A photo essay is basically a collection of several photographs that tell a story. Photo essays are intimidating to say the say the least and they are often aggressively avoided by beginners. They are however extremely powerful ways of delivering a message and add a new and interesting dynamic to your portfolio. They increase your chances of working with a more socially aware organisation. In the era of constantly decreasing attention spans a photo essay can convey a message to the consumer without being boring or long. The best photo book maker are details are found here: https://photolemur.com/blog/best-photo-books

So how do you create a photo essay?

Be clear about your message

Before you begin make sure you have a clear vision of what you want to communicate through your photo essay. Remember that while this is a more concise and instant method of delivering a message it also has a few shortcomings due to that. For example unlike in an actual essay you cannot go ahead and clarify your point and explain the nuances in your ideas in a photo essay. You need to keep in mind that your photo essay delivers a clear and precise message. This will help in avoiding the potential misinterpretation of your content.

Choose your photos

After you are done choosing subjects and theme according to your message it is now time to choose the photos you will use for your photo essay. It is important to keep in mind that your photo essays are in the right order and they tell the story logically and consistently. The wrong order can again create a lot of confusion. Remember that avoiding misinterpretation is key in a photo essay. Your message is only as powerful as it is precise.

Get creative with your shots

Include a wide variety of angles and shots adds a certain depth to your photo essay. It also makes the essay more engaging and interesting. It is the equivalent of using a varied vocabulary and metaphors in an actual essay.

In this photo essay of team rubicon they use a mix of wide angle shots and close ups to make the essay more interesting and engaging.

Additionally keep the formatting on your pictures consistent because often that is what ties  many different and interesting images together in a visual sense. Make sure you use the same filters and add the same borders to all of them to give the essay a more consistent feel.