How to Tell a Story in Your Photographs ...
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- 90% of Photographers will never learn this ... and it is the one thing I am working on constantly with my outdoor photography. Sometimes I get it and other-times I completely miss the mark, but if you focus on this instead of getting the latest and the greatest camera gear, you will get so much better than you could have ever imagined.
It is one of those things that takes time ... and when people talk about the 10,000 hours, this is what they are ultimately working on ... and it is all about storytelling in your photographs.
I suppose you could called this a landscape photography vlog ... but I prefer on location landscape photography!
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My Favourite online Photographers:
Nick Page / @nickpage
Ben Horne / @benhorne
Michael The Maven / @mmaven
Thomas Heaton / @thomasheatonphoto
Curtis Judd / @curtisjudd
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Mike
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#mikesmithphotography #onlocationphotography #photography #landscapephotography
Some great tips Mike. I often like going on photowalks with other photographers, because so many of them just go for the cliché shots. I want my photos to tell a story others aren't telling, so I'll watch what they're shooting and then go and look for something different. It's a great way of honing my attentions on the story! :)
That's great James!! It is so easy to get into the habit of collecting photos instead of creating photos.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Glad I watched this as I seat here going in a couple of weeks uninspired or motivated to go out shooting.
Hey Oscar,
Motivation levels can come and go ... I was struggling earlier in the year but mine are good at the moment ... I hope it helped boost your levels up ...
Thanks for watching 😁👍
There is a lot more wisdom in this video than perhaps the title conveys.
It's like anEaster egg with a surprise inside! 😆
Thanks very much for your kind words Matt and thanks for watching 👍
Great video. I agree it frustrating when you don’t get the shot or realize you used the wrong settings or missed focus, but when you get the shot it’s an amazing feeling.
A story can be difficult to find but taking a step back and just enjoying the view or moment can make the story clear.
Thanks very much Milo!
That's a great point about finding the story ... taking a breather can really help you see what really matters.
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Hi Mike: This was a very powerful video. I have really been focusing on creating images where the 'subject' is both obvious and interesting. This is a developing skill but I agree that when it all comes together it really makes it so special. Cheers, Keith
Thanks so much for your kind words Keith. I spent a lot of time planning this one so it's great to see that it is helping. It is definitely something we have to keep working on in photography ... I really notice how rusty I get when it comes to this when I've been away from my camera for a few months ... and had a big time away recently when moving house ... I'm slowly getting back to it now though ... and yes, it's definitely a special moment when it all comes together!
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
The TV cut ... 👍
I love doing little cuts like that every now and then ... it's addicting ... so there might be more of them in the future!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
This was a really good video! (and of course great tips) :D
Hey Mads,
Thanks very much! It was a fun one to film and edit, although the hike up Pen Yr Ole Wen was a bit of a beast!! 😅👍
I keep coming back to your channel and binge. You’re very inventive the the way you think, in showing what you think.
No one person thinks the same. We can stand on the same spot or shoulder to shoulder with the same settings same camera and come with different photos.
We do need some gear to take photos with 😅
Cheers
Thanks very much for your kind and inspiring words Paul!
You are indeed right about coming away with different photographs.
I've run workshops where I've had 5 people at the same location, all with completely different images. 😁👍
Spectacularly edited, great plan.... Awesome.
Thanks so much Paul! This was challenging but fun to shoot and edit!!
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Loving the extra work you have put into this one Mike, with the changes of locations and "drop in mentors" 🤣
Haha! I'm glad you liked the mentors bit!! I had fun filming that ... and then working out how to do the animations!!
To be honest, the whole video was challenging but a lot of fun to shoot! 😁👍
Great advice. Thanks for posting it.
No worries, thanks for watching! 😁👍
This was great 👍 thx for sharing your expertise and knowledge. Will put this to good use
Great video.
Rather than asking myself what's good about my good photos, I tend to look at all the photos I take, then the ones which I don't think are interesting I don't just discard or archive, I ask myself why they aren't interesting and try to come up with multiple reasons. Then I try not to repeat those kinds of shots.
Usually the bad ones in landscape photography are never technical issues like missing focus, it's nearly always it's not clear what the subject is.
Thanks Sam, and that's a great point! Looking at the bad ones and working out why they are bad is such a different at to approach learning about your own photography ... that could be a video topic right there! 🤔😁
Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing your knowledge. 👍
Best video I’ve seen in quite a while. You break down the vague concept of storytelling, both why it’s important and how to achieve it, in practical terms. I admire and appreciate your teaching style, expertise wrapped in humility and good humor. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks so much for your kind words Dan! I put a lot into this one so it is great to see you're liking it!! It was a lot of fun to shoo though so there will be a lot more coming your way!!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
As always… an amazing work put behind the videos… thank you so much Mike !!
Thanks so much for your kind words Mohamed! I had a lot of fun making this one ... Over four different locations and 23km hiked!! I definitely slept well that night! 😆😆
As always, thanks for watching, liking and commenting, much appreciated my friend 😁👍
I really enjoyed this video, Mike. Simple and practical tips, very well edited and delivered in a really punchy way! Am a big fan of your work and thanks for sharing 🙏
Thanks so much Valerie! This was definitely a fun one to shoot and edit together!!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
Fab, thanks!!
Great to hear you like it Dominic!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
excellent, again.
Thanks very much! 😁👍
Great video, Mike. The editing is looking great lately. The advice is great with starting with abstract when showing what they mean. You are doing a great job out there. Stay safe.
Thanks very much Lance!! I had a lot of fun planning, shooting and editing this one! I have a few more planned like this as well!!
I hope you are good my friend!
and as always thanks for watching 😁👍
Nice job on this video Mike! Loved the way you edited it. Very engaging to the viewer! 👍
Thanks so much Joe! This was a fun one to put together ... and I did over 33,000 steps to get it all done, so slept well that night!! 😆😆
As always thanks for watching 😁👍
Nice tips, i liked the fast pace you give to your video.
Thanks very much JP! 😁👍
Thank you for yet more motivation Mike!
Your videos are always awesome, but this one had some more epic transitions and effects!
Thanks very much!! This was my favourite one I've filmed so far.
It was all filmed in a day, in four different locations, and I did over 33,000 steps to get to all of those different locations!!
Hopefully more like this to come!!!
As always, thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography My pleasure.
Wow that was a lot! Epic work and motivation!
Haha! It definitely was, and I slept really well that night!! 😆
Thanks from Lagos Nigeria 🌍
No worries, thanks for watching 😁👍
Great video, Mike. What's up with the glasses? I had not noticed them before. Did you take a few weeks off and get old on us??? I am so jealous of the landscape that you have there in North Wales. Really great photos and so nice to see you out enjoying it all. I hope you and yours are doing well and settling in nicely to your new place. It is a holiday weekend for us in the States, so I am looking forward to some time off and relaxation. Take care, brother.
Haha!! It seems like it ... Eye sight is going, hair is getting thinner, and greyer!! 😆😫🤦🏻♂️👴
I've had glasses for a while but completely forgot to take them off ... And didn't want to reshoot the whole car but again as that reflection was so epic!!
This was all my favourite spots rolled into one video!! Drove to at least 4 different locations and hiked over 33,000 steps!! That viewpoint at the end was epic and well worth it though!
Great to hear you're having a break!!
I hope you and the family are well. 😁👍
Hahhahahaha what are those on your face? Are those glasses? Whats up old man hahha
Haha!! Eyes are going, hair is getting thinner ... and greyer ... 👴
I've actually been wearing them for a while ... forgot to take them off and didn't want to reshoot the driving bit ... so left it in!! 😆😆
Next time I'll have a walking stick!!
@@mikesphotography haha you look smart and nerdy all nervous with mom’s spaghetti
Haha! It's all about the nerdyness these days!! 😆
Spots on composition advice, Mike, but story telling nub not quite as clear, IMO. An image (landscape or otherwise) can draw viewer into a scene and be quite compelling w/o necessarily telling a story (again, IMHO). Evidence of human habitation (ruins, hut, rusty machinery, e.g., in a landscape can tell a story, but absent something akin to that, there could be no story, yet a fantastic image. Street and animals in nature, on the other hand, would lean heavily into storytelling, if that makes sense.
Nice mix of in-home shots. Driving glasses something new? Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback Paul, always good to get a third party perspective as I get so immersed in theses videos when editing. I know what you mean about storytelling, photos don't actually have to tell a story to be compelling ... it is a contentious subject in photography. Maybe I'll do another video about how you should not worry about storytelling in your photos...🤔😆 Or make a more indepth video really going in deep about storytelling ... the ideas are endless ...
I've had the glasses for a while ... and forgot to take them off when I shot the driving pieces. Didn't have time to reshoot so left them in ... getting older and the eyesight is getting softer!! 😆🙈👴
I noticed u didn't take any tripod and filters for your landscape photography. What's your take on using filters and tripod pls?
Hi Brenda,
I do have them but I only use them every now and then. I love hiking and shooting handheld on the go ... and if there is enough light I will usually keep it to handheld.
If there is a huge amount of difference between the sky and land, I'll break out the grad filters and if I want to blur out the water, if it is too dark for handheld, or I am taking several shots to blend together, then I will get the tripod out ... In fact, this could be a great subject for a future video! 🤔
Thanks for the great question Brenda, and thanks for the idea for a new vid! 😁👍
Wow, your videos are on the level of "Dunna Did it" now!
Haha!! And I'll take that compliment!!! Love dunna did it's videos!! 👍
Thanks for watching Øyvind! 😁
@@mikesphotography By the way, AOWS is in Lofoten, Norway now!
@@mikesphotography I just watched Stefan Malloch unboxing the new Tamron 50-400 mm 🙂
It does look like an interesting lens ...
@@mikesphotography Exceptionally! Did you see the review at Sony Alpha Blog?
well i go out whit cam. many times i come back whit nothing . but always is next time
The more you go out, the higher your chances of getting a great shot Raul!
Thanks for watching 😁👍
A question that is slightly off topic: Do you ever use a gray card outdoors? Some say they are still useful, others claim using them is pointless considering the quality of the gear and post processing software available. What do you think? Thanks.
Hi Reno,
No worries, and thanks for the question.
With a grey card, they are great if you need to accurately recreate the colours as they were ... but if you want to get creative, and maybe warm up or cool down the scene and you are not so worried about having it completely as it was, then there is no need for a grey card.
Although they weigh next to nothing so packing it wouldn't be a problem ... maybe a subject for a video in the future ... 🤔
Thanks for watching 😁👍
@@mikesphotography Thank you.
To use 5 pictures to "tell a story" is great. Still when you post them on Instagram almost no one look at picture 2-5.
Lol, I remember when Instagram was a place to share photos ... It's the second rate tiktok nowadays ... 🤦🏻♂️
Why can’t a photo just be a pleasing image? I find these concepts of ‘journey’ and ‘story’ to be mentioned far too often. All you CZcams photographers witter on about it endlessly. Does an Ansel Adams photograph of Yosemite actually tell a story? If it does, it might be “there was a cloud over Half Dome today.” Is that an interesting story? No. Where’s the narrative in an abstract photo or a macro shot of a hoverfly? Be content with your lot. Produce appealing images unapologetically and leave the story telling to Ian Fleming or Fyodor Dostoevsky. Please.
Thanks for your feedback Harry.
@@mikesphotography You’re welcome, Mike.