Telling the Story

I love for my photos to tell a story.  I want (and hope) for people to feel the emotion that I'm trying to convey through my photography.  It was only natural that once my son joined his high school marching band this year that I was going to photograph them.  Sure, I could take all the group shots and field performance shots of them I want, but that wouldn't really tell their story.  When I took the photos above and then put them together in a diptych, the photos took on a whole different meaning.  These aren't just a bunch of kids marching around on a field at the half-time of a football game.  These are kids that are proudly disciplined and take what they do seriously.  Wow, you make us look so important, my son said upon seeing this.  Exactly, I said.  For my 14 year old to tell me that, my story telling skills are obviously doing just fine.

Today, share your photo stories with us. We'd love to see them.

Comments

[Marcie]

I like to think that many of my photos tell stories. This - being no exception:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1353

[cigi]

The decline of the Salton Sea is a story I find endlessly fascinating:
http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/288365/

[hurworld]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hurworld/2586790406/in/set-72157607613356459/

[BlessedMess]

I was recently stuck at the airport for hours upon hours. Luckily I had my camera to keep me company. Always so many stories in a place like that as you imagine where people are going and why.

This one is my favorite from the set.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12418609@N00/5122288138/

[Kristina]

I have been travelling through Cambodia last winter and this country is filled with exciting stories! Trust me!
Here is a special one about girls and they favorite pets - Camodia truely never fails to amaze!

http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2010/11/halloween-special-spiders-for-lunch.html

[Emil]

As a long time colorguard (some places still call it band front, eek!) girl and then instructor, I loved this diptych! Made me smile!! I'm being lame and not sharing an image because I should be running out the door to work, but had to take the time to tell you how much I loooved this image! =)

[Becca]

I love the marching band photos! I played flute in the marching band for a few years and it is definitely something we took very seriously.

This picture was taken on short hike that we took while riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was such a beautiful and peaceful day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47808744@N06/5146873071/

[Jennifée]

What a great diptpych - the images are so crisp and clear and, indeed, proud!

Nowadays, my images are mostly more about pure emotion than story, sadly. But here are some from August, shot with my cell phone camera at a concert where I wanted to portray the crowds, the venue, the weather, the falling night...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/4912307019/

[Becky Sue]

There's even something magical about fake snow. It brings pure joy to the young and old.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rslaflam/5141731512/

[Beth]

I was just recently introduced to the concept of diptych and I LOVE the way it can tell a story!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14632491@N07/5140433639/

[Puna]

I have a tendency to post a lot of photos and write a lot of text so thanks for the invitation!

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2010/11/the-meet-to-end-all-meets/

[Corinna]

Ahhh, this is something I've really been trying to work on in my 365 project, finding opportunities for a picture to be not only atmospheric but also to convey a story. I stopped on a recent morning commute to shoot some public art, but instead a remarkable story unfolded in front of me, about how often we fail to notice the special gifts that are right in front of us. To have my camera in that moment felt like a resounding affirmation from the photo gods:

http://www.birdwannawhistle.com/blog/2010/10/26/look-up.html

[Tracy Sutherland]

Spiders for lunch?! Ack - don't think I could do well with that!

I got this photo yesterday but I think it fits the theme. I was going for a shot of the kid with one of her favorite dogs. I wanted a photo that showed the connection between the two, and I really think I got it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/konehead/5159681050/

[mama-pan | mary frances]

thanks so much for these photos--brought back some lovely memories from my own (intense, proud) band days. My photographer father used to take all the group shots of the concert bands--he'd get way up on that ladder and balance and lift the flash bulb up--then have to stop to tell someone to move their bassoon because it was covering a face.

[Bettina]

even now posting this brings tears to my eyes... one of my favorite captures... My mom and my daughter were walking along the beach collecting sand dollars :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettina2/5152824291/

[Desiree Cherisse]

I can't even explain in words what photography has done to help me tell stories of how I'm feeling. I talk a lot but I rarely talk about myself. I become more visual with my feelings. I took this image for my great grandmother on her 100th birthday. She had just passed a few months before but we still had a cake for her. She was just that special. I captured that moment, and the somber feeling in the room, with this image.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/desireecherisse/4480333355/

[DY]

Great shot.
The images force me to believe that this is the most disciplined band in the land.

[Audra Van Vliet]

My favorite muse gives me nothing but stories. He is pretty expressive.

http://lastpictureshowphotography.blogspot.com/2010/09/mad-rhino.html

[Audra Van Vliet]

I love the idea of this post.

So here are a few more:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellsbellarina/4999897871/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellsbellarina/4564163556/

[joey]

Here is the story of a kid's very first Popsicle.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19379573@N06/5161356827/

[Kat]

Very nicely done diptych! I love the story of the marching band you told in just two photos.

I love the power of combining a few photos with a few words for a more powerful story than either alone. Here is one of mine: http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/07/story-in-rooftops.html
along with a post I wrote about creating photo essays: http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/10/exploring-with-camera-photo-essays.html that might also be interesting for this topic.

[Kimberly]

A story of breakfast this morning:

http://kjbehavior.blogspot.com/2010/11/day-9-of-grattitude.html

[Susan R]

Wow, you choked me up! I too have two sons in Band. One in his first year of marching band at the high school level and he LOVES it!!! This would be the son I had to close the discussion on whether he was doing ban or not. I am so proud of him. He just tried out for a Drum Corps Percussion group over the last month and we found out Sunday he made it! Let's see if I can post a shot that was in his high school online news.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=444257876324&set=a.164304161324.119945.163613241324

West Aurora High School Freshman Dan Newsome takes his direction from above during a recent performance of the West Aurora High School Marching Band at the stadium. The director stood on a ladder. The band will perform the music it played at this season’s football games during its 7:30 p.m., Oct. 29 Band-O-Rama program in the auditorium. The band's 5 B's BBQ fundraiser, from 4:30-7 p.m., will precede the performance.

[kat]

this is one of my all time favorite photos i took in Kenya this past August... Waiting at the Samburu Airport. I wondered what this woman was doing there, all by herself, way over to the side. I didn't think she was taking a small plane anywhere but was obviously waiting for someone to arrive or maybe just resting before she started off for her village.

http://artblogbykat.blogspot.com/2010/10/awesome-news.html

[Gail]

I love the band diptych! Both of my daughters were in band and I wish they were in the days of digital photos..
This photo tells a story not only of taking a walk with the dog...but of having fun with a new iphone app called Diptic...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/5161659709/

[spread your wings]

the mosaic i created tells the story of my trip to the mountains
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5156470705/

[Laura O'Hanesian]

Photos are so amazing when you take them and then see the moment you've captured. I took these after a handcar race. I love that I can see his thoughts in his expression, and that he is looking both inward and outward in this diptych.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauraophoto/5127455654/

[Katie]

Amazing photography. I am a band director, and often the photos taken of band kids don't capture the emotion of the moment. Instead, they look awkward. Great job!

[Jade Sheldon]

Seriously: the photos you took really do capture the love and pride these kids have for their craft.

I always hope to share a story with me photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmsheldon/5159552019/

[Rachel]

The story of our lives at the minute:

http://rachelmeszaros.com.au/explore/?p=372

[Stephanie]

I recently went to Sea World and saw the new baby beluga whale...watching him swimming with his mom was so beautiful.

http://www.stephaniegracephotography.com/2010/11/baby-beluga.html

[Rikki D. Dy-Liacco]

I recently got back from Cambodia where my wife and I went for our honeymoon. I hope my images tell the story of the country and her people.

http://www.photosbyrikki.com/the-soul-of-her-people/

Thank you. As always, feedback is always welcome. Stay true to your craft!

Cheers!

Rikki