I was just wondering about people's feeling on including a narrative/description with each of their 365 shots.
When I did my 1st 365 I used to include a short narrative with each shot, providing a bit of background, reason for the shot or explanation.
When I did my second 365 a few years later I made the decision not to include a narrative and allow the image stand or fall on its own, I guess I also wanted to let the viewer make their own decisions and not be influenced by any narrative from me.
Now, 46 days into my 366 project, I'm wondering, from a viewer's perspective which is preferable just the image or the image with some form of narrative.
Personally I like a narrative of some sort, especially when it comes to landscape picture. It's nice to know roughly were in the world the picture was taken. Although sometimes the title alone can provide this information.
I like a narrative too but don't always provide one myself. I find some people read them and others don't - so I guess it is up to you if you have something to say and want to share it :)
Good question! I'm on the fence as far as my opinion. As far as my own photos, I generally type write something, even if it's just how/what my editing process was but that's more for my own memory/filing system/whathaveyou.
That being said, I've seen some photos that, no offense to the photographer, weren't "that great" and have made it to the popular page because of the narrative that accompanied the photo. In that regard, is 365 a photography website or a social media site?
As @salza said, captioning a photo with where it was taken or if it's a bird, the type of bird is helpful to the viewer for learning purposes but I think as far as "narration" or at least my interpretation of the word, if you're going into detail about what you as the photographer were thinking/feeling when you shot the photo/what you were trying to convey, then you're more a storyteller and perhaps need to focus more letting the photo speak for itself.
I am using three lists of monthly words for 3 of my albums, so that word is used in a short description of the image. The other three albums usually have some short description (i.e. bird or fish) with an adjective or adverb.
I usually write a few words about why I took the photo, sometimes where it was too. It's more for me than anyone else as a sort of journal of what I was doing on a particular day
I think, like with many questions here, the same formula applies - your project, your rules. I notice that among my pictures, there is a mixture of "artsy" shots and some "diary" shots, and I am more inclined to write something to the diary shots to remember the day, sometimes to remind myself of the motivation for the shot etc. Also, after having been here for a year, I made some great 365-friends. In this case, providing a description or throwing in a question with the shot provides a nice start for a conversation and a dialogue - sometimes about photography, sometimes about other things. I admit that I've learned so much here on 365 from other people's descriptions as well - both about photography and about the world in general.
If I don't write text for each photo, something seems to be missing for me. I guess it just depends what you want from, or to give to, 365. For me, the 'dialogue' on 365 is what sets it apart from other photographic sites.
It's totally up to you. Some people who look at my stuff are interested in technique so I try to mention interesting concepts there. That's not really a narrative of course. If the shot is historically or contextually significant, some description can be interesting.
Personally I love a good narrative. This is, after all, a 365 project so for many it's a diary. There are people who write really witty blurb which may or may not 'explain' the photo but is worth the read. I follow some people for the photos and others for the blurb, and some of course nail both. And if people don't want to read the narrative they can just look at the photo. And some times the narrative is really powerful - I still remember one person's story of growing up with dyslexia - it took him a long time to write it but meant a lot to him and his readers and we just couldn't have had that from looking at his image alone.
For me it depends on what I want with the photo. Is it a diary entry, is it to show a certain technique, is it to portray a feeling, is it to get a discussion going etc.
When I look through other people's images I often find the most interesting photo's the ones with no, or little, narrative. For me the visual aspect is first, and sometimes a good title can make the image stronger.
Like so many have said, your project, your rules and I'd emphasize, what do you want to accomplish. After over 3 years, I like have narrative information -- it's interesting to see what I was trying to do 'back then' and what I can see that I've learned. It's also sometimes useful to explain why I took the photo I took. Sometimes the photo is a cause for creating a story (such as when I 'let P3' (penguin) take over which is, for me, a fun change of pace. Bottom line, I enjoy looking at others' photos for the art and the technique. I like reading why others' took a particular photo. I like the window into others' day to day lives. But it totally is up to the individual.
What I don't find useful is when there is no profile information, no narrative, a title like "Day 175" and no information. To that extent, I agree with @mej2011@vera365 Melissa and Vera noted, that to a significant extent, 365 has become, for many of us, a social media site for photographers, not simply about the image itself.
'Am sorry but my disability(dyslexic)plus my two part-time jobs doesn't let me write long narrative.-don't get me wrong, i love to read your commentaries but,if it's way too loooooong ,honestly- my eyes start to bleed,my brain starts to drain---besides,I do believe---"A picture can paint a thousand words":) also agree w/ @annied:)
There are amazing photos on this site, but they fall short when nothing but a nondescript title is provided. Even if all you do is put descriptive tags to the photo, that tells a lot. But that is me, post a photo with the date and time of the photo and I will move on the the next photo.
I do write a narrative. I have my photo and generally say a little about it. I also do "three good things".
It is a form of mindfulness and focuses the mind on positive things - something which has really helped me.
But ...... I firmly believe that whatever is right for you is the way to go. :)
I'm totally a narrative person. But for me 365 is as much journal as it is a photo sharing site.
I follow people who write narrative and those who don't. I do feel more of a connection to the members who write something about their photo than those who don't, but I certainly understand lack of time/ability/desire to narrate and it doesn't prevent me from enjoying photos which are left to stand on their own. :)
My preference is for a narrative, and I always write something myself, usually just a few lines about how the picture came about, or my thoughts on it. That said, I enjoy images without a narrative just as much.
As someone said previously, a narrative gives you a peek into the life of the person who took the picture - you can see people's personailities coming through in what they write, and I've come to enjoy reading the descriptions almost as much as I enjoy looking at their work.
What an interesting thread. Melissa @mej2011 you ask if this is a photo site or a social networking site - I've expressed the opinion on here many times that it is, in fact, both. I always add a narrative and I know from comments made that that was one of the key levers to me getting established on here fairly quickly. The other thing that is key to full involvement in the project is commenting... if I'm going to spend 3/4 minutes each time commenting on 30 or so other folks' posts everyday - why on earth wouldn't I do at least the same for my own image? Yes, it's your project, your rules... but what you get back, IMO, is in proportion to what you put in.
Now I guess that that's put the cat among the pigeons ;-)
Some interesting points coming out. Personally, none of my 365s have been a journal. For me a 365 is about pushing myself, exploring new areas.
One thing I've noticed about this forum/site, the feedback is to my mind more valuable, people are more likely to say why they like an image than just say they like it.
If I was to add narratives, it wouldn't be for me, I often find them to be a chore & I get nothing from adding them, it would be for the viewer.
i like *some* narrative... i have the attention span of a gnat, so if there's too much there, i probably won't read it... but i do like there to be a smidgeon of context, even if the overall intent is to let the viewer form their own conclusions...
but there are no rules and it's your project, so do what works for you :)
I like a narrative - either original or a quote or a song lyric. I don't personally like when people post all the edits they did to it because I think that detracts from the picture. But I do like a narrative - but it has to be short . . . . and creative.
Interesting thread! I can see many of us like narratives. I wrote many narratives in the first year. It became less and less with each following year. Taking photo's and posting them over here has become some sort of second nature. I don't have to think about that much anymore. Spending less time is also a downside when it comes to the narratives. Nowadays I tend to write something when I think it really adds something to the photo, like with architectural images. Coincidental I wrote two small 'stories' with my latest contributions since quite some time.
i only do narratives when it is meaningful. It can be boring reading them unless they are there to add something. Many times I wait until I get some comments and will reply with more info if people are intrigued.
I like a narrative, it somehow feels more inclusive and answers some of the questions. Funnily enough as I am struggling at the moment (thats life!!) i have a sort of guilt not explaining my image as much as I would like to.......I enjoy all entries any which way and will fav the pictures I like regardless of the narrative!
When posting I use the narrative as a reminder to myself of what I was doing, why & how I got there.
When viewing other's images I look at the photo first, if that catches my eye I will look at the title and the narrative. If it is there, I find often the narrative adds to my enjoyment of the image.
I guess it's a bit like art galleries for me - if I have to read the blurb to understand the art, its failed for me - because art (for me) is about communicating without text - however reading the blurb and knowing about the artist & his/her process can bring a fuller understanding of a work, so I'm glad it is there to read.
@susie1205 That's interesting, for me, when viewing an image I often find being left with questions often adds to the image.
@lizhammond ah, now you're close to how I've been thinking, the image should stand or fall on its own or as you say "art (for me) is about communicating without text" but I can get, that if the image has drawn me in that more information might be nice.
From reading the thread (my thanks to all who have engaged) I'm now thinking, that the subject of the image may lead to the value of a narrative and also what the narrative should (for me as viewer) include. For example, for an image of landscape/seascape I might like to know the location. Possibly the same for a streetscape or building/building detail. For an abstract personally I'd prefer no narrative to "give away" what the object is. When it comes to portraits, for me it depends on the type of portait, a formal portrait for me needs no narrative and environmental portrait often the title is all that is needed (I'm thinking Dorothea Lang's Migrant Mother) but sometimes a bit of background is very valuable, I found this when I did a mini-series during my first 365 where often I used just the subject's name, for example, one of my personal favourites from that project was just titled "Joe" https://djferrie.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/365-117-joe/ looking back now, I can help wondering if a more meaningful title such as "Joe - Yard Manager" might have been better. But perhaps, the narrative provides a "connection" between the viewer and subject.
I competely agree that the only rules are those that you want to have, I believe a 365 is a very personal journey and whatever is right for the photographer is right. I've no issues with people who include a narrative or don't include one.
Again, thanks to all who have contributed to this thread, it's always interesting to hear other people's views.
@davejf@vignouse
I am currently captioning my photo for today and; I guess I do tend to ramble/caption/narrate my photos at times without meaning to do so. Thanks for this thread and making me aware of it.
@mej2011 Melissa, please don't let the thread change how you do things. As has been said your project your rules, or as I saw your project is a personal journey - I'd hate if a thread I started caused people to feel that they need to change how they do things.
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That being said, I've seen some photos that, no offense to the photographer, weren't "that great" and have made it to the popular page because of the narrative that accompanied the photo. In that regard, is 365 a photography website or a social media site?
As @salza said, captioning a photo with where it was taken or if it's a bird, the type of bird is helpful to the viewer for learning purposes but I think as far as "narration" or at least my interpretation of the word, if you're going into detail about what you as the photographer were thinking/feeling when you shot the photo/what you were trying to convey, then you're more a storyteller and perhaps need to focus more letting the photo speak for itself.
I don't know, just my two cents.....
For me it depends on what I want with the photo. Is it a diary entry, is it to show a certain technique, is it to portray a feeling, is it to get a discussion going etc.
When I look through other people's images I often find the most interesting photo's the ones with no, or little, narrative. For me the visual aspect is first, and sometimes a good title can make the image stronger.
What I don't find useful is when there is no profile information, no narrative, a title like "Day 175" and no information. To that extent, I agree with @mej2011 @vera365 Melissa and Vera noted, that to a significant extent, 365 has become, for many of us, a social media site for photographers, not simply about the image itself.
It is a form of mindfulness and focuses the mind on positive things - something which has really helped me.
But ...... I firmly believe that whatever is right for you is the way to go. :)
I follow people who write narrative and those who don't. I do feel more of a connection to the members who write something about their photo than those who don't, but I certainly understand lack of time/ability/desire to narrate and it doesn't prevent me from enjoying photos which are left to stand on their own. :)
As someone said previously, a narrative gives you a peek into the life of the person who took the picture - you can see people's personailities coming through in what they write, and I've come to enjoy reading the descriptions almost as much as I enjoy looking at their work.
Now I guess that that's put the cat among the pigeons ;-)
One thing I've noticed about this forum/site, the feedback is to my mind more valuable, people are more likely to say why they like an image than just say they like it.
If I was to add narratives, it wouldn't be for me, I often find them to be a chore & I get nothing from adding them, it would be for the viewer.
but there are no rules and it's your project, so do what works for you :)
When viewing other's images I look at the photo first, if that catches my eye I will look at the title and the narrative. If it is there, I find often the narrative adds to my enjoyment of the image.
I guess it's a bit like art galleries for me - if I have to read the blurb to understand the art, its failed for me - because art (for me) is about communicating without text - however reading the blurb and knowing about the artist & his/her process can bring a fuller understanding of a work, so I'm glad it is there to read.
@lizhammond ah, now you're close to how I've been thinking, the image should stand or fall on its own or as you say "art (for me) is about communicating without text" but I can get, that if the image has drawn me in that more information might be nice.
From reading the thread (my thanks to all who have engaged) I'm now thinking, that the subject of the image may lead to the value of a narrative and also what the narrative should (for me as viewer) include. For example, for an image of landscape/seascape I might like to know the location. Possibly the same for a streetscape or building/building detail. For an abstract personally I'd prefer no narrative to "give away" what the object is. When it comes to portraits, for me it depends on the type of portait, a formal portrait for me needs no narrative and environmental portrait often the title is all that is needed (I'm thinking Dorothea Lang's Migrant Mother) but sometimes a bit of background is very valuable, I found this when I did a mini-series during my first 365 where often I used just the subject's name, for example, one of my personal favourites from that project was just titled "Joe" https://djferrie.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/365-117-joe/ looking back now, I can help wondering if a more meaningful title such as "Joe - Yard Manager" might have been better. But perhaps, the narrative provides a "connection" between the viewer and subject.
I competely agree that the only rules are those that you want to have, I believe a 365 is a very personal journey and whatever is right for the photographer is right. I've no issues with people who include a narrative or don't include one.
Again, thanks to all who have contributed to this thread, it's always interesting to hear other people's views.
I am currently captioning my photo for today and; I guess I do tend to ramble/caption/narrate my photos at times without meaning to do so. Thanks for this thread and making me aware of it.