Chapter Four. Storytelling

Through the ages, myth and story have been the primary vehicles for communicating meaning and truth. They are not merely the stuff of bedtime tales. The primary storytelling medium in our culture is the cinematic film, and given the billions of dollars attached to the film industry—as well as the royal status of its stars—it should be clear how important story is to us. An understanding of the elements of story and how they can be incorporated into your photography will make stronger images.

Northern Ethiopia. This girl was playing on the rusted-out shell of a tank. I asked about her parents. “Father killed in war, mother died of AIDS.” I heard this story over and over again. I have images of her smiling, but it’s ...

Get Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.