There are pictures which are beautiful to look at, like the sunrise above the ocean can be heartwarming and also looks great on the wall but the key questions are; do these pictures speak to you or your target audience?, do they tell a story other than the beauty there in?
It was in 2016 during my internship at the RAN Innovation Lab specifically in the Multimedia department where I learnt the power of photography and capturing those story telling pictures or those pictures referred to as ‘Talking Pictures’. To share the testimony, it was rich learning which will always be in the memories of those who benefited from the opportunity.
Photography as one method of enhancing the story especially in what you see in the pictures lets you create a story in viewers and readers’ minds. It is the pictures which make all stories as memorable and impactful to People and the communities too informing even the future generations.
The meaning of Resilience is well defined in story telling photography; learning the smallest details and what makes it stand out of many; helping the viewers to understand where a potential story could begin and end but above all, remaining focused to achieving your heart’s desires.
Take an example in last year’s HESN 2016 photo contest, because I had not yet learnt to take those detailed talking pictures which actually tell the story, my photo did not win the contest. I never gave up, I remained persistent to achieve, with the zeal to win and alas! I have since leant that Photo Contest viewers like photos taken in detail and those which actually communicate and tell the story.d
I am grateful for the resilience imparted in me during the time I was at the RAN Innovation Lab. My past experiences in the lab taught me more about competition situations and what people like to look at or what pleases the eyes when it comes to story-telling. These exposures have enabled me to continuously learn to capture all the smallest details of pictures to tell the story. This year in the same competition (HESN photo contest 2017) which happens every year since 2014, I took a picture using my telephone not aiming at interesting the public but to tell a story and impact on communities’ minds. The picture I took and shared with the HESN Team won the contest with 75 favorites (likes).
I heartily thank the RAN team for taking me through several trainings including the Human Centered Design Approach which made me not only resilient but also a winner of the 2017 HESN Photo Contest and many more yet to come. Now, it has become more interesting for me to create and take story telling photos highlighting solutions designed to address community challenges. It is the way to go for all of us.
Thank you Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) Team for giving me an opportunity to participate in this contest. A big thank you to all the HESN Photo Contest voters (liking the winning picture in the 2017 HESN Photo Contest). You all made me a winner and thus we are all winners.
By: Bob Biryabarema