The photo in this post was taken at the Toronto Reference Library, arguably one of the city’s biggest repositories of words. As you can see, they’ve done their share of refocusing because when you enter, you’re greeted by banks of computers, not bookshelves, signifying a different type of storytelling.
Today, in the third and last post in a short series on visual storytelling, photographer, bon vivant and iconoclast Paul M Bowers offers tips for writers and bloggers. (If only I’d spent more time with my old Kodak camera as a kid.)
And in case you missed it, part 1 offers a picture of why things changed and part 2 deals with how vividly we perceive stories when we look at a photo.
Lights, camera, Paul’s tips…
“1. Stop diminishing the value of images, and think of them as the most important part of your message. If importance could be measured (doubtlessly with an important-o-meter), maybe the image would be subordinate—but never underestimate it. I’m currently following San Diego’s mayoral race, and each mailer to hit the kitchen counter gets worse. Candidates spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get their words out believing words alone will sway voters. But then they run the Most Pathetic Photograph, very large, above all of their clever words. Images that make their candidate look (based on recent mailers) shady, constipated, clueless, and insincere. (Note: Toronto’s mayor currently has no shortage of descriptive – er, graphic? – visuals.)
2, Don’t be afraid to create your own image. Have a glance at Just the Cool Stuff —every image taken with either a snapshot camera or an iPhone. One doesn’t need a fancy-pants camera or lighting. Mostly, one just needs permission. Start simple. Martin Waxman caught my eye the other day with an image that directly and humorously related to the content about which he was writing. An easy image, but very effective. And it was HIS image, not someone else’s—that makes a difference.
3. Ever heard the advertising mantra, “Sell benefits, not features?” Let your images reflect the benefits of your content. Take an image from your last vacation to tie in with content like: “Ten Time-Saving tips for HTML formatting in WordPress” rather than a tired stock image of an alarm clock with a “Toy Camera” filter applied.
4. Understand the use of negative space. When I was an auto parts counterperson, I had a manager who taught me that on any business card, one should be able to place a nickel on the card without touching any type. He was not, by any stretch of even my imagination, a graphic designer. I suspect some old-school printer told him that. But he was right, and my subsequent short career as a graphic designer reinforced his wise observation. Use of negative space is so important. Don’t clutter your images with information—leave room to breathe. Here’s another example.
5. Try to photograph what you love. Any expression—words, painting, photography that is created with integrity—is, by nature, autobiographical. There’s always something, even in the studio when I shoot dry commercial product stuff like this, this or this. There is something about the images that make it mine. A specular highlight, and certain gradation in lighting, an angle, that makes the image uniquely my own. That, just like writing, is what will inspire one to create more interesting images.”
OK, that’s probably enough words. It’s time to get out there and work on a visual story. That’s one of my goals for 2014.
Thanks for your insights, Paul!
Thanks Martin. I found Paul’s visual approach relevant to all areas of media.