PHOTOS
Introduction
In this tutorial you will learn storytelling strategies to take authentic photos with any camera so you can easily capture the simple joys of everyday life. Get creative, have fun, and share your #perfectlyimperfect photos!
What are we trying to accomplish?
Storytelling with photos is about more than just taking a picture. Our goal is to preserve the simple joys of everyday life. When you reflect on your family’s stories, you can remember what your love FEELS like at this time in your life. Family Stories is based on the concept of cognitive restructuring, aka memory recall. Sights, sounds, environment, emotions, feelings – all of these things play into forming memory associations so it is important to include each of these aspects. Our family has photos throughout our home – on our walls, in albums, boxes, and desktops. Ultimately our goal through this tutorial is to help you strengthen positive memories through pictures, even in times of chaos or stress.
Where do I start?
Decide the activity your children (or fur babies) will be doing. It is more likely that you will have cooperation if they are doing something that they enjoy than if you force the family to get dressed up and smile for the camera. Capture them doing whatever that makes them tick. It will be more enjoyable for everyone involved and it will make your job of capturing authentic moments and expressions a lot easier.
What do I need for equipment?
All you need is a camera, any camera! On a phone you will have a lot less control over the quality of the resulting image than a DSLR, but phones are generally much more accessible and can certainly capture beautiful moments. This entire sequence was created with my phone and natural light without editing. The power of storytelling through images is not entirely dependent on your equipment. The perspectives, details, light, and emotions that you capture are often more important.
How do I tell my story with photos?
Summary
LIGHT
If possible, turn off the room lights and try to move activities toward a window.
CATCH LIGHTS
Capture the reflection of the light source in their eyes to portray stronger emotion and connection with the subject.
DIFFERENT ANGLES
Move back to capture the environment. Come in close to preserve the details, including favorite toys, activities, and features like eyelashes and chubby cheeks that you will always cherish.
EMBRACE THE IMPERFECTIONS
The authentic story of your life at this moment is beautiful and deserves to be remembered.
What should I do with my photos now?
Before you close your phone, take a minute to delete all of the non-essential photos. We have so much digital clutter in our lives. Don’t let your memories get buried in the heaps of files on your computer. Print your photos! If you would like to design and print your own products, check out the consumer lab mpix. For larger storytelling sequences you can create a flow that lends itself well to an album. For shorter sessions, accordion mini books are a great choice. For customized options, contact Melody.
It is comforting to know when you have digital backups available, accessible, and safely stored. Make sure that your files are on two drives, preferably a local hard drive for quick access (like your computer) and a cloud drive. And last but not least…share on social!
Introduction
In this tutorial you will learn storytelling strategies to take authentic photos with any camera so you can easily capture the simple joys of everyday life. Get creative, have fun, and share your #perfectlyimperfect photos!
What are we trying to accomplish?
Storytelling with photos is about more than just taking a picture. Our goal is to preserve the simple joys of everyday life. When you reflect on your family’s stories, you can remember what your love FEELS like at this time in your life. Family Stories is based on the concept of cognitive restructuring, aka memory recall. Sights, sounds, environment, emotions, feelings – all of these things play into forming memory associations so it is important to include each of these aspects. Our family has photos throughout our home – on our walls, in albums, boxes, and desktops. Ultimately our goal through this tutorial is to help you strengthen positive memories through pictures, even in times of chaos or stress.
Where do I start?
Decide the activity your children (or fur babies) will be doing. It is more likely that you will have cooperation if they are doing something that they enjoy than if you force the family to get dressed up and smile for the camera. Capture them doing whatever that makes them tick. It will be more enjoyable for everyone involved and it will make your job of capturing authentic moments and expressions a lot easier.
What do I need for equipment?
All you need is a camera, any camera! On a phone you will have a lot less control over the quality of the resulting image than a DSLR, but phones are generally much more accessible and can certainly capture beautiful moments. This entire sequence was created with my phone and natural light without editing. The power of storytelling through images is not entirely dependent on your equipment. The perspectives, details, light, and emotions that you capture are often more important.
How do I tell my story with photos?
Summary
LIGHT
If possible, turn off the room lights and try to move activities toward a window
CATCH LIGHTS
Capture the reflection of the light source in their eyes to portray stronger emotion and connection with the subject.
DIFFERENT ANGLES
Move back to capture the environment. Come in close to preserve the details, including favorite toys, activities, and features like eyelashes and chubby cheeks that you will always cherish.
EMBRACE THE IMPERFECTIONS
The authentic story of your life at this moment is beautiful and deserves to be remembered.
What should I do with my photos now?
Before you close your phone, take a minute to delete all of the non-essential photos. We have so much digital clutter in our lives. Don’t let your memories get buried in the heaps of files on your computer. Print your photos! If you would like to design and print your own products, check out the consumer lab mpix. For larger storytelling sequences you can create a flow that lends itself well to an album. For shorter sessions, accordion mini books are a great choice. For customized options, contact Melody.
It is comforting to know when you have digital backups available, accessible, and safely stored. Make sure that your files are on two drives, preferably a local hard drive for quick access (like your computer) and a cloud drive. And last but not least…share on social!