Often, the hardest part of creating a piece of art is beginning. Writers get writer's block and painters may stand in front of a canvas for hours before laying the first stroke. As a photographer, I often feel lucky, because I can jump into the beginning right away. I normally don't stand in front of a newborn and have to decide where to begin. The inspiration is so strong and fluid during a session, that the beginning happens quickly. Where I sometimes reach a wall is when I get home and sit in front of my computer. I get caught up in the designing of albums, storyboards, cards, etc. It's easy to get overwhelmed with which images to choose, how to process them, text or no text, simply because I have too much time to think about it. There are a few tricks that I keep in mind while designing, that help me to jump back into that fluidity in which I thrive.
First, remember that you are telling a story. Wikipedia defines Storyboards as "graphic organizers such as a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion graphic or interactive media sequence, including website interactivity." Simply, it tells a story. When choosing images for a Storyboard, it's important to select shots that are sequential or at least from a similar moment in time. Check out the first example...
I love these three images. The first is a quiet moment, with Baby looking right at us. The second she's looking down, but it shows off her beautiful eyelashes. The third she's back to looking at us and Mom is laughing. All great moments individually, but together do they tell a story? Not really. The viewer is left wondering why Mom is laughing. Mom knows, the photographer knows, but we the viewers feel left out of the moment. As you design, remember that your viewers were not with you at the session. They don't have the same context that you do and will be left confused. Will Mom have to explain to her family and friends what made her laugh every time she has guests to her home? Probably. At that point, Mom is the storyteller, not you, the photographer. On to the next example...
Ahhhh, NOW we know why Mom is laughing. Mom kissed baby, one of those squishy kinds of kisses on mushy cheeks, and THAT made Mom laugh. Much better. Do you see the difference? After going back to the session photos, we decided that this was the story that we wanted to tell. It is tender and sweet and funny at the same time. Did you notice what else happened when we focused on a tighter story? All of the backgrounds became similar. This makes the Storyboard more appealing to the viewers eye. It unifies the images and creates order and simplicity. After I put this Storyboard together, however, I noticed something that I didn't like.
Ahhh... yeah, the height of Mom's head is different in the first shot as compared to the second and third. The composition of this image is slightly different. It's a small thing, but it bothers me. And it may bother Mom, too. I went back to the images and replaced it with a different shot that had Mom at the same height.
Do you see how it changes the "flow" of the Storyboard? Both images are great, but this revised Storyboard has more consistancy, and I like that better.
Ask yourself...
Do the images tell a story, or will the viewer need more information to figure it out?
Are the backgrounds similar?
Is the composition consistent?
Stay tuned for more design tricks...
