Using Images to Tell Stories

There are a few important principles that you should remember as you select the images that you need to tell your story.

1. IMAGES CREATE FEELINGS. Don't feel bound to pick images that are too precisely scientifically representative of the specific things that you're talking about. Instead look for images that create the right kinds of feelings in your audience.

2. IMAGES NEED CONTINUITY. You can create visual continuity by choosing images that look alike, by designing, capturing or shooting images that feel alike, or by manipulating your images to have a certain coherence. The continuity between your images doesn't have to be exact. You can have several different TYPES of image to tell several different parts of your story -- but these differences will signal different kinds of meaning to your audience. So choose carefully.

3. IMAGES CAN BE MANIPULATED. You can change the color, the texture, the framing and movement of your images just using I MOVIE. More manipulations can be achieved in simple photo editing programs (or -- you can even use PHOTOSHOP in the mac lab if you're feeling ambitious.)

4. IMAGES CAN BE REMARKABLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS. Because of their framing, their color, their balance, their unique subject, a unique perspective. Go ahead and choose remarkable images. Don't choose the first images you find in a google search, find a family images that make sense together and that are remarkable for reasons other than advertising....remarkable because of some truth that they communicate.

5. SIMPLE IMAGES ARE OFTEN THE MOST POWERFUL. This truth refers both to the simplicity of composition and to the number (fewer is better) of images that you use.