I was editing photos from this weekend’s photo shoots and I showed this image to my daughter. Her response caught me off guard. She said: “I like it, but why?” I looked at her blankly and she continued… “You have aliens on bikes and swamp monsters in swamps, why is the swamp monster on a bike?”
Personally I really liked the image but I understood what she was saying. What was the story? What was I trying to say?
I am continually torn between a good image and a good image that also tells a story. To me that is where the magic happens. If only I could figure out how to take photographs with more intention, rather than photographing like a blind folded darts player.
Do you think about the story you are trying to tell? Or are you like me, and just surprised and happy when it all works out?
I usually go more for a feeling or mood and sometimes I’m surprised by how it comes out. I tend to get stuck on the technical, still working on getting to the story.
Maggie I think it is a continual struggle of all photographers. Once the technical becomes more natural the struggle for mood with a story continues. I hope your successes outweigh your misses!
I start with the story. But I’m not a photographer; I’m a writer.
I admire all the writers out there! I’m not sure which skill is harder to learn, photography or writing?
My response to your daughter would have been, “Why not?” They’re toys after all and isn’t it the point to play with them? To let your imagination run wild with them? I love this shot. I think part of the fun with LEGO photography IS seeing how people combine different accessories to create their story. And to me, just because you may not have intentionally set this one up with a story in mind doesn’t mean that it’s not saying anything. One of the things I love about your work is the simplicity of the image. It’s almost as if Swamp Creature was just out cruising on his bike one day and you happened to be there to photograph him. You could create a story for him afterward. That’s what I usually do. The manta series I just posted on IG was totally random from a month ago. I liked all the different angles and couldn’t choose just one to post. So I made a little story of sorts for them, and eked out a rad haiku in the end!
Leila, Everything you say is true. Although I do love this image, is it better than those that came before it? That I don’t know. Maybe he will get a story, maybe he will be a great B image. I am glad you created a series with your Manta Ray! And a rad haiku is a double bonus. Sometimes we just have to sit on our photos for a bit to see how they fit into the bigger picture. 😀