In the digital age, we’ve gotten pretty good at bringing the camera or phone along and snapping away. But are you guilty of snapshotting when you could be storytelling? Do you call out for all the kids to line up, to look at you, to smile? It’s a habit, and an understandable one—since forever, we’ve had it ingrained into us that a photograph should accurately capture ‘everyone who was there’. And that’s fair, but when we don’t expand our shooting to include candids, natural action, setting, and other elements of the day, we don’t end up with photographs that come together to form a story…
This weekend, whatever you’re doing—apple picking, cozying up at home with friends, hosting a dinner party—try the storytelling approach. Spend some meditative time with your camera of choice—this means skulking around, quietly capturing people as they interact with one another and the day. Imagine that you’ve got a thirty-page book to fill, or a budget, or a quota. Imagine that you’re doing a report for someone who would love to be there, but couldn’t be. Try it this weekend! —Kate Inglis