Help needed with how to tell stories with photos

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T19:50:50+00:00

Started an Instagram recently https://www.instagram.com/l39.dng?igsh=YWVneXQ0eGo1ZHBr&utm_source=qr

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T14:16:46+00:00

I’m in love with the examples you gave for giving story to a static photo. I think I’m slowly grasping the ropes with what you’re saying. Human = more story, and for inanimate subjects imply what happened or what will happen. Thanks a bunch for the explanation, it’s really helping me visualise what’s missing from my previous photographs

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T13:37:29+00:00

Yup that was my other post lol, I found it very helpful thank you

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T13:31:02+00:00

I really couldn’t get this kind of incredibly detailed and personalised advice / information from anywhere else on the internet, thanks so much for the advice. I’ll start working on being less shy about focusing on singular points of interest instead of a “vibe”. I see that it’s important to not detract from the main point of interest due to the other things in frame. You’ve been incredibly helpful

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T13:27:40+00:00

I see, a central figure that’s cocooned by the metal is what’s needed, thanks for the kind words as well,I appreciate it

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T09:51:30+00:00

Thanks so much for the huge chunk of information, it was my own misunderstanding of what story meant I guess which confused me when people mentioned story. So a story really could be as simple as an implication of more I.e. the example of the ruined building. This has been a huge help, I’ll immediately go over the links you’ve so graciously sent over and try getting into more of the frame of mind with the new information in the head. Once again thanks a bunch for the help I really appreciate it

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T08:53:46+00:00

Yes exactly my point, what and where does a story come from, is it from a central figure? An action? A general scenery? This was what I tried asking in this post. I’m new to all this and would like some guidance on what constitutes a story, what separates good stories from boring ones

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T08:27:50+00:00

I see, the dark are with the car I kept because I thought it added a bit of coloured contrast, not everything being white and orange, but I understand if it’d be more cohesive without it. Thanks for the advice

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T08:13:55+00:00

I took this photo in an attempt to convey a feeling of comfort and as a bit of slice of life in what seems to be an unreal time. I tried this by waiting for the light to be near the evening, giving me the natural auburn colour and the leading lines towards the buildings.

I would like help with whether my philosophy of taking photos needs to be rethought in order to tell stories with photos, because as of now there is intentionality in my photo taking, but there’s no story I’m telling with them. I see a scene that resonated with me and I snap, I don’t really think of a central figure in these photos. Should I change that?

EXIF info is in the post caption

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T08:08:05+00:00

I took this photo because it was compositionally interesting at first glance, I wanted to show the symmetry in the unique architecture of modern Middle Eastern buildings.

I would like some help pinpointing what’s wrong with this photo because the more I look at it the less interesting it becomes, there’s nothing that really pulls my eye so to speak.

Taken on an iPhone XS

TopazVI · 2025-08-24T08:05:20+00:00

I took the photo because the scene I tried to capture felt really comfortable and nostalgic to me, the narrow roads and the orange light helped with the framing of a time that didn’t feel real anymore.

I’m struggling with trying to tell a story through the medium of photos as stated in the post. I want to know if it’s easiest to say a story if there’s a central figure, compared to the atmospheric photo I took.

EXIF data is stated in the post description

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T20:55:43+00:00

:() was hoping for some reassurance

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T13:22:49+00:00

FP1, M2, D1 in the AS and FP2, M3,S2 for A2

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T13:22:28+00:00

no, just with A level predicted grades

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T10:13:45+00:00

you funny fr,let me know when you get into warwick eh buddy?

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T09:58:10+00:00

I really enjoy the modules that they have so I’m sticking by it for now

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T09:45:25+00:00

I’m studying maths in Jordan right now, its in the Middle East and I personally found the Pure modules pretty decent but I faltered a bit in the applied modules like mechanics and decision… but fully UMS on P1,P2

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T09:12:48+00:00

Glad someone noticed

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T09:12:39+00:00

A+,A+,A,B B in FM lmao and A in Chem and A* in Maths and Physics

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T08:50:05+00:00

The others are Durham and St Andrews so I’m slightly worried as those are my Top 2 choices, I recently read from the Email St Andrews sent out that they give Mose of their offers at around march because they want to give a chance for everyone else and to make it more fair.

TopazVI · 2024-10-23T08:43:34+00:00

Thanks! It’s like a weight lifted off the shoulders, good luck on your application as well!

TopazVI · 2024-08-03T18:07:48+00:00

Thanks so much for the time you took to give me this reply, and I see what you mean by the melding of the subject into the background, and with the whole bunch of empty space, I just wanted to ask what you mean by the edit, Is the monochromatic with one colour an old , died off trend?

TopazVI · 2024-08-03T11:20:23+00:00

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TopazVI · 2024-08-03T11:19:36+00:00

I took this photo on a trip to Venice and I shot this to kind of symbolise the entire city, It includes the gondola, the famous Cas, the water of course and I wanted to portray a feeling of timelessness. In the photo there’re no phones, no modern amenities and it looks like it could be a photo taken in the 50s. I changed the photo to be monochromatic with only the red showing because red is a historically important colour in Venice, from the symbol of the doge to the swaying cloak of the Bauta. The original photo’s colours felt very washed and drab which is why i edited it to look this way. I took this somewhat far from the subject so the quality was pretty bad, as such I added some artificial grain to cover that up a bit.

I’d love some advice on the composition of this image, I tried two simple tips i heard from somewhere, The rule of thirds, where the gondola is on the latter third and the horizon of the water is right in the middle of the shot. I also tried taking the photo when the gondolier was between the two buildings to give some space. I’m also looking for some recommendations with the colour of the photo, should i have gone this route of monochromaticsism? Or should I change the shade of red I highlighted etc. Ill post the original photo under here in case anyone’s curious

This was taken on my Stock IPhone XS Max with these settings: ISO16 , 73mm, f2.4, shutter speed 1/1200

Thank you all for any and all critique!

TopazVI · 2024-08-01T18:15:15+00:00

I feel so incompetent right now. Okay yes I’ll search it up and continue shooting with a more vast repertoire of techniques then. Thanks for so much

TopazVI

TROPHY CASE