{"id":15324,"date":"2024-12-01T16:16:11","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T14:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/?p=15324"},"modified":"2026-10-09T11:52:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T09:52:53","slug":"how-to-create-a-photo-series-ideas-themes-and-examples","status":"publish","type":"magazin","link":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/advice\/how-to-create-a-photo-series-ideas-themes-and-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"How to create a photo series – ideas, themes and examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n\n
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Creating a photo series: ideas, subjects and examples for your own series.<\/strong> From idea to finished series: we show you step by step how to create a photo series \u2013 with ideas for subjects, tips on structure and inspiring examples from our professors.<\/p>\n

\r\n Finn Winkler<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\r\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\n \"Photo\n \n Photos: Andy Happel<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n

Looking for ideas for a photo story<\/a>?<\/strong> Every photo is always stronger when it is part of a larger project. That\u2019s why it makes sense not to think only in single pictures. Instead, you can work on a whole photo series: a gripping series can move people. It can be powerful and emotionally stirring. It can also tell a whole story through a visual sequence and make complicated subjects understandable. You\u2019ll find exciting photo series in many different fields \u2013 in newspapers and magazines, but also in PR and even in science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Working on a photo project requires careful planning, creativity and solid execution. In this article, professors on the Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography<\/a><\/u> programme give you creative advice on a sensible approach. Whether you have to photograph a series for your art class, are working on your application portfolio or are researching for the school magazine: this article has valuable tips and tricks for your photo story!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

1. Finding a subject. <\/a><\/strong>What actually makes a good story? Tips on preliminary research and looking for photo ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Taking the pictures.<\/a> <\/strong>On location with your camera \u2013 now what? Working with light and shadow and colour, and how to avoid tunnel vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Selecting and editing.<\/a> <\/strong>What to do with all those photos? Recommendations for editing your photo series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Conclusion:<\/a> <\/strong>From idea to finished photo project \u2013 <\/strong>all the steps summed up once more.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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1. Finding a subject for a photo series<\/h2>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\n\n

Start by collecting ideas. Maybe you\u2019ll find a subject that appeals to you personally or offers an interesting angle. It\u2019s useful to research what other photographers have done in the past: look at photo books or successful photography websites<\/a> and study how the pictures were composed. But it\u2019s also a good idea not to look only at photography: art, music, film and literature can also be great inspiration for your photo series. Professor Michael Hauri<\/a> remembers: \u2018During my studies, I always went to a second-hand bookshop and looked at old magazines.\u2019 You can look for old issues of photo-heavy publications such as National Geographic, mare or Life. They are often a good starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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In depth: what\u2019s the difference between a photo series, a photo essay and a photo reportage?<\/h5>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n
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The term \u2018photo series\u2019 is often used as a synonym for \u2018photo story\u2019, as it is in this article. In the narrower sense, a photo series is a set of pictures with a similar structure (for example in terms of perspective, distance, light or colour). Other forms of photographic storytelling are the photo essay and the photo reportage. The difference is that these two forms are more about changes in rhythm and distance. A reportage has a beginning and an end (one example is Shirin Abedi\u2019s photo reportage on this page). In a photo essay, on the other hand, each photo often tells its own story, linked to an overarching theme (for an example, see Nanna Heitmann\u2019s photo essay on this page).<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

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