Technorati Tags: Creative Writing Courses

Writing skills are very important if you want your photography to be published. Or if you want to get involved in the photojournalism side of the industry, or magazine work – either paper or internet, books – paper or ebook, critiquing, exhibiting and many other related areas. Being able to put meaningful words to your photographs (or someone else’s) will increase your chances of getting published enormously.

And the good thing about writing skills is this: it can be learned. It is a skill just like anything else. Anyone can do it. It just takes a little knowledge and practice.

There are four main components to your words you must consider carefully.

1. The Title

In photographic magazines this is easier than newspapers or general magazines.

Photo magazines, websites and blogs have sections such as:

Section                                    Title

Portfolio                      John Smith

Technical                     Large Format in a Nutshell

Darkroom                    Do it in the Dark: How to process…

Photo Basics                What Lens for Portraits?

Test Report                  Nikon DSLR D200x Test Drive

Photo Article              John Smith: People in Perspective

How To?                        Shutter Speed for Movement

2. The Introduction

The introduction is where you make your main contention. You are about to discuss something; this is where you divulge what you are going to present to the reader. This doesn’t need to be long; in fact it’s best to be short, concise and very clear on your intent. If you don’t get the reader’s attention here, you’ve probably lost her.

Quotes are good for an introduction: e.g. from Ernst Hass: “If you discover a formula for taking photographs, throw it away and start again”.

Make a statement in the first sentence to put out a concept or argument: e.g. “There are few concepts more controversial than abstract photography. By definition, abstract means ‘non-representational’, indicating that is separate from reality.”

Make a statement about yourself or the person you’re writing about: “John Smith is a by nature a landscape photographer. Recently though, on travels through Asia he has turned his camera on people”.

3. The body

The body is the largest component of your work. This is where you back up your introduction with facts, theories, data, explanations or whatever is needed to prove your main contention.

In the body you should be providing hooks to your photographs to engage the reader with the photography as well as words. Relate certain aspects of your written work to individual images. Insert these at various points in your story so they relate back to the photography. Try to envisage the layout so the words relating to the photographs are in the same space.

Example 1

Photo of person walking down stairs: e.g. words, “He seeks to capture what people do best – being themselves. Finding form and grace in simple actions, such as walking down stairs, stepping into a shower or just hanging round the back yard or lounge room.”

Example 2

Macro photo of a dandelion: e.g. words, “The softness of texture, the wistfulness of color and pattern and the impact of selective focus can be employed to make the simplest dandelion head into a swirl of color, the merest seed-head into an almost animate form.”

4. The Conclusion

Your conclusion is a brief summary that you’ve been leading up to with your introduction and body. It only needs to be a few sentences but must be making a conclusive statement. These of course will vary depending whether you’re writing a How to, Technical, Photo Article etc.

Example How to:

Movement is one of the easiest creative techniques available to the photographer. Controlling the amount of movement is possibly the hardest technique to master. The extremes are easy. Just set the shutter at B and go for a long walk for a great deal of movement and a short walk for less. Experiment and you will not be disappointed.

Example Photo Article:

The acceptance of photography as an art form has come a long way in the last few years and exhibitions such as John Smith’s ‘ People in Perspective’ can only help foster the cause for aspiring art photographers.

Example Portfolio

If you have macro lens, try to emulate John Smith by seeing beyond the con­ventions: there is much to be gained by breaking the rules and getting down to feelings.

By using the arrangement set out here, you will be employing the foundation of writing structure. This can only provide your photography with additional momentum when the editor decides between your manuscript and a photo package without accompanying words.

Technorati Tags: Creative Writing Courses