# USC Photo Essay



## Samer Imam (Sep 16, 2008)

I am having alot of trouble thinking of what to do for the photo essay assignment. I have alot of ideas but having only 6 pictures to create something is tough.
anyone have any suggestions of what to do for this assignment 

this would help me greatly

thank you


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## Jayimess (Sep 17, 2008)

It's a new requirement, so there are no "rules," so do what you feel.  Tell a story completely, but leave room for the person(s) looking at them to add their own take on it.  Convey emotion.

Most of all, don't worry about "what to do."  There is no single right approach.  They just want to see that you can tell a story visually.

Good luck!


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## REDking (Sep 17, 2008)

Take photos of your Dad opening the first tuition bill and passing out.


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## barbsteele (Sep 17, 2008)

Well, there are a few ways to go about it. You could write a short story, grab a few "actors" and then take cinematic photos to narrate it. Go out and pretend you're making a 5 minute movie, with the restriction that you can only use 6 shots. That's probably the easiest way, and the one that's most like real filmmaking.

Since they also allow you to take "atmospheric" photos rather than purely narrative ones, another option is to find a really cool location, take a ton of photos, and then write a narrative to fit the mood of the photos. That's the route I went, and I think it's a little harder. I ended up writing a couple different stories until I hit on the atmosphere I wanted, and then it took me awhile to decide which photos to use and what sequence to put them in, since they had no narrative context outside of wherever I decided to place them in my story. I could have gone back and re-shot some stuff and maybe dragged along a couple models, but for my piece at least, the eerie, unpopulated setting I used (Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia) worked especially well, despite the fact that the story had characters and dialog.

The approach you use depends on the story you want to tell, really. Have fun with it! I thought it was a really cool assignment.


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## xavier039 (Oct 2, 2008)

For this assignment I am using my six pictures to tell a narrative.  However I don't have any people in my story.  Do you think that matters?  It still conveys emotion though.  I am using fruit to replace the actors.  I thought that it would cause a good twist to the typical essay and would also cause the story to grow a little more.


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## barbsteele (Oct 3, 2008)

That's very clever! I like it! I thought of making little clay figurines and setting up miniature scenes in the garden while it was still in bloom, but it would have taken too long.

I think as long as your story is strong and your visuals are good, it shouldn't matter if there are real actors in your pictures or not. Of course, I still have a couple weeks until I hear back about my Spring application. I'll let you know how much the admissions committee liked actorless-photos once I do


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## xavier039 (Oct 3, 2008)

Thanks.  I am going to be taking my pictures this weekend.  I not sure how comfortable I am with placing actual people in them.  I think the fact that I am choosing not to actually puts a little more into my narrative.  Good luck I hope you get in!


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