Creating a photo series

That one photo gets some company

Maybe you have a photo of someone half-hidden behind a door. A while later, you take a photo somewhere else with something similar happening. You remember that first photo. Those two might work together.

That's often how a series begins. You don't need to write a plan beforehand. Sometimes you've already made a start without realizing it.

Look through your photos and group a few that you think share something. It could be a subject, but also a posture or the way people stand in their surroundings. Then look at what they actually have in common. Simply being ‘all taken on the street’ gives you little direction for the next photo.

Something to take out on the street

When you head out with a series in mind, you have something to come back to along the way. People stepping inside somewhere, for example. You start looking at an entrance differently. You notice the movement, the moment when someone is still outside but almost inside.

Your subject gives your attention a focus. One doorway turns out to be barely interesting, while another has something happening that you want to wait for. You start seeing differences in what initially seemed much the same.

And then you get a photo that fits. That little moment of satisfaction keeps you going. One more to add.

I think that makes you a better photographer. You keep looking at a subject and exploring what else is possible. A series doesn't have to take over your entire walk, though. You can also come home with a photo that doesn't fit anywhere and still be happy with it.

Start with what already catches your eye

Coming up with a subject can get difficult if it has to be special right away. Before you know it, you're spending more time thinking about a title than looking at your photos. The title can wait.

Start instead with something you recognize in your own work. Which situations keep coming up? What held your attention? Maybe it's people whose faces you can't see. Or a bit of nature that keeps appearing among all that concrete.

Write down your working subject in one sentence. For example: ‘People just stepping into or out of a place.’ That's enough to head out with. You can change that sentence later.

If you haven't found a starting point in your photos yet, choose something to explore for a while. You don't need to know in advance whether you'll want to keep working on it for long.

Ideas to get you started

These subjects can help you get going:

• Going in or coming out. Look for the moment someone passes through an entrance. Notice the step, a hand on the door or a body that has already partly disappeared.
• People in frames. Doors and windows can form a frame around a person. Explore how much of the surroundings you need to make the photo work.
• Nature among the concrete. Look at where greenery appears and how it relates to the buildings. Is it a small detail, or does it fill a large part of your photo?
• People whose faces you can't see. Notice what posture and body language tell you. A back or a pair of hunched shoulders might give you a reason to keep looking.
• Animals on the street. Look at their place in the surroundings, too, and how they relate to the people around them.
• Young and old. Explore the differences you see on the street. You can do that within a single photo, but you can also place photos side by side.

Choose something you're curious about. A subject can sound simple. It needs to give you something to work with when you're out.

Which photos belong?

After a while, you'll have a folder of possible photos. Put them side by side, on your screen or as prints. Then you can see how they work together.

Start with what they have in common. Is it clear why these photos are grouped together? A short explanation can help, but try looking without it, too.

Then look for repetition. Two photos can be so similar that one is enough. Compare them and choose which one you want to keep. Set the other aside for now. You don't have to delete it.

Look for differences that add something to the series, too. A different distance or a quieter photo can create some breathing room between busy photos. Try different sequences. See what changes when you start with a different photo.

Color can play a part, too. You can choose color or black and white for each photo or for the series as a whole. You can read more in my article on choosing between black and white and color.

What you keep noticing

As you make your selection, you might come across something you hadn't considered. Your subject is ‘people in frames,’ but you keep choosing photos where someone is about to disappear out of that frame.

That's something to explore further. Apparently, there's something there that interests you.

Creating a series helps you recognize what keeps catching your eye. You see your choices together and can build on them. My article on finding your own style has more on recognizing your own way of seeing. You don't have to give it a name right away.

From series to project

A series that continues over time soon becomes a photography project. You keep working on it, look back and head out again with what you've seen so far in mind.

You can give yourself some direction along the way. Write down what you're exploring and check occasionally whether your photos still fit. Your subject might become more specific. Or a side path might turn out to be interesting.

Consider setting a time to review your selection. That keeps the folder from simply getting fuller. A project can also grow through more selective choices.

Share your series

As a member of straatfotografie.nl, you can share your photos and show your series to other members. You can do that while you're still working on it, too.

Briefly explain what you're exploring and what you're unsure about. For example, ask which photo stands out to someone, or where the connection becomes less clear. That gives others something specific to respond to.

Their feedback can help you take another look at your selection. Then you decide what to do with it. And perhaps, on your next walk, you'll suddenly spot a photo you can add.