A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Contemporary Canadian Landscape Photo Essay
A photo essay is very simply a
collection of images that are placed in
a specific order to tell the progression
of events, emotions, and concepts. The
photo essay takes the same story
telling techniques as a normal essay,
translated into visual images. For this
assignment, you are being asked to use
current technology and software to
put together a collection of images,
and effects that best captures your
understanding of contemporary
Canadian landscapes. You may choose
to present this essay as a Prezi,
PowerPoint, scrapbook etc. Other
forms may be communicated with me,
but a Glog is not acceptable.
Although the photographs don't necessarily need any text with them, you need good captions.
Be aware though, the captions are not there to tell the story, they are there to offer the facts.
The photo must tell the story. There is a difference. Captions are short by their very nature so
you need to learn how to be concise while putting across the information you want.
Not all photo essays are linear. You can pick a theme and show a variety of aspects around that
theme but even though the pictures won't be sequential they must still make sense to your
reader. So the order of the photos is important.
Once your photo essay is complete, you will submit a detailed two-three page word document
explaining WHAT is happening in your essay, WHAT the images mean to you, and WHY you
chose those images. If you do not wish to submit a two page document, you can present your
essay in front of the class instead. The choice is yours.
I suggest you find images or photographs
that mean something to you that tell your
story/thoughts about Canadian
Landscapes. There should be a common
theme amongst in the essay. You may
choose some images from the internet, but
be sure you can connect to them
personally or they fit with the theme of
your essay. If you can, scan photos you
have or take your own.
Example: (Use your imagination to picture these landscapes)
Topic (Contemporary Canadian Landscapes)
Thesis- Contemporary Canadian Landscapes are beautiful – blanket snow covered field that
sparkles from the glimmer of the sun
Point 1- a beautiful picture of my grandma’s log cabin in Parksville, B.C. and another picture of
someone fly fishing in the ocean
Point 2- a picture of my uncle’s farm looking out into the water in Regina Beach, our boat out on
the water, the huge garden where my uncle lived
Point 3- a picture of a sunset with golden wheat and a combine, an open prairie sky, a red sky
over hay bails
Point 4- Castle Mountain hills just outside of Pincher Creek Alberta, open snow covered field
with a small skidoo, ice fishing rod on a frozen lake.
ConclusionYou need 10-16 photos, and the text length in the essay is up to you. Try different
combinations. What is most fascinating about creating a photo essay is the creative process and
how you find new combinations and juxtapositions that enhance your initial work.
Excellent examples from time magazine can be found here:
http://moodleshare.org/mod/book/view.php?id=742&chapterid=113
Keep the following things in mind when creating your essay:
1. The title sums up your essay- it should be short and to the point.
2. The cover of the essay is the first photo the viewer sees. It sums up the story in one
shot.
3. The next photograph sets the scene.
4. Do not underestimate the order of your photos. They should have some significance and
tell a story.
Photo Essay Rubric
Photo
Presentation
X2
Attractiveness
4
3
2
1
Well-rehearsed
with smooth
delivery that holds
audience attention
OR
Paper states in
detail what the
picture is, where it
was taken and
why it is
important.
Organization of
photos is
explained. 2-3
pages with no or
little mechanical
errors.
Rehearsed with
fairly smooth
delivery that holds
audience attention
most of the time.
OR
Paper states what
the picture is,
where it was taken
and why it is in
important.
Organization is
mentioned, but
not focused on. 2
pages with a few
mechanical errors
Delivery not
smooth, but able
to maintain
interest of the
audience most of
the time.
OR
Paper is missing
some details
concerning the
images.
Organization is
barely mentioned.
Less than a page
and a half and a
lot of mechanical
errors.
Delivery not
smooth and
audience attention
often lost.
OR
Paper is missing a
lot of important
details, and
organization is
barely mentioned.
Less than a page
with a lot of
mechanical errors.
4
3
2
1
Makes good use of
font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance to
presentation.
Makes use of font,
color, graphics,
effects, etc. but
occasionally these
detract from the
presentation
content.
Use of font, color,
graphics, effects
etc. but these
often distract from
the presentation
content.
4
3
2
1
Covers topic indepth with details
and examples.
Subject knowledge
is excellent.
Includes essential
knowledge about
the topic. Subject
knowledge
appears to be
good.
Includes essential
information about
the topic but there
are 1-2 factual
errors.
Content is minimal
OR there are
several factual
errors.
4
3
2
1
Content is well
organized, photos
and commentary
are related.
Content is
organized, photos
and commentary
are somewhat
related.
Content photos
and commentary
are organized
some of the time.
Little relationship.
There was no clear
or logical
organizational
structure between
photos and
commentary.
4
3
2
1
Makes excellent
use of font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance
the presentation.
Content
X4
Organization
X3
Originality
X2
Product shows a
large amount of
original thought.
Use of photos are
creative and
inventive.
/48
Product shows
some original
thought. Use of
photos shows new
ideas and insights.
Use of photos
shows little
evidence of
original thinking.
Use of photos
shows no
originality, looks
like a cut and
paste
presentation.