Recognize photo clumps

During December, PJs document many community activities relating to the holidays. As I mentioned in a recent comment section, I post some here to make local readers happy.

I do so with trepidation, because I don't want new readers to think I consider them to be photo stories.

Due to the low light, motion and so forth, they present PJs with visual challenges. But, so does solitaire. Both have about the same long-term affect on everyone except the subjects of the images. For the subjects, it's probably a life-long event to be in the newspaper. I'm happy to have helped.

To the other thousands of readers ... put the black three on the red four.

I plan to write some posts about photo story definitions soon. However, I want to deliberately stress the images above are not a photo story. At best, it might be a photo essay because all images relate to one event. In practical terms, it's a "photo clump."

It's a clump (spelled CL, not D) of photos from one event. There is no narrative or meaning to these images other than happy, pretty people at a happy, pretty people event.

There's nothing wrong with the event or displaying a group of photos from one event. It happened, it was documented, names are spelled correctly and everyone is happy. The subjects are happy, some readers may be happy and the paper is filled. No problems.

BUT, it's not a photo story.

Since it's December, all the good little PJs are combing though their files from this year to have their images ready for the 1st of January (contest season). Now would be a good time to, at least, be able to identify a clump of photos. Consider the post above as an example. I have others on this blog, but remember I must fill space here at times as well since the posts are daily.

If PJs look at the photo story section of my portfolio, they'll notice not all stories have a similar structure. This is because several sets (about half) are actually photo essays rather than stories. At least none are photo clumps (in my opinion).

There's a nice photo story about to hit around Dec. 31. It's been saved as a draft since before Thanksgiving. It shouldn't be hard to see the difference between a photo story and photo clump. When submitting images for competition or job applications, it's necessary to understand the difference. Those reviewing the images do.

Enough for now,