It most times feels difficult to tell whether particular photography is either telling a story or it’s just for art aesthetics which can only be determined by the photographer’s intention. That is why at every point a photographer’s intention matters, because if there is an agenda or message attached to your work, then research will be required at some point, even if it leads to an observational outcome. We have seen some great observational photography work taken by street photographers, which do not necessarily tell a story or give the impression of storytelling.
The puzzle of documentary photography is to crack the code of storytelling by critically investigating and finding expression for your narrative. Critically looking at a particular idea or subject matter with a solid insight based on experiences, then an already dissected matter with no standpoint. Finding your own story to tell without telling some already narrated stories but rather through exploration and experiencing life with people who own these stories will help you discover many other interesting yet untold stories that are unique from others.
Every photographer distinctively tells different stories even when they have some experience at the same time and space but the way each one will interpret their story either by a lens or by writing actually will differ.
As a photographer, you should start off with something that pricks your interest as a story to tell but on a base of curiosity which will lead to you asking more questions.
