Does every picture you take have to tell a story???

[TamiAz]

I'm just curious... Does every picture you take have to tell a story?? I often see comments about how a picture does/doesn't convey a story.

 

[BlairWright]

Nope, some photos are just pictures.

 

[Dagwood56]

I don't think it has to tell a story, but I do feel a good photo should "say" something to the person looking at it. A good photo should evoke some sort of emotion, whether its pleasure or a sense of freedom in the beauty of a landscape, or love & laughter from a portrait of a child; that kind of thing.

 

[mrpink]

I'm just curious... Does every picture you take have to tell a story?? I often see comments about how a picture does/doesn't convey a story.

Some of mine tell the story of a piss poor photographer......






p!nK

 

[Derrel]

No, I don't think so. Some of the BEST pictures do not tell a story. Instead, they ASK A QUESTION of the viewer.

 

[Ryan L]

oooh Derrel is going deep! I like that one.

 

[KmH]

Photographic story telling is more the photojournalism genre/type of photo.

 

[KenC]

I'm with Dagwood and Derrel (sounds like a bluegrass band) - a picture needs to induce some kind of reaction in the viewer, otherwise what's the point?

 

[Dagwood56]

I'm with Dagwood and Derrel (sounds like a bluegrass band)

I play the guitar & piano, what about you Derrel?

 

[Derrel]

I'm with Dagwood and Derrel (sounds like a bluegrass band)

I play the guitar & piano, what about you Derrel?

Oddly enough, I dabble with the harmonica...

 

[fjrabon]

Every great picture has a point. It might be a visually striking image, with strong colors, strong diagonals, that the pure visual image is the point. The point might be to convey a certain feeling. The point might be to purely express the beauty of a subject. The point might be to make the viewer uncomfortable.

Storytelling is an extremely useful way to give meaning to your photos, but it's certainly not the only way to give meaning to them.

 

[derrick937]

I kinda think they do , only its like the bible. No 2 people agree on the same meaning ,
I just had a chance to see some of Norman Rockwell's work these are paintings and not photos , some were paintings of famous pictures but all tell a story,
A simple picture always tells a story of ,at the very least the past , did i say that right ???

 

[dukeboy1977]

There is no way you can make EVERY picture you take, tell a story. Some are just things you like and wanna remember later. Some are meant to have meaning behind them, and should be portrayed as such...and some just are what they are. You're wrong if you think EVERY picture has to tell a story. Good luck with making THAT a reality! lolo

 

[Pugs]

I agree with earlier comments, especially Derrell's, but I'd add that if there is no story told, a feeling, an emotion, should be conveyed. A good photo will evoke a feeling from the viewer. Stories are more important in a photo-journalistic or documentary oriented shot. An abstract should evoke a reaction from the viewer. A portrait should make the viewer feel something for or about the subject. A pretty landscape should evoke a feeling of wanting to be there or of peace or of... something. And so on for any genre. A good photo should make a viewer pause and want to experience the image, not just look at it and move on.

 

[derrick937]

A picture by definition is a story of the past right ? Weather its a flower , a plain white wall or abstract art of the grass in your yard,
Are you saying that when u look at some pictures nothing goes through your mind ? Nothing ? Why even bother to take a picture if it didn't tell you something , its never gonna be the same story as the person standing next to you but it should say something to you,