Tip #14: Tell A Story

"Damn Vultures" - Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Canon 1D markII + 300 f2.8IS L w/ 1.4x converter

Tip #14: Be a Story Teller with your Pictures

Today’s suggestion might seem obvious given the axiom “a picture is worth a thousand words,” however the story within an image is often cryptic to your audience. Distracted by color, complex interactions or the beauty in a moment, it is likely that the viewer will offer nothing more than a passing glance. More than freezing bite-sized moments in time, we photographers strive to paint a narrative with light. The goal, captivate the audience... create the incentive to take a second glance. As my own photography matures, so do my goals. I find myself searching for the stories in nature, waiting to capture the “decisive moment.” To illustrate this point, I’m sharing a seriously flawed image. The subject is centered, branches to the right distract, and the lioness is looking out of the frame. Yet, with all of its shortcomings, this was the decisive moment. One can’t help but ask... “why...” She is a solitary lion protecting a kill, competing with a pride to the South and frustrated with the vultures from the above. 

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