Q&A for How to Make a Photo Essay

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  • Question
    What should I choose as titles for my images?
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Expert Answer
    I'd keep them as objective and descriptive as possible. Don't color the context or modify it by using really fanciful titles. Your goal here is to capture something as it is, and if your images tell a story, they'll speak for themselves.
  • Question
    How do I figure out my style as a photographer?
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Expert Answer
    I wouldn't worry too much about this. Just shoot in a way that makes sense to you. Your style will develop naturally over time.
  • Question
    How do I pitch a photo essay?
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Expert Answer
    A lot of this is just going to come down to understanding your audience. Try to look for publications and sites that are actively seeking work that matches the kind of photography you're interested in. Be enthusiastic when you're talking about your work, and do your best to read the room. Keep in mind, it can take effort to get a photo essay published. You may need to give this 10-15 attempts until you're successful!
  • Question
    How do I make the best essay?
    Community Answer
    Make it so your photo essay tells a story. Lighting differences can show differences in tone, for example.
  • Question
    Does a photo essay need writing with it?
    Community Answer
    Not necessarily. If you want the story to be told only through pictures, just include a title for the photo essay and let the pictures do the talking.
  • Question
    Can I use other people's pictures in making my photo essay?
    Tom De Backer
    Top Answerer
    Before you can use other people's pictures, you need permission. If you take pictures from the Internet, you must cite your sources unless the pictures are free to use. But it's always nice if you at least mention where you took them from. If you're using friends' pictures, you need to first ask them, and to be sure, get their consent in writing, then mention this consent in your work.
  • Question
    What is the difference between a portfolio and a photo essay?
    Haniyeh Parvizi
    Community Answer
    A photo essay is a series of photographs that, when assembled in a particular order, tells a unique and compelling story, and portfolio is a collection of financial investments like stocks, bonds, commodities, cash, and cash equivalents, including closed-end funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). People generally believe that stocks, bonds, and cash comprise the core of a portfolio.
  • Question
    How many photos should I have in a photo essay?
    Haniyeh Parvizi
    Community Answer
    Four or five pictures might be enough for a photo essay gallery. For audio slideshows or video, however, you'll want multiple options for each of these photo types, but I usually do 10.
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