Photo Essay

For the Stanley Matchett Trophy

  1. An essay may be in black & white or colour or a mixture of both or a collage on one board – digital or conventional.
  2. The maximum number of prints per essay is 6.
  3. The maximum number of essays per member is 2.
  4. Each essay should have a title, either on the board or on a separate title card.
  5. The preferred format is one board, maximum size being A1, approx 23”x 32”, but 6 or less individual prints are also permitted.
  6. This is a print-only competition.

Remember that a photo essay should, by using a number of related images, be capable of telling a particular story, with or without added text. It is not a series of shots of the same item or location. The standard formula used by all photo editors is based on the 3-image concept of:

  1. The establishing shot (wide angle).
  2. The medium (move closer).
  3. The detail (close-up).

It could, following the 3-image principle, use up to 6 photos, but only if it strengthens the storyline. Always think in terms of films and books. They can be of varying lengths, but they always tell their story with a ‘Beginning’, ‘Middle’ and an ‘End’.

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