Stories Beyond the Photos

Posted by Adam Hurly on 28 May 2008.

Yeah, yeah. We're a photography magazine. But we like stories, too. We swear. And even though many photographs tell a story with their supposed "1000 words", on occasion an actual story is appreciated. The back story of each image can strengthen the photographs, and that's why JPG lends a handful of pages in each issue to various story types.

Beginning with Issue 16, JPG now has two new recurring story types—Where I'm At and On the Job. Both involve a Q&A format; just guide yourself through the questionnaire, and your responses automatically supplement your photos.

Where I'm At focuses on your hometown and the neighborhood that shapes your perceptions. From the streets you ran down as a child, or the people with whom you interact daily, the 360-degrees of your life are intriguing when combined with word and photo. In Issue 16, contributor Brian Adams writes about his hometown Kivalina, Alaska. Through his great photos and responses, a wonderful piece emerged.

On the Job is exactly that—JPG members at work. But this doesn't have to be as traditional as you may think. Our friend Slimeface, as seen in Issue 16, documented his life while trucking across America. Not many of us see the country through this perspective, but Slimeface found an easy way to share his terrific photos and story. We were impressed with the results. Atta boy, Slimeface. This is also the perfect opportunity to combine your Photo Challenge: Workspace photos into a complete storytelling package!

You can contribute your words and photos to any of our story types here, or see what other members are posting. Be sure to check out the above stories for some prime examples. And no worries about having perfect writing skills; this is a photography magazine.