People love a great story, whether it’s bedtime stories read to children at night or a fantasy novel loved by a teen.
Why? It’s simple. Science, history, and psychology have shown that nothing can move or influence human behavior more than a truly great story. Words are not the only thing that paint a story; pictures also have the same essence.
Humans like visual stories that can evoke emotions in them. Make them feel sad, happy and angry. Move them in such a way that they remember that picture for the rest of their lives. That’s why it’s so important for photographers to know the art of capturing not just the people, places or things but also the emotions attached to them. Let’s explore how powerful photography can be.
The Role of Emotion in the Visual Storytelling
What makes a picture great? What makes it timeless and unforgettable? It’s how it makes us feel. The emotions or thoughts that race through our mind when we see it. Photography is all about creating something that connects with people and sends a message. Sometimes that message can be obvious and in your face. But sometimes it’s something hidden within the depths of the image, waiting to be discovered.
The Portraits
You can observe the most diverse emotions on the face of a human. This is why portraits have a certain edge in visual storytelling through photography. Just looking at the face of another person, stripped of all their barriers, vulnerable to their emotions in front of the camera is enough to move anyone.
Do you know the Portrait of the Afghan Girl? You probably remember her striking green eyes and intense stare. Her portrait was captured by Steve McCurry, a Natural Geographic Society photographer. Sharbat Gula, the Afghan Girl, is seen wearing bright red clothes tattered and worn out during the Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan. Despite the state of her clothing, her stare is determined, unafraid and unflinching. It speaks volumes about the struggles refugees face. Now, the Afghan Girl has come to symbolize the refugee women and their struggle in the Western world. This portrait conveyed a story. A story of resilience, beauty and unwavering strength even in times of adversity.
Luxury and Emotions in Portraits:
Luxury product photography is often taken in the form of portraits. These images are used to create a sense of aspiration and desire. In the context of luxury watch photography, up-close shots of people wearing expensive watches, such as Richard Mille timepieces, frequently highlight the watch’s fine details as well as the wearer’s elegance. These pictures are marketing an emotional experience of achievement, exclusivity, and status rather than merely a commodity.
Story without a Subject:
To invoke an emotion through an image, a subject is not always necessary. Great storytelling through photography can also be done without there being a human, animal or living subject in the frame. There are so many things and moments that have a history of context attached to them. It makes them susceptible to great storytelling,
Imagine seeing a picture of a swing, rusted and broken, in an abandoned park. What emotions would that make you feel? It would make you feel sad, nostalgic and melancholic. Even though there was an absence of a subject or a person, that image would still make you feel those emotions because of the way it has been captured and the story attached to it. When people think of a playground, they automatically assume a park filled with giggling kids pushing each other on the swings while the parents mingle on the benches nearby. When we expect that imagination but get an empty park instead–that is when we are faced with a great story through an image.
The Role of a Photographer:
The most important link to conveying powerful stories is the photographer. He is the creator of the masterpiece and responsible for even the minor details. An artist, musicians, actors, carpenters, sculptors, barbers, dancers–they create because they feel something while doing what they do and want to share it with the world through Art.
Like if a singer has recently gotten into a relationship or gotten married, they write happy songs. Those happy songs make you happy when you hear them playing anywhere. It’s because they’ve set up the composition, melody and lyrics in such a way that it tells a happy story.
Since photographers are responsible for creating powerful stories, they should be well aware of the different emotions and how to capture them in their work. To convey an emotion of joy or sadness, anger and resentment, they should be able to apply certain techniques such as focusing on body language, facial expressions and interaction with other subjects.
For instance, a photographer can capture moments of joy at a wedding by taking a picture of the couple softly gazing at each other during their first dance or capturing the bridesmaid’s smile widely while cheering them on.
How Empathy Enhances Emotional Expression in Photography:
The photographers should be able to connect with their subjects to understand them on a deeper level. This helps to create more authentic and genuine images that capture the essence of the moment.
Like the nervousness of the bride before walking down the aisle, the groom’s teary-eyed look when watching her walk towards him or the joy on the face of the parents. All of these candid moments can be captured because the photographers understand these emotions and connect with the people in the same way.
The Power of Post Processing:
While capturing stories and emotions in a camera is essential, so is the post-processing. When a photographer is defining and finetuning an image, he is raising the emotional impact of that image. Post-processing allows photographers to edit the light, exposure, colour and other things to make the image more sharp to convey a better story.
For instance, a photographer captures a picture of a proposal by the beach at sunset. He can post-edit the picture and increase saturation and warmth in the image to make the atmosphere more romantic. Post-editing can have a really big impact on the story you want to convey.
Conclusion:
Photographers create magic by creating a story through their images that have the power to change the world. There have been times in history when a single picture has impacted thousands of lives around the globe and inspired them to be better and do better in the world. This ability to evoke and convey genuine feelings enriches both media and advertising, allowing stories and messages to resonate on a more personal level. Whether in journalism or advertising, emotional photography serves as a powerful means to engage audiences, inspire empathy, and leave a lasting impact.