Basic Storytelling Tips for Beginner Photographers

Telling the story is first thought in my mind whenever I go to take a photo – what’s the point of this moment I ask myself? What do I want to say and preserve with this moment? To help with this I’ve got some basic storytelling tips for beginner photographers to use every time you take a picture.

1. Always Have an Aim

Taking a photo without a true purpose renders it useless – seriously. There’s normally a reason you get the camera out in the first place so make sure that purpose stays at the forefront of your mind when composing the shot.

It could just be something as simple as capturing a sunset, or the smile of a loved one; either way, don’t get distracted from that being the focus of your story.

Think of it like the front cover of a book – you only get one frame to describe the moment so make it the best possible attempt by using the following storytelling tips for beginner photographers.

2. One Story at a Time

Selecting the right focal length is important with storytelling photography as it will help you decide what is include and excluded from the shot. If your lens is too wide you run the risk of including lots of background and side information that will only distract viewers.

If you don’t consider what’s in your shot people may think everything they see is meant to be there. They’ll go looking for connections, other stories meanings and purposes to objects that actually aren’t meant to be in the photo. Don’t confuse your audience – only leave in the shot parts of the story.

3. Cleanliness is Key

The best way to create a good story in a photo is to keep it simple. Many beginner photographers shoot on a wide lens and include as much as possible for fear of missing something out.W

Whereas the truth is that the story gets watered down the more unnecessary information is left in. Be bolder, braver and concise by getting close to your subject, clearing the scene and simplifying the shot with the best angle for the story.

Look at backgrounds, corners and edges of the frame to make sure nothing is distracting (look at colours too – stick to the 3 colour rule if you can) before you take the shot. Over time, and with lots of practice, you’ll be able to do this in seconds (or quicker).

4. Don’t Rely on Editing

Unless there is no other option, aim to get everything right in-camera. Editing should only be used to enhance/embellish what you visualised when taking the photo. It can also be used to add in aspects that didn’t naturally occur but you felt would further the story i.e. adding more clouds to a sky, or changing the colour of an object to complement the surroundings.

If you find yourself bumping up exposure, raising the sharpness or trying to recover highlights then it can end up being a messy story. You’ll lose lots of time in the editing suite trying to cobble together a decent shot, when it wouldn’t have taken long to get it right in-camera had you not rushed the initial moment or didn’t understand your camera settings.

5. Be Honest with Yourself

If it’s poor, it’s poor – be honest with your photography. Each outing is an opportunity to improve (but not an expectation), but if you don’t feel you’re achieving the shots you really want don’t settle for mediocre.

Consider investing in photography training. Whether it’s a course, critique, mentoring or another form of training you’ll learn more about how to improve as a photographer instead of buying a more expensive camera.

Don’t blame your kit (unless it’s bust), take a look in the mirror and consider that you could be the weak link – but weak links can be strengthened – so get in touch with me!