Telling a story with a travel photo essay

Most travel albums are random collections of nice shots. A photo essay tells a coherent story about a place, people or experience.

Choose a theme

Narrow your focus: a day in a Yucatecan village, the journey of henequen, a market from dawn to dusk, the food of Mérida.

Shoot a variety of images

• Establishing shot: a wide view that sets the scene
• Medium shots: people interacting and activities
• Portraits: the faces of the story
• Details: hands, objects, textures, food
• Signature shot: the single image that sums up the story
• Closing shot: something that ends the narrative, like a sunset or empty street

Sequence matters

Arrange photos like a story: beginning, middle and end. Alternate wide and close shots to create rhythm.

Edit ruthlessly

Ten strong images tell a better story than fifty average ones. Remove duplicates and anything that does not serve the theme.

Add context

Short captions with names, places and facts add depth, especially for blogs and social carousels.