downloadable Picture Writing Prompts Google Slides with all the prompts included above.
How do you use picture writing prompts in your classroom? Come share ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
![Picture-Writing-Prompts-1 These picture writing prompts are a unique way to excite young creative writers. Find options for all grades on a variety of subjects.](https://www.weareteachers.com/wp-content/uploads/Picture-Writing-Prompts-1-683x1024.jpg)
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Free Picture Compositions for Primary 3, 4, 5, and 6.
- Primary School Composition Writing
![Free Picture Compositions for Primary 3, 4, 5, and 6. Free Picture Compositions for Primary 3, 4, 5, and 6.](https://writingsamurai.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Free-Picture-Compositions-for-Primary-3-4-5-6.jpg)
At Writing Samurai, we understand the importance of nurturing strong writing skills from an early age. Many parents have reached out to us, expressing a common desire to provide their children with engaging tools for writing practice. Picture compositions, in particular, offer a fantastic way to spark creativity and enhance linguistic expression in young minds.
Responding to the needs of parents and students alike, we are excited to introduce a valuable resource — a collection of meticulously crafted picture composition test samples. These sets have been thoughtfully designed to not only assist your child in honing their writing abilities but also to make the learning process enjoyable and effective. We have also added some helpful phrases to each composition test sample so that your child can expand their vocabulary while writing the composition at the same time!
For the sake of your convenience, we have compiled all of the picture compositions into a downloadable zip file. You can just click on the ‘Download’ button below, enter your email, and the composition tests will be sent to your inbox. Remember to check your spam or promotions tab!
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Picture Compositions for Primary 3
An Accident
Being Forgetful
Being Honest
Getting Lost
Picture Compositions for Primary 4
An Interesting Learning Journey
Hard Work Paid Off
A Regrettable Act
An Act of Kindness
Being Responsible
Picture Compositions for Primary 5
A Reckless Act
Losing Something Important
A Shocking Discovery
Perseverance
A Close Shave
Picture Compositions for Primary 6
Adapting to Change
An Act of Courage
Learning Something New
A Touching Moment
Being a Leader
See more related articles on Writing Samurai:
- Examples of Model Composition For Primary School Students
- Smart Tips On How to Write a Good Composition
- Primary School English Papers 1 & 2
- Situational Writing for Primary School
By the way, you may want to download this Free Ebook of 80 Awesome Phrases for your child to learn some new phrases to describe character emotions.
See if your kid can use these phrases in their practice compositions!
![best picture composition essays good phrases for composition writing](https://writingsamurai.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/80-Awesome-Phrases-3D.png)
The next problem you may face may be getting someone to mark these composition tests that your child has completed. At Writing Samurai and Grade Solution Learning Centre (parent company), we provide an unlimited marking service for compositions. To enjoy this service, you can sign up for either our pre-recorded Writing Samurai Composition Writing courses or Grade Solution’s Creative Writing Lessons.
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Picture Prompts
144 Picture Prompts to Inspire Student Writing
A school year’s worth of short, accessible image-driven posts that invite a variety of kinds of writing.
![best picture composition essays An illustration of several hands touching a keyboard with white, pink, blue and green dashes of various lengths on a black monitor.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/05/19/business/00ai-meta-LN/00ai-meta-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)
By The Learning Network
We’ve been publishing our Picture Prompts series four days a week since 2016. Below, we’ve rounded up all the prompts we published for the 2022-23 school year.
These short, accessible, image-driven prompts invite students to pen short stories, poems and memoirs; share experiences from their lives; analyze illustrations, graphs and charts; and tell us their opinions on hot-button issues.
You can find even more in our roundups for the 2016-17 , 2017-18 , 2018-19 , 2019-20 , 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, as well as in this collection of 25 spooky images for writing scary stories. That’s over 1,000 prompts, many still open for comment by students 13 and up.
To learn how you can use Picture Prompts to build literacy skills, promote critical thinking, inspire discussion and foster creativity in your classroom, watch our three-minute tutorial video or our on-demand webinar . For dozens more ideas, see our lesson plan, “ How to Teach With Our Picture Prompts (and Other Times Images) .”
If you use this feature with your students, or if you have other ideas for how to use photos, illustrations and graphics to encourage writing, let us know in the comments.
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5. Place Over Time. View the "At Home in the Ozarks" photo essay by Kylee Cole. If you want to document changes and show how the streets, buildings, and parks in your city change over time, select your favorite locations and start to visit them regularly to capture the way they look during different seasons. 6.
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.
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.
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.
Exploring the Picture Essay: Tips, Best Practices, and Examples. April 18, 2023. Words by Jeff Cardello. A picture essay lets you harness the power of images to tell stories, evoke emotions, and convey a sense of place, time, and perspective. Picture essays drop viewers right into the action, letting them see things through the camera's lens ...
Top 17 Photo Essay Examples. Here are some fantastic ideas to get you inspired to create your own photo essays! 17. Photograph a Protest. Protests tend to be lively events. You will find people standing, moving, and holding banners and signs. This is a great way to practice on a moving crowd.
4. Event Photo Essay. Events are happening in your local area all the time, and they can make great photo essays. With a little research, you can quickly find many events that you could photograph. There may be bake sales, fundraisers, concerts, art shows, farm markets, block parties, and other non profit event ideas.
Write a short story, poem or memoir inspired by this illustration. Related Picture Prompt Glenn Harvey. Trapped Inside. Wilderness Wayfaring. Magical Chores. I'm Sorry. Dollar Bills. Dinosaurs ...
Creating photo essays is an amazing antidote if you've ever felt a lack of direction or purpose in your photography. Photo essays help build your photographic skills in at least 3 important ways. 1. You become more strategic in creating a body of work. It's easy to get stuck in a rut of photographing whatever pops up in front of you.
Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 5 min read. Photo essays tell a story in pictures, and there are many different ways to style your own photo essay. With a wide range of topics to explore, a photo essay can be thought-provoking, emotional, funny, unsettling, or all of the above, but mostly, they should be unforgettable.
Famous Photo Essays. "The Great Depression" by Dorothea Lange - Shot and arranged in the 1930s, this famous photo essay still serves as a stark reminder of The Great Depression and Dust Bowl America. Beautifully photographed, the black and white images offer a bleak insight to one of the country's most difficult times.
Step 1: Read the Where We Are series closely. Step 2: Decide what local community will be the subject of your photo essay. Step 3: Take photos that show both the big picture and the small details ...
7. Include a clincher. This image may not be apparent to you in the beginning, but most photographers say they know it when they see it. It's an image that wraps up the essay for the viewer. This image should say "the end," give a call to action, or show the end result of a day in the life or how to sequence.
6. Include Captions or Text (Optional) Write captions to provide context, add depth, or explain the significance of each photo. Keep text concise and impactful, letting the images remain the focus. 7. Present Your Photo Essay. Choose a platform for presentation, whether online, in a gallery, or as a printed booklet.
Since 2016, we've been featuring these images in our daily Picture Prompts: short, image-driven posts that invite a variety of kinds of student writing. Teachers tell us they use these prompts ...
A long list of picture writing prompts. 1. A secret garden hidden behind an old, ivy-covered wall, with flowers that glow in the dark. 2. A futuristic city floating in the sky, connected by transparent walkways. 3. An underwater town with buildings made of coral and colorful fish swimming in the streets. 4. A world where trees are as tall as ...
A picture composition requires careful planning, attention to detail, and creative imagination. You can create an engaging and compelling description that perfectly captures the essence of your chosen image by following these five simple steps. Choosing a theme or subject. Organizing your composition. Selecting your perspective.
Creating a photo essay is a process that requires time, patience, and careful planning. Follow these steps to create a successful photo essay: 1. Choose a topic or theme. The first step in creating a photo essay is to choose the topic or theme you want to focus on. This can be anything from a place, an event, or even a person.
She has taught high school English for 10+ years in Dallas, Chicago, and New York City and holds a M.A. in Literature from Northwestern University. She has always had a connection to the written word-- through songwriting, screenplay writing, and essay writing-- and she enjoys the process of teaching students how to express their ideas.
A good photojournalist harnesses this potential to confront viewers with the reality of pain, injustice or whatever his or her story incorporates. Indeed a successful and factual photo essay has the potential to bring about social change, provoke lawmakers in to changing laws, and even end wars. An effective and successful essay produces an ...
150 Inspiring Picture Writing Prompts To Spark Creativity (Free Google Slides) Use a picture to write a thousand words! Creative writing is a challenge for many students, often because they can't come up with anything to write about. That's why we love picture writing prompts. Each one sparks the imagination and helps young writers jump ...
Free Picture Compositions for Primary 3, 4, 5, and 6. At Writing Samurai, we understand the importance of nurturing strong writing skills from an early age. Many parents have reached out to us, expressing a common desire to provide their children with engaging tools for writing practice. Picture compositions, in particular, offer a fantastic ...
These short, accessible, image-driven prompts invite students to pen short stories, poems and memoirs; share experiences from their lives; analyze illustrations, graphs and charts; and tell us ...
Practice - https://www.dreamydet.com/home In this video, we dive into the "Write about the Photo" question type on the Duolingo English Test (DET). I'll be s...