Carterofmars
Well-known
Do pictures tell stories, or are they simply a moment frozen?
redisburning
Well-known
to your title question, no.
daveleo
what?
Depends.
On the imagination of the viewer.
Some viewers try to "get" what the picture maker wanted to tell them.
Some viewers like to wrap their own stories around a picture.
Some viewers only want the picture to match the color decor of their parlor.
On the imagination of the viewer.
Some viewers try to "get" what the picture maker wanted to tell them.
Some viewers like to wrap their own stories around a picture.
Some viewers only want the picture to match the color decor of their parlor.
Vedran F.
Newbie
Quite well put!Depends.
On the imagination of the viewer.
Some viewers try to "get" what the picture maker wanted to tell them.
Some viewers like to wrap their own stories around a picture.
Some viewers only want the picture to match the color decor of their parlor.
I would expand this to photographers as well. So, to paraphrase you:
Depends.
On the imagination of the photographer.
Some photographers try to tell you something particular with their photographs.
Some photographers would like you to wrap your own stories around a picture.
Some photographers only want their pictures to match the color decor of their clients' parlor.
taskoni
Well-known
Joosep
Well-known
People tell stories. Pictures can be the catalyst.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Pictures don't tell stories, and they do.
A single picture tells a story, but it's a different story for every viewer.
A single picture with text tells a story, but still a different story for some viewers.
A series of pictures tells a story that can be different for a few viewers.
A series with text is pretty directive, unless viewers decide to disagree with the story.
In general, I'm with Winogrand: pictures do not tell stories, I only photograph to see what things look like when photographed. If it means anything to a viewer, that's nice. If not, maybe it's something for the next guy.
Sometimes I do editorial work, and I aim to tell a story in eight, nine images.
I've no preference.
Just my 2cents, YMMV.
A single picture tells a story, but it's a different story for every viewer.
A single picture with text tells a story, but still a different story for some viewers.
A series of pictures tells a story that can be different for a few viewers.
A series with text is pretty directive, unless viewers decide to disagree with the story.
In general, I'm with Winogrand: pictures do not tell stories, I only photograph to see what things look like when photographed. If it means anything to a viewer, that's nice. If not, maybe it's something for the next guy.
Sometimes I do editorial work, and I aim to tell a story in eight, nine images.
I've no preference.
Just my 2cents, YMMV.
gns
Well-known
A single photograph? No. Pick any photo, post it and write the story you think it tells.
CloseContax
Sonnaristo
A photograph is never a *sequence* of actions, which is what usually constitutes a story. In that sense, I don't think any photograph tells a story.
However, I do think photographs lean toward the poetic: they are descriptive images, and good ones have great meaning. Why tell a story when you can communicate within a single instant?
However, I do think photographs lean toward the poetic: they are descriptive images, and good ones have great meaning. Why tell a story when you can communicate within a single instant?
astro8
Well-known
I think a picture can tell a story, sometimes many stories but every story it tells will be unique to each viewer.
airfrogusmc
Veteran
I agree with Winogrand that a single photograph doesn't tell a story.
In his words and I do agree.
About 1:26 in on but watch the entire piece.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4f-QFCUek
But the really import question is why do some think it has to? I think great photographs ask questions, inspire thought and in some cases force change but there is a reason that newspapers have captions under photographs. Documentary photographers work in series of images and usually have forewords.
In his words and I do agree.
About 1:26 in on but watch the entire piece.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4f-QFCUek
But the really import question is why do some think it has to? I think great photographs ask questions, inspire thought and in some cases force change but there is a reason that newspapers have captions under photographs. Documentary photographers work in series of images and usually have forewords.
Chris101
summicronia
Not literally. And I love Winogrand - in fact, he is one of a very few that always in in my top three dead photographers. But you all know he was being ironic when he said that pictures aren't about a story, right? Every one of Winogrand's picture was a story, or at least a photograph of a moment in a story. But if it weren't about the storys in our visual imagination, then why would we even look at pictures?
I mean, we can just look around, and the image quality is way better than any photograph. But we look at pictures for what they imply, or explain to us!
So yeah. As the bard, Rod Stewart, said, "every picture tells a story".
I mean, we can just look around, and the image quality is way better than any photograph. But we look at pictures for what they imply, or explain to us!
So yeah. As the bard, Rod Stewart, said, "every picture tells a story".
Sunti
Established
They can, and some do.
ChrisN
Striving
Does this one tell a story? Or pose a question?
back alley
IMAGES
according to rod stewart...'every picture tells a story'...
Alex Krasotkin
Well-known
good ones certainly do...
peterm1
Veteran
Rod Stewart says yes.
greyelm
Malcolm
Another question is - do pictures have to tell a story. I would say no.
--s
Well-known
every picture can tell a story, if you just look hard enough.
a frozen moment in time doesn´t make any sense, there´s always the temporal context related to that moment we add in our head. that´s what we could call "a story".
a frozen moment in time doesn´t make any sense, there´s always the temporal context related to that moment we add in our head. that´s what we could call "a story".
thegman
Veteran
I think if every picture tells a story, if you look hard enough, that sounds more like the viewer makes up a story to fit in with it.
One single still picture can on really relay the simplest of stories on it's own, if you look at most pictures, without knowing the background, you'll be making up a story on your own and wrapping it around the picture. Not saying it's good or bad, but I don't think a photograph, alone, can tell a story of any complexity.
One single still picture can on really relay the simplest of stories on it's own, if you look at most pictures, without knowing the background, you'll be making up a story on your own and wrapping it around the picture. Not saying it's good or bad, but I don't think a photograph, alone, can tell a story of any complexity.