The Photographic Essay: Images, Text and Story

Discover how photographs transform from isolated images that sit on the page into vivid, interconnected stories.

In this engaging class, you'll learn how to craft a photo essay—an expressive blend of pictures and words that have the potential to carry emotion, memory, and meaning.

We’ll explore the photo essay as a kind of quiet cinema: a sequence you absorb with your eyes and your inner voice. Through guided photo walks, close study of classmates’ work and of influential artists as well as inspiration drawn from films, you’ll experiment with pairing images and text in ways that deepen impact and invite reflection.

By the end of the course, you’ll develop a cohesive final project ready to share in whatever form suits your vision: a social media or web based series, a portfolio piece, a handmade book, or a gallery-ready collection.

Image by Rob Bell from his series, photo essay and exhibition titled "Coming Home"