Sunset on the Bay of Fundy,
Northern Maine 2016
The best thing about great photography is that it tells a story without words. It may set the stage for different stories, but that’s not important. The crucial part is that the photo “says” something for every viewer, something that stimulates the imagination.
When I first became interested in photography a few years ago, the idea of its telling a story was easy to accept; I love stories. But translating the story of the photo’s image–the sense of the scene’s significance, what it “says” about the life of the person, place or thing—is another talent altogether. Great photography requires multiple talents: technical proficiency, an eye for design, and a storyteller’s sensibility.
Today I spent time reviewing photos I took in northern Maine two weeks ago. These are some examples of the dreadful, the okay and the not-too-shabby. The photo above, of a sunset, is pretty and kind of dramatic; at least it gives a sense of place.
No story here. These Arctic Terns aren’t doing anything interesting.
The close-up of the Tern on the left shows the gleam in his eye and a little attitude, which I like.
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- Three Puffins on a rock. No story.
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- Two Puffins chatting and one complaining about them. There’s a story here. (Photo by Bill Popik)
