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We all take heaps of photos everyday with our phones. I am a huge advocate of printing your images so that in the future you have something tangible to look back on. The alternative is thousands of images that are shelved away on your phone or computer never again to see the light of day or even worse at risk to a hardware failure and being lost forever.

In a previous article I wrote about creating photo books from your images. There are plenty of services that are out there that you could use. One of the tips I gave in this article was rather than having a photo book with a whole lot of random images create a book that has a theme. For instance it could be a recent vacation or special event.

Like any good book, photo books (or photo albums) should be designed in a way that they tell a story.

Don't just add random images to your photo book. Create a #story Share on X

Use Story To Create A Photo Album Of Your Next Family Event

With Christmas just over a week away I thought it might be timely to write an article about how to create a photo essay or photo story so that your next photo album will be more meaningful to you and your family many years from now.

Mind you the structure that I am about to give you applies to anything you wish to document with your camera…from your child’s first day at school to going to the beach on a warm summers day.

Let’s start.

The Structure Of A Photo Story

I like to remember the structure as E.G.E.A.D.C

And it stands for:
*Establishing shots
*Group shots
*Environmental Portrait shots
*Action shots
*Detail shots
*Concluding shots

Apart from the establishing and concluding shots the order of the other style of shots can be randomised but one good rule of thumb is to start off with wider shots (ex. large group shot) and then progressively get tighter and closer in (ex. shot of a single person, then close up detail of something small but important to the story).

But remember rules were made to be broken.

Also randomise your point of view. By this I mean change the height or position from where you are taking the photos. For a group shot you might want to stand on a chair. When photographing a young child get down low on the floor. If a child is doing something intriguing photograph whatever they are doing from over the child’s shoulder.

I think you get the point.

So sticking to the Christmas theme, let me take you on a hypothetical journey through Christmas Day at my place.

The Establishing Shot

Show where the story takes place. If you are traveling take photos of place signs, road maps etc anything that tells the viewer a time and place where your story takes place.

For my story it might be an image of the Christmas tree with all the presents under it. Christmas is at our place this year so I might want to photograph the front door with a Welcome sign and Chrsitmas decorations.

Group Shots

Take photos of everyone who will be a part of the story. They can be candid images or ask them to look at the camera.

When everyone arrives for lunch I may want to go around photographing each family.

Environmental Portrait shots

An environmental portrait is a photograph of an individual in their surroundings. So whatever is around them becomes part of the picture and therefore the story. It is not a tight portrait or a close up of someone.

Usually these are the main characters in your story.

So I may take photograph of my Dad setting up the BBQ. Or Mum placing the Christmas bon bons on the table. Or Aria my one year old daughter sitting under the lights of the Christmas tree.

Action shots

Pretty self-explanatory. We always have Santa make an appearance at our place so photographs of kids laughing with Santa, kids ripping their wrapped presents open, food being prepared, everyone talking and laughing at the table while having lunch or the backyard cricket match after lunch.

The opportunities are endless.

Detail shots

Well where do I start? Always plenty of opportunities here at Christmas. Close ups of decorations, lights, table settings, the food, a child’s hand as they hold their precious toy.

Just be creative.

Concluding shots

Finish of your story with some great closing images. Think of a movie. What are the classic last scenes?

For an ending to a Christmas day at my place I could have images of wrapping strewn everywhere or empty plates and bowls. But for me the most iconic images would be people slouched in armchairs or laying on the grass, dozing off to sleep after a heavy lunch and one too many alcoholic beverages.

Well there you have it, a very simple formula for telling a story of an event through images. You can use this structure at any time, even for simple outings like going to the local park.

One last thing it is VERY important to include yourself in the story. So don’t be the one always taking the photos. Occasionally give the camera to someone else.

After all, when you look back years from now at the photo books you’ve created…[You Are Going To Create A Photo Book Aren’t You?]….it would be a shame not to have documented your part in your family’s life.

A Challenge To You

My challenge to you is to create at least two photo books in the new year. You have so many opportunities too: Christmas, summer vacation, your child’s first day at school, Easter, birthdays, other holidays etc.

Read more about some of my tips for creating photo books here.

After you have created your first one come back here and leave a comment below and give me all the details. I would get a real buzz knowing that in some way I helped you out.

Until next time,

Take care

Warren