Episode Categories

Dodge and Burn in Photoshop

Enhancing, Opinion, Photoshop Sep 06 , Episode 366

Telling a Story Through a Photo

I talk a lot on Phlearn about telling a story through your photos, it is a great way to get your viewer involved in what is going on and make them care about the image more.

Today we are dealing with something a little different, we are dealing with half a story. There is something going on in this image, but we are not told everything from this image alone. We can only guess at what the story is. I think this is one of the rare cases when I have seen this done well, because there are so many details in the image, it keeps me guessing.

What are your thoughts on telling a complete or incomplete story? Are you intrigued by the mystery it creates?

Waseef

«
»
  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=511782471 Jeremy Ferguson

    i definitely like images that require you to think and complete the story on your own.  it gives an image unlimited potential because no one sees things exactly the same.  sort of living art.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jon-Peckham-II/100002160465503 Jon Peckham II

    I would crop and simplify. But other than that, its amazing.

  • http://twitter.com/Wreck_Photo Michael Baldwin

    Cool work, almost Dave Hillish. My take on the story is he had fisty cuffs with tinkerbell… It would seem she can kick ass!

  • Anders

    I like the pictures, where something is just about to happen, or something has just happened. So you have to imagine the actual event for yourself.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tom.simone Tom Simone

    He looks like he’s either been knocked out, or dead. The white powder makes it seem like he’s been there for a long time.
    Great image, love the story half-told concept.

  • http://www.flickr.com/waseef Waseef Akhtar

    haha thank you all and thanks for all the techniques, Aaron. You rock! haha xD. I kinda couldn’t ever work on this one, even though I had the final image before I did the shoot and still have it in my mind. I actually made this guy look dead in the pic. My idea was to add some flames and things around the guy and on the sofas, lots of smoke and glass shattered and things like that. Tried working on it plenty of times but unsuccessful but I think I need to try once more after watching this ep. wish me luck! xD

  • Naninou

    I love your photo Waseef ;)
    And Aaron… well you rock !!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001436136016 Daniel James T. Cook

    Oh yeah, I love when there’s a wtf element of mystery. Here’s a quick example from a photographer named Julian Hibbard 
    http://www.julianhibbard.com

    I really like your image Waseef. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/farhansherwani Farhan Khan Sherwani

    perfect !

  • Bleak

    I think it’s just a temporary knockout from high methane flatulence. At that age you’re suppose to hold your breathe when you release a flatus, he obviously didn’t so he suffered the consequence. No worries he will revive soon.

  • Sac Air Conitioning

    why can’t i select apply image?

Free PRO Tutorial
Sign up for our newsletter and instantly receive a free PRO Tutorial!
Over 10,000 people are already signed up.
Contest

Contest: Three Or More Subjects


Helpful Links
Random Tips

Having trouble cloning out fly away hairs on a complicated background? Duplicate your layer. On the bottom layer, use the liquify tool to shrink the head, which extends the background into the head (make sure to try and keep the background looking good and not warped around to much) . Now on top layer, use a mask to reveal the extended background, hiding the fly away hair.

Related Posts
aaron
Inspirational Photographers